A calm voice of mortgage intelligence on Houston newscasts and in neighborhood seminars, Steven Kaufman of Zeus Mortgage has a multifaceted strategy for developing and protecting his brand.

While his company is technically a mortgage broker, Kaufman says its internal functionality is more like a bank. His in-house loan officers have college degrees, even advanced degrees. It is a “9-to-5” operation with no part-timers, and compensation is a blend of salary and incentives.

“We have a different culture, with a minimum of two team meetings a day,” said Kaufman. Two a day?!

“There’s no option – even our highest performers must attend. They contribute to the collective intelligence of the group.”

These mini-meetings of loan officers and processors are to keep in touch and share market info – to check on the score of the “game for the day.” As president, CEO and owner of Zeus, Kaufman considers this constant contact a key to dictating the culture of the company – “it’s vitally important.”

“When we keep control over what we do, we can ensure a consistent experience for our customers,” he said. It’s an experience that includes a Web site packed with information on various mortgage services offered in Houston, Austin, Dallas and San Antonio.

     Passion for a different type of giving

It’s not listed on his Web site, but Kaufman also has another passion – his Fanatical Change Foundation.

“After (Hurricane) Ike, I decided I could do more to make a difference in my community,” he said. “I felt I could do better in my own life by doing for others.”

But Kaufman found a better way. “When you give money directly to someone like the window-washer on the street, you don’t know if your money goes to drugs or alcohol. And when you give to an international charity, your money gets very diluted. So I wanted to change the way you donate.

“We find people who have suffered tragedy recently. We raise money and then give it all away – right away. This removes the cynicism (about giving) and everyone wants to help.”

For his recent “Beads for Deeds” Mardi Gras Masquerade fundraiser at Houston House of Blues, everything from food to the venue to the entertainment was donated.

“It’s very sexy to be able to make a change in someone’s life,” said Kaufman. That enthusiasm is evident when viewing the videos posted on the foundation’s Web site.

It’s also evident that Kaufman’s enthusiasm for consistent, positive experiences for his customers and his Fanatical Change recipients has strengthened his brand across his business and personal endeavors – to the benefit of both.

According to the Direct Marketing Association, e-mail marketing has the highest ROI of all marketing channels ($1 spent = $43.62 returned). However, you can miss out on “lucrative opportunities” if you limit your marketing to e-mail alone, says Lyris CMO Blaine Mathieu in this MediaPost article.

Mathieu suggests your e-mail marketing campaign will expand its reach and ROI with the integration of both social media AND mobile. “Each one can help you build your brand, acquire and retain more customers and deepen engagement.

“In the end, base your decision on the type of people you market to, (customers, subscribers, users or prospects) and what you hope to accomplish with your campaigns,” he says.

Best solution: tri-messaging, meaning optimizing messages for e-mail, social and mobile channels to stimulate outbound and inbound engagement. “Many of your email subscribers are accessing social networks on their mobile phones, so they’re already tri-messaging,” says Mathieu.

For the full post, click here.

An accomplished broker and recruiter, innovator and technology guru, Ken Baris is frequently quoted as a real estate expert by media outlets such as USA Today, The Wall Street Journal and “CNBC Nightly News.” Baris has some unique ideas for generating business – he’s not letting tough times slow him down!

Click here to read his interview.

Can you afford NOT to have an assistant?

That’s where we started when we posed some questions to Heather Wilches-Brooks, a sales and client services expert.

At what point in a real estate professional’s career is the best time to add an assistant – virtual or actual?

Every professional reaches a point in their career – whether they are just beginning or have been in business for 20 years – when they need help. While some of us are “type A” personalities, it’s essential to know and realize that we can’t do it alone. Having an in-house or virtual assistant depends on the preference of each professional, and so is releasing some of the duties associated with running your business.

Having an assistant allows each professional more time to focus on what they do best – build their business, sell, list, etc., instead of scrambling through papers that never get filed, getting frustrated and losing out on potential business.

How does an agent actually work with a Virtual Assistant? What are the advantages of a Virtual Assistant versus an assistant who sits in your office?

Working with a VA or as I call us, VA Specialists (VA that specializes in specific niche), is quite simple and there are many benefits. I would never discourage any professional from having an in-house assistant because each business is different. However, having a VA on your team has an added benefit.

In-house assistants commonly get pulled from one task to another. They are great for putting out “fires,” but much of their work gets set aside. It’s not their fault since it is more advantageous to pull them off one project because they are right there. I know this from experience.

So in truth, having a VA can save you both time and money because he or she will complete your projects more efficiently. In addition, instead of paying a VA to work in your office as you would an in-house assistant, you only pay for the time spent on your tasks/projects. You also eliminate the need for benefits such as medical, vacation and sick pay; and VAs don’t spend money on office products.

What are the most common items a VA can handle that are the most high-value items for an agent?

Lead generation and follow up. I have met so many professionals who have these great systems in place. They spend their money every month; they generate great-quality leads but don’t have time to follow up with them. A VA can take this task and actually start breathing fresh air back into leads, recapture them, and build the rapport stronger than ever. All an agent has to do is close them – help them and guide them. How much value would you put on a lead? Any particular one could refer 10 others to you and if you never follow up, you could lose out – more than you really think. Besides, our businesses are referral-based and without referrals, we have no business.

What should an agent look for in hiring a VA?

1) Reputation and personality – everyone has a reputation whether they are just starting out in business or have been for years. Personality is a must: some of us want suggestions on how to run our businesses. Some just want a VA to take care of a task a specific way, and if they can’t or won’t do it our way, there would be a conflict. For instance, you wouldn’t want someone with a dull voice contacting your leads over the phone, would you?

2) Vocabulary – I don’t talk like a dictionary but my vocabulary is fluent and precise.

3) Most importantly, diversity – do they know and comprehend the programs you use to run your business?

Heather Wilches-Brooks has more than 20 years of using her skills in interpersonal communication and client care to help businesses and individuals. Her virtual business support company, VA Specialist, assists clients worldwide while creating solutions and strategies adding to their bottom line. Wilches-Brooks is the VA for real estate speaker/trainer extraordinaire Allen F. Hainge. Contact her at heather@vaspecialist.com.

It’s when we assume only our friends are reading about us on Facebook and other social media sites that we can negatively affect our financial health.

Bankrate.com author Claes Bell details three dangers about being too chatty or revealing on social media sites:

• Negative comments about company could cost a job
• Debt collectors use social media to glean information
• Scam artists use personal information to set up schemes

For the eye-opening article, click here.

by Dianna Booher

If you are a single adult reading a news story about a teenager killed on a motorcycle because he wasn’t wearing a safety helmet, you may feel sorry, shake your head, and continue reading.

However, if you just bought your 18-year-old a motorcycle and had an argument with him or her about the importance of wearing a safety helmet, you probably will tune in a little closer to the statistics to find out how you can convince your son or daughter to wear a helmet.

Bring your presentation issue as close to home as possible. Make your audience see, hear, touch, and feel the situation.

If the members of your management team hear about the low unemployment rate on the news, they will have a general awareness of the difficulty of retaining competent employees.

However, if you cite the 38 percent increase in employee turnover at your Detroit plant, adding that the company’s rehiring and retraining costs hit the half-million mark for the past year, these managers will quickly see the urgency of the employee-retention problem.

Whether you are talking about money, management, or marital problems, appeal to your listeners emotionally. Then supply the information to help them justify their decisions logically.

Send your communication questions to AskDianna@booher.com. My public workshops, Strategic Writing™ and Presentations That Work®, are being presented in Dallas in April. For information or to register, click here.

You have permission to reprint this marketing tip in your publications. Please include the following Resource Box:

©2010, Dianna Booher. All rights reserved. FrogPond offers you FREE 1 Minute Housing Market Report. Agents Sign Up HERE for your personalized e-Newsletter.

To request information about 1 Minute Housing Market Report, royalty-free articles and/or publishing software, call 800-704-FROG (3784) or e-mail Susie@frogpond.com today.

     Facebook privacy tips to maximize effectiveness

Our favorite social media guru, Ken Brand, found a great blog post by Greg Finn entitled, “How To Keep Your Facebook Wall Posts (& Info) Private.”

Brand says the “broadcast power of Facebook to influence, entertain, educate, converse, share and connect with friends will accelerate your destiny.” He feels you can be both professional and casual on Facebook, and recommends Finn’s post to teach you how to keep posts separate between personal and industry-related/work friends. Click here for the post.

      Advanced Twitter tips

Custom Twit offers free Twitter background themes. Also, if you’re looking for people to follow in your market, you’ll love Just Tweet It. Check out all the categories and see who’s on there. If you’re not listed, you can add yourself to this site. Another good site to find thought-leaders in areas you have interest is Listorious.com.

If you order items online as I do, you might be fooled by a notice looking like it comes from UPS or FedEx.

It may look something like this:

From: United Parcel Service
Subject: Tracking N_ 0596535197
Date: Wed, 13 Aug 2008 18:07:00 +0000

Unfortunately we were not able to deliver postal package you sent on July the 21st in time because the recipients address is not correct. Please print out the invoice copy attached and collect the package at our office.

Your UPS

Attachment :WW2_ASH182.zip

If you click on the attached .zip file, you will download a malware file into your computer!

Your e-mail provider will often place this into your spam folder, but if you’re like me, you sometimes have to pull legitimate e-mails out of that folder. DO NOT be fooled!

You can always try the tracking number on the UPS Web site to see if it is valid. Be careful!

(Flickr photo by 1Happysnapper (photography))

by Maria Gracia

This is an old fable I heard a long time ago that continues to have enormous impact on the things I do today. I thought you’d enjoy it.

Once upon a time, a child stood and watched her mother prepare the annual holiday ham. The mother carefully cut each end off the ham before placing it in the pan. The child asked, “Mother, why do you always cut the ends off the ham?” The mother replied, “Well, that’s the way my mother always did it.”

So the child called her grandmother and asked, “Grandma, why do you always cut the ends off the ham?” The grandmother replied, “Because that’s the way my mother always did it.”

Finally, the child called her great-grandmother and asked, “Great-Grandma, why did you always cut the ends off the ham?”

The great-grandmother thought for a moment and replied, “Because the ham is way too big to fit in my baking pan!”

So what’s the point of this little story?

People perform many tasks in their day. There’s a very good chance, though, that they’ve never asked themselves why they’re performing these tasks. Or if they’re really necessary. Or if there may be a way to perform them better or in less time.

Continuously reevaluate your time and how you’re using it, and chances are, you’ll be sure to find areas that could be streamlined or eliminated.

Maria Gracia is a nationally recognized author, speaker, consultant and professional organizer. 
 

America’s Digital Goddess™ Kim Komando’s Web site has an amazing amount of information on everything computer and Internet-oriented.

You can sign up online and receive her e-newsletter with valuable tech tips such as this list of great free management and editing programs for your photos:

PhotoFilmStrip – Slide shows have been around for a long time and they’re still a great way to share photos. Constructing them is now easier than ever with this program that produces high-quality slide shows.

Pictomio – This is an attractive tool for organizing and viewing photos. You can create photo albums without moving or copying files. In addition, its geotagging features are really well done – you can plot entire trips using photos and Google™ Maps.

Google Picasa™ – Taking and editing photos is fun but keeping them organized is not. And digging through folder after folder looking for photos is the worst. Google Picasa makes organizing them easy. You’ll never lose your photos again. (Note: editor’s husband loves this program!)

GIMP – Some photo-editing software is extremely powerful. Photoshop® is the standard but it’s expensive. GIMP can handle nearly any editing task; advanced users will feel right at home.

virtualPhotographer – If you are really into photography, paying for a photo-editing program might make sense. But those programs include so many tools, even pros get confused. This program plugs into tools like Photoshop® where you can apply professional effects with a single button.

Make your Fan Page a community site, March 16

Join Amy Chorew on March 16 at 2 p.m. for an idea-packed interview with Mike Mueller from AreWeConnected. He will reveal the secrets for making your Fan Page a community site. Click here to register and learn:

• 4 reasons why your business needs a FB page
• How pages allow a business to engage fans with Rich Media
• How a business analyzes fan interaction with the Insights dashboard
• How your business can increase its SEO

      Make your smartphone work for you, April 1

No fooling! Join Amy Chorew on April 1 at 2 p.m. for a fun and entertaining interview with G. William James, an expert on all things “SmartPhone.”

They will discuss what works best in real estate and how to use the devices for client management relationships, marketing and real-estate-based social networking. Information will be included on BlackBerry®, Google™ phones, Palm, iPhone, and Windows® Mobile.

Click here to register.

Stay organized in a Web 2.0 world: RememberTheMilk.com

“Remember The Milk reinvents the to-do list,” trumpets PC World.

Whether you have an iPhone, Android or BlackBerry®, or use Google™ Calendar, Gmail Gadget or Twitter, you can manage all your everyday tasks via this FREE service. Receive reminders via e-mail, SMS and instant messenger services; or add tasks by firing off an e-mail or via phone.

     Local networking events: Meetup.com

Real estate guru Bernice Ross featured this tool in a recent column.

“A ‘meetup’ is a face-to-face meeting of people who share similar interests,” she said. “A great way to get started on Meetup is to visit the site, find out what meetings are near where you live, and attend. Don’t go as ‘your local Realtor®.’ Like other social networking activities, it’s about being engaged with what is going on within the group.”

For example, this writer checked Meetup for groups in Houston, Texas, interested in Labrador Retrievers. Finding none, I searched for “large breed dogs” and then “active dogs.” Bingo! There were several groups of specific breeds but also a singles group, “Must Love Dogs,” and *Houston Active Dogs*.

      Share this: AddThis.com

Have you seen those funny little icons and “Share This” buttons appearing at the bottom of blog posts and articles? People use the buttons to bookmark Web content, share content and encourage viral marketing.

A fantastic no-cost tool to share content is called AddThis, which offers several options for buttons you can insert within your blog or Web page. It is easy to use and allows the option of tracking the activity of your button.

      Collective buying power: Groupon.com

Groupon started in November 2008, offering daily deals at unbeatable prices through the power of group buying.

Each day, the site features something “cool” to do at a great price – for example, 50 or 75 percent off at a theater, restaurant, spa or community activity. If you like it, sign up, and if enough other people sign up, then all of you will receive the coupon and be charged. Because you only receive the deal if enough people know, you are encouraged to let your friends know via Facebook and Twitter.

Groupon is active now in 54 U.S. and Canadian cities. The link above is to the Houston site; go to the top of the page to find your city.

FrogPond President Susie Hale recently received the Greater Houston Women’s Chamber of Commerce’s Volunteer of the Year Award.

“As last year’s GHWCC Board Chair, I had the privilege of appointing Susie to the board,” said Dana Kervin, Houston Association of REALTORS® Director of Governmental Affairs. “Susie did an amazing job co-chairing the Communications Committee, and she continues to give of her time and expertise to the GHWCC.”

(Hale is on the left, pictured with Kervin, receiving the award.)

“She and her husband, Bob, were the life of the party at our celebrity waiter scholarship luncheon at The Capitol Grille last October,” added Kervin. “In costumes and characters of Marilyn Monroe and Elvis Presley, Susie and Bob raised the most money of any celebrity waiter—and they made it so much fun!”

Congratulations to Susie!

In this market more deals are falling apart than ever before. Rich Levin of Rich Levin’s Success Corps helps you “save” those deals in two of the most critical areas: negotiating and techniques for offer-writing. Rich also expands on his Methodology Topics.

Daily Coaching includes

• A year’s access to the Get Rich Success Charts
• 30 days of archived 1st Fifteen Daily Webinars
• Support/resource documents and success assignments
• Access to a live weekly Q&A call with Rich
• Access to additional training Webinars
• Product discounts

Not a Daily Coaching client yet and want to learn more about this terrific and very affordable coaching program? And remember you can get this coaching FREE!

Join Us for the “The Best Daily Coaching on Earth”

Registration:  valid until 3/26/10

Also: be sure to join us every Tuesday for our new TECH TUESDAYS with The Tech Byte organization of Amy Chorew.

If there is a specific topic you would like Rich to cover, contact Rebecca@RichLevin.com and we will be happy to work it into the 1st Fifteen Webinars.

One of the biggest barriers to companies making their operations green is coming up with the initial capital. Despite proof that going green pays off through lower costs, few companies, especially in these tight times, feel they can make the necessary investment.

Instead of searching for that lump sum, try a set-aside. Put aside a small percentage of your existing capital budget – even as low as 1 percent has worked for some companies – and earmark it for green priorities.

By dedicating even a small amount to green projects, you will begin to see savings and make an investment in your company’s future.

Source: Harvard Business Review, “Finding the Money to Green Your Business”

With all the buzz around social media, it’s no surprise blogs and social networking sites are now viewed as important research sources by a majority of journalists, according to a new survey conducted by Cision and George Washington University.

But when it comes to the accuracy, vetting and depth of information, traditional media and public relations professionals are still preferred. Results of the survey show that:

• More than 8 out of 10 say that traditional media outlets are still the more reliable sources
• PR provides critical services and perspectives that social media can’t
• Many are now using PR professionals and press releases for story development more than they have in the past

The survey also reveals which search engines journalists prefer, which social media tools are used most, how journalists measure the impact of their stories, and more relevant, actionable information you can use to reach journalists more effectively.

Click here to download your complimentary copy of the survey results.

Hugs, The Frog

Susie Hale, President
Frog Pond
FrogPond Publisher
800.704.FROG (3764)
susie@frogpond.com

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