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How Do We Decide Which New Features to Add to the Sequoia System?

The other day, the owner of 2 real estate offices which use the Sequoia platform asked me if he could send me a list of ideas that he's compiled from his agents. These are features and ideas they have for the sequoia platform. Here was my response:

We want all of your suggestions. Here's how the Sequoia New Feature Selection Process works:

1) As feature requests come in, we put them into a Feature Request Log. We probably get about 2 per day, on average. Often, they come in 10 at a time, as I'm sure you're about to send me.

Sequoia New Feature Building Process

2) Once per quarter, we sit down and look at the Feature Request Log and see how many times each feature has been requested. We also consider whether or not a feature actually adds value or is just some wacky request from a nut who's paying us (we have more than a handful of those).

3) We also consider whether or not the feature fits into the mission and direction of the product. For example, if someone wanted us to make an automatic newspaper ad generator, it would be unlikely that we'd build it. We don't believe that making it easier to waste money is going to help any of our real estate clients.

4) Lastly, we consider how much work it will take for a feature to be implemented. Small features, even if they'll add limited value, might get done just because they're low-hanging fruit while features that require 150 hours of our time might need to be scheduled further into the future.

5) Then, we order feature requests based on all this evidence and go to work. Depending on how busy we are and which features we choose to take on, we might get to a feature during that quarter or we might not. Then, 90 days or so later, we look at the list again, add any new requests and go through the process again.

It's through this process that our system evolves, largely informed by client input.

It's important to note that when more clients request a new Sequoia real estate website feature, we're more likely to implement that feature. Some ideas are good, but require a lot of work and maybe only 1 client has ever made that request. So, they wind up at the bottom of the list every time we review it. After more then 6 or 12 months and no more requests, we simply remove a feature from the road map.

A "Guarantee" that's Worth it's Weight in Dirt

I'm honestly astounded.

I know that we offer high quality products and services for the real estate vertical and I'm proud to say we're firmly the very best, but I'm astonished at just how low some of our "competitors" set the bar.

" We guarantee 60 visitors within the first two calendar months or it's free! "

This is the "guarantee" that z57 has right on their home page! I'd be embarrassed to put this sentence on this site or on BostonLogic.com. Down right embarrassed!

If you're reading this and you're a real estate website beginner, I'll explain in the next paragraph. If you're an educated web marketer or, really, have spent any time looking at online marketing traffic reports, you've probably already concluded just how poor z57's sites must be.

For the novices out there - nothing to be ashamed of - here's a reality check:

A website that sees just 1 visit/day is almost useless! Most of the real estate websites we launch start seeing 5 or 10 times this traffic within days.

Like selling a car and saying it will run 5 miles

Would You Trust This Guy?

z57 is, in effect, guaranteeing that they'll provide next to nothing. This is like selling a car and guaranteeing that it'll drive 5 miles. No thank you.

Here's what really gets my goat; These folks are praying on the lack of education that most of their potential customers possess. I think that's just plain dishonest. I couldn't do it and I don't think anyone who has ever worked at Boston Logic would ever stoop to this level.

Instead, we have 3 blogs working to educate our current and potential clients. We hold a free LogicClassroom every month. AND we'll honestly answer any question you might have and base those answers on web best practices.

If this blog post reads like a rant, well, it is. I hope it was illuminating, if not entertaining.

New Sequoia Features and Upgrades! 1/21/2011

The latest Sequoia real estate websites feature releases and site upgrades - if you are a Sequoia client, be sure to check them out on your own website!

We’ve upgraded our system emails in many ways; the most noticeable being the email address and name the emails come from. Now each company’s system emails, such as daily email updates for leads, messages generated by the LogicLeads CRM system, and more will reflect the appropriate company or agent name. Emails to assigned leads will come from the agent, with their email address and name in the “From” fields in the message. Unassigned leads will get messages from the company’s name and default email address, set in the Settings portion of the back end of each site.

We’ve added an optional email signature on every agent’s profile. Agents can edit this signature at any time, and it is appended to any email sent on their behalf by the Sequoia real estate software system.

We’ve expanded the back-end property search functionality to include rentals from LogicRentals or RentJuice. The back-end navigation item that used to be titled “Search Sales” is now titled “Property Search” – and if you have a rentals component, there are two sub-items; Sales Search and Rentals Search. The back-end rentals search shows agents and brokers comments and remarks that are not publicly available, such as showing instructions. Just as the back-end sales search provides a comprehensive property overview for MLS listings, our new back-end rentals search allows brokers and agents to get as much intelligence as possible on any given listing – without having to log into two separate systems!

We’ve added a great new feature for brokers and agents who need to show multiple listings to one client, or to organize their showings for the day. You can now create Showing Sheets on the back end – these are helpful sheets with basic property info that allow agents to print a list, with images, of the day’s properties to be shown, or to email the list to a lead. Now when you execute a search on the back end, whether for sales or rentals listings, each search result has a checkbox to add the listing to a showing sheet. Sheets can be associated with leads, or printed simply for agents’ own use. If you set a start and end time for a showing sheet tied to a lead, this gets saved as an Event in the LogicLeads CRM system – the same is true for emailing a sheet to a lead. There’s a new tab on each lead’s profile titled “Listings” which shows any listings that have been emailed to the lead – and now and showing sheets for either sales and rentals as well!

Like what you see and want to learn more? Contact us about your own real estate website design today!

New Sequoia Site Launch: Maxfield Real Estate 1/14/11

Maxfield Real Estate came to Boston Logic in need of a new real estate website design - and having spent many years with their previous site, they knew that it was time to redesign from the ground up.

For the Maxfield team, this was an opportunity to both explore a new look and feel for their web presence, and to build that real estate web design on the best software in the business - the Sequoia platform.

As many of our clients do, Maxfield Real Estate chose to have us design a fully custom Sequoia theme - redesigning everything from the home page and common theme elements to interior pages, such as the listing details and search results pages.

The new Maxfield Real Estate site is modern and organized, giving users easy access to Maxfield's many listings in the lakes region of New Hampshire.

The design option of choice for our most discerning clients, our Custom Design Theme lets you start fresh, with a newly designed site built just for you. Our design team presents several initial concepts, from which one is chosen and modified through several rounds of revision. Home page layout, color schemes, global elements such as headers and footers, are configured to order - and the custom layouts don't stop at the home page. Custom Design Themes also include layout changes for standard system pages such as search results, agent profiles, and more.

The following is a great testimonial from Maxfield Real Estate in working with Boston Logic and the Sequoia platform:

"Boston Logic has been instrumental in bringing our new Maxfield website to fruition. We look to Boston Logic as an expert in online marketing. Ashley Osgood especially has been dedicated to helping our agents get started, answering questions and providing educational opportunities. We look forward to continued success and the growth of our site through the help of Ashley and Boston Logic." - Denise Williams, Maxfield Real Estate

Contact a member of the Boston Logic sales team today at 617-266-9166 to learn more about this great way to make your new Sequoia site truly unique.

Maxfield Real Estate is a sales leader in the lakes region of New Hampshire, with over fifty years of experience representing luxury properties and unique vacation homes.

Learn the New Sequoia CRM! Sign up for 1/11 LogicClassroom NOW!

Boston Logic will be teaching an in-depth LogicClassroom on the recent upgrades to the LogicLeads component of our Sequoia Real Estate Web Sites.

Join us to learn how to utilize the new features and CRM functionality of LogicLeads to help you convert leads into deals! The LogicLeads system is the most effective way to stay organized, manage your time, and monitor your pipeline- and we've just made it more powerful and even easier to use!

We'll be discussing the new components of the CRM, launched just a few weeks ago - including Task Creation and Management, Lead Management, Event Creation, and more in this 30-minute class.

We recommend any clients currently using the Sequoia system attend this LogicClassroom on Tuesday, January 11th at 5pm.

Don't have a Sequoia real estate website by Boston Logic? This class is your chance to see how easy the Sequoia Dashboard is to navigate and to see a live demo of an exciting component of the software and all of its capabilities!

This LogicClassroom is a great opportunity to learn how to make the most out of your Sequoia website, to more effectively captures and manage leads. Don't miss out, sign up today!

You are welcome to attend at the Boston Logic Office (view map) or participate through an online webinar. The class begins at 5pm on January 11th. Don't be late!

To register for the event, please contact Angela at 617.266.9166 or by email at adavis@bostonlogic.com. Please specify whether you will attend the class at our office or online.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Boston Logic Grows with Rhode Island MLS Integration! 12/30/2010

Boston Logic's Sequoia platform continues to grow with the newest integration of the Rhode Island MLS.

Boston Logic recently integrated the Rhode Island Statewide MLS with the Sequoia platform!

We're now serving the entire state of Rhode Island thanks to our integration with the Statewide MLS. Those with our user-friendly Sequoia real estate websites can access data from any MLS we serve.

If you are one of our many customers who use this MLS, please contact us today for details on how to get started with Sequoia!

There's also still time to take advantage of our special holiday offer for Sequoia Agent Sites: don't miss out!

Sequoia Site Launch: Tory Row Real Estate, 12/21/2010

Tory Row Real Estate came to Boston Logic looking for an upgrade. They added themselves to the long list of real estate firms who have taken advantage of our Modified Theme realty web design package for the Sequoia platform.

Starting with one of our standard property web design themes, our team worked with Tory Row Real Estate through several rounds of revision to get them the site they wanted. The result, with minimal investment, Tory Row now has a uniquely branded real estate website.

The new Tory Row Real Estate site is clean and modern, and gives users easy access to the many tools that make the Sequoia platform the best in the industry.

By far our most popular design package, the Modified Theme lets you alter one of our standard themes through several rounds of revision. Home page layout, color schemes, global elements such as headers and footers, and many more elements that can be changed to suit your needs and brand identity.

Contact a member of the Boston Logic sales team today at 617-266-9166 to learn more about this great way to make your new Sequoia site unique and targeted at your specific audience.

Tory Row Real Estate is a leader in Cambridge apartment rentals, with a further specialization in apartment and home rentals in the surrounding areas of Arlington and Somerville.

Real Estate Website Q&A Tuesday: SEO and Sequoia 10/5/2010

For today's installment of Q&A Tuesday, where we discuss Frequently Asked Questions we receive from clients or potential clients regarding our Sequoia real estate website platform, I thought it would be a good idea to talk about website optimization. We are constantly being asked about search engine optimization and how our Sequoia websites can help our clients in their search engine marketing efforts.

Here at Boston Logic, we realize the importance of search engine marketing and optimization for your real estate business. Search engines are the way most people find information and services they want- and if your website is not optimized, it is less likely that potential clients will find you.

Even if you've never heard of Search Engine Optimization, a Sequoia website will make optimizing your web presence easy!

Q: How will switching to a Sequoia website help me with SEO?

A: The Sequoia platform was designed specifically with search engine optimization in mind! Sequoia is a cutting edge website platform that integrates the most advanced real estate website features enabling leading-edge marketing campaigns- and we're constantly improving it! Whenever there is a Sequoia system upgrade, your site is upgraded automatically, so your website will always be using the best technology in the real estate industry.

Q: I don't understand SEO. Will I still be able to benefit from the SEO features of a Sequoia website?

A: Yes! With a Sequoia website, adding important Meta Data (such as Page Titles, Page Descriptions, and Keyword Tags) to your website pages and creating custom URLs (essential elements of a well-optimized page) are as easy as filling out a field on a form! You don't have to be an SEO specialist or know HTML to improve your search engine ranking! Simply fill out the fields provided as you create your pages!

Adding Essential SEO Elements to a Sequoia Website is EASY!

Adding Essential SEO Elements is EASY!

Q: Is there support available if I need help with my SEO?

A: Yes! Your Sequoia website comes with a very informative Users Guide tab you can access from your Admin dashboard. We are constantly adding easy-to-follow demos and step-by-step instructions to the Help Section of this blog, and articles on SEO best practices on our blog at RealEstateSEO1.com.

Here are a few suggested links to help get you started:

Real Estate SEO is a Process

Optimize Your Site to Get More Traffic and Leads

Simple SEO for Your Blog

Q: I heard that using Social Media could help my SEO; how do Sequoia websites integrate with popular social sites?

A: You heard correctly! Utilizing social media sharing and social media websites are integral parts of any good search engine marketing strategy. We are constantly upgrading our system to keep up with social media trends.

Sequoia websites also give you the ability to add Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn icons to your website's footer that link to your profile pages on these social media sites. Setup is easy! Simply copy and paste the URL of your profile page into the 'Social Media' fields on your 'Configuration' tab from your Admin dashboard, click 'Save' and your icon links appear automatically!

The more ways you give potential clients to connect with you, the better! We can also help you set up MLS and rental property searches on your Facebook Fan Page that connect to the property searches on your website, and help you set up an RSS feed from your blog to your social media profiles!

All About Real Estate Website Blogs Q & A Tuesday #1: 9/7/2010

Today will be the first installment of Q & A Tuesday. We'll be posting common questions about the Sequoia platform here each Tuesday. We get A LOT of questions. We know many of you would like to have the same answers. So, here we go:

Q: Can my website include a blog?

A: Yes, the Sequoia platform offers a blog as an optional component to the system. We HIGHLY recommend signing up for this component. Blogging is very helpful for search engine optimization. Blogging is also a great way to educate your customers and generate leads by positioning yourself and/or your company brand as an authority.

Q: How much does the blog cost?

A: The blog costs just $20/month with your Sequoia site.

Q: What should I write about on the blog?

A: Check out this blog and our real estate seo blog for TONS of ideas on what to blog, how to blog, how often, and lost of other useful information.

Q: Does Boston Logic Provide blog content?

A: Yes! We do provide blog content as part of many of our search engine optimization and social media campaigns. Depending on the size and scope of your campaign, we will produce targeted, keyword rich content for your blog. If you'd like to learn more about this, click here: Search Engine Optimization

Q: What about WordPress?

A: We can either launch your blog using our proprietary blogging software or we can develop your blog on top of the wordpress platform.

Q: What's the difference between the WordPress platform and the blogging component that's part of the Sequoia Real Estate Website platform?

A: The blogging component that is part of the Sequoia real estate website platform is an integrated solution. Agents and brokers have 1 account and 1 place to login in order to blog, manage leads, manage their site, access the intranet, and use all of the other features that the Sequoia system offers. If we launch your blog on the WordPress platform, then you're going to be adding another technology to the mix. We often find that clients do not want to train themselves and/or their team to use 2 different pieces of software. Other clients are comfortable with WordPress already and would prefer to stay with what they already know. So, we offer both.

Modal Windows : Myths, Fears, & Conversions

What's a Modal Window?

You may already be familiar with the Modal Window feature of your Sequoia website for realtors, especially if you attended our LogicClassroom about Maximizing Lead Conversion! We hope you've had your Modal Windows turned on since your site went live!

We have seen our clients' lead capture rates increase significantly time and time again once they utilize this basic, yet crucial feature of their new Sequoia website design for realtors.

A Modal Window functions similarly to a pop-up window in that it is a small dialog box that appears in the center of the screen above the contents of the page the visitor is on. Pop-up windows are easily dismissed or ignored, however, whereas a Modal Window requires the visitor's attention before allowing them to proceed to the rest of the website. Modal Windows will still appear even if the visitor is using a pop-up blocker on their system.

How Modal Windows Work:

On your Sequoia website, the Modal Window (once enabled) will appear when a new visitor uses a property search on your site. The search results will be displayed, but will be elegantly faded out and disabled so that the visitor can only see the list of properties that match their query, but they won't be able to click on any of the properties on the list for more information until they fill out the contact form in your Modal Window.

If the visitor tries to scroll down the page, they can see the extensive list of properties in the background scrolling, but the Modal Window will continue to hover over the disabled results until they fill out the form or hit the 'Back to Search' button.

The ability to see the extensive list of properties behind the window helps assure the visitor that you have the information they are looking for, and that there is a large list of properties matching their criteria to choose from upon submitting their contact information.

Some of clients have expressed concerns about implementing Modal Windows on their site. They are concerned that Modal Windows will drive visitors away from the site entirely and cause them lose quality leads. This could not be further from the truth! We've had clients disable their Modal Windows in hopes of capturing more leads without prompting visitors to fill out their contact information in exchange for listing information, only to have the clients turn the Modal Windows back on within less than a month of testing the site without them!

Modal Windows are becoming more popular for websites across the internet and users are getting used to the requirement to sign up for an account in order to access information on a large variety of websites- everything from social networking sites, to news archives, and even e-commerce websites. Visitors will see that you offer the information they are after with the ability to scroll the results behind the Modal Window, and if they are serious about finding a new home or apartment, will have no issue with filling out your contact form.

Enabling Your Modal Windows:

If you haven't done so already, here is how you enable the Modal Windows on your new Sequoia website:

1. Log into your website, and go to the 'Settings' Tab.

2. Select 'Configuration' from the sub navigation menu on the Settings Tab.

3. Scroll down the Configuration settings panel until your reach the section titled 'Lead Options'.

4. From here, you can simply check the boxes next to where you want to Modal Window to appear.

We suggest enabling the Modal Window for Rental, Sale, and Luxury Developments to get the most leads. To make your Modal Window less intimidating to visitors, you can leave the 'Require Lead Phone Number' option unchecked, so the visitor doesn't have to supply that information, only their name and email.

Now that you can see how easy it is to enable your Modal Window, we hope that you will make use of this great feature to help you capture more leads within your realtor internet marketing campaign!

If you still have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to contact us for support!

How Do We Decide Which New Features to Add to the Sequoia System?

Related Links:

A "Guarantee" that's Worth it's Weight in Dirt

Related Links:

New Sequoia Features and Upgrades! 1/21/2011

Related Links:

New Sequoia Site Launch: Maxfield Real Estate 1/14/11

Related Links:

Learn the New Sequoia CRM! Sign up for 1/11 LogicClassroom NOW!

Related Links:

Boston Logic Grows with Rhode Island MLS Integration! 12/30/2010

Related Links:

Sequoia Site Launch: Tory Row Real Estate, 12/21/2010

Related Links:

Real Estate Website Q&A Tuesday: SEO and Sequoia 10/5/2010

Related Links:

All About Real Estate Website Blogs Q & A Tuesday #1: 9/7/2010

Related Links:

Modal Windows : Myths, Fears, & Conversions

What's a Modal Window?

How Modal Windows Work:

Enabling Your Modal Windows:

Related Links:

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