The end of the year brings about the necessary review and planning for the year ahead - many of the blogs in this Wrap up focus on Planning and some ideas Real Estate Agents ought to consider for the growth of their business. Think of Internet Marketing and SEO as an important ingredient in your future growth - you must understand these concepts to compete effectively.
The process of translating what you know into what other can use to help them grow their business is not as simple as you may think… Knowing does not always translate into Teaching; imparting knowledge to others does require skill and awareness.
The majority of Trainers in Real Estate focus on Scripts – what agents and brokers must remember and then regurgitate because they assume the level of intellect brought forth by Real Estate Professionals is limited; memorizing scripts usually becomes a detrimental NOT empowering process.
The idea of script memorizing is flawed… Our Agents are Smarter then you think!
Scripts are a crutch for those too new to the Real Estate Industry and they do help here and there – but authentic understanding is more powerful than memorized facts.
So what must Brokers ponder?
1. Assume that your Real Estate Agents are Smart enough to understand the nuances of Internet Marketing, SEO, and Google Visibility.
2. Put them in front of people who help them understand rather than confuse them with the technical side of the internet.
3. Assume that your agents want to succeed – and continue to ask the best out them. When you do you are respecting them and elevating their vision of themselves.
4. You must perform your own Due Diligence on potential Trainers – find out if you are offering fluff for the sake of looking good, or actual measurable solutions that will cause a win-win for you and your colleagues.
These straightforward ideas may sound too simplistic but growing a successful Real Estate Agency comes at a price; and many brokers are not ready to bear that burden… Collaboration, Respect, and Delegation are crucial to your Agency Success…
Happy Blogging 
– Key Yessaad
Successful Real Estate Professionals build their business on their ability to generate deals – in other words the Art of Deal making but many of them fail to build teams and hire Administrators because of that gift…
Think about it – why are many Sales people attracted to Real Estate…??? Let’s be honest; it is the potential of unlimited income. There are many Real Estate professionals, but a fraction is capable of making 7 figures. So what is their Achilles’ Hill?
1. Many of these successful Brokers and Agents think that because they earn their income based on commission everyone else’s income should be based on commission as well. This flaw makes them think that the way they can get the best out of their workers is by scaring them into more income… contingent income is flawed – it is not the same as contingent commissions.
2. These Realtors confuse performance based on Closings for the hourly work of implementation based on activity – a very flawed thinking. The best thing a Real Estate Agency or a Team Leader can realize is that the motivation for making money is different for diverse people. The majority of us want to make a Living Wage and go home and be with our families; others, a very small percentage, don’t mind suffering waiting for the whale of a deal.
3. Never hire employees on commission; as the leader of your agency you must have a clear understanding of the tasks you expects from your employees, a predictable number of daily hours, and an hourly wage with a fixed number of hours per week… you are not going to pay a McDonald’s employee based on the number of Happy Meals you sell… what a silly idea.
4. When you fail to do the above task (#3) you must accept that you are hiring a partner who makes money when you make money – they are therefore entitled to know what you have been doing all day… but because you hired them as employees you resent that… You must wake up… You did not hire them… you hired them on a contingency… they make a percentage of income when you make money… the true definition of a partner NOT an employee.
5. You MUST ask your self these 2 simple questions: “Have I given my employee a living wage? And are they living up to my expectations?” if so then you are on track but this is not enough… you must implement employee performance reviews every quarter and the potential for bonuses based on true measurable performance at the end of the year.
6. When you get a chance watch Daniel Pink talk about “The Surprising Science of Motivation” on YouTube () – it may enlighten your 2011 Plan of Action.
The Blog today in not about Real Estate SEO but rather about viewing the world from the prism of those who work to make an hourly wage from us – Not everyone is driven to make a commission from the potential that Real Estate offers.
Happy Blogging 
– Key Yessaad
The few traits on Character and Leadership I write about in this short blog are not new; we must always strive to remember that character and business growth are connected at a deep core; a foundation that is unshackle, a place that transcends fear and apathy.
1. Conviction: Know what you stand for and beware of your so-called ”Status” – many define you by what you have; but your value shines through who you are.
2. Empathy: the desire to truly put yourself in the shoes of others because you seek true understanding. To connect at this level reveals that you have much in common with your colleagues and business partners; your desire to empathize allows for “the seeking of solutions” rather than “the dividing on ideology.”
3 Tough-mindedness: Some view this ability as contradictory to Empathy; in fact they go well together. To have clarity and then pursue one’s desire for building something larger requires Mental Toughness and a heart that goes with it. So work hard and don’t quit once you know what you are working towards. (and money is not the goal.)
4. Demanding Thinking: Your mind is equipped to handle complex Ideas but you must demand of it to think by “thinking.” You must focus, read, travel, meet new people, engage in social activities, and reduce the noise of devices that force to be an observer. The gift of thought is wonderful if you choose to exercise it.
5. Know what is Right: Trust your moral compass; when you allow yourself to be true you will know deep inside what your values are – trust them.
6. Be uncomfortable: This one is may seem strange to many; isn’t after all our goal to be in pure harmony? No; struggling makes you stronger – so if you are in uncomfortable situations from time to time you will find your true voice and grow as a person. Go to new places, meet people of different faiths and rituals, have coffee with a competitor, play tennis with your left hand (if you are a righty…), you get the point.
7. Love deeply and truthfully: Yes romantic love sometimes clouds this topic and most expect it to be filled with reciprocity; the love I am talking about does not require validation or perfection; it simply is.
The theme of these few ideas keep returning in all my coaching sessions on Real Estate SEO and Web Strategies; strange to see that the foundations of character reverberates even through a dry subject as SEO ( Search Engine Optimization); and yet is in not strange at all if you really think about it…
Happy Blogging 
– Key Yessaad
Organic visibility within Search Engines is a combination of hundreds of ingredients and so to say that an element is more important than any other must be placed in it proper context… it is recognized by most SEO experts that the algorithms used by Google and Bing are driven by no less that 10 primary fundamental ideas, and include nearly 300+ parameters that define them. Most of them are esoteric but some have proven to be quite reliable in the world of Organic Visibility.
Let’s us talk about the Title.
Definition: The Title of a Web/Blog Page, also known as the Title Tag, is the text that is displayed in the top of your browser above the URL address bar.
Let’s look at an example: When you visit this page about a book by Richard Feynman “Surely you are Joking Mr. Feynman” you will see, way at the Top: “Surely you’re joking, Mr. Feynman … – Google Books – Windows Internet Explorer, or the same followed by – Mozilla Firefox depending on your browser. The title of this page clearly defines the page that you are on. It is a book by the late amazing Physicist Dr. Feynman that Google Books has scanned. (PS: it is an incredible book and has nothing to do with Physics per-se… I highly recommend it.)
The words you place in your Title are very important, the geeks say it this way: Keywords that are placed properly in the Title are essential to your visibility. I personally hate the word “Keywords” because most get confused by it and they start doing things like this: “Myrtle Beach Real Estate, Myrtle Beach Homes for Sale, Myrtle Beach Condos” – Title Tags that look like this are terrible and harm you more than help you…
You must choose your words properly not based on some SEO formula but simply by focusing on the story you are telling. The “words” in your title are one of the best clues for Search Engines to start the ranking process – they help Search Engines understand the topic of the page you are adding to your website. Please remember this is not sufficient but the more focused your title the easier it is for Search Engines to Index the page under a placement you desire. Let us say you are going to explain the process of getting financing for Condos in your town of Majestic Idaho – titling your page: “How to Finance your Condo in Majestic Idaho?” would be a good start. Of course the content must explain the ideas in the title and connect with it.
Let the story dictate the Title – NOT your SEO Strategy… Those who chase placement fail miserably; those who offer Solutions climb organically.
This is Part 1 on the Title Tag… Let see in the future parts how we can use this important idea and how Websites Vendors can help Realtors do this simply – Real Estate SEO and Internet Marketing is NOT for the Geeks it is for our Agents to help solve the problems of our customers.
Happy Blogging 
– Key Yessaad
It’s Christmas and so I will combine my love for Opera, Inspirational Videos, and Poetry and share a video and a poem…
Paul Sings Nessun Dorma – Very Inspiring
"Pull from within your spirit and push your passion towards Excellence!" - Key
A Christmas Poem:
May you have the gladness of Christmas which is hope;
The spirit of Christmas which is peace;
The heart of Christmas which is love.
~Ada V. Hendricks
Merry Christmas to all my friends and family – I am thinking of you today… 
Key Yessaad
Here is a short list of business ideas collected from various sources, mentors, and my own coaching trainings that can illuminate your progress into 2011… use them to start thinking about your business and the direction you seek for yourself.
You must fall in love with yourself; no I don’t mean narcissism – I mean realize that you have no limits in ability and capacity. Your mind can handle the most complex tasks, your spirit is strong and giving, you can immerse yourself in any endeavor once you learn it (educate yourself); so what would you be capable of if you truly pursued your true dreams?; if there were no limits set on you by others what would you do? and will you discipline yourself to reach those dreams?
You will be confronted with all kinds of Business Issues, some you have not prepared for – it is how you react that will set you aside; Some adversity will even make you stronger. One aspect of adversity are the lessons we learn and the decisions we make about ourselves; don’t be so quick to put yourself down – pick yourself up, trust in your imagination and skills, and tackle the adversity with resilience, humility, and a generous amount of learning. Don’t hesitate to call a colleague or a trusted mentor to help you along.
The rosy scenario of your Business Plan is why you go to work and build a future; but, from time to time, review that Business Plan and look also at the Worst Case Scenario. You want to be prepared for the Best and Worst – this has nothing to do with thinking negatively; it has to do with thinking realistically. A Good Business Plan can handle these stresses, in fact the way to conquer fear is to be prepared.
Who are you surrounded by? Are the Business Colleagues you work with people you respect? You see Success mirrors Success but unfortunately Failure thrives in the petri dish of Failure… Are you accepting of others’ failures so your minor successes resonate louder? Look around and do something about yourself and the people you associate with – you cannot fix them; let them be! Work on yourself and start bringing into your life people you admire and enjoy working with.
To those who follow my Blogs: Many have asked why I write about such an array of topics that sometimes do not deal directly with the topic of Real Estate SEO and Internet Marketing.
a Fair question!
In fact I do; they are all connected.
The prism through which I view the internet and Search Engine Optimization is that of serving the consumer. I don’t help Brokers get to page 1 of Search Engines for them to just make money; I work with Brokers who love Real Estate and enjoy working with the public to offer meaningful solutions; and the internet is one such vehicle. Many choose to get organically visible to manipulate or sell useless services, worse to plunder and cheat. I think we can do better…
Happy Blogging 
– Key Yessaad
Real Estate Websites Vendors are not in the business of SEO, in fact I claim they should not be… A good vendor focuses on providing the tools and ease of use so the brokers and Agents can tailor their SEO strategies to compete locally. It is quite important that these vendors understand the fundamentals of Search Engine Optimization or they won’t be able to offer the right tools; in fact it is my contention that except for a couple of vendors the field is mired in a sea of incompetence. I have reviewed many websites where every page has the same title – horrifying!
The post today will focus on how vendors can open up their Content Management Systems to the simple lonely <Title Tag> – this is part 2 (see Part 1)
If you remember the Title of a Web/Blog Page, also known as the Title Tag, is the text that is displayed in the top of your browser above the URL address bar. this is an important signal for Search Engines, it allows them to formulate a sense of your content and starts them on the journey of indexing and ranking you. For simplicity sake think of your Web or Blog Pages as stories and make sure you give each the proper title.
Now let’s talk about how vendors can do a better job to offer control over this important Tag:
1. Offer both a CMS and a Blog Platform. A CMS stands for Content Management System and is usually driven to add Web Pages that will either appear in Primary or Secondary Navigations. These are called the anchor pages of your website; many such pages are also called landing pages, or search-based pages. In addition, vendors should also offer a Blog Platform; these pages are for journaling purposes; story telling focused on specific topics. Blog Pages behave similarly to Web Pages and many advanced users do not see a difference between them but I contend there is an enormous difference for the user.
Let me delve a little deeper on this distinction; a good CMS, or Web Page Manager, will offer the user the ability to produce content that is navigationally available and therefore forces them to think on multiple levels. It is rare when anchor web pages are created without a plan that cohesively brings them together; for example say you wish to create a section in your navigation for Foreclosures; well this page may need to spawn several pages that are focused on Search Results in the 10 neighborhoods the user works in. Bottom-line: a Good CMS allows dimensional and architectural management of Web Pages – not a daily task.
Now let’s look at a good Blog Platform; it allows agents to focus on one idea, link it to primary pages, and then post it – a simple task that does not require navigational expertise; nor should it. Think of a scenario where a Real Estate professional attends City Council Meetings and shares his or her views on zoning issues and how they affect their primary Real Estate Markets; a blog will be perfect for that. in addition a powerful blog platform like WordPress allows the users to categorize and tag their content, so a pseudo navigation is created without thinking dimensionally.
2. Try to make the CMS and the Blog Platform behave similarly. this is easy; make sure the places in which the user inserts the title, the box where the content is typed, and the tools used for editing are exactly the same. As to the rest well they will behave differently depending on which one is used – I will not get into the other Page Tools in this post (see upcoming posts…)
3. Make the URLs generate automatically from the title of the Blog Post or the CMS Page. There are many ways of doing this but a look at say WordPress will reveal that once a user types in a title a Permalink is generated and conforms with proper index-able URLs. So if your title is “Foreclosures Solutions in Lansing Michigan” you end up with a URL: www.yourdomain.com/foreclosures-solutions-in-lansing-michigan if it is a CMS Page or: www.yourdomain.com/2010/12/27/foreclosures-solutions-in-lansing-michigan if it is a blog post. Of course these are only examples – there are many permutations and solutions that a good website vendor understands.
Very few vendors offer such controls over the Title Tag, and very few yet understand that a Good CMS alone is not enough; but a new crop of smart vendors are realizing that their job is to offer tools that are Real Estate SEO friendly. The new generation of Internet Marketers know how to use such tools and excel at their own Internet Visibility. Gone are the days when vendors ask you for a title when you are first building your website and spin all your pages with the same title with no controls.
PS: WordPress is a Blogging Platform and some Real Estate Professionals have used it as a primary website; it must be noted that such a platform without the full integration of IDX will limit the agent ability to create internet scale and visibility in the Real Estate Field.
Happy Blogging 
– Key Yessaad
Preparing for 2011 is an important endeavor towards your Business Success, and yes you have probably been handed a Goal Setting Sheet by our Broker or Manager. Do spend some time working on your plan; Goals that are written, carved into activities, and reviewed monthly tend to foster Success – and only 3% of all Real Estate Agents do so. (what a missed opportunity.)
In this blog I want you to go even further – You MUST understand that “You are the business,” in fact, you are the most important ingredient of your Business Plan. The work you do on yourself is as important as all of the tools you have to build your business – so let’s look at a couple of ideas…
1. Resolve yourself to Excellence: I want you to define Excellence for yourself and spice up your business Plan and Goals with it. Remember to divide your goals into activities, then into monthly tasks, down to your weekly agenda. The easier you can fit your activities into your calendar the more realistic your results. As you perform your tasks keep Excellence in front of you; when you do you won’t resent the time you have spent writing a blog, or the 15 calls you made to prospect– rather you will be performing them with gratitude.
2. Evaluate yourself thoughtfully: There are eight areas for Self-Assessment – these few questions should help you start to get in touch with your strengths.
Ambition: Have you written down high and stretching goals and planned how you are going to achieve them?
Vision: Have you formed a clear idea of where you want to be and what you want to be doing in five years' time?
Confidence: Do you feel able to do anything that is needed now, do it well, and master new abilities and tasks as required?
Competitiveness: Are you never satisfied until you have clearly won all the prizes against the best competition around?
Risk Taking: Do you believe in your own ability to judge a risk as worth taking and to take your chances effectively?
Energy and Drive: Can you bring full mental powers to bear on an issue, to decide on the right action, and see it through?
Leadership: Can you mobilize others to achieve group ambitions, as well as develop other leaders and bring them forward?
Self-Criticism: Are you a relentless perfectionist who constantly seeks to improve and to get others to do the same?
Important: As you reveal your strengths you will also unveil your weaknesses; don’t be so quick to fix them - these maybe areas that you should turn over to an assistant or a paid colleague. I am not convinced that we must excel at everything but I have seen many who are willing to delegate to others and produce bigger results than on their own; Forge good alliances and partnerships.
3. Accept Communication: This one may seem simple on the surface but the number one consumer complaint is their Real Estate Agents did not communicate with them enough. In order for Good News to find its way to you you must allow all the bad calls to come through as well. Do your best not to screen calls, and if a consumer is upset with you make a point of talking to them; avoiding them will only fester and make things worst.PS: Do not Resolve conflict using email or Social Media – you will only escalate anger and resentment.
I want to finish by sharing a video posted by Craig Summerall on a series called “Monday Morning Choices”
Share your thoughts and insights – I’d love to hear your take…
Happy Blogging :) – Key Yessaad
One important metric in your Real Estate SEO growth is your domain name, more importantly its age… this often surprises a lot of newbie’s to SEO but if you think about it carefully it does make sense… Websites earn a reputation with age and Search Engines rely on that reputation in their index.
How Old is your Website?
Here are a few ideas you must keep in mind.
1. Never give up ownership of your domain name!
2. The age of your domain is only valuable if it has been hosted and has content in it that has been indexed; if you bought a domain 10 years ago and parked it a GoDaddy that does not count.
3. Your domain must match your Marketing. Make sure you have a marketing plan and let the domain name reflect it.
4. Try to avoid Trademark names. Yes at the beginning no one will know you domain is called augustamls.com but once your domain becomes visible you may end up losing this domain because it contains the word MLS; same goes for REALTOR or other national trademarked Name.
5. Check with your Broker and National Brand Manager if you work at a franchise – they may have rules on what domain you can own. You do not want to buy a domain that’s named say: MyKellerWilliamsAgent.com and end up losing it because you infringed on your Brand Marketing Rules. (PS: you may have the right to keep the domain but the franchise can choose to let you go – and what good would that domain do you then?)
6. Pick a domain name you can live with for the next 25 years of your Real Estate Career – once you do keep building it up with content and solutions. (again make sure you own your domain; I know of hundreds of horror stories; see How dare they own “my” domain?)
7. Don’t despair if you have never owned a domain before – starting today with the right website is still the right thing to do. Yes you will experience a Sandbox effect in which hardly anything will seem to move your website; but if you are diligent and continue to add deliberate content with the right link strategy your website will start moving towards your goals.
In the world of Real Estate SEO many ingredients must come together to create organic visibility – don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good… the best thing you can do is to get going wherever you are right now…
Happy Blogging 
– Key Yessaad
Real Estate Internet Marketing, Real Estate SEO, Google Marketing Trainings, Real Estate Websites, Real Estate Trainings, Real Estate Websites
Key Yessaad – Real Estate Trainings and Internet Strategies. My drive is to illuminate, empower, then turn over the process to my participants through Plans of Action that produce Results – Internet Marketing, when successful, transcends Websites and goes to the core habits of all Real Estate Professionals – You can no longer afford to ignore the place SEO, Social Media, and Internet Marketing play in your Day to Day business growth. Key Yessaad and SEO Blogs at (910) 367-5391 or (910) 538-6610.
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