MI: Tell us
something about your career experience prior
to becoming a VA.
DW: The primary
focus of my past career involved
administrative and creative support
positions working with large international
manufacturing companies in the areas of
sales and marketing support. My unique set
of administrative/creative skills were
called upon in the creation of corporate
internet websites, intranet websites and
printed materials such as catalogs, product
packaging and new product marketing
materials.
MI: At what
point did you start working as a VA?
DW: That’s kind
of a funny story! I had been doing freelance
design work for small companies for a while
and I kept hearing from those clients how
indispensable I was to them. I started my VA
practice part time and named the company
Virtually Indispensable based on comments
from previous clients. I have a routine of
researching the latest advertising graphics
that are going on in our area and I came
upon an ad for a REALTOR® named Chris
Faircloth, it was a beautiful ad with a
beach theme and the ad contained her website
address
www.ChrisFaircloth.com.
I just had to check out
her website after I saw the ad and when I
did, I was completely shocked! The website
was one of those cookie cutter deals and it
was terrible. I gave it some thought and
then I contacted her via email, offering to
create a new website for her. I was so
afraid she would take my email the wrong
way…but the next day she contacted me and
she has been a client of mine for the last 3
years!
I developed a totally
new website for her and over time created
all new marketing materials and several new
niche websites for her as well. She liked my
creativity and willingness to step outside
the box to create high quality marketing
pieces and websites that set her apart from
the competition. Her referrals and word of
mouth spread over time and I am now a full
time VA!
MI: After
that first real estate client, how did you
end up focusing primarily on real estate in
your practice?
DW: Well, I
wanted to learn everything I could about
real estate marketing and I spent nearly 4
months doing research on the subject.
Learning new software programs such as Top
Producer and Active Agent. I then took the
Certification test on IVAA.org and received
my CRESS Certification. I also completed the
PREVA requirements for the REVA network
website. My main focus of developing quality
marketing tools for my clients evolved over
several months. The majority of real estate
agents who contacted me wanted marketing
materials that would give them a competitive
edge in the marketplace, so my business
naturally gravitated towards that niche.
MI: What
services do you offer as a VA?
DW: We are able
to provide a wide range of services to our
clients, including web design and
maintenance, search engine optimization,
newsletters, drip email campaigns, web
commercials, flyers, brochures and
postcards, and database creation. Our
primary focus however includes listing
coordination and personal marketing services
featuring a complete identity package.
MI: What are
the typical steps that you take to build a
website or improve a real estate website?
DW: When
building a REALTOR® website from scratch, we
start with a layout that promotes the
professional image of the client. We then
use Search Engine Optimization techniques to
create META tags, keywords, image tags,
footers and other codes to increase the
placement of each site on various search
engines such as Google and Yahoo. Having a
well planned website with lots of useful
content doesn’t bring in the viewers and
leads if no one can find the website on the
internet!
For REALTORS® who have
an existing website, we will evaluate the
site and make recommendations for
improvement based on the ability to actually
do modifications to the site. Many cookie
cutter sites have extremely limited editing
capabilities available to the agent.
MI: Why do
you feel that marketing is so important for
real estate professionals?
DW: I’d have to
say that competition is the biggest reason a
REALTOR® needs to promote him or herself in
their market. As with any business, there
are a finite number of customers available
at any one time. Personal marketing is the
best way to get your name and your brand
image out in your specific market. Getting
noticed and being remembered are key
elements to increasing your business. The
use of a personal logo and a brand identity
reinforce your message. Consistency in
personal marketing is the key to success.
High quality marketing materials provide a
competitive edge as well. Adhering to a well
thought out and planned annual marketing
plan is the best way to achieve that goal.
We collaborate with our
clients and then provide our clients with an
annual marketing plan that best fits their
budget and we develop the high quality
materials required to execute that plan. We
then work with each client to execute that
marketing plan throughout the year. We
understand the need for flexibility and work
with each client on an individual basis.
MI: Would
you explain the process as you begin working
with a new client to create the marketing
plan?
DW: When a
prospective client contacts us we do an
initial phone interview to find out what
their current situation is, how long they
have been in real estate, what their goals
are and what they are currently doing in the
way of marketing.
We then have them fill
out our comprehensive marketing
questionnaire to help us evaluate their
needs and discover their unique
characteristics and abilities.
From there we develop a
unique Real Estate Identity Package for each
agent that begins with a personal logo and
identity and from there we develop their new
business card, website including hosting,
domain registration and updates throughout
the year, 20 page listing presentation,
personal letterhead, personal fax sheet,
personal promotion brochure, 4 advertisement
layouts, 6 seasonal postcards, a personal
brand postcard, listing feature sheets and
more depending on the individual needs of
each agent.
Each agent’s marketing
materials are unique and consistent with
their image! We provide them with top
quality materials that give them a
competitive edge in the market! We not only
design their materials, but we have them
printed and delivered to their office. All
the agent has to do is review and approve
each proof. Everything else is automatic!
MI: How do
you help clients maintain their marketing
plan over time?
DW: For each
client we develop an annual marketing plan
that includes all the elements of their
Image Package. We manage their plan using
Microsoft Project, which helps us track due
dates for ads and mailings. Our agents don’t
have to even think about their marketing
plan unless they need a special mailing for
a new listing or they want us to do a Fine
Homes Presentation for a new listing! We
send out an email notice when a marketing
piece is due to go out and get approval from
the client. We then have the piece printed
and mailed or in the case of a print ad, we
send them a proof and then submit the
approved artwork to the publisher for print.
MI: Are
there any other marketing services you
provide?
DW: We also
create fine homes websites for our REALTOR®
clients that the use the actual street
address of the listing as the website
address. For example, www.3028MiarsGreen.com
or www.2952HollisterAvenue.com.
We also do listing
coordination for many of our clients which
includes the production of feature sheets,
just listed and just sold postcards, adding
the new listing to the agent’s personal
website and to other websites such as
Realtor.com, local newspaper websites, The
Real Estate Book website, etc, and sending
out email notices to the agents contact
list.
New this year is the
development of marketing materials for
complete subdivisions. When a REALTOR®
wishes to approach a builder/developer who
is building a new subdivision or condo
complex in order to become the site agent
and market and sell the new homes, we create
the marketing plan for the subdivision that
includes a subdivision website, newspaper
and magazine ads, brochures, floor plan
sheets, flyers that go out to every Real
Estate office in the area and much more!
MI: If an
agent is making the step to begin working
with a VA, what are two things you would
advise them to keep in mind?
DW: Once you
have evaluated what your needs are, it’s
time to find the right VA for you! The
skills and talents of individual VAs vary a
great deal. Ask questions about their skills
and their experience working virtually, get
references and call them, find out when they
are available to you. Basically use the same
care you would if you were hiring an
employee to work with you in your office.
Once you start working
with a VA, communication is a key element in
the development of a strong working
relationship. Establish preferred methods of
communicating work assignments and receiving
feedback and updates on your projects.
MI: Why do
you think virtual support is such a good fit
for real estate professionals?
DW: Wow, I can’t
imagine being a successful Real Estate Agent
without needing assistance with the many
tasks that need to be done on a regular
basis. The demands on an agent’s time and
the technological skills needed in today’s
real estate industry can be overwhelming.
Most agents are not in
a position to be able to hire a full or
part-time employee and they don’t want to
have to deal with all the demands that go
along with having an in house assistant.
Virtual Assistance
provides the means to get all those things
accomplished and frees the agent up to do
what they do best……sell homes! You don’t
have to provide office space, pay for health
insurance or provide costly equipment for an
employee and you are only charged for time
actually worked on your projects.
MI: Deborah,
thanks for sharing your story and your
expertise with us.
DW: Thank you
Michael! I appreciate the opportunity to
share my story with your readers. I am proud
to be a member of the REVA Network and
thankful for the work you and your team do
to educate REALTORS® on the many benefits of
working with Virtual Assistants.
Always remember to do a
thorough due-diligence before hiring any kind of
assistant. This interview is part of an ongoing
series of VA profiles designed to help you find
the perfect VA or VA team to help you get
organized, profitable, and in control of your
business.
