Hit the Ground Running in 2012

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope everyone had a great holiday season..now get back to work!!  Here are some links to help you do that.

JawboneUp Have a New Year’s Resolution to eat better and exercise?  Use this iPhone app and accessory to accomplish your goals.

NextDoor.com Dominate your neighborhood (in a good way) with NextDoor.com.  This is the private social network for your neighborhood.  Set this up in minutes and you soon will know everything that is going on in your neighborhood and you can become the go-to real estate agent for everyone that lives there.  If you use this site, I think it could be HUGE for your business.

ShortStack.com Already have a Facebook Business Page for your neighborhood?  Or just have a Business Page that needs a facelift (facelift..get it!)  Use ShortStack to create a completely new look for your page.  It’s free and easy to use.

December 2011 Tech Tidbits

Great Sites to Take Your Business Into 2012

Many of you are in the middle of enjoying your holidays, but now is the perferct time to start building your business for 2012.  Use some of these sites for multiple parts of your business. Asana.com Asana is a great tool for teams.  It is a shared task list site that will keep everyone on task and in sync. Weebly.com Looking to enhance your online prescence?  Maybe build a nich site for a subdivison, foreclosures, short sales, etc?  Weebly is a FREE website creator that is EASY to use?  Check it out! DeleteMe.com Hey, remember the photo of you from that event?  You know, the one that is all over the internet.  Or that MySpace account you just can’t completely get rid of?  Well, here is a site for you.  DeleteMe.com will….do just that.  Check it out to see how it works and what the fee is.  It may just be worth it. IFTTT.com This is short for “If This, Then That” and it is my new favorite site.  With this site you can make the internet work for you.  You set up triggers from over 30 channels like Twitter, YouTube, Facebook, Craigs List, Stock reports, etc.  For instance: Looking to buy a stock?  You can set this site to notify your stock broker when the stock hits your price point.  For real estate you can set up Twitter to automatically email you any tweets that contain your desired keywords. Very cool.  Check it out.

NEW SERVICE!! Social Media Enhancements

I travel and train on multiple topics all over North America.  When I train on social media the following question comes up quite often: “I know I need to do this, but I don’t have time to do it.  Can you build it for me?”  Well…now we can!  Dawn Rose, a social media designer/trainer, has recently joined my team. Dawn offers both a Social Media and eEdge enhancement package.  She will build your Social Media platforms and connect them together to where you can easily manage/update the sites.  The best part, she can provide 1 on 1 training if you need to learn how to effectively manage the sties. For the eEdge package, she can properly import your database, set up your marketing campaigns and get you going with marketing to your database.   Go to Social Media Enhancements on MichaelTritthart.com for more details and to get a quote!

Enhance BOTH of Your KW Websites

Looking to improve your KW Websites?  There is value in using both; one for your haven’t mets and one for your have mets.  I have helped enhance over 4,000 KW websites and can help you with the lead capture, content, SEO and overall look of your KW Websites for a minimal onetime fee.  View sample sites on MichaelTritthart.com and contact me to get started.

November 2011 Tech Tidbits

I hope everyone had a safe and fun time on Halloween. Here are two tech sites that will still put a scare into you.

TakethisLollipop.com Ok, a little disclaimer here: (pretty bad if I have to do a disclaimer, huh?) This site is not for everyone. It will not infect your machine or your Facebook account. Google it if you don’t believe me.

Lollipop is a one-time download that puts your Facebook account into a creepy short movie; just in time for Halloween. The movie underscores a valid point regarding how vulnerable we are on line. It is very polarizing; reports are that there were big discussions at Facebook HQ when the site went up. Also Facebook contacted the creator to “inquire” about his intentions.

Bottom line: This site will make thing before your next Facebook posting involving family photos/data. If you want a creepy scare for Halloween and you want to be part of the movie then check out TakethisLollipop. Or do what I did and watch it with someone else’s data on YouTube!

Internet Archive Wayback Machine They’re baaack! One of my favorite sites is back up and better than ever. Just like radio waves in space, nothing on the internet ever goes away. To prove that point, Wayback has archived over 150 billion from 1996 (soon after Al Gore invented the internet!) to just a few months ago. How does this affect your business? Have you ever had a photo or text on an old site that you still wish you had? Would you like to see the activity history of your website over the course of years? Now you can.

Bottom line: This is a valuable and fun tool for your website. Since you can see how your site looked like in 1996 it may be even scarier than TakethisLollipop!

October 2011 Technology Tidbits

NEW SERVICE!! Social Media Enhancements

I travel and train on multiple topics all over North America.  When I train on social media the following question comes up quite often: “I know I need to do this, but I don’t have time to do it.  Can you build it for me?”  Well…now we can!  Dawn Rose, a social media designer/trainer, has recently joined my team.    Dawn offers both a Social Media and eEdge enhancement package.  She will build your Social Media platforms and connect them together to where you can easily manage/update the sites.  The best part, she can provide 1 on 1 training if you need to learn how to effectively manage the sties.   For the eEdge package, she can properly import your database, set up your marketing campaigns and get you going with marketing to your database.     Go to Social Media Enhancements on MichaelTritthart.com for more details and to get a quote!

Facebook – The New Look

Change is coming.  Don’t dread or fear it.  The new look of Facebook is amazing.  The timeline feature is one of the most revloutionary featues that I have seen in years.  Starting around October 7th, Facebook will roll out the new look.  Want to get a jump on the new look?  Go to the Social Networking page on my site and click Facebook – The New Look.

Enhance BOTH of Your KW Websites

Looking to improve your KW Websites?  There is value in using both; one for your haven’t mets and one for your have mets.  I have helped enhance over 4,000 KW websites and can help you with the lead capture, content, SEO and overall look of your KW Websites for a minimal onetime fee.  View sample sites on MichaelTritthart.com and contact me to get started.

September ’11 Technology Tidbits

Time to Get Organized With summer winding down (as I type this it is 104 in Dallas; we still have a lot of unwinding to do!) and the kids headed back to school, it’s time to think about organizing for your business. You can only grow your business if you are focused on your 20%. Here are some tools to help with that focus. GetResponse.com I picked this up from Ryan (gtahomesbyryan@gmail.com) in my Toronto Ambassador session. Here is what he has to say about it: “I use it as my 10 days of pain follow up for emails as well then I switch them over to the 33 touch. It’s a good program.” I couldn’t have said it any better! Go2convert.com Have you ever received an attachment but didn’t have the right program to open it? Problem solved! This easy to use site allows you to convert virtually any document file extension into one that you can open. FREE and easy to use! IRIScanThis is a portable scanner for full pages and business cards that received a lot of attention in my classes this summer. It’s extremely handy with all of the business cards that I pick up from training sessions. I scan them, view them in the compatible software program and easily download into my database. I can scan more cards and update them if need be faster that any smart phone app out there. StatCounter.com Currently, adding Google Analytics to your eEdge site is not an option. StatsCounter is a program that gives you similar data and is compatible with the eEdge sites. Check it out.

August 2011 Technology Tidbits – Random Goodies

I am typing this up while in Orlando, FL.  The eEdge Ambassador has been a huge success so far and everyone has been impressed with the Inman award winning eEdge product. 

Below is a mix of some links that I have found and some that have been shared on the tour. 

1.  100% on your white pages account This is a common question that I get all the time.  Sharing it again as a reminder.  Click the link to view the steps on how to get your KW.com profile to 100%; maximizing your 3rd KW Website.

2.  Fiverr.com One of my favorites.  This is a collection of items that people will do for $5.  A great site to find social networking, marketing and technology help.  Click the fun and bizare link if you dare! 

3.  GreatSchools.org app GreatSchools has been doing a great job on offering public and private school data for years.  There is now an app for iPads and iPhones.

4.  WalkScore.com A site that has been around for years now. However, they have a widget option that you can now add to your site.  Great for leads! 

ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS?  Go to Facebook.com/TechnologyTidbits and share your ideas on my Facebook page.

July 2001 Tech Tidbits – SEO Mania!

I went to Disneyland in June with the family so I have “mania” on the brain.  Instead of “Toy Story Mania” I present “SEO Mania!”  Below are some resources that can help improve your Search Engine Optimization; the first two of which are FREE!

1.  Google Wonder Wheel This is great resource to help you find the related keywords to a topic and how popular they are.  Run a Google search and look at the More Tools dropdown on the left to find Wonder Wheel.  This site will create a wheel of all related terms with links to more related terms.  Think of it this way; it is the SEO version of the Kevin Bacon’s 6 degrees of separation.

2.  HowIsMySite.com Go to this site and follow the step by step process.  First step is to add your website address to HowIsMySite.com.  Your site will then be added to/reviewed by multiple sites in a matter a seconds.  Click on each of the site links and follow the steps to complete the process.  These sites are very search engine friendly and are checked often by Google, Bing, etc.

 3.  Matt McDermott with MoreThanSEO.com  I met with Matt a couple of months ago and I was impressed with his ideas and concepts; one of which is the focus on customer reviews to help generate better SEO.  Matt has helped over 100 businesses with some aspect of their online marketing strategies.  In addition, he has helped real estate agents improve their exposure in the search engines, mine the internet for more leads, increase the effectiveness of “face to face” prospecting, get agents’ helpful videos found in sites like YouTube, reduce the cost of pay-per-click campaigns and more.

Matt also knows how to increase local exposure to your pages on sites like Trulia.com, Realtor.com, and similar web pages.  Check out MoreThanSEO.com and if you are interested then you are welcome to contact him there or call (214) 335-5348.

ANY OTHER SUGGESTIONS?  Go to Facebook.com/TechnologyTidbits and share your ideas on my Facebook page.

June ’11 Tech Tidbits

Random Links for Your Business

Here are mix of old and new sites that can help you improve your business: Zillow Webtools – I know, I know…to many agents I just said a bad word.  However, Zillow offers many great widgets and data for your website, Facebook page and blog….All with the ability to brand yourself on the Zillow site for FREE.   Google Cloud Connect This new site allows you to create Microsoft Office files but save them in Google Docs.  Combining the best of two programs.  Very cool!   YouTube.com/create This site offer multiple video effects for FREE! Very easy to use.   Trulia Mortgage Calculator This widget is nice looking and an easy to use calculator for your website or blog.

May 2011 Tech Tidbits

Who Wants To Win Something?

Do you like to win FREE things?  Now that you have answered yes, here is what you can win   $100 worth of Google Adwords!  Here is what you need to do.  Go to my Technology Tidbits Facebook Business Page and like it.  On Friday, May 6th at 11 am Central Time, or soon after, I will post a message on my business page regarding Google Adwords.  The first response will win $100 worth of Google Adwords; no strings attached.    Here are the rules: A) You have to like my Business Page B) You have to be fast with your response to my message.  That’s it!     You have to be in it to win it!  Go to my page now! and Like my page to be eligible to win.

Help Me…Help You…and You and You.

That is what you say to the local business owners in your community that you are marketing in.  How do you help?  Yelp!  Yelp.com is a consumer rating site that has been around since 2005.  In 2010 they had over 15 million reviews.  Here is how you can use this to help everyone, including yourself, in your community.   1.  Find 10-15 local businesses that you frequent that are on Yelp.  Write detailed reviews of the locations.  Next time in the business let them know you helped them out with a glowing review.  They in turn will be more inclined to write a review for you.  Natural SEO.    2.  Are you close to the business owner?  Print out the Yelp review and frame it with a picture of you in front of the business.  Have them hang it in the business.  Now you will have “community optimization.”    3. Another option, instead of asking for written or emailed testimonials from your clients, ask them to create a Yelp review for you.

April Tech Tidbits Newsletter

My New Favorite Sites

Do you want an easy way to scroll new data through your site?  Here are two options that will allow you to scroll your blog, national or local news feeds via RSS on your website.  Feedzilla and Feed Wind both do basically the same thing, so just choose the one you prefer.  You can easily load this onto your site with HTML code.  More and more agents are starting to use QR codes.  Here is a site that will allow you to create one in a matter of seconds.  Kawya QR Code Generator is super easy to use.  Check it out. Want to have some fun and do some cool marketing?  Check out Vipidme.com.  This site is great.  You can create a free, intro based on familar marketing themes.  Check out my “Star Wars” themed ad

Book Your 2011 Training Dates Now!

Don’t miss out on a chance to grow your business.  I have over 14 courses and 31 hours of training.  All designed to help you increase your bottom line! The majority of the courses are taught in a 1 - 3 day workshop.  Walk out of the sessions with items set up and ready to help your business.  Upcoming sessions include multiple sites in the Mandeville LA, New England Region, Fairfax VA, Valencia CA, Baltimore MD, Toronto and all over Texas. eEdge, MyTransactions, Social Networking, Google, Websites, Generate More Leads for Free, Video Marketing, Blogs and so much more.  Contact me for full details and available dates.