I love teaching the CRS 206 technology course, which I just finished doing one in Bryan, TX. I did one the week before in Waltham, MA.  I polled attendees (30 in MA, 15 in TX) after the course, asking them to let me know the one idea they found of value to their business above all others.

You’ll hear more about these students in a future post, including who they are and where they’re from.  For now, here are some of their choices.

BTW: If it looks like you would benefit from the course, you’ll find a list of locations at CRS.com. I hope to see you in a course next year!

BTW #2: I am setting my teaching calendar for 2010. When your group (company, local or state Association, etc.) books a CRS 206 technology course for 2010, you can request a specific instructor. I would appreciate your requesting me. You can reach me by email here. Thanks!

For now, here’s the list so far:

• Snagit for screen capturing, annotating and emailing to prospects inside the email message
• Picasa for photo editing and “sexy” shows
• A workable, profitable Web strategy
• Reworking my Web site to provide complete consumer information
• Different Web site types and providers, pro and con
• Adding video to my site
• Working effectively with my assistant
• Eliminating unnecessary expenses (I’ve saved $140 p/mo so far!)
• Using technology to save time so that I can spend more time with my family
• Purchased a new Smart Phone
• Uses for Bluetooth
• How easy it is to use the Flip Video Digital camera and upload to YouTube…simple!
• The need to get my CRS designation
• Using Google Groups for agent networking and working with my clients
• Using Google Earth to market my clients
• Marketing with AtomSmasher signs and billboards
• Loaning out the “pre-loaded” GPS to buying clients
• Photo editing: using canvas paper to produce an “oil painting” of listing prospect’s home
• Available automatic lead management systems and what they can do for me
• Hiring a Virtual Assistant
• Advantages of using a real estate specific database instead of Outlook
• The idea of spending one hour a day on my technology
• Using Issuu for my CMA’s and listing presentations….cool eBook format, and easy!
• Microsoft Publisher for my presentations and TinyURL.com
• Using the right domain name…I’ve already purchased 5
• Networking ideas using technology

Again, I’ll be posting more on this, but that’s not too bad a list of ideas from one course, right?  Is it time for you to take the CRS 206?  I think so…

Hope you’ll check out my new eBook, “Digital Essentials for Today’s Agent,” here.

It’s a beautiful day here on the lake in Reston…hope it’s a beautiful day wherever you are, too!

One reason I love teaching seminars nationwide is that I hear from agents who have achieved great success applying what I teach. One such agent came to my attention today in Bryan, TX, where I am teaching the CRS 206 two-day technology course. She is Mari Montgomery of Keller Williams Realty, Huntsville, TX. You can see her Web site here and her dynamic blog here.

Tonight, while working in my hotel room, I got an email from Mari. Among other things, she shared the following:

“I knew from the beginning that my website was my everything.  I have been through numerous websites and experiments in internet marketing.  I drew the idea for my current website on a napkin and got it done by a very smart guy.  My business comes almost exclusively from internet leads.”

I learned the following about Mari:

• She entered real estate in August, 2008
• Prior to entering real estate, she was the Choral Director of Huntsville High School
• She has only lived in Huntsville for three years and therefore did not have a Sphere of Influence there
• She started with no people in her database
• She has closed over 30 transactions to date
• She ranks 14^th out of 150+ agents in her office
• She ranks 162^nd out of almost 2500 Keller Williams agents in the greater Houston area.

Mari added one other item to her note: “I’ve got a lot to learn and am looking forward to the ride!”

I’m not surprised, but many agents whose production does not come close to Mari’s are not in the CRS 206 course…nor do they attend other courses. They are “too busy” or they feel that education isn’t worth the effort. Last week, I had a number of very heavy hitters in my CRS 206 course there. It was held in Waltham, MA, and some of the heavy hitters came from California, Oklahoma, Vermont and several other states. They realize the value of good education and they travel to get it.

Here’s what I hope you take away from this post: your Web site and a commitment to real estate education, primarily the CRS courses, will get you to the top….quickly.

It’s a beautiful day here in Bryan, TX….hope it’s a great day wherever you are, too!

Check out Allen’s New eBook of CyberStar(r) Tips Here!

As you know, I teach real estate technology courses nationwide.  I am a Senior Instructor for the Council of Residential Specialist’s CRS 206 two day technology course, and I recently taught the 206 in Atlanta.  We had a full house, a great group, and lots of learning took place, as usual.

It is always a thrill to hear from students who use the tools we cover in the course, and I want to share one email I got from a student in the Atlanta course.  She’s Maura Carey Neill, CRS, a partner in the Gebhardt Group of RE/MAX Greater Atlanta.  You can see their #1 Expert Web site here.  Note how they have customized the site as well as taking advantage of #1 Expert’s standard features.

Here’s Maura’s note letting me know how she’s using one of the free programs we covered in class:

“Hi, Allen!

“I was in your CRS Technology class in Atlanta this summer. Just wanted to thank you again for introducing me to Issuu.com.  What a great tool!  Just thought I’d pass along to you a few things I’ve created so that you can see what a great influence/instructor you are (as if you didn’t already know)!

“You can see a brochure I did for my team here, and here’s a brochure I created for a nonprofit that I’m on the Board for.  There’s still a learning curve, but it’s a really great tool and it’s fun technology to use.

“Thanks again.  I hope you’re doing well, catching lots of fish and enjoying your cultural outings with Miss Ellie.  I hope to take another course with you soon!”

A good testimonial to the CRS 206, real estate’s best course if you want to know what tech tools to use and how to use them!

One final point: here’s Maura’s signture from her email.  I hope you, too, are using your signature as a marketing piece.  Note how she incorporates her Web site, blog and how to reach her on three social networks:

Maura Carey Neill, ABR, CRS, MA
REALTOR Partner - The Gebhardt Group
RE/MAX Greater Atlanta
10220 Medlock Bridge Road
Duluth, Georgia 30097

770-355-3438 (cell)
678-301-4350 (e-fax)
maura@gebhardtgroup.com (email)
www.GebhardtGroup.com (website)
www.NorthAtlantaRealtyBlog.com.com (blog)
Licensed in the state of Georgia.

Facebook: www.facebook.com/mauraneill
Twitter: www.twitter.com/mauraneill
Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/mauraneill

Summing up, it made my day to get Marua’s email and to see how the course is paying benefits for her!

It’s a great day here on the lake in Reston…hope it’s a great day wherever you are, too!

I am relaxing here for a day or two at the Buccaneer Hotel on St. Croix after teaching the CRS 206 course here.  It was a wonderful, relaxed, information-packed course with 28 wonderful real estate agents in attendance.  Here are a few of my thoughts after the course in no particular order:

• The students’ favorite tools/strategies were Snagit, the Flip digital video camera, a real estate specific database, using a VA (Virtual Assistant), getting a business coach and blogging.
• When agents who have never created a video or posted one to YouTube see one of their classmates who has never done one either doing it front of them, it’s a Wow!  Reaction: I can do that, too!
• When agents who have never created a panoramic photo see one of their own do so in VisualTour.com, there is a similar reaction.
• Students tend to lose their fear of technology when they see how to market with it in the CRS 206…and how easy it is.
• Most see the need to focus on their Web sites and blogs as their core business tool after learning about what a money-making Web site should contain and seeing specific examples from successful agents.
• Most resolve to use the automatic followup systems in their real estate database or systems such as Gooder Group or Real Pro Systems.

As mentioned, this class was very enjoyable…relaxed and exciting at the same time.  My main goal in teaching it is to show attendees how to make money, save money and save time using today’s technology…mission accomplished here in St. Croix!

Two further points:

• Every agent wanting to build a more profitable business needs to take the CRS 206 technology course.
•  If your group wants to bring in a 206, I would appreciate your asking for me to be the instructor…I love doing the course, and the “non techie” approach I use seems to work well.

It’s a beautiful day here on the beach in St. Croix…hope it’s a beautiful day wherever you are, too!

I just finished teaching the CRS 206 course in Columbia, SC.  As usual, we covered a number of today’s best tech tools, tools that meet the needs of today’s consumers.  One of the tools I demonstrated was Issuu.com.  You can visit it here.

 Issuu is a free upload site…but one with a difference.  Files saved in PDF format, such as PowerPoint, Excel, Word files and more saved as PDF’s, can be shown on Issuu as ebooks, emagazines or more.  It is a simple process: create your document or presentation, save it as a PDF, go to Issuu.com and click on "Upload."  Couldn’t be easier, and the results are really amazing.

I have posted a number of presentations to Issuu and will continue to do so.  You can see the slides I did for my presentation for the Texas Assn. of REALTORS(r) here.  CyberStar(tm) James Nellis of the Nellis Group here in Northern Virginia has a number of presentations on Issuu including their listing presentation, eflyers and more.

If you use PowerPoint, use Issuu as a point of difference for showing your presentations in a very "with it" way…you’ll be glad you did!

I asked my fellow CRS 206 instructor, Mike Selvaggio, to contribute his Ten Top Tips for the revision of my best-selling book, "Dominate! Capturing Your Market With Today’s Technology."  The CRS 206 course is the Council of Residential Specialist’s 2-day technology course, the best course, in my opinion, for learning how to market with today’s technology.  Mike does a superb job on the digital photography module of the course, and he’s my "go to" guy when I want to learn more in this area.

Here are Mike’s top ideas…Top 10 + a bonus #11:

1.       Shoot lots of shots

2.       Shoot bedroom shots 4 feet off the ground

3.       Buy a wide angle camera like the Canon sd800

4.       Have at least a 512 mb card for storing your photos

5.       Reformat your card while in the camera at least once a month

6.       Always have your camera ready for that great shot

7.       Shoot kitchens by holding your camera over your head and if possible, stand on a chair

8.       Shoot exterior front shots at ¾ angle, not straight ahead. Stand on the non-garage side.

9.       Best shots are on cloudy days, not bright sunshine. Avoid harsh shadows.

10.   Take your best shot in the field so you do not have to work it over in your computer

11.   Set the resolution of your camera BEFORE you shoot so it matches the ultimate use (bonus tip)

It’s a great day here on the lake in Reston…hope it’s a great day wherever you are, too!

Here’s an update on where I’ll be in the near future.  Hope to see you at an upcoming seminar!

April 21: Chicago, IL

    CyberStar(tm) Panel RE/MAX of Northern Illinois.  Register with Candy Kissner, CKissner@RMXun.com, 847-219-4097

May 5-6: Medford, OR

    CRS 206.  Register with Oregon CRS Chapter, Jane Robertson, OregonCRS@OregonCRS.org  or 866/ 625-8494

May 21-22: Duluth, GA (Atlanta)

    CRS 206.  Register with Northeast Atlanta Metro AOR, Barbara Janes, barb@namar.org or 770/ 495-7300

It’s a beautiful Spring day here on the lake in Reston…hope it’s a great day wherever you are, too!