|
With all the hype, most agents know that they must soon "get connected" to the Internet. The question is how to get started without making costly mistakes! Here's a quick checklist of items you will need to consider to get on the fast track to being "digital". 1. Buy A computer You can't get on the information highway without it! A laptop is more costly than a desktop, but much more multi-functional and more applicable to our real estate business. Look at the Pentium II 266, with at least 4 GB Hard Drive with at least 32 MB of RAM and a modem that's about 56K – That will get you started. You'll be using this new "portable office for everything in and out of the office, including digital listing and selling presentations. 2. Get "On- Line" The first step to becoming digital is to actually get "on-line". Your choices are a business provider, like Global/Primenet, and ATT or your "edutainment" or "content" providers like AOL, or CompuServe. Your focus is business, so for a more professional look, check out the business provider that offers a local phone number with great connectivity and a fast and dependable connection. 3. Start with a Permanent E-mail Address Changing your phone number is a bad move for any business, but changing E-mail addresses is even tougher, as more people have "captured" your E-mail address and have it firmly in their digital address books. Getting a permanent E-mail address requires registering your name as your own Domain. The cost is minimal for a 2-year reservation period. You still have a chance of getting your own name if you work fast! Having your own E-mail address will also require a domain host. Check out the comparative costs, and don't pay more than a few hundred a year for hosting services. 4. Get a Website on the Web Get a website that works for you, and offers information to your clients and customers even when they don't need your services. That means providing 24 hour service with refreshed and vital information that is not just a resume page. You could spend a ton of money developing the perfect site, or find a "kit" that "packages" all the steps for you with a Company that takes the fear and hidden costs out of the way. 5. Integrate your Current and Digital Marketing presence Take this opportunity to begin promoting yourself in a whole new dimension, by including your E-mail and Web Address on your business cards, signs, brochures, and advertisements. Treat your new digital addresses as an alternative way for people to contact you. Automate your signature for a true professional look when publishing E-mail messages. 6. Follow a Digital Acquisition Plan The 21st Century business will demand that all of your systems for communication and tracking be digital. Plan your purchase of new hardware, software, and tech tools one step at a time. Give yourself a chance to learn how to integrate the new systems into your present business practices. Buy a digital camera, and cut film costs. Look into Agent productivity software, for communication and reporting programs and financial software to keep your income and expenses well organized. Look at future tools to incorporate like CD-ROM's AutoResponders, Mail Lists, Cellular phones, E-mail paging, and even Virtual Assistants to keep things organized and effective. 7. Build that Data Base Begin advertising yourself as a 21st Century professional with a digital edge. Check your E-mail everyday, and don't forget to ask every lead, past client, customer or affiliate what their E-mail address is. Begin building the database that will make you money, save you time, and keep you "connected" to the main stream of how business will be done in the 21st century. - The playing field becomes even as you now sport the same presence as major Fortune 500 companies with your own Domain and fully active Web Presence. |
