I am always looking to leverage new technologies and stand out from the crowd. With my volume, I needed to find ways to be faster and more efficient over the years. If you don’t learn to leverage technology, then the business will consume you and you actually become less efficient. First off, I changed the default wording on my sign-in forms, email templates and broadcast messages from “Open House” to “Thanks for viewing…” and I customized the questions to accommodate regular showings. This way, I can use Spacio for both open houses and for scheduled showings by appointment on weekdays.

In addition, I changed the content for Broker Follow-Up within the Email Templates. This allowed me to use the broker’s open house email template section for another use: my industry training activities. One of the industry certificates I have requires that I run workshops and training for agents. In order to receive credit, I need the agent’s information. For this, I set up an open house in Spacio and instead of inputting an address in the address field, I input the topic that I’m providing training on. I’ve customized the questions so I can obtain the required info I need to collect from agents who attend the training. Afterwards, I send out a thank you email using the Broadcast Message feature, selecting the pre-populated Broker Follow-Up template, which I previously changed to a “Thanks for attending my training” template. Finding at least one potential buyer or seller. I heavily rely on email, Internet and social media to promote my opens. For instance, I often post my upcoming open houses on LinkedIn and Twitter. I share information about the open house on various websites and social media for at least two weeks prior. As well, I send out emails to my database of realtors and potential buyers and sellers. I use the Spacio iPad app. It actually becomes a talking piece. People love talking about it and comparing it to old-fashioned sign-in sheets they find at other open houses. I have Spacio send out a nice auto follow-up email. Then I download the contacts from the open house and upload them to a program called Cabernet Corner, which my company supplies to agents. After I’ve uploaded the contacts, Cabernet Corner places them on an email drip campaign. In addition, I will follow up by phone. Always trying to be different from my competitors so that I stand out. For instance, sometimes instead of printing out a flyer on plain white paper, I will use colored paper. Right now, I’m differentiating myself by using Spacio. Every agent hosting an open house uses a clipboard, sign-in sheet and pen. At the open house or showing, they ask everyone to just sign in. Using Spacio on my iPad allows me to be different from every other open house that a potential buyer visited that day. Holding an open house is not about selling that particular property you’re hosting an open for. If you do get lucky, great. However, it’s about increasing your database of people who may need your services now or in the future. From Floyd Wickman: “Get out of the office.”