Also if you haven’t watched today’s show (you should really do that – I mean we worked so hard on it), it’s our last show. Today is our last chance to say thank you, to let you know that we love you and we appreciate you more than you could possibly know.

There are far too many people to thank here – except for my wife, Andrea.

She gets the biggest thank you of them all!

We’ve had an absolute blast, and we hope you did too. We hope you learned a little something along the way and that we helped accelerate your business in some small way.

If you want to stay in contact with us feel free to do so, we’d love that. There is no question we’ll always be trying to crush it with our business, and would love to stay connected with those that do the same.

Corri: Email Facebook Twitter

Chase: Email Facebook Twitter

In an effort to help you continue your dominance in 2012, here is your definitive guide to throwing the best garage sale ever. Thanks to the folks over at Lifehacker and our own methods, this guide will help your clients move more merchandise than anyone else on the block.

Ramp Up Your Marketing

Just like in business, you need to be thinking about your ideal customer. Take an inventory of the merchandise you’ll be selling and what type of clientele you want to attract. Then build your marketing campaign around that.

Putting signs up all over town saying exactly what people can expect to find at your sale is far more effective. On the note of signage, here’s the rundown on what you should be doing:

• Everywhere. Place signs anywhere, and everywhere, legal and logical. Weatherproof where it’s appropriate. Good starting points are community centers, local shops and nearby college campuses.
• Snacks. You wouldn’t be caught dead at a mixer that didn’t have food and drinks. People flock to free snacks, so throw some sodas and chips or popsicles in a cooler.
• Free. Consider having a “Free” box to attract more visitors. Don’t forget to advertise this or the snacks.
• Detail. Can we agree putting Today on a sign isn’t enough? You need the full address, time and date. Place signs days in advance to, so the pros have time to prep.
• Online. Lastly, consider posting on Craigslist and eBayClassfieds. You wouldn’t even think about selling a house without listing online, the same should be true for your yard junk.

Run a Tight Ship

It’s time to put your Junior Target Store Layout hat on. Don’t just throw everything into boxes and put out on your lawn. You’d never find Men’s Boxer Briefs in the Women’s Lingerie section. Likewise, I don’t want to see clothes thrown into electronics boxes or children’s toys in the art pile.

Consider displaying you choice merchandise in prime locations. Keep that Free Box in the middle if you can, so people have to pass through other items to get to it. Put clothing on hangers. Run an extension cord to the area multimedia/electronic section. This helps people test out before they buy.

You want to create a pleasurable shopping experience. Don’t take this section for granted. If you walked into a store with merchandise strewn about the place, with endless piles of junk and no clear pricing system you’d be out of there in no time. The same is true for your yard sale.

Be Prepared For The Pros

Finally, you need to be ready for the pros and the amateurs alike. There are people who love to haggle – I am not one of them. You need to be ready to counter offers that are thrown at you. If someone says,

How about two books for 50 cents?

You should be ready to fire back 75¢! Sure the books are marked 50¢, and yes you are technically losing money, but if you give a mouse a cookie…

Also, be ready with plenty of change on hand and consider taking credit cards. Using any iPhone or Android you can use a service like Square or Paypal Here, and not have to deal with cash only buyers. There is a small service fee with either option, but it’s better than having to keep that ugly armoire, right?

Action!

You are now equipped to have the best yard sale experience of your life! OK, that might be a bit over the top, but still if you want to move the merch follow these tips.

What did we leave out, is there anything you’d add to the list?

Photo Credit

Wouldn’t it be nice to know where the pitfalls are though, before you make those mistakes? Hindsight is 20/20 after all. Here are the top 4 things I wish someone had told me before I started the show, blogging and using video.

Know What You’re Getting Into

Like most things in life, observing before you dive in is much more preferable to going in blindfolded. That’s essentially what I did back in 2009 when I started the show that eventually became The Ticker.

Whether you’re starting a blog, getting into video or any other project, this simple step can save you a lot of trouble, help you understand the logistics of the project and get you motivated to take action.

Find someone already engaging in the task you’re looking to adopt and ask if you can shadow them, or if they can mentor you. An easy way to get in good is to volunteer.

Spend Wisely

Today the barrier for entry is low. Video gear isn’t anywhere near as expensive as it used to be, and blogging is generally considered to be an inexpensive pastime. However, as with anything if you’re not careful the expenses can start to add up quickly.

For any new endeavor, take advice from the mentor, or whomever you shadowed, on ways you can be a savvy shopper. Spending wisely requires being smart about your purchases and staying within a budget.

Remember audio is fifty percent of your videos, so don’t blow your entire budget on a camera. Been there, done that. A great theme for your website and blog might cost a bit more, but it’s more than worth it.

One last thing to note, as you get more experienced upgrade your gear. Whether that means new software, a better graphics guy for your marketing pieces or a new lens on your camera, upgrade as you go.

You Signed a Contract

You might think blogging twice a week is crazy, impossible or that you just can’t find the time? Wait until you get the ball rolling, it’ll blow your mind. You’ll be hooked!

Once the expectation is set by the audience, and yourself, it’s hard to stop. You’ve basically signed a social contract that you’ll be addicted to upholding.

Blogging, video and a million other things are addicting once you really get going. Prepare yourself.

Compete With Yourself, No One Else

Run your own race!

Admittedly, this one is hard for me, even today. It’s far too easy to get caught up in the competitiveness of this business. It’s vital to set goals and develop a plan to accomplish them.

The difficult part is using others around you as motivation, instead of getting caught up in some childish comparison contest.

Challenge yourself, reach your goals. Leave all that foolish comparison stuff to the amateurs.

Action!

So, if you had the chance what would you tell yourself?

What are some things you wish you’d have known before you started selling real estate, blogging, etc.?

Photo Credit

Every detail helps tell you a story. It’s a lie you’d tell yourself without all the fanfare, but it’s helpful they’ve included it.

They’re in a bag, instead of a box, because their “old-fashioned”, its green because that’s the color of nature and so on. It helps you sleep at night knowing you’re eating healthier, but you’re not.

You see it every day, people are tricking themselves. We all know the danger of little white lies, but no one talks about the ones you tell yourself. Knowing that you’re willing to lie to yourself isn’t going to give me confidence that you’re going to be honest with me.

You want to be a better marketer, you want to close more deals, start making small promises to yourself. Then keep them.

The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior. So, when you stop lying to yourself I’ll start believing you.

(Hmmm… I forgot the Rock n Roll. *drum solo*)

As we struggle to recall a forgotten login or password, engineers over at OneID, a San Jose-based start-up launched a beta version of its next generation digital identity service.

Passwords Are So Passé

With OneID, users can ditch all those dodgy and easily forgettable usernames and passwords. Instead opting for a single digital identity to securely log in to websites (across platforms) and pay for online goods.

According to CEO Steve Kirch,

“The idea behind OneID is to move us out of the Stone Age and into a more modern age where we’re using the latest crypto technology so that we can securely log in to websites, so we can share information, authorize transactions, and so forth.”

If you’re anything like me you know exactly what he’s talking about. Latest Crypto Technology? OK, all joking aside, in just a handful of conversations with many within the industry, they loved the idea.

But, before we get too excited there are definitely some concerns worth pumping the brakes over.

Whoa Tonto! Not So Fast.

The dust hasn’t even settled from the announcement yesterday, but already people are questioning the legitimacy of OneID’s claims.

Among the main talking points,

“If Facebook/Twitter/Google can’t do it, I don’t have much confidence for someone without the massive number of users to start off with.”

Followed closely by,

“Why would I want a company to own and have their product be my identity? Not even my personal data, but literally controlling the ability to verify my identity.”

According to OneID all these criticisms are invalid as most, if not all, of the current systems use some sort of username/password functionality, which OneID is going to make obsolete.

Action!

So, amid growing concerns of online identity theft and an internet base incapable of creating good passwords, it seems like this is a necessary step.

Is this service you would use or does this kind of technology concern you?

Fortunately, we can pretty much guarantee your local Board of Realtors won’t be using it for at least another 15 years.

In all honesty, the show absolutely cannot do If this then that justice. It’s a web service you have to see (use) to believe.

Channel Surfing

It all begins with channels.

Channels are the services that IFTTT connects to. Channels are used to fulfill both the this and the that. Here’s a quick example:

If X happens within Channel A, then trigger Y will happen within Channel B.

There are already an amazing number of web API’s included within IFTTT, as well as some standard ones like SMS, weather and email. All the channels work differently, but most can be used as triggers and actions.

Next up are triggers.

Triggers cause a certain task to activate. For instance, here are some triggers for Twitter:

• An @reply directed at you
• A tweet containing a particular #hashtag
• A new tweet by you

Any one of these triggers can cause an action to fire off.

Actions are what happen after a trigger is set off. Actions can range from sending you and email to sending something to your Dropbox account.

Top 3 Tasks

Tasks are easy to set-up. You simply choose a channel and one of its many triggers. Then you decide what action will happen from another channel. Here are some of our favorites:

Automatically reach out to people who say certain things about your company on Twitter

Take any tagged photos of you and save them to Dropbox Send Starred Gmail Messages to Evernote

Action!

“Think of all the things you could do if you were able to define any task as: when something happens (this) then do something else (that).”

According to the creator of If this then that, that’s all this service does. But, when you break things down like this, things are both incredibly simple and mind-blowingly complex at the same time. The principles may be simply, but the possibilities are endless.

So, what’s the first task you’re going to set up?

I was talking to an agent the other day who wanted to get back into shape and lose some weight. It was almost an identical conversation I’d had a few day earlier with a friend. I gave an identical pitch to both of them about lifestyle change, nutrition and fitness. Basic principle, nothing truly groundbreaking.

That’s where the encounters hit a fork, the point of choice. They were interested in what I was talking about, but one response hit me as strange. I realized that I’ve heard this response a million times, a million different ways.

 ”Oh, I’d love to do [XYZ thing], but it just doesn’t [random excuse].”

Whenever you hear someone say this, or you say this, you need to realize you’re saying two things.

The first is easy enough, you’ve made a choice. Many people think that they’ve actually avoided making a decision in that moment. However, by deferring a new, possibly better, alternative to a current thing, you’ve chosen the old thing. Ultimately, there is absolutely no harm in that. However, now you’ve lost your ability to complain.

The second is that you probably haven’t put forth much effort to do any kind of research. All over the country agents are using new tools, learning new platforms or starting new marketing initiatives.

(And the twist, because there is always a twist, is that first guy, you know the one that took me up on my advice, he said the same thing with his response. He made a choice and he was yielding that he hadn’t done much research on the topic. The art of turning away from the status quo rests on the point of choice. I struggle daily trying to silence the lizard brain. Bet I’m not alone.)

The main objections we hear involve time and a lack of equipment. Leave it to the amazing people over at Coldwell Banker to provide the industry at large with a fantastic resource about video creation.

Get Your Spielberg On

Imagine the neighborhood tour from this angle!

Here’s why I think video works, and why you should consider it for your business.

• Video is more engaging than other forms of communication. It appeals to more of the senses.
• Video provides an opportunity for you to build trust.
• Video gives you an opportunity to demonstrate your product.

Now that last one might sound strange. It’s important to understand why I didn’t put home there. A home isn’t always going to be the product of your videos. Sometimes the product is past clients, other times it’s you!

In case you need them here are a few stats to help persuade you:

• YouTube has more than 3 billion video views per day
• Listings with video get 20% more leads
• 73% of home sellers prefer an agent that uses video

And that’s just to name a few.

On Location Video 101

Coldwell Banker’s new site On Location Video 101 can be your new go to resource for understand video for real estate. They lay out the steps for creating video with 5 simple steps.

These are the same steps I address when I teach classes about video.

1. Equipment. It’s easy to get distracted from the very beginning with the question of what camera to use. Don’t fall for this trap. It’s possible with today’s technology to capture high-quality video footage cheaply and without much hassle.
2. Prepping. Taking a page right out of my Boy Scout handbook, Be Prepared! Doing proper story-boarding and having checklists in place will ensure a proper shot every time. Or at least help avoid common pitfalls.
3. Filming. You can use the power of video to showcase a home, have past clients talk you up or send out great personal videos without hitting the record button.
4. Editing. By far this is the most daunting task for most agents. Embrace the challenge and refine the technique over time.
5. Marketing. Now that most of the heavily lifting is done you need to get that video in front of as many eyeballs as possible. Learning how to market your video is a crucial step to succeeding with video.

Action!

If a picture is worth a thousand words, a video is worth ten thousand. That’s why I recommend for agent to use even more of it this coming year.

Two companies that challenge individual real estate agents to raise the bar team up, the other show dropping over at HUD and the largest social network brought huge changes for brands looking to leverage its site. And all that news came out within a 36 hour time frame. Let’s dive in.

If You’re VPA And You Know It Clap Your Hands

On Tuesday Verified Professional Agent announce that the for consumer, by consumer real estate agent rating service Mountain of Agents, would be adding VPA functionality.

According to the CEO of Mountain of Agents, Michael Becker, they’re adding this enhancement to their service because they feel being a VPA™ is truly a competitive advantage for agents. Which, as a for consumer, by consumer service, must mean they feel VPA’s are going to do a better job for the average consumer.

We’ve discussed the vetting process done by Verified Professional Agent before. With both of these services emerging in recent months as major players within the industry, it seemed only natural that collaboration might happen.

If you haven’t checked out either service, do it now, you won’t regret it.

Not An April Fool’s Joke

HUD announced Monday that the mortgage insurance for FHA loans will increase on April 1st, 2012. Starting April 1, Upfront MIP for loans raises from 1.000% to 1.750% of the loan size. Annual MIP fees change, too, climbing by 10 basis across the board and by an extra 25 basis points for loans between $625,500 and $729,750

The changes, which will raise about $1.25 billion for the FHA, who’s reserves dropped to a record low $2.6 billion last year.

So, in an attempt to bolster its books, it’ll spread the increase across the board to eradicate the deficit as quickly as possible. Although the thought of our clients, and yours’, paying more isn’t something that excites us, it’s important for FHA to stay viable.

Timelines… They Are A Changin’

If you currently use, or are looking to use a Brand Page on Facebook, look out for some important changes.

Rather than drone on about all the changes coming your way, here’s a quick rundown:

• Update look. Brand pages now have the same Timeline look as personal pages.
• No default landing pages. However, you can now pin posts to the top of your timeline for up to seven days.
• Private massaging between brands and users. Don’t abuse this!

There are a few more changes, those are just the highlights. Check out this article here or this one here for a few more notes about the change.

Slide over just one department and things change. Everyone vying for the choice cuts of the most expensive chicken, beef or fish. Why is that?

Sure, the main course is so much more important. It’s tedious preheating an oven or turning on a crock pot, and don’t get me started on the complexity of the grill. Who has time to manage such tasks and take the effort of adding some fresh herbs?

The kicker – herbs change everything. Ask any good cook and they’ll tell the wonders that fifty cent investment can yield. That simple chicken dish will transform right before your eyes.

I can hear it now, “It’s just dinner! It’s just for my kids, they won’t notice anyway. No way am I going to mess up such an expensive piece of meat.”

For those who still think I’m talking about cooking… you’re probably the one with a marketing strategy in dire need of some herbs.