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13 Business Office Organization Ideas for Office Workers

A well-organized office looks good, runs smoothly, and is a lot nicer to work in than an office that is chaotic and disorganized. Stacks of papers, boxes of materials, tangled cords and jam-packed drawers might not bother some people, but the time spent wasted looking for things that should be in plain sight costs money and is exhausting. Disorganized electronic files are just as bad. On top of how a messy office affects the workflow, it also stresses out everyone who has to work there.

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4 Home Painting Services to Consider

Few things have the potential to fire your imagination as a homeowner quite like the possibility of getting to stretch your creative muscles and decorate your home as you see fit. That is something which is often severely limited when you are stuck having to rent a property instead.

In such instances, you are forced to abide by whatever rules your landlord has set down. In addition, you cannot invest in your property’s value. When you own a home of your own, however, you can do all of that. Painting your home can be a great place to start from a creative and value standpoint, so here are a few great services which Canada’s best professional painters can provide.

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4 Real Estate CRM Pitfalls to Avoid

The right customer relationship management can enhance your real estate business by increasing conversion rate and improving customer engagement. Besides, most businesses in the technological world are built on the relationships between the real estate business and the customers. However, a real estate CRM is as good as its implementation. Real estate agents must follow good real estate CRM tips to avoid pitfalls that have the potential of sabotaging their CRM system.

1. No list of requirements

Before you adopt real estate CRM software, you must understand the needs of your agent’s customer relationship management. You might end up with a CRM system that doesn’t meet your individual needs. Real estate agents must research the features that they need in CRM software before investing in one. Analyze the features of the system and how they will solve the business operations and inquire from employees the features that will enhance interactions with clients.

2. Inadequate training

Several real estate agents make a mistake of investing in CRM systems without training their employees. You must train the end-users on how to use the software and other essential basics so that they can use the system effectively to achieve results. Failure to train employees results in inconsistent and limited progress of the business services. Make sure you train employees regularly especially when the CRM software has a new feature so that they can utilize the software to its maximum capacity to enhance customer engagements.

3. Lack of flexibility

One of the worst mistakes a real estate agent can make when investing in CRM is the failure to consider the future of the organization. Organizations change over time, and they grow, which means that its requirements and processes will also change. As a result, the CRM needs of the organization will change to suit the changing needs of the company. You might have to spend money looking for a new CRM system if you adopt an inflexible system within a short period. You can avoid the pitfall by choosing a flexible CRM system from the start so that you can add or remove some features in the future.

4. Lack of social media integration

Customers use several other ways of communicating with organizations besides phone calls, emails, and contact forms. Clients in the technological era also use social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook to reach out to organizations when they have needs or questions. Most customers and potential clients use social media platforms as the first mode of communication to reach out to companies.

Don’t make the mistake of adopting a CRM system that doesn’t integrate well with social media platforms if you want to get the most out of your investment. Besides, the integration allows you to get insights on the experiences of your clients as well as monitor conversations.

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5 Tips Of Choosing A Reliable Real Estate Agent

When buying or selling a property, a time will come when you will need a real estate agent. That is the time you start making frantic calls to family and friends. You can either do that or sit back and read this article to the end. This is what you need to do.

  • Do your research
  • Connect at a personal level with the real estate agent
  • Pick experience over flashy marketing
  • Check the license
  • Prepare for the interview

1. Do Your Research

Referrals are perfect. However, dig deeper into the larger pool of existing agents. Compare the recommended agent with others in the locality. You can confidently call them if you still think they compare well. In your research, look for online reviews and ratings. Check for awards and recommendations, too.

2. Connect At a Personal Level with the Real Estate Agent

Technology is making things simple. Any agent can access many online tools that can help him or her market a property or find a suitable real estate property.

Even people who are not agents can start doing that. When it comes to buying and selling property, it boils down to how you connect with your agent. You want an agent who can understand you at a personal level.

3. Pick Experience over Flashy Marketing

Focus on specialization. If you want a family unit, pick an agent who has relevant experience in that area. Check the current portfolio. How many listings are there? How many clients has the agent served in the past six months?

Some people have 20 years of industry experience, but they have mediocre ratings. Insist on active profiles and good customer ratings.

4. Check the License

A good agent has a license to operate within your area. He or she is a member of a professional body, too. People who lack such crucial traits are not professionals. They are just trying to be agents. The good thing with registered agents is that they subscribe to an ethical code. In case of any misconduct, they face disciplinary actions. You should visit the Chestnut Park website if you would like more information.

5. Prepare for the interview

Some people skip interviews. Well, that is not a good idea. Do not just show up to do a handshake deal, show up armed with your best personality. Also, ask all the relevant questions. A good agent will hand you over his or her file in advance. You will see all the listings and previous jobs.

Whether you are buying or selling, pick a real estate agent that you feel comfortable with. Connect with the person. Ensure he or she has a license and relevant experience to handle your real estate transaction.

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5 Real Estate CRM Software Advantages

Real estate agents and managers are taking advantage of software programs today that enable them to work with more confidence and ease. If you are seeking a real estate CRM program for your business, you will find that it will offer the following benefits.

1. Better cost efficiency

Cost efficiency is enhanced when you use software technologies today for your business. Real estate CRM software is certainly no exception to the rule. When you use CRM software for operating a real estate business, you can store the data securely in the cloud. This ability alone can save you thousands of dollars in labour and hardware costs.

2. Easier access

When your customer data is stored in the cloud or is part of a software program, you have easier access to what you need to assess your market listings and customer interests online. Plus, your clients can access the data in real time as well. You can increase your sales and collaborate with customers much more easily. You can learn more at Ixact Real Estate CRM, which has additional information and resources available.

3. A better way to build relationships

As mentioned, you can collaborate more easily when you store customer data and marketplace listings in the cloud. Your real estate team can also work together on files more conveniently. Not only can you communicate with more ease but you can access the data on just about any device any time that you want.

Whilst a member of your team can be uploading photos in a mobile app, you can view the photos and send them to customers for their review. Everyone is kept in the loop — you, your associates, and valued customers.

4. Increased security

This type of property management program also makes data more secure. The data is encrypted and stored behind multiple tiers including sophisticated firewalls and gateways that are used for authentication. Security protocols are facilitated to reduce the risk of a data breach. Some of these protocols include the notification of unrecognized logins or the blocking of a device.

5. Better backup and scalability

When you use CRM software, you do not have to worry about your device being compromised. The data instantly attaches to the cloud, making it simple to recover or restore files if needed. You also have increased scalability. That way, your business’s software needs can be adjusted as your business continues to grow. In turn, you can adjust the program for your property accounting and communication needs. This permits you to save time and energy and focus on growing your management business and making sales.

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4 Mistakes to Avoid When Using Promotional Products

There are different types of promotional products to choose from, but it’s easy to make mistakes when using them to promote your brand. Here are some of the mistakes to keep in mind and how to avoid them.

1. There’s No Real Objective

Prior to choosing the type of product to market your brand, you should first decide on the objective of this strategy. Do you want to build an email list? Are you looking for ways to drive more traffic to your online business? Are you simply looking to increase brand awareness?

By having a tangible and realistic objective, you will be able to make the right choice when it comes to product type and design. If you don’t have a defined goal or objective, odds are your promotional campaign may end up failing.

2. No Distribution Plan

It may be surprising to know that some businesses invest in promotional products without a clear distribution plan. Just imagine placing an order for thousands of branded t-shirts without really knowing how to share them with your customer base. Don’t buy promotional products without a clear campaign purpose.

Once you know your goals, you can decide on the best distribution method to get your promo products to your recipients. If you’re looking to gain customer loyalty to your business, including a promo item with every purchase is a step in the right direction. Want to draw more customers to your business? Give away free gifts at events.

Don’t just give out your promotional products to anybody. It is advisable to target the most important customers, prospects, and leads. Your distribution plan can either make or break your marketing campaign, so choose wisely. Learn more information and find additional resources at the Brandability website.

3. Choosing the Wrong Item

One of the most common mistakes most businesses make is choosing a promotional product that is not well-suited to their target audience. In this case, business owners opt for an item they like, rather than an item that will increase their audience. It doesn’t work that way. Instead, select an item tailored to the needs of your target audience.

An item that will be well-received, valuable and appreciated by the recipient will deliver much-desired results. Conduct research about your clients’ needs and interests and find a promotional product that best appeals to them.

4. Leaving Everything Till the Last Minute

Planning is key when it comes to choosing a promotional product. You need to start planning ahead of time. This way, you can eliminate or reduce any risks along the way. You don’t want to go through the stress of finding a printing company a few days before your big event. Besides the stress and waste of resources, you’ll also lose a lot of money as you’ll be charged exorbitantly to get the job done with such a quick turnaround. Don’t leave everything until the last minute. Always be prepared and plan a few months ahead of time.

Using branded apparels and promotional items is a great way to increase brand awareness while offering your clients something they will cherish for a long time. To ensure success with your marketing campaign, avoid the above-mentioned mistakes when using promotional products.

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4 Benefits of Using a Customer Relationship Management Tool in Real Estate

It seems that there are now more real estate agencies in the market than ever before. This means that competition is pretty tough, especially when combined with a property market that is up and down. The good news is that CRM for real estate agencies can really help put any business on the map and make their daily operations run a lot more smoothly.

1. Make Communication Better and Easier

Like any business, the heart of every real estate agency is good communication with their customers. People who are enquiring, those who are buying, and those who are selling all need to be prioritized, and CRM for real estate agencies offers a much easier way of keeping in touch with everyone and doing so much more rapidly. To learn more, there is plenty of useful information available at IXACT Real Estate CRM.

2. Manage Information from Different Sources More Easily

In days gone by, real estate agencies only had to deal with phones and walk-ins. These days, there are so many more communication tools, including email, SMS, and social media platforms. This can make managing all of that information quite difficult and can add to the stress of staff members.

A CRM tool can gather all of these information sources into a single tool. This means that all information can be managed much more easily.

3. Track Customers and Customer Feedback

One of the fundamentals of any successful real estate business is keeping in touch with former customers and listening to customer feedback. Imagine a system where customer feedback can be sent out and then gathered into a single database for easy reference? This is what a CRM tool offers.

It is also easy to communicate with past customers through such a system because their details are on file and easy to access by anyone on the team. This improves communication and also ensures that the business can grow based on customer feedback.

4. Make Daily Work Run More Smoothly

Every receptionist at a busy real estate agency understands that some days can be incredibly busy, to the point that calls and clients can be missed. Even though this clearly has an impact on the business itself, managing daily workflow remains tough when there are no CRM tools in place.

When CRM software is being used, however, all sources of useful information are at the disposal of the receptionist and the sales staff. What this means is that a single email can be easily sent to hundreds of clients at the touch of a button. It also means that it is easy to get in touch with both current and former clients, improving daily workflow through automation.

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4 Faux-Pas to Avoid When Giving Away Promotional Products

Promotional products are a vital tool for marketing and promoting your brand. Asides from that, they are useable items that your customers will appreciate. However, there are times when sharing promo products can negatively impact your brand. Here are some of the promo faux pas to avoid.

1. Gifting the Wrong Items

Prior to choosing promotional products, you need to consider some factors. The truth is every individual has their own unique tastes and preferences when it comes to gift items. For this reason, it’s wise to base your selection of promotional items on the demographics of your target audience.

Oftentimes, you may need to select three or more different gift items to meet the varying desires of your clients and prospects. In most cases, it is ideal to choose gifts that are gender-specific and sometimes age appropriate. For example, if you’re considering giving away customized t-shirts, it is wise to have a variety of shirt styles and designs that are gender specific.

Giving away the wrong gift item is not only a waste of money, but you are indirectly telling your customers that you know little about them. Not all promotional products will appeal to every single customer, but making the right choice for the majority will lead to better results.

2. Purchasing Cheap Promotional Products

What could be worse than giving away cheap gifts to your clients? The majority of these items are either less functional or don’t last long. Many customers see cheap promotional products as an insult; it shows that you don’t value them as much. Not only that, this practice makes you look cheap and this may adversely affect the image of your brand.

If you want to show appreciation to your customers for their loyalty, don’t skimp. Give them high-quality and exceptional promotional products. Find more available resources at the Brandability website.

3. Choosing Unusable Promotional Items

Unfortunately, many companies give away products that offer little to no use to their audiences. When choosing promo items, think of something that your customers will hold in high esteem. Gift items that are not only relevant but also purposeful. The primary essence of promotional products is to get more exposure, hence you should consider items with a purpose, so people will wear and use your items out in public.

4. Ordering Too Few Items

Whether you’re trying to stay under budget or you just under-anticipated your needs, it’s a big mistake to order too few promotional products. Your clients will be disappointed if all their colleagues at an event were able to get a promo item from your booth but they couldn’t get any because you ran out. Before making an order, ensure you know your numbers, and remember to always order more than you anticipate needing—just in case.

You work hard to gain the trust of your clients. Don’t damage your reputation by giving away the wrong promo product or sharing with them cheap or unusable items. To achieve your marketing and branding goals, give away relevant and useful promotional products your audience will love.

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5 Signs It’s Time for New Promotional Apparel

Promotional products come in many shapes and sizes, including mugs, pens, tote bags, and USB drives. One popular promotional item is apparel. From hats and corporate jackets to t-shirts and sweatshirts, you can put your name and logo on virtually any type of clothing, and you can give them away to employees, loyal clients, or prospects.

If you’re still giving away promotional corporate apparel you designed years ago, however, you might want to consider if it’s time to buy new stock. Here’s why.

1. Your Logo, Brand Colours, or Corporate Name Has Changed

Many companies rebrand for a variety of reasons, whether it’s due to a shifting customer base, an evolving mission statement, or an expansion into new products or services. If your brand’s logo, colours, or name has changed due to a rebranding effort, it’s definitely time to buy new inventory of your promotional apparel. For your promo products to be effective, they might accurately convey your company’s image and keep your brand top of mind. This isn’t possible if your apparel is vastly different from the brand you’re not representing.

2. Your Fabric Is Uncomfortable

When you first purchased your stock of corporate apparel, you might have gone with a basic fabric option such as polyester. Perhaps you were trying to stay within budget or maybe you simply didn’t know about the different options available to you. Regardless, the fabric you may have chosen for your shirts or sweaters years ago may be too uncomfortable for your employees or customers to ever wear them. If this is the case, your promo items will fail to be effective.

Fabrics today are more durable and soft. Consider purchasing new apparel in a poly-blend, such as nylon, spandex, and polyester, to increase comfort and provide greater flexibility and movement. Find more online resources at the Brandability website.

3. The Cut Is Cookie-Cutter

It can be difficult to purchase promotional apparel when you’re trying to please everyone. As a result of these efforts, you may have purchased one cut, such as a straight box-cut t-shirt. Unfortunately, this makes it less likely that people will wear your apparel. If the cut is out of style or doesn’t fit well, it’s time for another order of apparel. Try polos instead, which are more figure flattering.

4. You’re Running Out of Sizes

If, after several months or years, you’re only left with 500 XL shirts and no other sizes, it’s time for a re-order. Your employees, customers, and prospects come in all sizes, so you should have apparel available in multiple sizes to meet all their needs, from XS to XXL.

5. The Colour Is Out of Date

Colours that might have been in style back in the day when you purchased your inventory of apparel might be out of style now. Colours are often trendy, and you might have bought into the latest fad at the time, such as bright colours. As time goes on, though, these colours can fall out of favour. You can consider purchasing new apparel in the latest Pantone colours or go for neutrals for a classic look that won’t fade anytime soon.

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5 Major Benefits of Using a Real Estate CRM

Real estate agents need to maintain a very good rapport with their clients. Due to the nature of their services, it’s very important for real estate agents to keep the needs and preferences of their clients in mind when certain properties become available. However, maintaining solid relationships with so many prospective clients is rarely easy. Instead, professional real estate agents prefer using a CRM system to manage their relationships. CRM stands for customer relationship management, and dedicated software programs can help you grow your business and your rapport with clients considerably. CRM for real estate agents has become a virtual necessity now. Here are some key advantages that you get for using a CRM software program.

1. Information is Organized

The real estate industry is information-heavy, so many agents who do not rely on software programs often need to make mental notes and keep everything in their heads. However, a professional real estate agent must always have multiple lead generation streams. With the help of a CRM, you can easily organize all of the information in one place. Different tidbits of information connected from multiple lead generation streams can be organized and neatly placed in a single place that is accessible from any device, be it a laptop, tablet, or a mobile phone.

2. Make Responses Right Away

You don’t need to put the client on hold while you check your files and evaluate the information before you give an appropriate response. With the help of a CRM, you will be able to respond immediately. Particularly when someone asks you a question online, you should have a prompt answer right away. You need to be able to make responses as quickly as possible, and a CRM system allows you to do just that. It helps you set up an auto-response system to target customers.

3. Follow Up With Past Clients

One of the keys to being a good real estate agent is consistently following up with past clients. According to a study, almost 88 percent of people said that they would use their past agent only. Granted, most people don’t buy a new home every few years. But, if you continue following up with past clients, you could get lucky!

4. Personalize Your Services

Instead of sending an auto-response to each client, wouldn’t it be better if you personalize your services for every individual lead? CRM helps you do just that, by asking them about their requirements and then providing them with a tailored response. A good source of information is the Ixact Real Estate CRM website, which has more insights and resources available online.

5. Automate Workflow and Tasks

CRM systems also allow you to designate roles to other members of the team and automate different tasks, such as setting up the paperwork, meeting up with new clients, and even remembering dates for different clients. Whether you want to set up an open house or have different appointments, you can simply designate roles for each member of the team and automate menial tasks that would otherwise take you a long time to tackle by yourself.