Archive for the ‘Marketing Tools’ Category

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Don’t Be Fooled by the 2 big D words in Home Staging

Wednesday, October 1st, 2008

I read this script today that teaches realtors how to teach their clients “on staging home to sell:”

“I’m going to give you the two biggest money-making words there are when it comes to showing your home: depersonalize and declutter. It’ll make you house look bigger and is the best thing you can do.”

Hmm, really?

De-personalize and de-clutter, although 2 important aspects in home staging, does NOT substitute home staging.

Actual MLS Photo: this is what I called

I have heard agents telling their clients all the time, and I even have sellers say to me all the time, “Oh, I know I need to de-personalize and de-clutter. I learn that from HGTV.“ or “All I need is to de-peronsalize and de-clutter, I don’t need anything else.” And that’s ALL they do.

And you know what happens when you just de-personalize and de-clutter? You are just showing an empty space and a shell of a home. BUT PEOPLE WANT TO BUY MORE THAN JUST 4 WALLS AND A ROOF.

We often forget what it felt like when we were buyers when we sell our homes. We forgot that we (more…)

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Posted in A Stager's Commentary, Agent Tips, Home Seller Advice, Marketing Tools, Real Estate, Staging Tips | 3 Comments »

See Tim Ferriss Speak in San Francisco. Discount Code BIZSCY148

Monday, September 15th, 2008

Hello ladies & gents

I know this has nothing to do with staging ;) But many of you who read my blogs know I am passionate about technology and its application to small businesses. My business certainly has benefited from technology tremendously and I would not have found the success that I have without using technology to streamline processes and lower my overheads.

With that said, I am one of the co-organizers for BizTechDay and I just found out we have booked Tim Ferriss of 4-hour Work Week for our keynote!

Here are the details:
BizTechDay – Technology Bootcamp for Entrepreneurs and Business Owners Saturday October 25 All Day Event
BiztechDay is the only conference that puts your business first before technology. Come meet Timothy Ferriss, best selling author of 4-Hour Work Week and George Wright (Marketing Genius behind the (more…)

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Posted in Community Events & Sales, Marketing Tools | No Comments »

Discount Code for A Spectacular Biz-Boosting Event

Tuesday, September 9th, 2008

Hello ladies & gents,

biztechday

I am one of the co-organizers for BizTechDay, a fabulous all-day event packed with information that is 200% devoted to growing your business with efficiency and cutting-edge technologies (that are easy to learn!)

A lot of you know I am passionate about technology and using it to make my business smoother and my life easier. I have had great successes with utilizing online media for Staged4more, to the point I am now coaching other small business owners how to do it. I used a lot of the social media and web tools (that are mostly free) to get to #1 on Google in my home base for FREE in 6 months.

A lot of the stuff we are planning are exactly about that. You will learn about using social media that are FREE TOOLS for you, such as YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Yelp, e-commerce platforms, email marketing tools, Search Engine Optimization strategies and much more). The schedule offers 2 tracks with more than 10 workshops to choose from as well as keynote speakers, networking and a Genius Bar! The workshops will all be led by industry-leading experts.

SIGN UP FOR BIZTECHDAY NOW! After 9/15, the price goes up $100! Use discount code BIZSCY148

Cost: $149 before September 15th, $249 after September 15th
Location: Downtown San Francisco Hilton

BizTechDay is sponsored by the Small Business Administration (SBA), Ladies Who Launch, American Express OPEN, EventBrite, IBM, Craig’s List, Constant Contact and Meetup.

This is a tremendous opportunity to spend a Saturday with great people and get some great information to build your business! You can access the early bird special ($149 per person) by using the following link:

http://www.eventbrite.com/event/141023806/BIZTECH/101793602

TO YOUR SUCCESS!

Cheers,
Cindy

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Posted in Community Events & Sales, Marketing Tools, Small Biz Talk | No Comments »

Join Us Next Tuesday for Greening Your Business!

Friday, May 30th, 2008

One of the groups that I am involved in is pow.wow: networking the power of fabulous women. Next Tuesday, we are having an event on this new and increasingly popular concept of doing business: GREEN.

(photo by Tomatoskin)

But what does it mean to be Green? Do you actually save money? Or it just makes you look good? Another way of marketing?

Pow.wow panel: Green + Your Business

Event Date: Tuesday June 3rd, 6:30-8:30
Location: Paragon Realty, 1160 Battery at Union St., SF

Join us for a round table discussion about what it means to your business to be “green”. Is this something that’s marketable? Should it be? How does this impact my costs? My sales? Are we all just sick of hearing about how green everyone is, or do we want more more more?

Panelists include:

-Lucas Heldfond, Spring

-Lauren Fornes, Faceparlour.com

-Matt Scullin, New Resource Bank

-Brad Coy, EcoBroker from San Francisco Real Estate Services

-Joel Karr, Group 41

RSVP is required: by email or Get your tickets now. Powwow Members are free, guests are $20 per person.

***PLEASE NOTE POWWOW IS A WOMEN’S NETWORKING GROUP. All members are women and only women can attend.

Posted in Community Events & Sales, Green & Eco, Marketing Tools, Real Estate, Small Biz Talk | No Comments »

Use Facebook to brand yourself and expand your business network

Wednesday, April 9th, 2008

(This is a guest blog post on 3 Ocean)

I have to honest. I have been reading Kevin’s posts on social media and blogging, I am itching to write one on the topic myself since internet & blogging has done tremendous for my business. So here it is! (We will continue the regular programming on staging for next post ;) I promise.)

I have been toying with Facebook a lot lately because I am intrigued of how this thing can work for my business (since I am spending a ridiculous amount of time on it) and how fun it actually can be even for work. Facebook has exploded on the business sphere lately largely because of its user-friendliness, much more professional look than myspace, and easy to network quickly with a string of people in a more relaxed atmosphere (they now even added a People You May Know section, which is frankly scary how they know I know these people).

At first I only used Facebook for contacting old college classmates & long lost friends, secretly comparing looking where they are working now how much weight they had gained, but lately I am finding a lot more business applications being developed and used, as well as an increased number of contacts in both staging and realtor fields. (Finally, no more of those invites of “Are You a Vampire?” but “Have my online business card.”)

I also read Guy Kawasaki’s 10 Things You Don’t Know About Facebook: “the fastest growing demographic on Facebook is those ages (READ MORE AT 3OCEAN)

Posted in Marketing Tools | 2 Comments »

The Vanishing Power of Mainstream Marketing

Monday, April 7th, 2008

(photo: sumit270)

I encounter many realtors and stagers who still don’t believe in internet marketing, let along investing in a decent website.
Huh. Really? In an age where Britannica is *almost* replaced by Wikipedia, Craig’s List almost replace the classifieds, and National Association of Realtors have published the following statistics in 2006, a merely 2 years ago:

Actions taken as result of using Internet site:

Drove by/viewed a home – 74%
Walked through a home viewed online- 61%
Found agent used to search/buy home – 23%

I think all of us can use some more business, or making our products look like a million bucks on the internet to promote foot traffic at open houses.

Still don’t believe in internet marketing? Really? Really!

Posted in Marketing Tools, Real Estate | No Comments »

What Eliot Spitzer Can Teach You About Listing Photos

Wednesday, March 26th, 2008

(this is a guest post for 3 Ocean Real Estate Blog)

Unlike Hollywood, sex scandal is not a career launcher for politicians like Eliot Spitzer, now former New York Governor and someone who had single-handedly tanked his own career.

First of all, he is no Paris Hilton. People don’t want to link him with a sex scandal. Second of all, there is a drastic difference between his political image & persona comparing to his exposed image, unlike Paris Hilton who has at least been very consistent in her image as a party girl. So it was not a huge shock that Paris made a sex tape somewhere.
Eliot Spitzer, right, apologised to his family

Eliot Spitzer, right, apologised to his family for “private failings” [AFP]

What does that have to do with Real Estate & Listing Photos?

Like someone in the limelight, your listing needs to present a consistent image front and back, inside and out. In a competitive market, your buyers are critical and they will be picking your listing apart. Also with the ease of internet shopping, it is very easy to overlook your listing while someone else’s looks much nicer and easier on the eye.

I see many MLS photos that present an inconsistent story that does not tell the story of the house.

Let’s look at some real MLS photos I recently pulled off the web: (Read the rest of the post over at 3 Ocean)

Posted in A Stager's Commentary, Agent Tips, Marketing Tools | No Comments »

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