The research confirms it. It’s all about being mobile. With smartphones always online and always available, you’ve got to be ready to serve 24/7 and that includes serving customers and clients on the run.
Pew Research surveys reveal that one in three mobile searches is local, that texting rules, and sending photos, posting to social media sites and accessing information rate as the highest of activities. What this means to agents is that getting into the game requires the right marketing systems, tools and services to meet the ever-growing expectations of real-time demands.
The challenge is to figure out where you need to spend your marketing dollars without breaking the bank. Every business entrepreneur needs office tools to help them compete and win in the marketplace, but smart entrepreneurs get more for their money when they do a little research and invest in products that save money and time and produce high-quality results. The days of buying some “office equipment” are long gone and “multi-tasking, high-results equipment” is in.
Here are a few tips to get you in the game:
1. Get Mobile: To wow your customers, you have to be a virtual wizard. Printing is now available using cloud computing thanks to wireless advancements. The latest innovation in cloud printing is the Kodak Hero Office 6.1 printer. Imagine you are with a customer and need to get the agreement printed for the attorney or the seller. The Kodak Hero Office 6.1 provides a virtual print service to print emails, documents and photos from basically anywhere using your smartphone, iPad or tablet. You can even send documents or photos to your printer remotely and have your documents waiting on your printer when you get home or back to the office.
2. Scan and Save: Scanning is the new standard for saving and organizing files and documents. Not only does it save from having to store heavy paper files, it preserves documents for easy retrieval from multiple locations. Many scanners are bulky and heavy, but not the new Kodak i920 Scanner. Similar to the previous model, this latest version is half the size and you can hold it in one hand. It’s less expensive and priceless when it comes to organizing files, scanning short sale documents and preparing a closing “packet” of documents for a happy seller. It provides high-speed scanning of 20 pages per minute, 2-sided, full color with image stabilization, and will convert files to PDF.
3. Online Video: Mashable reports that 90% of all Internet content will be video in the next 12 months. Cisco estimates that 82.5% of the U.S. Internet audience views video online, so it is imperative that agents deliver relevant, timely information that people want to watch.
Today’s consumer is less interested in static photos, and more interested in authentic video clips of properties, lifestyle information and real-time reporting. Kodak’s easy-to-use Playtouch video camera is the size of a cell phone and a powerful tool. Video is king, but only if it has superior audio. Look for a video camera that includes an external microphone jack, high definition 1080P and easy-to-use editing software.
Marketing and connecting require the ability to connect anytime from anywhere. Get the products and services that help you become the agent of choice.
Terri Murphy is a licensed real estate broker, author, speaker, communication consultant and e-strategist.
