Kara Macdonald – Kara Macdonald

Tips For A Successful First Year – Ep 004 – by Pruitt Title

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Running Your Real Estate Business – Ep 003

http://traffic.libsyn.com/yourfavoritetitlelady/REDD003.mp3[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.5.1″ use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”#c1232c” background_color_gradient_end=”#c1595e” background_color_gradient_type=”radial” background_blend=”darken” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ box_shadow_horizontal=”7px” box_shadow_vertical=”6px” box_shadow_blur=”27px” custom_padding=”50px||36px||false|false” animation_style=”fade” next_background_color=”#ffffff”][et_pb_row use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”1208px” _builder_version=”3.5.1″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” module_alignment=”center” filter_brightness=”96%” mix_blend_mode=”hard-light”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.5.1″ text_font_size=”50px” header_text_align=”center” header_text_color=”#ffffff” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” background_layout=”dark” text_line_height=”1.1em” text_text_shadow_style=”preset3″ animation_style=”fade” header_font=”|600|||||||” header_2_font=”|600|||||||” header_2_text_align=”center” header_2_font_size=”50px” header_2_font_size_tablet=”40px” header_2_font_size_phone=”30px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone”] Running Your Real Estate Business – Ep 003 [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_image _builder_version=”3.5.1″ src=”https://karamacdonald.trackableresponses.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/003.jpg” align=”center” /][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ custom_padding=”36px|0px|52.75px|0px|false|false” prev_background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.5.1″] Thanks for tuning in today to The Real Deep Dive Podcast Episode 003! Today we are diving deep into running your real estate business like an actual business with Karen W. Cooper of Platinum Group Real Estate. Join us! Karen has worked in real estate for 16 years. She has spanned almost every possible position in the industry. She’s been a listing specialist working on a team; she’s been a managing broker and now she leads a team of her own. Working on a team is a fantastic way to develop professionally as a real estate agent. Karen worked on a rainmaker style team for several years. She noticed that working on a team is not sustainable for most agents for long term because the splits tend to be low. As an agent starts making their own contacts, they’ll go off on their own. Teams become a revolving door. Karen designed her team, Platinum Group Real Estate so that agents would want to stay. She structured a team that provided all of the benefits of a team with centralized marketing, centralized systems and support. It let agents advance within the team. Kara and Karen share amazing practical tips for running your real estate business like an actual business: First – remember that your team is your second family. Second – have an LLC and consult with an accountant. Invest in this as soon as you can. Third – keep your budgeting clean. Karen uses a debit card instead of a credit card. All of her incomes and commissions go into that account. Then, she pays herself from that account. She pays her expenses from that account as well. Taxes are pretty simple because everything is from this one account. If she does put an expense on a personal credit card she’ll reimburse herself. When budgeting ask yourself what can afford to outsource so that you can focus on the part of your job that inspires you? The health of your business will be better overall. In the beginning you may be wearing many hats, but as soon as you can afford to outsource a few of your more draining tasks – do it. Fourth – Income varies, expenses generally stay the same. Kara and Karen share specific tips on how to manage this dilemma! Thanks for listening to our show today brought to you by Pruitt Title, licensed in Maryland, DC and Virginia to handle Real Estate Settlements. Kara Macdonald is Your Favorite Title Lady and you can reach Kara via e-mail at: kara@yourfavoritetitlelady.com or by phone at: 571.432.9382. She’s also on SnapChat as: favtitlelady. Look for her video blogs and amazing goal setting content. You can reach Karen W. Cooper at Platinum Group Real Estate or via phone at 703- 999-3601 for the Northern Virginia Real Estate Market. She’s also on Facebook at Empowering Women in Real Estate. Have a great day and we’ll see you again in Episode 004! [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Diving Into Video With Steve Pacinelli – Ep 002

http://traffic.libsyn.com/yourfavoritetitlelady/REDD002.mp3[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.5.1″ use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”#c1232c” background_color_gradient_end=”#c1595e” background_color_gradient_type=”radial” background_blend=”darken” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ box_shadow_horizontal=”7px” box_shadow_vertical=”6px” box_shadow_blur=”27px” custom_padding=”50px||36px||false|false” animation_style=”fade” next_background_color=”#ffffff”][et_pb_row use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”1208px” _builder_version=”3.5.1″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” module_alignment=”center” filter_brightness=”96%” mix_blend_mode=”hard-light”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.5.1″ text_font_size=”50px” header_text_align=”center” header_text_color=”#ffffff” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” background_layout=”dark” text_line_height=”1.1em” text_text_shadow_style=”preset3″ animation_style=”fade” header_font=”|600|||||||” header_2_font_size=”50px” header_2_font_size_tablet=”40px” header_2_font_size_phone=”30px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone”] Diving Into Video With Steve Pacinelli – Ep 002 [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_image _builder_version=”3.5.1″ src=”https://karamacdonald.trackableresponses.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/RealDeepDiveFEB18_Podcast1_new2-2.jpg” align=”center” /][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ custom_padding=”36px|0px|52.75px|0px|false|false” prev_background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.5.1″] Thanks for tuning in today to The Real Deep Dive Podcast Episode 002! In today’s episode, we are diving deep into video with BombBomb CMO Steve Pacinelli. Join us to learn how Real Estate Agents are using video to make more connections and build more trust! Kara and Steve share fascinating insights into the human brain and how our customers build relationships of trust. Being able to see someone’s face is a huge part of it. As real estate agents, we can learn how to use this to help connect with people faster! Steve talks about how to use video logistically as a part of your marketing efforts. You don’t need expensive equipment or complicated tech. And, you really don’t need to be nervous about how you look on video. Be yourself and you’ll attract customers that are a good fit! Thanks for listening to our show today brought to you by Pruitt Title. Kara Macdonald is Your Favorite Title Lady and you can reach Kara via e-mail at: kara@yourfavoritetitlelady.com or by phone at: 571.432.9382. Have a great day and we’ll see you again in Episode 003! [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

MY VLOG PROCESS

[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.5.1″ use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”#c1232c” background_color_gradient_end=”#c1595e” background_color_gradient_type=”radial” background_blend=”darken” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ box_shadow_horizontal=”7px” box_shadow_vertical=”6px” box_shadow_blur=”27px” custom_padding=”50px||36px||false|false” animation_style=”fade” next_background_color=”#ffffff”][et_pb_row use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”1208px” _builder_version=”3.5.1″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” module_alignment=”center” filter_brightness=”96%” mix_blend_mode=”hard-light”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.5.1″ text_font_size=”40px” header_text_align=”center” header_text_color=”#ffffff” header_font_size=”40px” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” background_layout=”dark” text_line_height=”1.1em” text_text_shadow_style=”preset3″ animation_style=”fade” header_font=”|600|||||||”] MY VLOG PROCESS [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ custom_padding=”36px|0px|52.75px|0px|false|false” prev_background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.5.1″] I remember that day in January 2015 like it was yesterday. I was driving on the windy roads of Great Falls, VA. A blanket of snow still remained from the prior day’s snowfall. I had been thinking of starting a video blog. A little voice said, “Why not now?”. So I pulled my car over to the side of the road, got out my iPhone, opened the camera app, turned the camera around to me, chose the video option, hit record and I was OFF. The first VLOG was about how to use hashtags on Twitter. Since then, I have made about 90 more videos and posted them to my YouTube channel, Facebook, LinkedIn and shared them in my “Sunday Night Emails”. Their length ranges from two to seven minutes but usually they are just under four minutes.I have received SO MUCH FEEDBACK about my videos and I truly believe they are the main reasons people in the real estate industry so often recognize me when I am out and about in the DC metro area. I wanted my first blog this month to be about my process. I believe a lot of agents think it is difficult to start/maintain a VLOG. But it isn’t. It is actually one of the quickest and easiest types of content to produce. The bigger issue is you being afraid of how you will look and sound. You need to get over yourself. Sorry if that is harsh but it’s true. Your desire to be perfect is literally causing you to leave money on the table. It is my hope that after you read my process, you will be inspired to start TODAY! What You Will Need To Get Started: A phone that can record video A Gmail account A YouTube channel Step One: Pick A Topic. I get ideas all the time and keep a running list in the notes app of my phone. I realize not everyone is like me so I have listed a few ideas to get your creativity flowing. Do I Need Great Credit To Buy A House? Does My Lease Need To Be Up Before I Start Looking For A Home? What Are Contingencies? How Do I Know What Price To List My Home For? What Is An EMD? Showcase A New Store Or Restaurant In The Neighborhood You Service Review A Restaurant Or Store In The Area You Service Every Friday, Tell Your Audience What Is Happening This Weekend Post Settlement Testimonials Partner Interviews (Lender, Title, Home Inspector) New Construction Tours Interview A New Construction Sales Associate Step Two: Record. I do not have a script that I follow. I just speak from my heart and tap into the knowledge I have. Sometimes I can do one take. Sometimes it takes me twenty takes. I hold the phone in front of me, hit record and start talking. I do not watch it once I have recorded it because I know I will be overly critical and find something wrong. Step Three: Upload the video to YouTube. Open The YouTube App On Phone Touch The Gray Button That Looks Like A Video Camera In The Upper Right Corner Allow Youtube Access To Your Camera (you will only have to do this once) Choose The Video You Just Recorded (it should be the most recent video) Choose “Next” Give Your Video A Title Complete The Description Make Sure “Privacy” Is PUBLIC Click UPLOAD In The Upper Right Corner Wait For It To Upload Step Four: Upload the video to Facebook directly from your phone. I used to share the YouTube link but I stopped because I noticed Facebook was not giving as much air time to my video when it was uploaded from Youtube. Go To Your Facebook Business Page Choose The “Publish” Button Choose The Button That You Would Choose If You Were Uploading A Picture Select Your Video Click “DONE” “Say” Something Like: LATEST VLOG IS UP or EPISODE #1 OF MY BLOG IS UP or #CHECK OUT MY LATEST VLOG ABOUT THE NEW HARRIS TEETER Add Some Emojis For Fun (video camera, house, a thumbs up) Click “CONTINUE” Click “PUBLISH” Step Five: Promote / Share Share The YouTube Link To Twitter, LinkedIn, Email It To Your Database Boost Your Facebook Video To Your Avatar (I spend about $50.00 per video boosting it to Realtors in the DMV area) And that’s it! Pretty simple right? As time has gone on, I have tweaked my process.But this is how I did it for two years. So make a commitment today to make a video once a week for the next twelve weeks. Keep me posted with how it’s going! Kara Macdonald is the Owner of Your Favorite Title Lady, LLC and the Vice President of Pruitt Title, LLC. Her mission is to inspire real estate agents by teaching them how to market themselves better online and offline through blogs, vlogs, webinars and in person consultations. She can be reached by email at kara@yourfavoritetitlelady.com and on her cellphone: 571-432-9382. [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

What Realtors Should Post On Instagram

Real Estate and Instragram go together like peanut butter and jelly. So why aren’t more agents using the platform? I believe one reason is they struggle with what to post. But I have good news! As a Realtor, the opportunities are endless. You tour homes, have listings and are in the community all the time! All you need to do is start being more aware. See three examples of posts below and how to craft them to remind people you are an agent. Plants, Trees & Flowers Next time you are out showing property, be cognisant of what catches your eye and snap a picture of it with your phone. You already naturally notice things as an agent so the key is to remember to snap a picture. Perhaps there is an especially impressive tree in the front yard or a stunning potted plant on the front porch or a gorgeous arrangement on the dining room table . . . all of these would do very well on Instagram. Below is an example of a post I did (and then deleted since I am not a Realtor): Notice I have chosen a beautiful picture of flowers with multiple colors and a brick accent, I have added a location (Fairfax County, VA), the text part of my post has a touch of my personality and I have made it obvious that I am a Realtor and lastly, I have used 15 applicable hashtags using the 5/5/5 method (5 location based hashtags, 5 activity based hashtags and 5 fun/expressive hashtags). The hashtags for this post are #fairfax #fairfaxcounty #fairfaxva #nova #northernva #flowers #landscaping #backyard #singlefamilyhome #moveupbuyers #backyardgoals #realtor #sorelaxing #gladIamNotAllergic #colorfordays Beautiful Décor I find model homes are the easiest to find stunning décor. Builders are so good at decorating, aren’t they? Next time you are passing by a new community, stop in, tour the model and snap a few pictures of what catches your eye (seeing a trend here?) and voila . . . you have content in your phone for posting over the next few days. Below is an example of how to do this while reminding people you are an agent. Notice I have chosen a beautiful bathroom picture with a splash of color, I have added a location (Loudoun County, VA), the text part of my post has a touch of my personality and I have made it obvious that I am a Realtor and lastly, I have used 15 applicable hashtags using the 5/5/5 method (5 location based hashtags, 5 activity based hashtags and 5 fun/expressive hashtags). The hashtags for this post are: #ashburn #ashburnva #loudoun #loudouncounty #northernva #ryanhomes #newconstruction #modelhome #masterbathroom #realestate #iwantone #timetonegotiate #springmarket #karakares Highlight Local Places Not a day goes by that we aren’t in a local coffee shop, restaurant, store, park, school, etc. Keep your eye peeled for interesting and beautiful things. Sometimes our coffees come with foam art (hearts or swirls), THAT’S AN INSTAGRAM MOMENT. Sometimes a restaurant has a super unique bar; THAT’S AN INSTAGRAM POST. Sometimes a store has a local artist’s work on display or for sale, THAT’S AN INSTAGRAM POST. Parks have creeks and animals and rare birds and views of a gorgeous sky, THAT’S AN INSTAGRAM POST and schools, well they have your kids! And if you’re not keen on posting your kids, post pictures of flyers displayed of upcoming plays, musicals, mattress sales, etc. The best part of this kind of post is that you get to mention a local place and that ALWAYS gets you more engagement. Below is an example of how to craft this kind of post AND remind people you’re an agent: Notice I have chosen a modern and colorful establishment, I have added a location (Henry’s Sweet Retreat), the text part of my post has a touch of my personality and I have made it obvious that I am a Realtor and lastly, I have used 15 applicable hashtags using the 5/5/5 method (5 location based hashtags, 5 activity based hashtags and 5 fun/expressive hashtags). The hashtags for this post are: #bethesda #montgomerycountymd #bethesdamd #maryland #moco #realtor #realestate #showingproperty #icecream #cookies #henryssweetretreat #afternoondelight #sugarrush #sugarfix #guiltypleasure TAGS: #RealEstate #SocialMedia #Marketing #Instagram #Realtor #RealEstateMarketing Kara Macdonald is the Owner of Your Favorite Title Lady, LLC and the Vice President of Pruitt Title, LLC. Her mission is to inspire real estate agents by teaching them how to market themselves better online and offline through blogs, vlogs, webinars and in person consultations. She can be reached by email at kara@yourfavoritetitlelady.com and on her cellphone: 571-432-9382. [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

INSTAGRAM FOR REAL ESTATE: 5 Easy Things To Do Now & Be Light Years Ahead Of Other Agents

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ custom_padding=”30px|0px|52.75px|0px|false|false”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”3px|0px|26.2344px|0px|false|false”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.5.1″]Instagram and real estate go together like bread and butter. Instagram is a photo sharing app. Real Estate is extremely visual. It only makes sense for a Realtor to be on Instagram. In this article, I will share five easy things you can do now to be WAY ahead of the competition. This article assumes you have the app on your phone. Revise Your Username It should be obvious that you are a realtor. Great examples are @JoeySellsGeorgia, @MaryCanMoveYou, @BuyOrSellWithPaula. Including your first name creates relatability. Using “sell”, “buy”, “move”, “list” or “homes” clearly shows you are in real estate and reinforces your brand. Don’t worry that changing your username will confuse your followers. In the long run, it is more important to have a GREAT username and the sooner you do it, the better. Profile Pic Your profile picture should be the same everywhere AND it should be a professional photo. It should be very easy for people to recognize you. Other tips to make your picture stand out include using an assymetrical picture (symmetry makes a picture less interesting) and think big. Since most people will be viewing your picture on their phone, your face should be very close to the camera so it is easily recognizable (again, always making things as easy as possible for your audience). Update Your Bio Your bio is prime real estate; treat it accordingly. Choose three words that describe you (example: Dog Lover, Realtor and Mom of 2) and place them at the top. Include emojis after each word. Your phone number and email should be next, again including emojis. There is a place for a link to your website. Use it! And if you blog or do videos, use this space to promote them by doing a post that states “link in bio”. Just be sure to change it if it is a time sensitive blog or video (example: 10 Ways To Not Get Stressed Over The Holidays”). Post Consistently According to Union Metrics, what matters most on Instagram is consistency. Posting a lot will not negatively affect your account however, if you post a lot and then stop posting a lot, you will lose followers and engagement which does hurt your account. So pick a frequency that you can maintain. Use 15-30 Hashtags Every Time You Post In order to grow your following on Instagram, you MUST use a lot of relevant, local hashtags. Try the 5/5/5 method. Use 5 location based hashtags (example: #northernva, #princewilliamcounty, #woodbridge, #woodbridgeva, #virginia). Next use 5 activity based hashtags (example: #home #forsale #homebuyer #closingtime #settlementday) and lastly, use five fun or expressive hashtags (example: #homesweethome, #citylife, #bestdayever #shegotthekeys, #hardworkpaysoff, #dreamsdocometrue). Kara Macdonald is the Owner of Your Favorite Title Lady, LLC and the Vice President of Pruitt Title, LLC. Her mission is to inspire real estate agents by teaching them how to market themselves better online and offline through blogs, vlogs, webinars and in person consultations. She can be reached by email at kara@yourfavoritetitlelady.com and on her cellphone: 571-432-9382. [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Goal Setting with Special Guest Naomi Hattaway – Ep 001

http://traffic.libsyn.com/yourfavoritetitlelady/REDD001.mp3[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.5.1″ use_background_color_gradient=”on” background_color_gradient_start=”#c1232c” background_color_gradient_end=”#c1595e” background_color_gradient_type=”radial” background_blend=”darken” box_shadow_style=”preset1″ box_shadow_horizontal=”7px” box_shadow_vertical=”6px” box_shadow_blur=”27px” custom_padding=”50px||36px||false|false” animation_style=”fade” next_background_color=”#ffffff”][et_pb_row use_custom_width=”on” custom_width_px=”1208px” _builder_version=”3.5.1″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” module_alignment=”center” filter_brightness=”96%” mix_blend_mode=”hard-light”][et_pb_column type=”2_3″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.5.1″ text_font_size=”50px” header_text_align=”center” header_text_color=”#ffffff” background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” text_orientation=”center” background_layout=”dark” text_line_height=”1.1em” text_text_shadow_style=”preset3″ animation_style=”fade” header_font=”|600|||||||” header_2_font_size=”50px” header_2_font_size_tablet=”40px” header_2_font_size_phone=”30px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” header_2_font=”|600|||||||”] Goal Setting with Special Guest Naomi Hattaway – Ep 001 [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][et_pb_column type=”1_3″][et_pb_image _builder_version=”3.5.1″ src=”https://karamacdonald.trackableresponses.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/RealDeepDiveNaomiheadshot4-1.jpg” align=”center” /][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section][et_pb_section bb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ custom_padding=”36px|0px|52.75px|0px|false|false” prev_background_color=”#000000″][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.5.1″] In the first episode of The Real Deep Dive Podcast, we are diving deep into goal setting with Realtor and Founder of I Am A Triangle, Naomi Hattaway. Naomi built a very successful real estate and relocation business and referral network in a short period of time. What takes most people YEARS to accomplish, Naomi seems to do in months. She attributes it to her ability to plan, set goals and track her progress. Naomi also has three children, a very busy husband, three dogs and two cats. Some people run their lives very well. She is one of them. I hope you enjoy this episode and take away many tips to set your own goals for 2018! Here’s to your success! Tools Naomi Mentioned in the podcast: Your Best Year by Lisa Jacobs Rituals For Living Dreambook & Planner by Briana and Dr. Peter Borten Unravel Your Year by Susannah Conway [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Goals Blog – December

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ custom_padding=”30px|0px|52.75px|0px|false|false”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”1px|0px|26.2344px|0px|false|false”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.5.1″]From December 2017 to December 2018, I will be taking a REAL DEEP DIVE into a different topic each month. As a marketing consultant for real estate agents and the Vice President of Pruitt Title, a title company in the DC metro area, I am acutely aware of the many areas in which realtors struggle and desire change. I have chosen 13 topics to take a deep dive into that I am confident will help agents both personally and professionally. It is my hope that over the next 13 months, you will join me in this adventure and be incredibly inspired! December 2017’s topic is GOALS. December is my favorite time of year. There is just something in the air. Holiday hustle, Christmas cheer and the dawn of a new year right around the corner; it literally makes me giddy. To me, a new year is a chance for a fresh slate, new beginnings and endless opportunity. It is only natural to think of what goals I hope to achieve in the coming year. That said, a couple of weeks into January and my enthusiasm seems to fade. I am and always have been pretty hard on myself. I constantly think I could have done more or should have planned better. I want to achieve so much and help so many people but the days seem to get away from me. I always seem to be striving to do better “tomorrow” or “next week” or “next year”. If I am honest with myself (and a little more gentle), I absolutely have made progress. Looking back to one year ago, five years ago and ten years ago …. WOAH! I have come SO far. And I am super proud of ME! But this year feels different. I turned 40 in July. Time to change something up. So what’s going to be different this time? Well, instead of keeping all of those hopes and dreams up in that crazy head of mine, I am going to WRITE THEM DOWN. Why is this so hard for me? Who knows? I have difficulty focusing. Don’t we all feel like we have a touch of ADD, ADHD, Shiny Object Syndrome, SQUIRREL!!! Perhaps there is some subconscious doubt or fear happening like I won’t achieve it anyway or that’s going to be a lot of work. It’s hard to admit that but it’s true. Luckily, difficult tasks (or fear that I won’t know HOW to do something) is exactly what drives me to try it. You will be tempted to want to write down several goals. But you must be realistic. If you try to tackle multiple goals at once, you will probably fail. So the first step is to do some soul searching. What one thing have you thought about for a long time? Do you want to lose weight? Take more vacations? Save more money? Increase your income? Spend more time with family? Volunteer more? Make that ONE THING your goal. Next step: WRITE IT DOWN. The research is conclusive. Goals work if you write them down. Dr. Gail Matthews, a psychology professor at Dominican University in California, did a study on goal setting with 267 particpants. She found that you are 42 percent more likely to achieve your goals just by writing them down. This is fascinating to me so I dug a little deeper . . . . Neuroscience has proven that when you write something out that takes deep thought like your goals, you build over 10,000 new neural pathways in your brain in one sitting. And the more you write your goals down (even if they are the same goals), the more likely you are to achieve them. Your brain will start to think of these goals automatically by default and become a part of your subconscious. Actions we take will subconsciously be towards the goals. You can literally wire your own brain for success. WOW! So I challenge you . . . pick one main goal and no more than one secondary goal for 2018 and write them down. I will share mine in the next blog. I hope you will share yours with me too! If you need some additional inspiration, one of the books I listened to this month came with a free downloadable worksheet (I love a good worksheet). I am on a mission to learn, educate and inspire realtors all over the world. We are in a very unique time right now. I hope you will join me on this adventure. It’s an amazing ride! [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

GET YOUR REAL ESTATE BUSINESS ON GOOGLE FOR FREE

[et_pb_section fb_built=”1″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ custom_padding=”30px|0px|52.75px|0px|false|false”][et_pb_row _builder_version=”3.0.47″ background_size=”initial” background_position=”top_left” background_repeat=”repeat” custom_padding=”6px|0px|26.2344px|0px|false|false”][et_pb_column type=”4_4″ _builder_version=”3.0.47″ parallax=”off” parallax_method=”on”][et_pb_text _builder_version=”3.5.1″]The definition of GOOGLE MY BUSINESS, according to Google Support, is a free and easy-to-use tool for businesses and organizations to manage their online presence across Google, including Search and Maps. By verifying and editing your business information, you can both help customers find you and tell them the story of your business. Google loves local businesses so this is their way of helping local businesses get seen more by consumers. Google My Business combines Google+, Maps, and Google Search into one convenient all-in-one business solution which in turn helps you get more easily found! Can I get an AMEN? Benefits include a Google+ Page for your business which others can engage with, tracking insights and enagagement, manage and review metricsw from your YouTube Channel and Google Analytics Account and seamlessly start and manage a Google AdWords campaign. So how does it work? The first thing you should do is visit https://www.google.com/business/ and sign in with your Google account. Next, add a single location and type of business (choose Real Estate Agency for the brand category). Google might ask you to place a marker on the map correctly. On the next page, Google will prompt you with a few suggested addresses. Choose “none of these match” at the very bottom. The last and most important step is to verify your business listing. Assuming you did everything correctly, you will be brought to a screen that says “how would you like to get your verification code” with just the mail option. Once you receive the code (Usually it takes 14 days for the postcard to arrive), login to Google My Business and click on the Verify Now button on top. Enhance your profile page by adding photos, writing a detailed business description, offer coupons or specials, upload videos and asking for reviews. More good news … Recently, Google added a new feature called Google Posts, formerly called Candidate Cards. It can show up on Google Search and Google Maps along with your business details when someone searches you. Posts can be up to 300 words long, giving you ample opportunity to convey valuable information that resonates with your audience. If your title and image are catchy and people click on it, you could send them to a landing page. Google definitely favors websites that are fast and mobile-responsive over ones that aren’t because most of Google’s users are mobile. Google Posts have a card-based design making it very easy on the eyes. Users will easily see it when they search for your business or topics related to your business. Thoughtful design will attract more mobile customers in your area. Creating a Google Post is very easy. Simply log into the dashboard, then head to the left side of the screen to access the “Posts” area. From there, you can select “Add A New Post”. The jury is still out as to how much benefit you could get from Google Posts. But it takes almost zero effort and it’s free. So if you have a new listing, a new team member or an event to promote, I think it’s worth the time. I mean, it is GOOGLE so it can’t hurt your rankings, right? Kara Macdonald is the Owner of Your Favorite Title Lady, LLC and the Vice President of Pruitt Title, LLC. Her mission is to inspire real estate agents by teaching them how to market themselves better online and offline through blogs, vlogs, webinars and in person consultations. She can be reached by email at kara@yourfavoritetitlelady.com and on her cellphone: 571-432-9382. [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Author: Kara Macdonald