It’s that time of year when things get super hectic because in addition to our normal responsibilities and deadlines, we’re trying really hard to reach out to friends, family, clients and colleagues to show them we’re thinking about them. Why not make your holiday cards a process so easy this year that you’ll actually get it done early?
That’s the gist of Sincerely Ink, an app for iPhone and Android that lets you create and send cards right from your iPhone, Android or iPad. How it works:
- Download the app from iTunes or the Android App store.
- Browse through the library of photo cards and illustrated designs.
- Customize your cards with photos and/or text on the front and back.
- Import addresses right from your phone’s contact list.
- Once you’re finished, Simply Ink sends your cards for you.
The app is free to download and use, and the cards cost $1.69 each, including postage. Simply Ink prints on a thick 5X7 postcard.
The app takes on a lot of the heavy lifting of sending holiday cards to clients. It removes your trip to the store to find cards, time printing addresses on envelopes, buying stamps and a trip back to the post office to drop them off.
Holiday cards are a good old-fashioned business technique. Clients like to hear from you, and it can help to keep you in their memories and lead to word-of-mouth referrals. If business holiday cards are something you already do, you can give yourself back some time and try it out with a dozen or so clients using this cool app.
It’s all about referrals in real estate. And in a world in which most of our correspondence is digital, a tangible card tends to stand out. This year, you can create and send your cards right from your phone or iPad. Happy Holidays!
To-do list apps are a dime a dozen in the Android and iTunes app stores – but I’ve discovered one that has a particular great use in real estate transactions: Any.DO.
Any.DO currently is available only for Android devices, but will soon be available for iPhone and as a Web app. What makes it unique is that it takes the to-do list and makes it social. Why would you want to share your to-do list? Because in a real estate transaction, we all must do our part to ensure things get done on time.
Many agents may already be using a transaction management system, which can offer similar features to Any.DO. But Any.DO is great at just being a social to-do list – no more, no less. It’s not meant to manage the entire transaction (and frankly, shouldn’t be used like that). That is its beauty. Life is a series of tasks, and this helps you cross them off your list each day.
Any.DO could work well for keeping clients on task in what they need to do, and it could also work well for agent teams who split the work on several different transactions. Teams can enjoy a simple way to divide and conquer, and always know what’s been done, and what’s pending.
Cool features:
- Type or use voice recognition to dictate your tasks into Any.DO
- Drag and drop tasks right into your agenda
- Organize tasks by date, folder or priority
- Sync with Google to see all of your tasks in email
- See to-do’s right from your home screen
- Set reminders
- Share to-do’s with clients, colleagues and vendors
- Get notified when shared tasks are updated
Any.DO is easy to use and simple because it lives right on your phone, but also syncs to your inbox if you’re using Gmail. There’s never an excuse for not getting things done anymore when it’s all right there in your pocket – and sending you reminders of what’s due.
Any.DO is available for free in the Android App Store.
The long-awaited “business” version of Google+ is now here! Google launched “Pages” for Google+ this week to extend the connections we make on the company’s social network beyond people to now places and also things.
I know what you’re thinking: Gee, I already have a blog, a Twitter handle, a Facebook profile and a Facebook page for my business. Do I really need yet another page for my business to plug into yet another social network?
It’s a fair question.
It’s worth pursuing a new page on Google+ for your real estate business because:
- This is Google we’re talking about, a 500-pound gorilla when it comes to the web. Google has shown this year that it’s pretty serious about social networking and seems to be determined to invest heavily in Google+ to keep it relevant, innovative and essential to the social web experience of the future.
- Google also announced “Direct Connect” from Google search as part of the unveiling. That means that Pages in Google+ will now be found in Google search results, allowing people to connect directly to businesses.
- Google is a beast when it comes to search. The majority of the world now searches on Google, which means you want to be there to be seen by folks seeking out the services you offer. Some say the business opportunity is far greater here than with Facebook because people searching on Google are in the frame of mind to research and buy things or services. People on Facebook, on the other hand, tend to be there to socialize with other people, which is a totally different motivation and much harder to connect to from a business perspective.
Convinced? Google has a page set up for creating Pages at https://plus.google.com/pages/create. If you don’t already have a Google account, you’ll have to set one up first. The page will then walk you through the process of locating your business and building its page.
For a little inspiration, check out these pages that are already up and running:
The Phoenix Suns
Burberry
Toyota
Google+ Pages presents a great opportunity to connect with consumers who are searching for real estate information in your neighborhood online.
Cloud storage is probably the most amazing technological advancement since the smartphone. It enables mobile professionals like real estate agents to ensure anytime anywhere access to important files, which makes the fire drill situations that can come up a lot easier to handle. But, if you’re like me and using a few different cloud storage options, you may actually have created a layer of complication that no longer needs to be there.
This is where Joukuu comes in. Joukuu now has a web app for accessing multiple cloud storage accounts all in one place. That means that you’ll be able to manage files you have stored in Google Docs, Box.net and Dropbox in one place rather than having to chase things down under each account. (The service also has plans to support Sugarsync, Huddle and Skydrive in the near future.)
Not only does Joukuu offer easy management for yourself, but it also encourages more cloud storage collaboration among colleagues and clients because now you can use whatever system you or they prefer and still have the convenience of managing it in one spot with all your other files.
Joukuu currently offers its web app and basic Windows desktop app for free, but also has a more sophisticated version for $59.99 that enables more folder management and an unlimited number of accounts. The catch is that to be able to use it with multiple accounts (which is the whole point!), you can first try a free 14-day trial, but eventually would have to pay to upgrade.
To use Joukuu, just visit the website and join or download to get started. I suggest trying the free web version first to give it a test drive. Once you’ve got an account set up, you’ll need to grant access to all of your cloud storage accounts. Then you’ll be able to search, share files and edit them across your various accounts right from the app.
If you’re not a cloud storage super-user, then Joukuu is not going to be worth your time or money. But if you find that you’ve got files scattered across Google Docs and a few other major services, then it’s worth checking out the free trial to see whether Joukuu can help you add some order and (even more) convenience to your cloud storage.
If you’re looking to break from the traditional tchotchkes that many agents use for personal branding or the typical housewarming gifts you give to happy new homeowners, look no further than Calendagram, a new free app available in the iTunes app store.
Calendagram melds the Instagram photo-sharing app with a real-world product that you can give to clients, friends or family. It uses photos from your Instagram stream and enables you to create a unique wall calendar with them.
For a quick recap for those who may never have used Instagram – it’s a fun photo app that enables you to snap photos with your iPhone, add a cool mood-changing filter and share it in your Instagram stream. I wrote about it here last year when it came out because I see it as a unique way for agents to share their neighborhood street smarts. Photos are probably the best way on earth to share neighborhood happenings, and Instagram lets you share your stream with Twitter and Facebook, which makes it an easy add-on to your social media marketing activities.
Now, imagine taking a picture collection of a dozen of the hottest or most interesting spots in the neighborhood where you just sold a house, putting them together via Calendagram, and giving your clients a beautiful calendar as a housewarming gift. The chances are really high that it will stand out among their gifts and even earn a spot on their wall. (And hey, that could potentially spark a lot of conversations about where it came from, who made it, etc. This is a referral business, after all!)
How to create your Calendagram:
- Download the Calendagram app from iTunes.
- Connect it with your Instagram account. (If you don’t have one of those, you’ll need to download that app and set one up – it’s all free.)
- Choose 12 photos you want to use in your calendar.
- Choose a background color – black, white or brown.
- Preview your calendar.
- Enter the address you want it sent to, and it ships within 3 business days.
Granted, the app just came out this week so I’ve not had a chance to feel one of the calendars in my own hands, but the preview online looks amazing and it’s printed on heavy cardstock so the quality should be better than your average do-it-yourself desktop publishing calendar.
Calendagram is available for iPad and iPhone in the iTunes app store. The app itself is free and simple to use. But, those wall calendars will cost you $24.99 each.
Because agents spend a lot of time behind the wheel, and because agents are super busy human beings, a personal voice-controlled virtual assistant would likely be a miracle to many agent ears. For new iPhone 4S users, there is of course the anticipated new Siri app. But don’t fret, Android and Blackberry users – you also have similar options.
The most notable option is Vlingo, a free virtual assistant app that can send SMS messages and emails, make phone calls, surf the web, find local businesses, and launch applications – all using natural language.
Vlingo’s speech recognition is quite good, rarely mistaking contact names or commands. The main point of this app is hands-free living, which translates to more productive car rides that are less life threatening. The practical scenarios:
- Safe texting while driving. Instead of risking an accident to get your message out with your thumbs, you can concentrate on the road and dictate your message to Vlingo.
- Find directions while driving. OK, so you probably have a GPS, but for the small percentage of agents who don’t, this is a handy time-saver as you can get directions without having to pull over and type it into your phone.
- In a rush to an appointment, but want to get a message out to a client? Hit the road and dictate it to Vlingo as you’re on your way.
- Let people know you’re running late without texting while driving or wasting time on the side of the road calling or texting them.
What Vlingo does not do, though, is command within applications that aren’t voice-control enabled. In other words, you can launch a specialized app, but wouldn’t be able to control it using Vlingo. This isn’t that big of a deal breaker, though, considering that most of the hands-free commands you’d need to perform would be messaging, calling, or surfing the web in some way – and all of these are covered by Vlingo.
Vlingo is available for iPhone, Blackberry and Android. To get started, go to http://www.vlingo.com/download and choose your provider.
As independent contractors, real estate agents know all too well the importance of tracking business expenses. So if you’re the type who shows up at your tax preparer’s office every April 14 with a shoebox full of receipts, then you should try Lemon, a free mobile app that can track your receipts and expenses on the fly.
Yep, say goodbye to rumpled pieces of paper. Better yet, say goodbye to that ugly feeling of knowing you forgot to keep your receipts and track them. Lemon is available for iPhone and Android users and has the potential to remove a lot of that tax time stress when trying to go through expenses.
How it works:
- Snap a photo of your receipts using your smartphone’s camera, or email your online receipts to your @lemon email account.
- Lemon organizes and stores your receipts online, so you’ll never lose access to them.
- Tag and search your receipts online using your Lemon account.
- Never lose or forget a receipt again!
Besides regaining some sanity over out-of-control accounting, Lemon provides the following benefits:
- No more scrambling to find receipts and organize business expenses.
- Simple interface: Some other apps will take your expense tracking even further, but Lemon’s simplicity means you’re more likely to use it regularly.
- Lemon creates graphs to show you where your money goes (something we may not want to admit we don’t know much about, but we’re human after all).
- Give merchants your @lemon email address and Lemon will prioritize what needs your attention (meaning you can count on less spam from these merchants because you won’t have to deal with it).
Sounds awesome, right? Now, if only it cooked and folded laundry.
Download Lemon in the iTunes or Android app store.
Good news! If you like the sound of this app, but aren’t using an Android device or iPhone, Lemon’s creators say they’re working on a version for Blackberry and Windows phones.
Data security is right up there with accounting and record-keeping on the modern professional’s priorities list. Think of how easy it would be to find out anything about you and your business by simply opening your smartphone, launching email and performing a couple of searches. Now think of all the data breach stories over the last few years: Banks, medical centers, and government agencies are among the types of institutions that have been in the news for having thousands of people’s information stolen. Just last week, records of 4.9 million active and retired military personnel were compromised when a laptop was stolen out of a car in Texas.
Point taken: Our data is sensitive, and it requires a little effort to remain protected – especially when we lead businesses in which clients entrust us with a lot of their personal information and preferences.
Enter HackNotifier, where you can type in your email address and see whether it’s been stolen in any of the reported data breaches at major institutions. It’s that simple: Visit HackNotifier.com, enter your email address, and get results in seconds.
HackNotifier searches for your email address in publicly available hacked databases to cross-reference whether your information was taken in a breach. There’s no sign-up or payment for this service, but the site does offer two plans if you want 24-hour security: $5 and $7 per year for constant monitoring and notification.
Data security is a serious issue – not only for your personal peace of mind, but also for your professional reputation and integrity. In fact, you may even want to let your clients know about this free service in your next email newsletter, blog post or Facebook and Twitter update.
Probably the greatest thing about an iPad is the direct hand-to-screen interaction it allows you. It’s why I love stumbling across great apps that really take this ability to the next level and allow me to be more productive.
Enter Penultimate, an app built for iPad that essentially gives your finger the same power as pen and paper, with a few more perks.
For instance, you can import photos and images onto your notebook pages, from your photo library or from your iPad’s camera (if you have an iPad 2). You can move, resize and write on the images.
I see a few great uses for this in real estate:
- Take notes while touring properties with your clients. Remember the details that your client’s really liked simply by taking a picture and adding a notation. Careful note taking and observation can often help you better figure out how to help your clients find the home they’ve been looking for, rather than continue to see properties that don’t quite match – wasting your time and theirs.
- Take notes while on broker tour. A picture can capture a home much better than simple notes on a scratch pad. Now imagine being able to take a picture and write down a few details to remember, all in one place.
- Take notes while on inspection. This is a definite potential wow moment for your client too when you come back and show them pictures and notes to help remember details of specific inspection items that need follow-up.
All this and it’s as an organic experience as using pen and paper to capture your thoughts – except that your odds of losing it are much lower.
Penultimate costs $1.99, and can be downloaded from the iTunes app store.
Last week, Facebook unveiled a new “Subscribe” button to give users the same sort of one-sided following experience they get on Twitter and Google+. This is a new feature that’s not automatically placed on everyone’s page, which is why agents should take a few moments to understand what it is and how to get it.
The “Subscribe” button is very useful for real estate agents who are using Facebook to interact with clients, potential clients and business partners because it enables you to gain subscribers (aka followers) without having to become friends with them. A lot of people on Facebook don’t necessarily want to be friends with someone they may be doing business with, but would love to see their updates and feeds.
If you’re using Facebook as a profile page and not a business page in which followers simply “like” your page to receive updates, then definitely take a few minutes to install this button. It’s free, and potentially opens up more opportunities to network. It’s actually a nice bridge between having a Facebook profile page and a business page – something that comes up often with agents because you are your business in a sense.
To get your Facebook “Subscribe” button, go to https://www.facebook.com/about/subscribe and click on the “Allow Subscribers” button in the top right corner of the page. That’s it!
As Facebook describes it, “Allowing subscribers is a simple way to broaden your conversation on Facebook, while reserving personal updates for people you know well.”
If you’re using Facebook as your personal and business epicenter, there are a million reasons why you’d want to keep a lot of (if not all) your personal updates from your clients and colleagues. Give it a try and see what happens!
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