Be Prepared to Sell a Business for Maximum Value…

…With North America’s Leading expert on Buying and Selling Businesses!

Thursday – September 9 & Friday – September 10, 2010

LOCATION: Joie de Vivre – 1008 – 14th Street SE
Register NOW! Regular price $895!
Limited seating!

A special discount — $600 plus GST if you register and pay before September 3rd 2010!

Call today – 403 278-7839

Includes Workbook with all the contracts you require to sell a business.

Make 2010 your BEST year ever for your business! Things happen! Don’t be caught having to sell and not getting the best
price!

Join Pam for a power-packed seminar filled with tips and information to increase your Cash Flow & How to value Goodwill. This seminar may save you from making the typical mistakes that cost business owners thousands of dollars each year!

33 Years of Experience

Pam Ryan
President and CEO
Commercial Ventures

What You Will Learn!

Meet & Greet: 8:30 am-8:59 am
Session: 9:00-12 & 1:00-4:00
Both days include lunch, coffee & tea!

YourStep-!

Workbook and 6 Months of Online Help after this seminar to answer extraquestions you may have included!

Accept Visa, MC & Cheques

Pam Ryan has 33 years experience buying and selling businesses. She is also an accomplished public speaker.

Pam’s expertise in Marketing and customer relations was initially fostered through the management of several US companies in Phoenix which were vital to her success as a partner in a concrete construction company and later as a Business Broker.

Pam has a proven background in corporate planning. This expertise was showcased when she pioneered the concept of business brokerage in Canada by launching Canadian Business Brokers in 1985.

She founded her current company in 1996 where she continues to help buy and sell businesses as well as consult on acquisitions, mergers, evaluations, restructuring, planning exit strategies and maximizing their goodwill.

Since 1994, she has been chosen to teach the accredited business brokerage course for the Calgary Real Estate Board.

Pam was recognized as a Woman of Vision in the category of Business and Entrepreneurship in 2002 and she was nominated for the prestigious Joseph L. Rotman School of Management Canadian Woman Entrepreneur of the Year in 2003.

YOUR SATISFACTION IS 100% GUARANTEED!!!

We’re so confident that you’ll find this Boot Camp to be an incredibly positive, empowering experience that we offer a 100% money-back satisfaction guarantee.

If you don’t agree that this exciting event is a terrific way to increase your Business Value and Goodwill, we’ll refund your entire registration fee - every penny!

www.commercialventures.com

• Learn to prepare for succession planning to sell to a family member, employee or other potential buyer.
• Learn how to value the Goodwill of your business or any business. How to increase your Net Equity and Goodwill and turn into cash!
• Learn key terms for business brokerage lingo that will give you the inside track in the Entrepreneur World.
• Learn the advantages of an Asset Purchase Sale or a Share Purchase Sale.

Important tax tips!

• Find the true cash flow of your business.
• Understand the importance of a Confidentiality Agreement before you giveinformation to a Buyer.
• How much do you give to a Buyer prior to an offer?
• Utilize the Current Market Multiplier (CMM)

1. Pam’s knowledge of what “Goodwill is going for. (This is worth the course itself!)
2. ROI: How much money a Buyer expects to make vs how much he will invest to make that amount?
3. What information should you prepare or have available after an offer is accepted.
4. Be prepared! What to expect prior to an offer to purchase and after you sign an offer.What is vitally necessary to be in your Asset Purchase Agreement or Share Purchase Agreement in order to protect against future liabilities?
5. How to conduct the training process after closing to train for a smooth transition of ownership?
6. How do I transfer Trade Name, Copyrights, Trademarks, Formulas?

Cover your future: Formulating ‘What is a good & acceptable lease’ and what is a ‘Bad Lease’ one that should never be signed? And what do you do if you have signed a ‘Bad Lease’?

Protect Yourself with the Proper Transfer of Lease: The process of Assigning the Lease or other leases. When do I tell
the Landlord I want to sell my business and transfer the lease?

Financing Your Business: How to secure a ‘Vendor Take Back’ to a Buyer or different ways to formulate an ‘Earn Out’ and get paid at the end?

A stress-free system that allows you to be in control of everything that has to be done prior to and after closing date.

Join Calgary Consultant and Calgary Social Media Consultant Stuart Crawford with Michelle Pearson from Perspectives3 and Wunjo Interpersonal Skills as we chat about doing business with people.

The world is critically overloaded with technology and many are losing the art of doing business with people. Stuart Crawford and Michelle Pearson will share concepts on forming strong and meaningful relationships with people.

Join us for this 30 minute discussion and learn some great concepts on doing business with people.

Tune in live on Thursday, September 2 and 9 AM Mountain or download at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/smallbusinesspodcast/2010/09/02/doing-business-with-people

CALGARY SALES PROFESSIONALS NEWS RELEASE

New Calgary Sales Professionals Club Chair steps in;  Matt Semler is elected President of the Calgary Sales Professionals.

Calgary, Alberta (August 26, 2010) – Matt Semler has been elected as the new Calgary Sales Professionals Club Chair. Matt will be replacing Ferd Schniedersman who has been the President of the club for the past 2 years and served on the board for years before that. Ferd will stay on the board in the role of Past President of the Calgary Sales Professionals, replacing Gord Piper our previous Past President, who will also stay on the Board as a member at large.

Ferd was instrumental in organizing the Calgary Sales Professionals in December 2008. Ferd along with Michelle Nedelec, Gord Piper, Dave Cheke, Matt Semler, Kathy Dunn and Frank Allen have brought the Calgary Sales and Management community local and international speakers and valuable networking opportunities to further associates careers and home life through their “Monthly Vitamin” network breakfasts, held the first Wednesday of every month at the Coast Plaza Hotel.

The Board wishes to thank Ferd Schneidersmann for his leadership and passion over the last 4 years encouraging those of us in the Sales and Management Community to succeed in our careers.

The Board of Directors, pleased to announce the appointment of Matt Semler as President, is also welcoming Frank Allen each as Vice President. Kathy Dunn, Michelle Nedelec and Gord Piper will stay on as continued valuable Board Members. The Board further welcomes Stuart R. Crawford of Ulistic to the management team.

Stuart Crawford will be speaking on Social Media in Calgary and how sales professionals can leverage social media to build their careers and create stronger ties with their clients.  For more information about this Sept 1 at 7 AM event visit http://www.meetup.com/Calgary-Sales-Professionals/

Have you been down to Okotoks lately?

The Okotoks Air Ranch community, located a short drive from South Calgary and offers a stunning escape from the daily rat race of the city.

You have to see the show homes at Rancher’s Rise to truly appreciate what Calgary suburb living is truly about.  OK, Okotoks is not really a suburb of Calgary but it is not that far off.

Rancher’s Rise features a number a great Okotoks builders including Baywest, Westview and Wolverine Custom Homes.

Invest an afternoon and check out what Rancher’s Rise and the Okotoks Air Ranch has to offer.

Internet delivered video is all the craze around Calgary and a marketing strategy many Calgary businesses are trying to figure out if Online video is a great way to promote their business.  Video online and via smart phones is here to stay but are people watching corporate videos online?

What makes a great Internet video for your Calgary business?

Is it something humorous or something that is a bit more on the professional side?

Some Internet delivered video experts will claim that professionalism is the only way to go while others will state that in order for video to have a viral effect, humour or a strong cause will influence people to share with their friends.

We would love to hear what you have to say?  Leave us a comment…and check out this latest video from Redmoon Petfood, a local Calgary success story.

Social Media is the talk when many Calgary small business owners meet up and many of you are still trying to figure out how they can use social media services such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter to drive attention and increase the demand for their Calgary business.

How can your Calgary business benefit from Social Media and make your mark?

When the team from Ulistic hangs out at many of the city’s business networking functions and during our own Calgary Business Professionals Networking club we have many in-depth discussions with new Calgary Small Business professionals and many of you who have been in business for a while about social media and if it is valid way to market your business.

The standard feedback is “social media doesn’t work for your business”.

You know something this statement is true in some degree.  After an engaging conversation on what they are using (always comes down to the tools) of course it is not working because the focus is on the tool and not the message.  During our chat I normally ask this follow-up question “how do you engage with your ideal client or those who know you ideal client?”.  Silence is usually what follows.  Everyone, not just small business are completely focused on the tools and not the message or where their clients are hanging their hats.  You will rarely find a Lawyer or Doctor where Lawyers and Doctors don’t hang out.

Yes, Social Media and networking using online services such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and a bunch of others work if you apply the basic principles of  Calgary business networking.  But it is the message you need to focus on and the target market you must are specializing in, not the tools available.

This behaviour still exists as well.  When you go to your Calgary leads club or the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, you are not there to sell to those in the room although many of us go there with this mindset.  We are there to tap into the networks of everyone else who attends these meetings and we are there to openly share our contacts with those we know, like and trust.

Here are three basic tips to achieving success online or where you decide to market your Calgary business.  They come from my friend Chris Brogan.  Chris shared these principles with me during a recent podcast we did together.  Check out Chris Brogan and Ulistic on Small Business Podcast.

1. Invest 30 minutes each day reading what is going on in the Calgary business community.  Follow industry blogs like this one and other Calgary business blogs.  Read your local newspaper (Calgary Herald) especially the Calgary Herald business section and keep up with what is happening in the verticals that you have chosen to specialize in.
2. Invest 60 minutes engaging with others.  This is the secret sauce and doing this right will help you social media and online marketing skyrocket.  You must engage in the communities you serve.  Your niches, get on their discussion forums, answer questions and engage.  Do the same in throughout Calgary Business in general.  In other words, get known.
3. Invest 30 minutes each day publishing your own content.  Write an article for your business club newsletter, publish a blog or write a product review for your niche markets.  Other activities include writing win wires, case studies and anything that can get your Calgary business name out there.

These principles are just some of the ways Ulistic helps the Calgary business community do more.  We teach you how to succeed with your online marketing and target market your message to those who will engage with your Calgary business.

Want to chat about ways our team can help you.  Drop Stuart Crawford a line at scrawford@ulistic.com today or call 403.775.2205.

At South Country Kitchens their approach to Calgary custom kitchen design has created more than just rooms – it has created a reputation for:

• Beautiful, Functional Kitchens
• Exceptional Service
• Very Happy Homeowners

As a Alberta-based family owned business, they understand how important the kitchen is in your home. They work closely with you to translate your needs and ideas into creative and highly functional kitchen designs. Whether your project is a new custom kitchen design or home improvement, they are committed to providing your family with skilled product guidance, expertise in design, and professional installation of your kitchen.

In addition to our specialty of highly functional kitchen design, they also design custom cabinets for media centers, home offices, libraries, baths, wet bars, closets and any other area of your home. They serve all areas of Southern Alberta including the greater Calgary area.

With an outstanding reputation for integrity, reliability and creativity in Kitchen design, South Country Kitchens has been built on customer referrals from our many satisfied customers. From first sketch to last installation they offer fine cabinetry for a lifetime of living.

September is rapidly approaching and Calgary Internet Marketing firm Ulistic is ready to go with a new set of social media, search engine optimization and Internet Marketing courses.  Ulistic’s training courses are specifically designed to train Calgary business on how they can take care of their own social media, SEO and general Internet Marketing.

Invest a day and walk away with an arsenal of strategies you can apply in your business immediately.

Calgary Search Engine Optimization Workshop – September 22nd – 8:30 to 4:30

Join the Ulistic team for a full day workshop designed to show you the ins and outs of search engine optimization and how you can do it for yourself.  Having your business found online is a critical part on your entire marketing strategy.  During your day with Ulistic, David West will share with you what you need to do now that enables your business to found online.

Register Now – Course Investment – $397.00 per person.

Calgary Social Media Workshop and Business Course – September 30th – 8:30 to 4:30

How does your business use social media?  Social Media brings a tremendous amount of uncertainty to the Calgary business community.  How do you measure social media effectiveness?  Where do you start?  How do you know it works?  Stuart Crawford, your local Calgary Social Media Consultant will share a number of effective strategies on how your Calgary business can use social media and get results.  Stuart will share social media in a new light and show you more than just Facebook and Twitter.

Register Now – Course Investment – $197.00 per person.

Join Ulistic throughout the fall for a number of Internet Marketing courses designed to help your Calgary business leverage the power of the Internet.

For more information contact Ulistic at 403.775.2205 or visit http://www.ulistic.com.

I think it is safe to say that the Internet is here to stay.  Unlike 10 years when stores were moving online in the search for big payoffs todays Internet is about connecting, efficiencies and the odd shot of fun thrown in and from your home, the coffee shop or at work.  The Internet entertains and allows us to work.

Many Calgary businesses are turning to the Internet and the applications available online to help reduce the costs of technology in their business and increase efficiencies.  Applications delivered online to Calgary business are available to accommodate any business challenge or need.  As an added plus, these services, many are available at little or no cost can save you thousands of dollars in software costs and technology support.

One of the solutions we have started to use is MindMeister.  MindMeister is a no-cost software as a service for business here in Calgary and across the globe.  MindMeister allows teams to collaborate, share ideas, brainstorm and even manage projects without the need for complex pieces of software.  Ideal for those businesses who simply need a basic project management solution or a place to simply get the ideas recorded and out of your head.  MindMeister can help your business immediately.

Want to share a particular project with someone?  Access is a simply email address away.  Invite your team members or those who are part of a project and that is it.  All they need is their web browser and an Internet connection and they are off to the races.  MindMeister is the ideal solution for teams of any size.

Collaborate in real-time or at anytime.  Work with your laptop, desktop, iPad or mobile phone and access your mind maps from wherever you are.

Want to learn more watch this great video.

A Tour of MindMeister from MindMeister on Vimeo.

Calgary Roses for $5.00/Dozen – Minimum two dozen purchase

August 18, 2010, while supplies last.  Mark this in your calendar right now!

Every year around this time this Calgary Business Professionals member and Calgary Flower Shop bring in thousands of roses for their customers at a REALLY great price!  Your Calgary Roses and Flower Shop will have assorted colors available. Each bundle of 25 roses only has one color. When ordering please have a first, second & third choice as they tend to sell out of their colored roses quickly. These roses will not be processed. They will be kept in their wholesale bundles. That is one of the reasons why they are able to sell them at such a low price. We will have instructions on how to clean and take care of them.

Greens & babies breath will be available in $10 packages.

This is a pick up special but delivery will be available for $15 per address.
Have all your co workers order with you, for one delivery fee.

Please call your Calgary Flower Shop (403.569.2023) early to guarantee roses will be available for you.

Velda and her team are happy to have served you in the past, and they look forward to continuing to meet your floral needs.

Velda Paynter
Grower Direct Fresh Cut Flowers

4606 17 Avenue SE
Calgary, AB
403.569.2023
http://www.veldasgrowerdirect.com/
veldas@growerdirect.com

Would you like to meet other business professionals in Calgary?

Looking to build your professional business network?

The Calgary Business Professionals Network holds a regular social event monthly at the Rusty Cage Voodoo Lounge on Heritage Drive where many business professionals come together to network, meet others and start down the path of building effective business networks.

Interested in joining us?

Come on August 18th at 4 PM until 7 PM (or later) and start to build your business network without the stress of lead clubs or forced networking.

Register now – Business Networking In Calgary.

Calgary Business Success Story – Calgary Braces Specialist – Dr. Cory Liss.

There are a several great Calgary Orthodontists out there, but where do you turn for the best in Calgary braces?

Where do you turn when you need orthodontic care in Calgary, Airdrie or throughout Alberta?

First you need to do your research.  There are a several different types of braces that you can choose from as well?  SureSmile, Invisalign and of course the favourite traditional braces?  What works for you and your needs?  There are many things to consider and having the right Orthodontist who understands your needs is critical.  Make sure you choose wisely.

One Orthodontist in Calgary who is doing some great things helping those in need of orthodontic care is Dr. Cory Liss.  Cory’s practice, in the Crowfoot Shopping area in NW Calgary and in Airdrie.  Cory has been working with braces in Calgary for a several years and specializes in some of the leading forms of orthodontics.  Cory works with children, teens and adults from both of his office locations.

Check out Cory’s website at http://www.corylissortho.ca and his blog at http://corylissortho.blogspot.com.

Call today for your appointment at 403.287.0746.

As a Calgary Social Media Professional being connected and ready to serve the needs of Calgary business when called upon is not a luxury but a must for our small Calgary business.

I truly value my time out of the office and I truly love being a road warrior.  Travel and seeing new parts of the city, province or country and when we combine this with the opportunity to serve Calgary small business plus business across Canada and United States is what truly gets me up every morning.  This is what our team at Ulistic is all about, service and making sure our clients get the right social media advice, search engine optimization and online marketing consulting, education and result their business craves.

Being based in Calgary but being able to cover the needs of North America helping small business (managed service providers, real estate professionals and general small business) is a job that starts early in the morning and finishes late in the day.  This is why mobile Internet, mobility and the right tools to round out our mobile office is essential.

Who said the Internet would cut down on travel? I would like to meet this person.  You know you travel a lot when the staff at the Maple Leaf Lounge know you by first name.  Business in North America still requires the “human element” and this sometimes requires travel from time to time.  If it is a quick trip across town or a flight across the country, we still need to meet people and thoroughly understand their needs and embedded our services into their organizations without any hiccups.

What does my portable office look like?

• Mobile Phone – My mobile smart phone is an essential part of my portable office.  Having the correct plan is also essential.  Having freedom to work from anywhere is crucial in my business where clients can call on us at anytime with any need.  A great mobile phone with a flexible plan is essential.
• The Right Laptop – I use a MacBook simply because it works without a hitch and if I have an issue with it, well I can take it to any Apple Certified repair shop and get it fixed.  Having the right equipment is very important whether it is a MacBook or DELL Latitude laptop running Windows 7, you need to have something that work and works for you.
• Cloud Technologies – Ulistic is a firm that teaches people to leverage the Internet therefore we need to have access to technologies no matter where we are.  The right cloud solution is just as important as your mobile phone or laptop.  There are many great solutions out there, do your homework and get one that works for you.
• Mobile Internet – Last but definitely not least is having the right mobile Internet solution for our business needs.  Hotels, Airports and Coffee shops offer Wi-Fi however for me, I need something fast and reliable.  I often turn to my Mobile Internet device.  Having mobile Internet provides the reliability that this road warrior requires every single time.  I may forget my phone or my server maybe down, but without my mobile Internet, I would be disabled.

No matter where you work you need to right tools to do your job.  For this Alberta-based road warrior without my tools…well I would be lost and lose my competitive advantage.  What would hurt the most…I wouldn’t be able to serve my clients and take care of them.

Join us for a no cost Calgary marketing business Webinar on August 17.

Ulistic, a leading Calgary search engine optimization, social media and online marketing firm invites you to take part in their upcoming webinar on August 17th at 11 AM Mountain Time.

This 40 minute session internet marketing webinar we cover the fine line between Social Media, Social Circles and the impact these user contributed websites have on search engine optimization.

David West, Senior Advisor and Partner at Calgary, Alberta based Ulsitic will discuss the state of social and search as it is today and theorize the future when social influences will potentially impact search results. Every business owner needs to have some understanding of social media and search engine and how social search results will influence your potential customers.

About David West

David began working with Internet technologies initially as a freelance website programmer. He later formed a full service website design and development company in Calgary, Alberta. David has employed Internet Marketers, Designers, Programmers and Project Managers to work together to create dynamic and effective websites. He firmly believes that quality traffic to a website is better than quantity and uses a “coaching” approach to collaborative development of an online strategy for all Ulistic business clients. David positions his clients for success online.

Title: Where the Roads Cross Between Social Media and Search Engine Optimization
Date: Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Time: 11:00 AM – 12:00 PM MDT
Register: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/426743328

Minglejet Inc. is pleased to announce the beta launch of Minglejet.com, the newest global social networking experience.

Minglejet.com is the only website that seamlessly combines travel with social networking. Mingle and connect with friends as well as plan, organize and share upcoming events/trips with an advanced calendar system complete with drag-to-select events and a robust invite system. Users can book cheap flights, hotels, car rentals, buy concert/event tickets and so much more.

More Information

Minglejet.com features easy to set up user profiles. Users can upload photos to their profile page and add or invite friends by using the “Find a Friend” tab. Minglejet.com users can send friends messages, write on their profile page wall or make comments on the community chat. By using the “update your status” feature at the top of the user’s profile page, users can let their friends know how they are feeling or what they are doing. Users can view the status updates and profiles of their friends on the home page or by clicking on “My Network” while logged in.

Minglejet.com has many features to ease travel and entertainment. The “My Calendar” allows users to add vacation, concert and event details into their Calendar. Users can easily invite friends to trips/events using an invite feature or simply tell them of an upcoming trip/event. Users can make upcoming events public on their profile page and share these dates and details with friends. Other features include finding and booking flights, rental cars and hotels/resorts, which are accompanied by hotel reviews from Trip Advisor, making it easier to find the best hotels.

Minglejet.com also features a full concert and event database through Ticketmaster.

Minglejet.com’s home page features a forum with Community Posts, Travel Stories, Travel News & Reviews and Upcoming World Events. Users also have access to an extensive Restaurant database to find restaurants and share reviews of restaurants they have visited. Minglejet.com also provides users with current weather forecasts to help plan for the weather at your designated travel destination.

Minglejet.com is the next global social networking experience connecting friends, family and business colleagues worldwide.

About Minglejet:

Minglejet.com is the only website that seamlessly combines travel with social networking. Mingle and connect with friends as well as plan, organize and share upcoming events/trips with an advanced calendar system complete with drag-to-select events and a robust invite system. Users can book cheap flights, book hotels online, car rentals, buy concert tickets and so much more.

- – source

When: Wednesday September 1, 2010
Where: Coast Plaza Hotel, 1316 – 33 Street NE, Calgary
Registration: 7:00 am to 7:15 am
Event Time: 7:15 am to 9:00 am
What: Networking, Hot Breakfast Buffet and Presentation
Ticket Price : 35$ in advance, 40$ at the door

Everyone has a computer therefore everyone has access to Google. Is your business googleable? Are you searchable in today’s online world? Do your products have an exceptional name on the Internet?

Tip 1 before you even show up at this event, get Googleable!

Sales Professionals must understand and begin to leverage the power of the Internet. We must figure out how we can use the Internet to build our brands, create awareness and become the trusted resource so desperately needed in our communities.

Right now, your prospects are researching YOU on LinkedIn and Google. What will they find? Do you know exactly what’s being said about you and the products you represent? During this session you will learn how to become googleable and work on bringing attention to your firm and your efforts.

Stuart Crawford is a Social Media consulting professional based in Calgary, Alberta. Each week Stuart works with sales professionals. small business and the hi-tech community allowing executives, business owners and professionals to understand the powers of the Internet and why your personal brand is crucial, especially today.  All things being equal people will do business with those they know, like and trust.  Are you contributing?

Stuart is going to share with you some tips and tricks you can put to use now and help use your personal brand balanced with the company brand and help protect the overall good name of your business online. This is a breakfast event you can’t afford to miss! 80% of success is just showing up, are you ready?

To register for this event go to www.CalgarySalesProfessionals.eventbrite.com

Tweet this message for a chance to WIN a BlackBerry from Ulistic and TELUS.

Click here to tweet this

As an entrepreneur, where’s the first place that you look for business and tech advice? Online? A Friend? A Mentor?

What if a small business owner could visit a nearby store and speak to someone in person, one-on-one, to learn about the latest product solutions, industry insights and receive valuable advice that caters directly to that person?

First of its kind in Canada, TELUS has launched the new Calgary Business Centre to serve the unique needs of small business owners. The new store offers a specialized sales force and hosts free customer sessions where entrepreneurs can learn how to grow their business.

Three great things for YOU:

1. TELUS has opened this new business centre that’s perfect for you;
2. TELUS is holding an event mainly for media on August 12th. Ulistic Partner, David West, will be in attendance and we’re offering one of our local followers the opportunity to join him;
3. On behalf of TELUS, I am offering the chance to win a TELUS BlackBerry® Curve™ 8530.

To win the Blackberry Curve and the opportunity to attend the event as David’s guest, follow Ulistic on twitter @ulistic and the 40th person to re-tweet this message using hashtag #ULISTIC will win both!

PRIZE WHEN YOU TWEET – Click here to tweet for your chance to win a BlackBerry Curve

• BlackBerry® Curve™ 8530
• Retail value – $349.99
• Specs if interested: http://www.telusmobility.com/en/ON/blackberry_8530/index.shtml

Have you ever pulled a Ron Wayne?

Have you ever pulled out a partnership and quit before you truly achieved success?

Have you ever quit something because of your fears?

Ron Wayne quit Apple because he didn’t want his own personal finances affected because of Apple and their debts.  Ron Wayne sold his 10% interest in Apple Computers for $800.  Today it would be worth $22 Billion.  Tough lesson on working through your fears and never quitting.

You are one of the masses, the 5500 or so Calgary REALTORS® all shooting for the same thing.  More buyers for the listings you have one the market today.  How do you separate yourself everyone else all gunning for the same top ten spots on the first page of the Google Search Engine Rankings without breaking the bank or blowing your marketing budget.

Maybe you have heard the hype around social media?  Yes, there is a tremendous amount of online hype with little or no substance to the claims for fame.  What can you do now in your REALTOR® business to leverage the true power of online marketing and prevent your business from being another statistic in the online hype world?

Here are five tips to help you win more opportunities online:

1. Your website - It is the focal point of your online business.  All roads lead home and this is where you want your web visitors and potentials buyers/sellers to learn more about your business and the value you bring to the community.  Your website needs to convert potential and qualified prospects to clients and eventually raving fans.  Look at your site, do you have your telephone number listed on the front page?  How about clear calls to action such as “Sign up for my real estate news”?  Is your website complex and hard to navigate? If so change it.
2. Do you have a business blog? Not a free one at WordPress or Blogger but a blog that extends your brand and your reputation.  A great business blog is not that expensive and when done correctly can give you that precious “Google Juice” to help your REALTOR® business hit the first page of the search engines.  Blogging takes a firm commitment, it takes effort and it takes time.  It is not something you set and forget.
3. Social Media – It is more than just Facebook and Twitter.  Forget about Facebook and Twitter, they are important but social media extends far deeper than just these services.  Have you thought about LinkedIn?  How about leveraging Social Media News and other social media type activities that aid in creating ”Google Juice” plus put you as the expert in your client’s eyes.  Think deeper than just Facebook and Twitter.
4. Video – “A picture says a thousand words and video says a million”.  If you do not have a video strategy in play now, you are missing a huge opportunity to reach the market with a serious impact.  How can you use video to create a solid connection with market?  Stop and look around, what do you see and what can you share through the camera?
5. Tagging - I am not talking about tagging your post with keywords.  I am taking about simple bar code technologies that uses smartphones such as Blackberry and iPhone.  Tags allow those who see your Real Estate signs on a front lawn to use their phone to get more info on that listing.

Online Marketing for REALTORS® is hard work.  To do it right you must practice frequency and extending your brand across multiple platforms.  It takes time and effort and it is not for everyone.  However, those who understand where their target audiences hang out online and know how to reach them….well, the sky is the limit.

Need help…contact me

A key employee stuck in traffic, sometimes for up to an hour  is a daily occurrence here in Calgary.  How is their overall performance?  Do they have to work longer hours to make up for the time stuck while commuting?  Are they happy?

Are your employees spending more time on freeways, expressways and city streets instead of sitting in their office taking care of business?  What could happen if they just needed to walk to their home office and connect into the workplace?  How can this improve the overall efficiencies of your company?

This doesn’t need to occur plus your key employees are asking for the ability to work from outside the office when needed.  But, we continue to build more and more skyscrapers and monthly budgets for downtown parking continues to rise.  Maybe your employees are battling crowds on the subway or local transit.  The frustration your employees go through during the daily pilgrimage to their cubical in the sky is unbelievable.

When our Calgary winter hits us with snow storm or even our freak summer weather hits the Stampede City, does this impact your business or can your employees easily connect into the office and work like normal.

Stuck in traffic and unhappy employees doesn’t have to happen.

Technology has advanced to where business can allow many of their employees to work from outside the office and meet the security needs of the company.

Security has been a major hurdle and perhaps the main reason organizations haven’t fully jumped on board with telecommuting.  Security is now in place and business executives and corporate IT can rest knowing that their information workers are connecting into the office in a secure fashion.

Where can a business turn for more information on telecommuting?

Chris Brogan started a blog on Telecommuting at http://workshifting.com, Chris along with his peers share vital business information for the owner and employee looking at maintaining professionalism while working from outside the confines of the office.  Today’s business community has started to embrace the reality that any place is potentially your new office.  The local coffee shop or your living room can become an office and increase your business overall productivity.

WORKshift Calgary is a leading initiative by Calgary Economic Development and offers business cost saving calculators and other information designed to help business understand how telecommuting can attract the best talent to your business and how telecommuting can help your business save money.

Michelle Damico, a Chicago-based communications specialist recently commented in a leading blog about her journeys in downtown Chicago and why telecommuting is important to keep up her work/life balance.

“I commuted to various downtown Chicago and suburban jobs, traveling up to 4 hours each day in a train or car. I hated it. It took me away from my family and made me a stranger to my local community.”

Your key employees are looking for balance in life.  Work/Life balance is high on almost everyone’s life plans and requests from their work.  The ability to allow your top team members to fulfill this goal in their life will help in getting your best employee’s engages and keep them around for a long time.

How can you enrich the life of your key employees?  Offer them the ability to work from home or from outside the office.  I am sure you will see immediate results and have a much more productive and efficient workforce.

If you need help, our team at Ulistic can offer real-world advice and recommendations to make sure your employees are productive and efficient using Internet Technologies.  Call us today at 403.775.2205.

The mayor race is heating up right here in the Stampede City.  With a month or so left of summer those running for the “king of Calgary” seat is well underway.  Will the King’s throne go the way of a Queen with Barb Higgins of CFCN fame throwing herself into the “King of the Ring” Battle Royal for the throne?

There is no doubt a number of quality individuals seeking your precious vote.  There are a number of factors to consider when selecting the next Mayor of Calgary.  Make your decision wisely.

Calgary Blogger, Frank Allen asked the most important question that I have seen so far, due diligence? Frank raises some great points and the need for a hard-nosed person filling the throne.

When it comes to selecting our next Calgary Mayor who will you back and who do you think will do the right thing for our city?

Leave us a comment and let us know what is on your mind.

The Calgary Energy Service Meetup Group’s goal is simple. Bring like-minded professionals who service the Energy Services sector together to network with one another and build solid relationships that matter.   This networking group has regular social events at Brewsters in downtown Calgary where a number of energy sector folks are meeting up to network and share business ideas.

Their membership base encompasses a broad range of product and services and you should reach out to these people to meet them or ask the about possible business arrangements.

If you have any question, please feel free to contact Chris Hamilton via their group website at http://www.meetup.com/The-Calgary-Energy-Services-Meetup-Group/

Check them out if your business serves the oil patch.

Business Event on Social Media in Calgary…come and see Stuart Crawford, Calgary Social Media Professional talk about sensible marketing strategies with social media.  Stuart has a no-nonsense approach to online marketing and doesn’t believe in filling it with fluff.  Social Media Marketing must generate business or why are you doing it.

What: Social Media – a Powerful Marketing Tool

When: Wednesday, September 8, 2010 7:30 AM

Price: CAD10.00 per person

Where: Quality Inn University
2350 Banff Trail NW
Calgary, AB T2M 4L2
403-245-4115

Register for this breakfast event at http://www.meetup.com/CFPC-Meetup/calendar/14234039/

Where can you turn to list your business online?  The Calgary Business Professionals Group has an answer for you.  List your Calgary business online today at no-cost to your business.

Great for your Calgary search engine optimization strategies plus many other reasons, but it is simply a way for you to get your name out to the public.  Online Marketing is one of the essential strategies to market your business in Calgary and now our business networking group has another option for you.

List your business now, click here to continue.