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Premium service deserves premium pay

By Bernice Ross, Thursday, September 25, 2008.

According to Consumer Reports, 67 percent of agents will reduce their commission simply because the seller asks them to do so. Do you know what to do to earn the full fee you deserve?

Last week's article looked at five strategies to earn a full commission. The key point is to focus on value rather than price. After the sellers hear about the wide variety of services that you provide, they may still test you to see whether you'll lower your fee. more...

Just say 'no' to commission-cutting

By Bernice Ross, Thursday, September 18, 2008.

Consumer Reports just released a study saying that 67 percent of all agents were willing to lower their commissions simply because the seller asked. If you haven't mastered the art of earning your full fee, there's no better time than now.

I recently had a conversation with Doug Rebert and Rick Doyle of Prudential Homesale in Lancaster, Pa. Agents in one of their offices wanted to slash commissions because they felt it was the only way they could survive the commission war in their market area. more...

12 tactics for surviving market 'shift'

By Bernice Ross, Thursday, September 11, 2008.

Need help weathering the storm in today's real estate market? If so, reach for Gary Keller's new book, "Shift" -- it's the lifesaver you need today to thrive tomorrow.

Market shifts happen. We have seasonal market shifts as well as major market shifts. Along with co-authors Dave Jenks and Jay Papasan, Gary Keller outlines the 12 proven tactics that successful agents are using to navigate today's "shifted" market. more...

Cool real estate Web tools

By Bernice Ross, Thursday, September 4, 2008.

At Real Estate Connect, Brian Boero, Dustin Luther and Kelly Roark outlined 90 different ways you can use technology to improve your business. Today's column hits the highlights.

Agents today face numerous challenges when it comes to technology. Which solutions really work? How can I convert more leads from the Web? What do I need to do to motivate visitors to return to my site repeatedly? more...

Represent REOs with caution

By Bernice Ross, Thursday, August 28, 2008.

Up to 50 percent of all transactions in many markets are foreclosures, short sales and REOs. Like it not, these types of transactions are part of the landscape. While you're busy protecting everyone's interest, are you taking the necessary measures to protect yourself and your brokerage?

Back in the early 1990s, I specialized in representing REOs (properties that the banks had taken back in foreclosure). more...

Finding a pulse in local real estate markets

By Bernice Ross, Thursday, August 21, 2008.

More bad news from the latest Standard and Poor's/Case-Shiller 20 metro-area price index: Prices were down 15.8 percent on an annual basis in May. How meaningful are the national numbers to your business?

At Real Estate Connect, I had the pleasure of moderating four different foreclosure panels. The last panel had a spirited discussion about the foreclosure numbers and what they mean. more...

Video killed the business card

By Bernice Ross, Thursday, August 14, 2008.

One of the most important trends over the next few years will be the "videoization" of the Web. Agents and brokers are already incorporating video into their Web sites. They are broadcasting their virtual tours on places like YouTube, Google Video and Yahoo Video. Here is a list of 10 smart ways to incorporate video in your business:

1. Live like a local
Professionally produce a video about the specific geographical area(s) that you serve. In the video, act as a tour guide showing what makes your area unique. more...

SearchMe reinvents online property search

By Bernice Ross, Thursday, August 7, 2008.

Move over, Google, Yahoo and MSN; there's an entirely new type of search engine that's about to revolutionize how you search on the Web.

With a great deal of fanfare on July 28, 2008, a new type of search engine called Cuil (pronounced "cool") was launched. The company hopes to topple Google by indexing more than 120 billion Web pages. It also claims to "dig down" into the content on the site to give users more detail about the matches that they generate. Based upon the comments at PC World, the folks at Google have no need to worry. more...

Agents, stop wasting money on advertising

By Bernice Ross, Thursday, July 31, 2008.

Most real estate agents advertise, but very few have effective marketing campaigns. Do you know the difference?

Jennifer Cummings is America's leading real estate marketing coach. She helped Christina Martinez, America's top-producing real estate agent, increase her commission earnings from $4 million to $7 million in only seven months. What's the secret to her success? Marketing -- rather than advertising. more...

The Five Laws of Stratospheric Success

By Bernice Ross, Thursday, July 24, 2008.

Are you a go-getter? Success today is not necessarily a function of hard work alone; instead, it's a function of how much you give and provide value to others.

Bob Burg takes working by referral to a completely different level, one that is congruent with today's Web-savvy consumer. In his book, "Endless Referrals," Burg outlines how to build a network that sends you business by first helping others to build their businesses. more...

Agents, change your driving habits

By Bernice Ross, Thursday, July 17, 2008.

Many real estate professionals drive 20,000 or more miles per year. With gasoline prices over $5 per gallon in some areas, today's column looks at what you can do to reduce your gasoline bill.

General tips
The folks at Edmunds.com decided to test which gasoline-saving tips really work. They conducted their tests under real-world conditions. Here are the six tips that they say will make a real difference in your gasoline mileage. more...

Too much exposure can be a bad thing

By Bernice Ross, Thursday, July 10, 2008.

Are you marketing your listings with just one picture or are you marketing with 20 or more? Is it possible that too many pictures online is preventing buyers from looking at your property?

The research is clear that having only a single photo of your listings online causes Web visitors to search elsewhere. The challenge is how much is enough and how much is too much? A new study from Point2 Agent suggests that the more pictures you have the better it is. more...

Which social network suits you best?

By Bernice Ross, Thursday, July 3, 2008.

(This is Part 2 of a two-part series. Read Part 1, "Social networking pays off.")

Social networking may be the most important new strategy to add to your business, especially if want to reach Gen X and Gen Y. Are you ready to start networking and connecting in your business?

Last week's article looked at the various types of social networking opportunities. The question is where to begin and whether the activity really is worthwhile in terms of your business. more...

Social networking pays off

By Bernice Ross, Thursday, June 26, 2008.

(This is Part 1 of a two-part series.)

Social networking may soon overtake virtually every other source as being the most important strategy for lead generation. Have you incorporated this powerful tool into your business? more...

Tap into Gen X, Gen Y goldmine

By Bernice Ross, Thursday, June 19, 2008.

Video applications are one of the new hot applications in real estate. Are you up on the latest?

If you're not marketing your listings using video, you're missing a huge opportunity to differentiate yourself from the competition, provide a higher level of service to your clients, and reach the hot new Gen X and Gen Y markets.

Perhaps the most challenging question is where to begin and how much to spend. more...

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