Las Vegas, Henderson and North Las Vegas Real Estate: December 2007

Want to capture my attention while I'm web surfing? Just incorporate a well-placed photo of a dog or two into your site.

Want to keep my attention? Offer great content thats informative, entertaining and easy to read.

The Agent Guide Blog does just that with My 17 Best Business Tips for Real Estate Agents. Stop by and visit the pups, and add this blog to your outside reading. I'm sure it will make a difference for your business in 2008!

"We're going to wait until the market improves." How many times have real estate agents heard that in the last couple of months? And when exactly will everyone agree that the market is improving?

"The Truth - 'They' Don't Have A Clue When This Correction Will End" is an excellent look at today's market, written by Jeff Brown at BawldGuy Talking. In this post, he exmines two differing theories of when the real estate market will recover, then emphasizes the importance of thinking long term.

This is exactly the message we need to communicate to buyers. Home ownership should be looked at with a long term focus. And in the long run, today's market is just a small bump in the road. The time to buy is now.

Think about your results for 2007. Do you see them in terms of number of sides, deals closed, GCI?

Marc Davison at 1000 Watt Consulting suggests something more along the lines of 'helped individuals and families meet their housing needs.' This shifts the focus from the agent to the customer, from statistics to basic human needs.

In I Am a Customer, Davison explores how branding affects customer perception. The examples he gives from the real estate industry are poignant.

When we design our marketing and branding, we need to remember that real estate is about more than just houses and mortgages. Real estate is about people.

With nearly 500,000 users, Twitter is responsible for a lot of 'micro-blog' posts. It's surprising how much you can say in 140 characters or less. Scan the latest 'Tweets' and you'll find profound observations, fresh ideas, links to great online content, and more.

But what if you're looking for something specific? Terraminds micro search allows you to search public Twitter updates and profiles. What kind of information can you find? Here's a sampling:

• real estate  -  3,208 results
• mortgage  -  1,206 results
• buying a home  -  410 results
• real estate blog  -  140 results
• real estate agent  -  138 results
• mortgage rates  -  95 results

Following the links or users in those results just might lead to your next listing, sale, referral source or investor. If you're looking to connect with people around a specific topic or interest, add Terraminds to your online toolkit.

At the NAR convention last month in Las Vegas, I began to understand some of the uses for Twitter. Attendees used it to communicate everything from what the best exhibits were, to where to grab a bite to eat, to hilarious and spontaneous observations. Others used it to stream the best soundbites from featured speakers and breakout sessions.

Since then, I've followed about 40-50 other TwitWits, most of them real estate agents. We use it to share links, brainstorm ideas, or just for a little mini-socializing - all in 140 characters or less.

Mario Sanchez at Shoestring Branding extends Twitter even further with "Creative Ways to Use Twitter for Marketing and Branding." New blog post or press release? Announce it on Twitter. Have a price reduction, special financing, or open house? Share it on Twitter.

Technology is just a tool. It's what we do with it that makes it special. With Twitter, as you follow more people and more follow you, you'll strengthen your brand and your connections will grow exponentially. And you never know who or where your next lead, listing or sale will come from.