RealtyTechBytes.com

18December2011

vyoo.it to view it (on your smart phone)

Posted by Jerry Kidd under: Mobile Marketing.

It’s with some trepidation that I am writing about a tool that will provide a mobile optimized web site for for free.  The trepidation comes from that fact that this tool, while being just short of fabulous, does not provide the entire mobile solution.  It goes far enough though, that many of you won’t take the next (and totally necessary)  step of having a mobile site.

It’s imperative that your web site be easily viewed on a smart phone.  And I am not talking about taking your regular web site and scaling it down so that it fits on the small screen.  While that solution sounds attractive, it still requires that the user scroll and scale the page in order to see anything.  And that is more trouble than most people are willing to go through.  It’s just too easy to hit the back button and move on to another site.

What I am talking about is a full blown mobile site.  Here is one that I want you to look at with your phone: http://jkfbmc.com/hrre. Or, check out this one: http://jkfbmc.com/mdgre Notice the click to call button?  On a phone that will cause the phone to dial the number.  See the Find us button?  That opens a Google map that can also provide directions from where the viewer is to your office (or anywhere else that you’d like to send them).  Check out some of the other buttons as well while you are there.  These sites are fully optimized for use on a smart phone.  They give the viewer everything that need to know in order to learn more about the agent and more importantly, get in touch with the tap of a finger.  (Hint:  Use your smart phone to scan the QR codes to view the sites.  Don’t have a QR Code reader?  Get RedLaser at http://redlaser.com/)

But, if you need a quick and FREE mobile solution for a listing, go check out http://Vyoo.it Built by the same company that brought you Postlets, this web based service will take the information it needs from your listing online, plus info that you give it and it will construct a stand alone mobile optimized web page, complete with a QR code that you can use to direct people to the page.  You can also get sign riders, postcards and stickers to help you market the site.

If you’ve got listings, you need this service.  But, if you really want to be ahead of the competition, you need to have a fully optimized site. Visit http://MobiListPro.com to learn more about Mobile marketing and to get in touch if you want me to help you get there… 

11December2011

San Francisco startup is poised to revolutionize broker tours

Posted by Jerry Kidd under: Announcements; Product Reviews.

I’ve been writing this blog for nearly 4 years now and I have tried to keep it focused on technology tools that are available now for real estate professionals no matter where they may live. And aside from a few excursions into sales techniques (and the occasional rant) I have been pretty good about staying focused.

Today’s post is a definite departure though. For two reasons. First, the tool is not quite available yet, and when it does become available, it will only be for San Francisco agents, and more specifically, members of the San Francisco Association of REALTORS®.

So why am I talking about it here? For a couple of reasons. To start with, I know the principals behind the idea and the product. We worked at the same real estate company (different offices) together for a couple of years, so I know that they are all agents who have been in the trenches and know what they are doing…and more importantly, they know what active agents need in the way of technology tools.

And that brings me to my second reason for writing about the tool. This is an IOS app developed by practicing agents for practicing agents. Gil Fleitas and his team took a look at the way that they were doing business and asked themselves “what do we need in the way of tech tools that aren’t commercially available”, and then went and built the tools.

First out of the gate is Theo Tour (or tTour as it is known). tTour is an app for the iPhone (it will also run on the iPad) that organizes and makes sense of the San Francisco Broker Tour on an agent’s iPhone. (Although I am not a member of SFAR, I have been a beta tester for this app and will attest to it’s usefulness). Next up is ProtoTheo for the iPad (still in beta) which is a suite of integrated applications and services that dramatically improves the ability of Agents – indeed any real estate professional – to deliver an enhanced value-add service and experience to Buyers and Sellers.

tTour has been approved by Apple to be added as an AppStore download and Theo is finalizing details with SFAR as I write this, so it should be available to SFAR members in the near future. ProtoTheo is still in development and is expected to arrive sometime in 2012.

More information on both products is available in a brochure that Theo made available to me and which you can get by clicking on this link: http://RealtyTechBytes.com/theo.pdf.

For those of you who are interested in getting your hands on these products, go ahead and download the brochure…all of the contact info that you need will be there. Feel free to let Gil and his team know of your interest. Who knows, you may get to be a beta tester! And if you are not a member of SFAR, let them know that you’d like this tool to be made available in your area.

It’s refreshing to see tools created by the very people who use them every day! Hat’s off to the Theo team!

4December2011

How to choose the cell phone that is right for you

Posted by Jerry Kidd under: Buying Technology Tools; How to....

Buying a new smart phone these days has suddenly gotten very complicated.  Not only do you have to decide on a carrier before getting started, you also have to to decide if you want an iPhone, a Blackberry, a Windows phone or an an Android.  The iPhone part is easier than the others, you only have a few models to choose from.  If you want one of the others though, the available choices can be mind boggling.

Lucky for you a relatively new website can help you make a smart choice that is customized specifically for your needs and budget.

Pop on over to GeekaPhone.com and start out by setting your budget. Then you can start adding the features that you want.  As you add features, the site will tell you which make and model phone has what you want for the price that you want to pay.

You can look at the phone’s specs and features, read reviews and in some cases watch videos about the phone.

A look at their “About” page shows what they are trying to accomplish:

• Aggregating all the data necessary to make informed decisions
• Allowing users to discover the right product without being an expert
• Making all the data understandable
• Turing all the data into objective measurements
• Personalizing the whole experience to the user

I’d say that they have done a good job of accomplishing their goals. What do you think?

And by the way, here is a link to an article I wrote a few years ago that will give you the links to two good resources to help you make that all important carrier decision…a decision that HAS to be made first before buying a phone. http://realtytechbytes.com/what-cell-phone-should-i-buy