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How Technology Vendors Are Finally Waking Up

by Michael J. Russer

More and more, I'm seeing a disconnect between the realities of being a successful REALTOR® (e.g., one earning a good living and having time to enjoy life) and the expectations of some technology service providers. Tech vendors make the false assumption that real estate professionals want to devote hours evaluating, learning, and implementing ever-more sophisticated high-tech solutions. There's no question Realtors want the productivity benefits of these products. But while some are fascinated by every new gadget, many will avoid learning even the simplest "point and click" software. And even tech-savvy sales associates probably realize that they will make more rewarding use of their time doing what they do best, helping people buy and sell property, rather than working in front of a computer.

There is a solution to this digital dilemma, and it's one that serves the interests of both the real estate sales professional and the technology vendors. Instead of the frustrating and expensive exercise of trying to become proficient in half a dozen real estate applications, hire an expert -- or two. Increasing numbers of tech vendors are making this easy by working with experienced Virtual Assistant (VA) users who want to offer training programs on vendors' products or services. The programs -- which can run from a few hours to as much as a week of training -- are primarily Web-based, but may also include conference calls and e-mail exchanges with the VA instructor. Depending on the program's length, cost can be as low as $35. Look for real estate VAs who indicate that they've received special instruction at sites such as REVA (Real Estate Virtual Assistant) Network or Military Spouse Virtual Assistants. VAs trained in working with REALTOR.com are also listed on its site. If your current VA would like specialized training, VAs providing instruction on various software programs can be found at REVA Network and Assist U.

While none of these vendor products and services are too difficult for you to master yourself, they do require time, dedication, and experience to use well. That's why choosing a VA who specializes in a few software programs can be particularly cost effective. Technology vendors win big, too, because they don't have to spend time and money training and supporting as many inexperienced or infrequent users.

Not convinced? Here are some specific examples of how technology vendors and virtual assistants are teaming up to make your life easier and far more productive:

Elaine Stewart, a Colorado-based military spouse VA who graduated from the REALTOR.com training program, enhances listings and tracks leads for Jack Dice of RE/MAX Premier in Dulles, Va. Dice e-mails Stewart specifics about the home, digital photos, and a short list of key selling points, then lets Stewart "enhance" his REALTOR.com listings as well as his other Web sites to increase their appeal to buyers. The result in the seven months he's been working with Stewart's eOffice Visions have been remarkable. Visits to REALTOR.com listings have doubled, and Benefit Links to Dice's own sites have also grown traffic there. "She's so much more knowledgeable about the program than I am. What takes her a few minutes would take me hours," he said. After a couple of false starts in which he tried to "over-control" VAs, Dice has found that having a very specific plan on exactly what the assistant should do and ensuring that each task is understood before adding another are key to working productively in a virtual environment.

April Boomer, a North Carolina VA, completed special training from Imprev.net, a multimedia marketing materials company. This enables her to quickly put together stunning print and FLASH promotions aimed at FSBOs for Overland Park, Kan., Realtor Rebecca Levine of RE/MAX Best Associates. "I'd seen Imprev.net demonstrated and was interested in using it, but I didn't want to spend the time to learn it," says Levine. Instead, she obtained a software license and let Boomer do the rest. Levine, who uses several VAs for different marketing and administrative tasks, also likes the fact that she benefits from ideas and new techniques Boomer learns from working on marketing materials for several real estate clients. "This is her business. If I worked with an in-house assistant, she'd never grow any more than I'm able to teach her. With April, I get the best ideas from several top practitioners in other markets," says Levine.

Karen Drebes, a VA in Scottsdale, Ariz., manages transaction flow for Damian Janssen of Keller Williams Group One in Reno, Nev., with the help of GuruNet.com's online transaction management system. "The key to using a VA is that you get specialization -- someone who is really experienced in a program and who does the same work for top performers in other markets. Otherwise, you're trying to fly the rocket without the pilot," says Janssen. And even with an experienced assistant, don't just "delegate by abdication," he warns. "You have to get your tasks pinpointed and not throw too much work on the VA at once. Otherwise, you're trying to wax the car when you're already driving down the highway."

The benefits to both practitioners and tech vendors of specially trained VAs are already substantial. And it's only going to grow. The constant introduction of new technologies makes this approach an ideal solution for shell-shocked and weary real estate professionals who don't have time to learn "just one more new thing."

Published: November 13, 2003

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Michael J. Russer (a.k.a. Mr. Internet®) is an internationally acclaimed speaker, trainer, author, and strategic consultant to the real estate industry and small business. He is also the exclusive Internet columnist for REALTOR® Magazine, the architect of the revolutionary e-Productivity^TM system and leading voice for the use of Virtual Assistants in small business. You can subscribe to his free monthly leading-edge newsletter ePOWER NEWS by going to ePowerNews.com.

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