Every application service provider shares the same problem - how to get busy agents interested in buying products - especially when the applications appear time-intensive to learn. Realtor.com has come up with a unique solution, thanks to a suggestion by trainer/consultant Michael Russer, AKA Mr. Internet.

Russer has long promoted the idea of real estate professionals using virtual assistants, and has made friendly alliances with organizations such as the non-profit International Virtual Assistance Association (IVAA) and Staffcentrix, a virtual assistant training company.

So, when Mike Long, Homestore CEO wanted to meet with Russer during his now-famous cross-country tour to find out how industry insiders felt improvements to the company could be made, Russer was ready with some ideas.

Russer pointed out the obvious - that Realtors don't want to spend time to learn and tweak online products. This dovetailed with what Long already knew – that the cost of sales was too high. How could he bridge the problem between agent reluctance to invest time in their lead generation packages with the need to keep and generate more sales?

One answer could lay in a newly developing specialty - the Virtual Assistant who specializes in real estate. If the VA could be trained in Realtor.com’s products, agents could offload the tasks of Internet marketing to the VA, and Realtor.com would improve its renewals and attract new business via Realtor.com-trained VAs.

While it isn’t Realtor.com’s intention to replace sales teams with VAs, it is obvious that VAs would make a sturdy bridge between technology service providers and agents who want to use their services but simply don’t have the time.

Russer put Long and his staff in touch with Chris Durst, COO and operating partner of Staffcentrix, which is concentrating on the training of trailing spouses for the Pentagon. The Pentagon has its own “sales” dilemma – service personnel are reluctant to sign up for tours of duty when their trailing spouses may not be able to find work. The solution? Train the trailing spouses in a portable job that they can perform no matter how frequently they move and in the most remote posts. The strategic partnership between Realtor.com, Russer Communications and Staffcentrix was green-lighted.

”Virtual assistants essentially perform the same work that office personnel do,” explains Dan Wool, a Homestore spokesperson. “but they perform those tasks remotely. As independent contractors, they come at a lesser cost than a traditional assistant. They provide increased flexibility.”

So, Realtor.com made a proposal to Staffcentrix that the company could take to the Pentagon. Using Webex, Realtor.com staff would train a series of five virtual assistants at a time to learn all about Realtor.com’s lead generation packages.

”The first class just graduated,” says Chris Durst with Staffcentrix. “Five people are now trained, and the second class starts this week. We are working with the Department of Defense and they are paying us to train their people. Real estate professionals can benefit because Realtor.com has great tools and they don't know how to use them. Realtor.com has a page and lists the names of the folks who have completed this training. The first class was thrilled, and one person has already landed their first real estate client.”

"Clearly one side benefit is an increase in the utilization of our products," says Wool, "but, overall, we feel it's an opportunity to provide busy Realtors with an affordable and helpful solution. When agents are maximizing their effectiveness with Realtor.com, they can provide better experience and service to the potential homebuyer both online and off."

Says Michael Russer, “The use of virtual assistants is an emerging trend in the real estate industry. The Realtor.com program, which helps professionals work less and earn more, is significant and a win for all involved, especially at this time when our military can use all the support we can give them.”

Published: October 15, 2002

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Blanche Evans is the award-winning senior editor of Realty Times, the Internet's leading independent real estate news service. She is featured daily on the Realty Times Video Network in the "Realty Viewpoint" segment. Blanche has been named one of the "25 Most Influential People In Real Estate" by REALTOR Magazine, and has been twice recognized as a "notable." In 2005, she was named "Top Reporter Covering the NAR" by Delahaye-Bacon's. Blanche is a renowned author of five real estate books. Her newest, Bubbles, Booms and Busts: Make Money In Any Real Estate Market, McGraw-Hill, was rave-reviewed by The New York Times. She was also selected from hundreds of real estate experts to contribute to Donald Trump's book, Trump: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received: 100 Top Experts Share Their Strategies, Rutledge Hill Press, and is featured on page 68. Order Now Review - Honors In 2006, Blanche was selected among scores of candidates to author two consumer real estate guidebooks for the National Association of Realtors: The NAR Guide to Home Buying, and The NAR Guide to Home Selling, Wiley & Sons. She is currently planning two new books for the NAR and its members.       Known for her keen insight into real estate industry issues and for her ability to make complex subjects easy to understand, Blanche is a sought-after keynote and continuing education speaker. Real estate organizations from MLSs, to brokerages, to franchisors, to associations hire her to provide up-to-the-minute analysis of real estate industry news and advice on how to improve revenues. Her passionate delivery, peppered with stinging wit, is a huge hit with audiences and fans. Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors, Blanche Evans, Richard Courtney, president 2007, GRAR "The GNAR membership meeting last week featured Blanche Evans as the keynote speaker. Her comments and insights resonated extremely well with those in attendance and we have had many requests for copies of her PowerPoint Presentation. She was a terrific part of the membership meeting and convention program!" - Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors Coverage from WSMV, Nashville - 8-14-2007 That Interview Guy - Get Inside The Head Of Today's Generation 2007 AE Institute Session - To purchase 2006 AE Institute Session - Parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 HouseValues Mastermind call - Parts 1 2 Blanche's fireside chat with Jeremy Conaway, HAR - Click here. To contact Blanche, email her at . For more articles by Blanche, click here.