In our last Friday Feature Focus, we discussed town pages & creating custom search boundaries for searches and town pages. This week, we'll be covering our interactive POI mapping tool, powered by Yelp.

In a standard Sequoia search, properties are shown both in search results and on each property's details page on a Google map, thanks to our proprietary LogicMaps tools. Now, you can go one step further and showcase the advantages and amenities of a location and all it has to offer - by using the rich, dynamic data provided by Yelp!

So what does this mean for you?

We can display local business and POI (Point of Interest) information, constantly updated by real users, right alongside the properties you are searching for.  So, as new neighborhood establishments open up and close down, or their products and services (and the opinions of their patrons) change, so will the information on your website.

You can watch a demonstration of our Yelp tool for the Sequoia platform in the video below-

If your Sequoia site doesn't already include this great feature, or you want to learn more about Sequoia, contact our sales team today!

Congratulations to Owner Alex Hodara and his team on their new Sequoia website- Boston Logic's first site launch of the New Year! At age 23, in January of 2009, Alex started what CNBC coined "the first student run real estate brokerage"- quickly growing from 4 rental agents showing apartments for just a few landlords, to 12 agents showing apartments for over 100 landlords in the greater Boston area. Hodara has recently been featured in Forbes' 30 Under 30 rising stars and 'disrupters' in the Real Estate category, and was honored by Businessweek last year as one of America's Best Young Entrepreneurs.

Hodara told Boston Logic that his website was simply not producing leads and lacked the user utilities to do so. He wanted a new site that would compliment his personal brand and reputation, act as a strong foundation for his rapid business growth, and continue to propel his success in a competitive online marketplace. Hodara chose our Modified Website Design Theme, backed by the Sequoia platform's specially integrated YouGotListings, Town Pages, and interactive search map.

Schedule a no-pressure demo today to learn more about how Boston Logic's cutting-edge website design, Sequoia software platform, and online marketing services can take your real estate business to the next level!

We came across a recent study conducted by Active Rain that we found surfaced some important and thought-provoking results. The study was based on 1,758 Real Estate professionals who were surveyed to help shed some light on one key question:
What separates the 'top producing' agents (those earning more than $100,000 a year) from the back of the pack (those earning under $35,000 a year)? Some of the results were fairly predictable, but others we found quite surprising.

Study Group Stats & Demographics:
- 22% of respondents were 'top producers' and 21% fell below the curve
- 58% of the 'top producers' were men (study group gender was split evenly)
- On average, 'top producers' had 11-20 yrs. of real estate experience (study group average experience was 6-10 yrs.)
- Study group age had no bearing on annual earnings of the agents (study group average age was 51-60 yrs. old)

Here's what we found most interesting in what seems to have the greatest impact on annual earnings amongst agents...

TECHNOLOGY: Top producers invest 6x as much.
Where does the spending go?

1. A top notch IDX site - the reason? Well, we know that a good website with an intuitive search (and integrated MLS data), is the backbone of attracting quality clients and capturing their information when their foot's in the door.
2. A CRM System (i.e. Lead Management System)* - turns out that being able to systematically manage a database of leads (or, the lifetime of customer relationships), was an integral part of the top producers' success and ability to build a volume business.
3. Email Marketing - top producers aggressively use email marketing to touch their clients more often (sending automated property listings via their IDX searches) and are also more likely to use email newsletters.

*This was the most dramatic finding in the survey results - nearly twice as many top performing agents use a CRM system than those below the curve.

The study also found that top earners are more aggressively using forms of 'broadcast' social media (any social channels which are public to all on the Web) - i.e. YouTube & Online Video (which we found somewhat surprising as other research seems to suggest that a very small number of agents are actually leveraging video to attract new clients, although potential home buyers are more likely to close with an agency that provides video listings over one that does not), Blogging, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

Overall, the study showed that top producing agents spend 10x more on marketing, (specifically on online marketing and lead generation tools/campaigns).

Survey Conclusions...

We can conclude that what really seems to make the difference for top earning agents is the investment they make in themselves (as an extension of their business) and their ability to efficiently manage their time - time is money to these successful agents, making it a no-brainer to invest in programs and applications that streamline daily operations and produce exponential returns.

Admittedly, this is music to Boston Logic's ears- and supports our very own recent study on the difference of the total transactional value (summed prices of all homes sold and bought) between user's of our Sequoia Website Platform and the average agent/broker. Guest what we found? On the buy side, our clients using Sequoia average 33% more transaction value than the average agent on the buy side, and 43% more on the sell side (read more!). It would be very reasonable to assume that Sequoia's integrated CRM, CMS, IDX, Blog, and Social Media components are a direct causality of higher earnings per agent.

Contact us today for a no-pressure demo - see how Boston Logic's Sequoia System can increase your earnings too!

Part of a 24 city tour, this month's Agent Reboot was at the A La Carte Pavilion in Tampa, Florida this past Wednesday. Boston Logic was an exhibiting sponsor of the event, which was hosted by Inman News.

David's Thoughts...

I can personally report that we had some great conversations with Broker/Owners eager to leverage technology and the web to its fullest. It was also nice to see Inman News CEO, Tim Smith, out at the conference. Always well produced and highly informative, Tim is obviously running a top notch operation.

I was happy to sit in on another Social Media Insights panel with Florida-based RE/MAX Business Development Consultant, Frank Chimento. The discussion was again hosted by Inman's Social Media Director, Katie Lance. (As I mention Katie here, I should direct readers to a nice video "snapshot" of her presentation about killer mobile apps- pretty awesome). The audience posed many questions and certainly agreed that they wished there was some tool or service to help do the work of social media engagement (or at least, the syndication for that matter). And indeed there are tools - we were very happy to talk about our Social Media Accelerator with many agents and brokers who approached the Boston Logic team afterwards. Let me be clear...I'm not suggesting you should outsource your voice, but we know that when you've got to focus on selling homes for a living, starting with a foundation for inbound marketing is better than re-inventing the wheel!

One observation at the event that I thought was note-worthy...

There was 3 general levels of participants at the conference:

1) Most participants were new to the web and technology. Realtors are learning that they need to get involved, join the conversation, and start investing their time and money online. These agents were looking for steps 1, 2, and 3. This profile probably represents 90% of the attendees.
2) The other 10% of the agents in attendance are already working social media, search engines, and the web. They were looking to fine tune their campaigns. They want to know the latest and greatest, and how to take the next step. I'm sure they got more than they could have asked for.
3) The final group of attendees were Brokers and Owners. These folks were, generally speaking, looking for solutions that will help every agent in their office. Of course, many of these folks came right over to our table to talk about how we could work with them and their offices, inquire about pricing questions, talk strategy, etc.

I'm definitely looking forward to future Inman conferences. Special thanks to Madelyn and Mike for their help too!

-DF

(David Friedman, President & Founder of Boston Logic)

Yesterday's Agent Reboot in Boston's Back Bay was a day packed with plenty of insight and inspiration, and most importantly, some actionable take-away's that every Real Estate professional could employ. Chris Smith, Inman's Chief Evangelist and MC of the event, proposed a clear notion that to stay ahead of the curve in such a competitive marketplace you've got to be an agent of change- he references a thought-provoking quote from retired U.S. General, Eric Shinseki,

If you don't like change, you're going to like irrelevancy even less

A concept that has become a bit cliche to all of us over the last decade, may still be at the root of becoming the best of the best at what you do.

In almost every industry, technology continues to disrupt the most established players, and we only have to look back at the rises and falls of businesses big and small to realize only those who embraced the shift and rebooted their strategy kept a stake in the game.

Following a list of the latest and greatest mobile apps to help agents work effectively on the go (which included Qwiki, Zite, Quicklytics, Mobile Card Cast, Calcmoolator, Slydial, and many more), and a presentation about the importance of developing a content strategy that sells, Boston Logic's President & Founder, David Friedman, had the opportunity to engage the audience with a panel of fellow experts on Social Media engagement. Next to David on the stage sat the Founder of the MLSApp.com, Jimmy Mackin, along with Matthew Shadbolt from the Corcoran Group, and Heather Allen from the start up HubConnected. Hosted by Inman's Social Media Director, Katie Lance, the session was structured with a few key questions which were complimented with questions being "texted in" by members of the audience.

For the most part, the group seemed to be on the same page with the overall importance of having a presence in the social media sphere and the value of leveraging it to grow your business. However, there did seem to be a variance of opinion when it came down to technique, strategy, and the thought process throughout - a highlight of the dialogue that ensued from Katie's first question:

Which Platforms Yield the Biggest Gains & Where Should You Focus?

JIMMY: "Focus on where your customers are first. Think about who you're trying to reach, and where they are. Simple answer though, Facebook - that's where the majority of consumers are."
MATTHEW: "When tempering advice about platform choice, it's very easy to feel pressured to be on all of them...but the challenge with being on all of them, is being on one of them, well - so your focus becomes very important". Matthew went on to say that his method of choosing platforms is based on solving problems.
DAVID: Implies the choice and strategy that follows should be approached differently from an Agent's perspective (than a company's, for example). "Instead of starting with which platforms your customers are using, start with what you're already comfortable using...start by being a person, and don't worry too much about your real estate business".
HEATHER: "Choose one or two, and delve into them deeply". She also stresses the importance of having a blog, as the centralized content "hub" for your SM platforms, and also as a way to drive a larger targeted audience".

Watch the video we captured for the full panel discussion- each panelist gives an opinion on Google + and how/if it will fit into the social mix; how you go from a "Good to Great" Social Media Mastermind; and whether or not it makes sense to outsource your efforts.

Custom Search Map

Windwalker Real Estate has been a Boston Logic client for several years. Their premier Nantucket real estate market research sets them apart from their competition as they dominate the local market. Seeking to differentiate their sales and rentals brands, as well as to increase their search engine rankings, Windwalker recently split their website into two distinct entities - Windwalkerrealestate.com, freshly built on the Sequoia platform, and Windwalkerrentals.com, their prior third party website devoted to seasonal rentals on the island of Nantucket.

Custom Research Page

Windwalker RE wanted to put increased focus on their sales brand, and as such engaged Boston Logic not only for a strong SEO and Social Media campaign for the new site (in addition to the campaign we manage for their rentals website), but also a full custom design for their new sales website.

This design also included a clickable graphic search map tool which interfaces with Windwalker's Town Pages component - these two tools in concert provide a fun and intuitive user interface which handsomely compliments the look and feel of this sophisticated design theme.

Contact us to learn more about how we can make the Sequoia Website Platform work for you!

Google unveiled Google+ with the same buzz-inspiring exclusivity strategy it used to roll out GMail. Google told everyone about Google+ but only let a select few people join, each of whom had a few "Google+ invites" to give out, thus slowly growing the service through a limited number a web of invitations. Not surprisingly, the strategy worked. And now, the floodgates are open to general public.

Only Google would be so bold as to think that they can get people to use their social network instead of, or at least in addition to, Facebook.

So how will they do this? Google+ claims to have certain advantages over Facebook, and it looks as though they may be right.

One of the biggest problems users have with Facebook is privacy. College students do not want their family or potential employers to see pictures of their partying antics. Employees working in an office environment may not want colleagues, especially superiors, to see posts relating to their personal lives. Facebook offered a solution to this by allowing users to sort their friends into groups and assign specific privacy settings to each group, even individual friends. However, very few Facebook users are willing to invest the time to sort their hundreds of friends into these groups and consider the specific privacy settings for each group or individual friend.

Enter Google+ Circles. Google+ requires you to sort every new friend you add to a Circle. You can customize your Circles however you would like. People from your Friends Circle cannot see posts that you post to your Work Circle. You can create any Circle you would like, Book Club, Immediate Family, Friends from Saturday Night, Ski Buddies, anything! And because Google+ is newly launched, every connection between friends on the entire network will have to be sorted by users. Privacy problem? Virtually solved. It's annoying to spend hours sorting in Facebook, but it's easy to click one drop down menu each time you add a friend.

Google+'s other main boasted features include Huddles, Hangouts, Sparks, and Instant Upload.

Huddles allow users to easily create custom group chats which is intended to make coordinating among a group of friends easier. Ever find it hard to agree on what movie to see with 5 friends? Where to go to lunch? Huddles makes it easy and fun.

Sparks is a service integrated into Google+ that analyzes your interests and sends you interesting material that you can watch, read, or share whenever you have free time. Think Digg or Stumbleupon.

Hangouts allow you to "hangout" with individual friends or entire Circles on the web. In a Hangout, users can watch a video "together," chat, and more.

Facebook users have expressed their love for mobile uploads, in which a user can upload a photo or video from their phone that can be geo-tagged so their friends know where it happened. It is a bit annoying to have to upload photos and videos. With Google+ Instant Upload, you can have photos and videos upload automatically to a private album, from which you may later select what circles can see certain media. This may sound a bit intrusive, but it is very easy to turn the uploading off.

What does Google+ mean for the SEO and SMO of my website?

Essentially, there is now one more major social network to help promote your site content.  Many analysts believe that as it grows in popularity, Google+ will offer more effective SMO than Facebook because of its methods of spreading posted and linked content among Circles and users- oh, and the small fact that it's a GOOGLE service (being analyzed and tracked by Google site crawlers). For example, if I post a link about heavy snowfall at a nearby mountain to my Ski Buddies Circle, there is a much higher chance that those users will see my post in their feed, and because it is highly applicable to them, there is a much higher chance that they will click on my link.

Have any further questions about Google+ and how you can leverage Google's new social network for your website? Don't hesitate to contact the experts here at BostonLogic- we will happily discuss any questions or comments you may have!

QR codes are square codes that you can find on advertisements that allow any individual with a smartphone to take an image of the QR code and be sent to a specific landing page designed by the company. These QR codes have been used increasingly among real estate brokers and agents, as these codes are the perfect thing to place on real estate signs or flyers so potential buyers can find out more about a home or agent's listing.

Boston Logic's main clients are real estate agents and brokers, and being in online marketing and website design industry, we know we had to incorporate the possibilities of the QR codes into our own company marketing.

Our talented design team once again came up with great new business cards that not only include QR codes that will deliver smartphone users to a specific landing page on the Boston Logic website, but also incorporate the Boston Logic real estate website product, Sequoia Real Estate Solutions, into the brand of the card. The result is a sleek, double-sided business card that wields the latest in cutting edge technology that our Sequoia product also represents to our clients.

So if you want to invest in the best real estate website technology available, contact Boston Logic today to schedule a demo!

As part of our annual philanthropy, Boston Logic decided to participate in a volunteer program at the Franklin Park Zoo last month. We elected one Saturday afternoon to contribute to the Zoo's "Horticulture" efforts by preparing the Butterfly tent exhibit for the upcoming Spring season.

Next, we moved outside, where we worked along the path to the entrance of the tent. This path and the plot surrounding it were in the shape of a butterfly, and we got the "wings" prepared for colorful flowers that would be planted there.

It was a great company experience, and we had a fun time contributing to make the Zoo a better place for its visitors for this Spring season.