This is a great list: Thanks Dennis!

10 Tablet Apps for Commercial Real Estate

by Dennis LaMantia

In CIRE’s September/October 2011 issue, CCIMs  discussed how they used their tablets to enhance their business. Here are the 10 most-commonly mentioned ones:

1. 10BII Calc Financial Calculator ($5.99) – “If the iPad saves you from having to pull your laptop out, this app saves you from having to carry your 10BII calculator,” says Jonathan Epstein, CCIM, of Berger-Epstein Associates. in Allentown, Pa.

1. Dropbox (free) – Debi Carter, CCIM, vice president of Hudson Peters Commercial in Dallas, uses the Dropbox app to access property fliers, video, and pictures on the go. She shares files by saving them to a public Dropbox folder and sending the download links to clients and colleagues.
2. LogMeIn Ignition ($29.99) – Remotely access work files and programs via an iPad with LogMeIn. Users can also remotely log in to their desktop to view Flash Websites, which the iPad doesn’t support. The GoToMyPC and Remoter apps offer similar features.

1. TheAnalyst ($9.99) – Developed by Blyncc, a tech company co-founded by Todd Kuhlmann, CCIM, this app includes lease vs. own analysis and investment analysis tools, financial calculators, and an environmental risk summary report generator.

1. Springpad (free) – This app organizes notes, images, and places that users want to remember and syncs them on an iPad, iPhone, or computer. Springpad also can retrieve product information from a barcode scan and includes location-based features like business and restaurant searches.

1. Google Earth (free) – Commercial real estate pros can use Google Earth to show clients aerial property images. Geo-located Wikipedia articles and user-submitted photos provide additional location information.

1. GoodReader ($4.99) – “GoodReader is an excellent app for storing and opening almost any file,” says Joseph W. Edge, CCIM, president of Sherman & Hemstreet Real Estate in Augusta, Ga. The app works with Microsfot Office, iWork, audio, and video files. It also can be used to view and annotate PDF files. Office² HD ($7.99) and Documents To Go Premium ($16.99) have similar features, and iAnnotate PDF ($9.99) and SignMyPad ($3.99) include a comprehensive set of PDF tools.

1. Penultimate ($1.99) – With “photorealistic” paper designs and a selection of ink colors, Penultimate positions itself as the stylish alternative to other note taking apps. Notes and sketches are organized into notebooks and can be shared as PDFs. For free alternatives, try Evernote or the previously mentioned Springpad.

1. CamCard ($6.99) – Networking pays dividends in commercial real estate, and the business card is the currency of in-person networking. CamCard digitizes and organizes those cards and also has features for adding supplemental information. Contact information can be exported to Excel, which makes it easy to import new contacts to Outlook and other e-mail programs.

1. Air Sharing HD ($9.99) – The iPad has built-in support for printing to any of HP’s 28 AirPrint printers. Printing to a non-AirPrint printer is possible with Air Sharing HD. It has to be networked with a Mac OS X or Linux computer – it’s not compatible with Windows. PrintCentral for iPad ($8.99) is an alternative to Air Sharing HD.

Summary:  Cloud computing is the latest and greatest expansion to hit the IT market.  Although cloud computing has many advantages, this article briefly discusses three of them: Automation, mobility, and cost effectiveness.

What is Cloud Computing?

By Cindy Spivack

In any business, employees need the appropriate hardware and software to do their jobs.  Initially, this means purchasing computers and software licenses for each employee and with each additional new hire comes the additional expense of purchasing software or licenses.  With cloud computing, the landscape of business software applications is quickly changing.

“The Cloud”

Even though it has been an evolving technology for the last decade or so, the latest buzz in the IT community is “cloud computing”.  The cloud is a metaphorical reference to the internet and, in the simplest terms, cloud computing services deliver hosted services, such as e-mail, document applications, and many other applications, via World Wide Web.  This is attractive to organizations for many reasons; one of them being that the software needed to conduct everyday business does not need to be stored on an individual PC or company network.

Cloud Computing can be as easy as uploading documents to an online application such as dropbox.com. This way you don’t clog up your own desktop and you can access your files from anywhere! Google docs is another form of Cloud Computing. If you upload your docs to Google.com/docs you and your business peers can access them from any computer! Amazing and convenient.

Benefits of Cloud Computing

According to businesses that have used the service, the advantages to cloud computing are many.

• Automation.  Since cloud computing services are managed by the cloud server, no longer is it up to IT personnel to keep software updated.
• Mobility. Cloud computing incorporates flexible methods of doing business since needed business applications can be accessed from anywhere there is an internet connection.
• Cost effectiveness.  Since you only pay for what you use – much like electricity – cloud computing has proved to be a money-saving innovation.

Cloud computing technology is advancing at a rapid pace to improve the efficiency of business by putting within arm’s reach the software applications that are needed most.

THE SECRET TO GETTING YOUR EMAILS READ!

Hopefully you read the email that I sent you yesterday – apparently a lot of people are jazzed about Bootcamp 2012 Chicago! But truthfully, even more were intrigued by “The 7 Golden Keys of Today’s Top Producers” and asked me to share some more of the “good stuff”.

So, here goes…there’s so much I could write about and it was hard to come up with just one thing that could make a big difference, but I did. Would you like to know the secret to getting your emails read? Of course you would, who wouldn’t! Keep reading…

Getting your emails read is actually really easy, use a KILLER subject line (scroll down for 18 examples you can use).

Why does the subject line matter?

If you have a dull insignificant subject line, why bother. After all, you need to find a way to allow your message to stand out amongst all of the hundreds that arrive each day – mostly junk by the way.

The subject line is the determining factor of whether an email is opened and read or whether it is simply deleted unopened and unread. You must always consider the importance of your subject line when you send an email.

Often times the subject line of a marketing email is just thrown in at the last minute without much thought being given to it but that is a big mistake.  But no worries below are 18 examples for you to use.

18 Sample Email Subject Lines:

1.”For Office Building Owners This Works Like Crazy”

2.”Why Your Marketing Efforts Won’t Produce Results”

3.”How To Survive The CRE Downturn”

4.”This Leasing Tip Is Almost Too Easy”

5.”The Biggest Mistake Shopping Center Users Make”

6.”Do You Make This Mistake With Your Property?”

7.”The Real Secret To Selling a Commercial Property”

8.”The Fastest Way to Produce Results”

9.”Get Your Leasing Questions Answered”

10.”Here’s An Example Of What Works For Most Property Owners”

11.”Something Every Office Tenant Needs To Know”

12.”Here’s A Short-Cut For Effective Marketing”

13.”How I Sold/Leased XXX in 60-Days”

14.”Here Is Your Leasing Checklist”

15.”The Best Way I Know To Get More Deals Closed”

16.”About Your Biggest Asset – Your Commercial Real Estate”

17.”A Great Commercial Real Estate Resource I Just Found”

18.”This Ruins Most Deals”

What should you do now? Run, don’t walk to your computer and get going on that great email you intend to send today…what are you waiting for? It could be that you are about to land your next great client…

At Bootcamp 2011 Chicago we will spend a chunk of time going over the A-Z checklist we developed last year for writing effective email that get read and are designed to generate leads (and leads convert to sales – right?)

So join us for Bootcamp 2011 Chicago – Registration opens tomorrow, Friday May 6. WE have limited capacity, don’t miss out. An email will be sent to you tomorrow.

PS: I like to have fun so that means you can plan on not only learning but also having a good time as well laughing a bit along the way.

PSS: You will leave with a BIG, FAT BINDER filled with lots and lots of valuable information that truthfully you cannot afford to be without!

Go to: www.Bootcamp2011Chicago.com for details

More than every once in a while – something of value is worth repeating.  So, this week’s feature article is a TIMELESS one that bears repeating.  In fact, I will continue to hear this complaint and you will continue make it until you dig your heals in and do the work it takes to change your behaviors.

One of the biggest struggles my clients face is how to effectively manage their time so that everything important gets done. With our busy lives, constant interruptions, an abundance of technology that quite frankly often hinders us verses helping us, the desire to be available 24/7 and the “I can do it better and faster myself” attitude, it’s a wonder we get anything done!

You need to change your behaviors. Ask: “What do I want to achieve by seeing time differently? Take your power back and make the decision to do things differently, to do them better. The 5 critical time management strategies are:

Plan/Goal Setting

• Have clear measurable annual goals.
• Keep a daily list of action steps required.
• Take time each morning to plan what needs to get accomplished that day and the required action steps to complete the tasks.

Prioritize

• Tackle the A-1 most important tasks first and delegate or delay B and C level priorities as much as possible.

Time Block

• Identify your key daily and weekly activities and then schedule them in your calendar.
• Respect these time-blocked activities as you would a doctor’s appointment or dinner out with family and friends.

Avoid interruptions

• Do not allow co-workers or others to distract you during the workday.

Delegate

• Know what your time is worth! What is your hourly rate?
• Know that to succeed and create profitability, you can’t do all of he work by yourself, so practice delegation.
• Routinely assign tasks with a very clear definition of what is to be done.
• Routinely assign tasks with a very clear definition of whatis to be done.
• Routinely assign tasks with an explanation of the consequences of the action.
• Routinely assign a deadline for completion when you delegate a task.
• Have a systematic approach for following up on work that you have delegated.

Ideas are a dime a dozen, implementation is the key. So, tonight when you go home or first thing tomorrow morning, look this over and identify 3 ideas and even decide how to implement them!

3 Bonus Strategies:

1.       Quit Multi-tasking

o    Research has shown multi-tasking makes you stupid – you’re not focusing on and completing any one particular thing.

o    Sometimes multi-tasking is useful (driving and listening to audio cd’s; exercising and listening to audio cd’s, talking to a friend while fixing a meal).

o    TASK: identify moments of multi-tasking that hurt you.

o    Use the 2-minute rule: if you can get it done in 2 minutes or less, it’s OK. Otherwise, put it aside.

o    Stop negative multi-tasking.

2.       Biggest Time Waster: Unrestricted access to you!

o    Those who are available 24/7 have a lack of integrity with self.

o    Create boundaries that serve you.

3.       Buy and use an egg timer!!!

4.       The Fax:

o    It’s fast but not so easy and instant like email or a phone call. It encourages thoughtfulness with communication

o    When you are so available it makes people automatically think: “Oh…he/she doesn’t have that much work”.

o    Encourage people to communicate with you via fax; it will save you hours of previously wasted time.

It’s essential to regularly prospect for new clients in this business. Unfortunately,    during  this new economy we find ourselves in, unless we have a prospecting system in place the phone is not ringing. However, taking action on a regular basis with your prospecting toolbox in hand not only makes a difference, but also makes all the business!

I am sure you are familiar with Albert Einstein definition of insanity — doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. What this means is by continuing on the path that so many commercial real estate brokers are on (basically doing nothing new or different) you will continue to get the same results are currently experiencing – nothing new.

Enough said, let me share with you the four dangers of not prospecting:

1.       If you’re not staying in touch with your target market on a regular basis, your competition is. This means you are in danger of having that prospect that you almost have in your hand fleeing to the broker down the street.

2.       Establishing relationships are key. People buy from those they know like and trust.  The danger in not forming relationships with your prospects is that you risk having them get to know your competition better, decide they like them better and then you will lose that piece of business.

3.       Prospecting keeps you in tune each with the problems that your target market experiences. Remember your Target market will buy solutions to their problems. Therefore, it is very dangerous to lose Todd each with current problems being experienced so that you can craft solutions to those problems.

4.       Prospecting keeps your pipeline full. If you don’t prospect you will have less business – it’s that simple. Isn’t that what it’s all about? Keeping the pipeline full?

So, go ahead, try a little prospecting today. You never know, you might have fun!

13 – TOP SALES PROS BUILD COMMUNITIES OF PROSPECTS

Social Media (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube)

On-line discussion forums

Teleseminars and webinars

In-person get-togethers

14 – TOP SALES PROS AUTOMATE

This chapter talks about a concept I have never tried but have been tempted to. He suggests hiring an appointment setter whose job is to find and qualify leads for you. I have a client who does this very successfully. If you decide to do this, be very specific with your scripts and role-play several times before sending the appointment setter off on his/her own.

Frank references a real estate agent (residential) who has others running open houses, show up for showings, and leaves him to close only the serious buyer. I do this as well. I know most of you are saying, “This won’t work for me”; I have proven it does. Outsource as many tasks in the selling process as possible. (outline my system).

This is the chapter Frank suggests the flyer distribution service – simply brilliant for anyone doing landlord rep work.

Automate through the use of a CRM software product. CRM stands for Client Relationship Management System (IE: Infusionsoft – the one I use)

The point is find system for generating leads, automate it, measure results, and tweak.

Top sales pros automate.

15 – TOP SALES PROS BUILD AND USE SYSTEMS

Why re-invent the wheel each and every time? Do something once, create a system (checklist) for it, formally document and you’re good to go.

16 – TOP SALES PROS DON’T USE CLOSES

Top sales pros are so effective at delivering value, as well as the right solutions, to prospects that they never have to sell. People just buy from them.

Close are just needed by people who don’t deliver value (and solutions)

Example: W Clement Stone was masterful at this! Just read any of his books and you’ll see why.

17 – TOP SALES PROS CUSTOMER’S ARE IN AN EXCLUSIVE CLUB

Creating a communities, including online discussion forums, regular teleseminars, and in-person get-togethers where prospects and clients alike can mingle, share ideas, and learn how to better use your products and services for the most benefit. In addition, have a special group for just clients only.

This helps generate referrals.

Have a breakfast, luncheon, cocktail hour, sporting event or anything that gets you and your clients together. You can have seminars or webinars and provide valuable information.

Create an exclusive club where entry is becoming or remaining a client.

CHAPTER 18 – NOW IT’S YOUR TURN TO BECOME A TOP SALES PRO

The most important thing you must do is IMPLEMENT. Top Sales Pros IMPLEMENT.

One of my favorite books is “Selling Sucks” by author Frank J. Rumbauskas Jr. It’s a short book that talks about a handful of alternate strategies for getting clients. Last week I presented numbers1-6 and so below are strategies 7-12:

7 — SALES PROS ARE COMPETENT PUBLIC SPEAKERS

Go out and speak, speak, speak.

Trade show, Association meetings, weekly meetings, and chambers, networking groups. ANYWHERE your audience is.

8 – TOP SALES PROS THINK LIKE BUSINESS OWNERS

Prospects appreciate sales pros that understand there are only three things a business owner cares about:

He wants to make more money

Have fewer expenses

Increased efficiency

Showing business owners how to save time is like handing them cash.

If you can show him how to do one of these especially if it helps him solve a nagging problem – you will snag him as a client every time.

9 — SALES PROS ARE RECOGNIZED EXPERTS

“Few things will get you more sales and obliterate your competition faster the being perceived as an expert.” Experts dress professionally and prosperous; they speak clearly and confidently.

Create a leave behind (or send ahead) piece that contains your contact information as well as a few relevant news stories, press releases, and articles you have published. This will crush your competition and positions you as an expert. The fact is people prefer to deal with experts!

3 Ways to be seen as an expert:

1. Article publishing. Write at least one article per month and have it published on www.ezinearticles.com. Include a resource box with your USP and all contact info including website (yes, you need your very own website).

2. Press Releases. For $80 per release PRWeb.com will handle getting your press release published. It will show up in Google News and Yahoo News. This again positions you as THE EXPERT. You can forward links from Yahoo and Google to everyone and it will be very cool. I plan to check this one out!

3. News Query Services the third way to be seen as an expert is both the most expensive and least guaranteed to work. However when it does work it is terrific and outranks both article publishing and news releases combined. Join PRLeads.com for $99 per month and when a reporter needs a quote in your specialty you get to submit some stuff and if yours is picked you will be published in MAJOR publications.

10–TOP SALES PROS GET AND USE FREE PR

Think – INTERNET!

11 – TOP SALES PROS ARE INTERNET-SAVVY

Frank calls the World Wide Web the World Wide Prospecting Web instead. He recommends getting yourself a website of your very own and driving traffic to it. Two purposes for a website. FIRST and the very most important – capture leads. Secondly, credibility.

12 – TOP SALES PROS GIVE FIRST AND GET LATER

Create value by speaking and publishing good content with no expectations in return. This is the fastest way to grow your business.

One of my favorite books is “Selling Sucks” by author Frank J. Rumbauskas Jr. It’s a short book that talks about a handful of alternate strategies for getting clients. So, over the next 3 weeks I will disclose 18 of the strategies! Here goes the first six:

1 – IT’S TRUE, SELLING SUCKS

Selling suggests an uphill battle of trying to convince somebody to buy something they really don’t want to. It’s all about playing the numbers game and trying to set appointments with whoever is willing to meet with you. The theory here is at some point you will hit the jackpot and find a qualified prospect. Someone who has a genuine need to lease, purchase or sell an income producing property.

Wouldn’t it be better if you had a non-stop supply of hot qualified leads that called you?

Selling is only necessary when you’re in front of someone who doesn’t really have a problem for you to solve.

Sales superstars are masters of attracting prospects who have an immediate problem for you to solve and you hold the key to the solution!

2 – TOP SALES PROS ARE MASTER PERSUADERS

Master persuaders are focused on creating a win-win situation that benefits everyone involved.

3 – TOP SALES PROS DON’T COLD CALL

Cold calling simply is not the most effective lead generation tool today. Sure it will get you an appointment here and there but it is an incredibly inefficient way to spend your time.

Less than 1% of all cold calls actually result in a qualified lead. Cold calling will get you a few appointments but generally not quality appointments.
(Try keeping track of your results – you’ll see)

Time is money and spending your time on an activity with the lowest return on your time investment is FOOLISH.

Instead, spend time solely on activities that yield the highest rate of return.

If you’d like to be a top sales pro. . .stop cold calling and start spending your time by using intelligent systems of self-marketing to generate leads.

4 – TOP SALES PROS GET AND KEEP THE POWER

Old school methods of selling tend to put salespeople in a position of weakness and prospects in a position of power. This is disastrous to sales results. Keep your power by:

Avoid phony rapport
Avoid phony or canned language
Slow down
Stop saying “right?” or “You know?”
Take as much space as you’d like (physical space)
Keep your hands calm while speaking
Don’t allow disrespectful behavior
Answer questions within your own frame and timing (i.e.: at end of presentation)
Be brief and simple
Be confident
Keep the presentation (or phone call) moving forward
Speak clearly

5 – SALESPROS DON’T GO TO NETWORKING CLUBS

They speak at networking clubs (allows them to be seen as the expert).

6 – SALESPROS GET HOT REFERRALS

Most sales pros are taught do a good job and ask for 3 referrals. “Do a good job and ask for 3 referrals is as effective as cold calling – meaning NOT AT ALL”. The bottom line is if you want referrals you either need a raving client or a referral program.

If you have no company referral program, at the very least find a way to gift referrals out of your own pocket.

“Appointment by referral only” concept.

Do you use Calling as a Marketing Strategy? Many of you know I am not a huge fan of cold calling. I have had newsletter readers opt out every time I say something that doesn’t support cold calling. In fact, I get hate mail about it! But…I love warm calling. I like to make them and I continuously encourage my clients to regularly do the same. Below are my 5 steps for successful warm calling. Have fun and if you drum up some business be sure to let me know!

CREATE YOUR IDEAL CLIENT PROFILE
Who do you enjoy working with?
Where are they located?
What business are they in?
What size? How many employees?
Get the idea?

NOW THAT YOU KNOW WHO YOUR IDEAL CLIENT IS, WHERE DO YOU FIND THEM
This one’s easy
Look in your personal database
Company database
Past clients
Referrals
Association members
Friends
LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter

WHAT DO YOU SAY
Say you’re calling to check in and see what’s new
Ask how business is
Share a recent success
Offer to collect relevant information
Anything that allows you to connect in a warm and friendly manner

MAKE IT A ROUTINE
Block time each day or week
Avoid Interruptions
Have a goal (10 calls a day)
Be organized and write a list
Just do it
If you don’t call, your competition will

HAVE A FOLLOW-UP SYSTEM
Decide how many calls you’ll make to a single contact
How often
What you’ll do to stay in contact between calls – email, snail mail, newsletter and etc…

OK, no excuses, get going!

A client recently emailed me with a revelation he had, although it was really more of a question. He wanted to know why professional athletes who have retired tend to make successful commercial real estate brokers. Quite a thought provoking question; one that caused me to stop and ponder. Luckily, I have coached a handful of professional athletes that are now commercial real estate brokers and so after thinking about it for a while I was able to come up with the following 7 traits they possess:

1.       Discipline - Simply put – Top Producers do what 95% of their competition won’t do.

2.      Commitment – Top Producers are not just interested in quality and profitable performance; they’re committed.

3.      Daily Success Habits – The Top Producer averages 7 daily habits; the average producer is lucky to have 1.

4.      A “Do It Now” Mentality – A Top Producer gets the job done; now, today and does not procrastinate

5.      Continual Knowledge Seekers – A Top Producer values learning.

6.      Willingness to Delegate – Top Producers know he/she can’t do it all!

7.      Understands the Value of Experimentation – Top Producers regularly take calculated risks and know they will win more often then lose.

These are the traits that made them great athletes; these are also the traits that allow them to be Top Producers. If you learn and master even one of these traits you will be well on the way to fulfilling your own potential. Raise the bar on what you expect of yourself, find a great coach and become a Top Producer.

12-Month Goals – Setting goals is necessary because it sets the stage for what needs to happen over the next 12 months.  Having set goals makes it easier to take action steps that support your goals. It forces you to make choices about what work should and should not be.

Make sure your goals are specific and measurable, and make sure they have a deadline.  Develop 90-day plans with day-by-day action steps that support your annual goals.  Then, make sure you have blocked out time each day to complete the tasks.  If you follow your plan without cheating, success will be yours.

Manage Your Time – Now that you have goals, you must manage your time properly in order to be able to complete everything.  The 6 keys to effectively managing time are: attitude, goal setting/planning, prioritizing, scheduling, managing interruptions, and delegation.

If you have a firm grip on these 6 strategies and you are blocking time for necessary activities, delegating what you don’t do well or can pay someone else to do, and managing interruptions all while remembering to plan each day – your income will soar.  Guaranteed.

Be Organized – Are you organized?  Do you know where everything is?  Do you have files set up where all of your paperwork is kept?  Are there folders in your desktop?  Do you know what needs to happen everyday without giving it too much thought?

Whoever tells you in spite of the mess on their desk they know where everything is – don’t believe it!  IT IS IMPOSSIBLE!  Don’t fall into this trap – take the time needed to get and stay organized once and for all.  In order to stay organized, new habits need to be created – start today!

Cold Calls (YIKES!) – I often write about other and probably better methods, but nothing replaces old-fashioned cold calling no matter what type of business you have.  Have a script ready before making any calls – tweak it when needed.  Choose a specific number of calls to make each day and stick to it.  Begin with between 5 and 10, thus creating a habit.  Refer to various sources for gathering names to call, directories, online searches and of course your own personal database.

Knock on doors; knock on every door within the competing area of your property.  Leave a brochure and business card.  Be friendly and professional.

Add each name to your personal database and keep track of whom you called, and the result.

Develop a Tickler System – The only way to keep track of what needs to happen and when is to have a tickler system set up.  A what, you ask?  A tickler system is a system that keeps track of what follow-up is required and when.

You probably have something already on your phone or computer that does a great job of reminding you – but if not – do it manually – it’s easy!

Have Meetings – A client of mine tells me his number ” 1″ goal is meetings.  He knows that if he is able to have a face-to-face with a prospect he has a high probability of at least getting to the next step of turning a prospect into a client.

“Meetings” come in all different shapes and sizes.  We are no longer bound by the stereotypes of yesteryear.  A meeting can be the result of a conversation in a networking group, at a school event with other parents, at the gym while working out.  Anywhere you have a conversation that results in an opportunity to do business together.