PropertyManagementMaven: Wallace S. Gibson CPM * GRI (Gibson Management Group, Ltd.)

Posting to Craigslist is a perfect example of a task you may delegate to a virtual assistant, as it is both time-consuming and time-sensitive. Even though the site is free, you want the consistent results you can only be achieved by frequent posting. When you decide to delegate your Craigslist posting, you want assurance that the work will be done right, and done to your specifications.

In Part 1 of this series, Getting Started on Craigslist, we learned a little about the team, a few of our overall goals, and how we market this service to our clients. Read on to find out more about start up and what that entails, and how you will know that your listings are being posted.

The initial start up (or kick off, whatever you want to call it, once you choose to use the Craigslist Team) depends on how quickly we receive and log in your information, and the specifics (day to post/time/number of times etc.) for posting. Once we receive that information, you are assigned the same day to a Craigslist Listing Assistant, so your work can start that week, if your posting day has not yet passed. It is a very quick process, and very painless for our clients.

You really have tons of flexibility on how you choose to have your listings posted. By this, I mean you can pick which day, or days, of the week your listings get posted. Many agents prefer Thursday through Saturday if they are only using Craigslist once a week, but you can choose the number of times your listings are posted up to three times.  Three is the maximum number of times we can post, since we have certain time restraints on when a listing can be re-posted without getting flagged for removal. The Craigslist terms of use state that an item can be re-posted once every three days/72 hours. You can also choose a time of day you would like them posted, but most agents don't have a preference.

Like the Listing Management Team, we have our version of a "grid." We use a very simple email format, which provides a link to view ONE of your listings. The reason we do this is because you can have anywhere from one to 105 listings, and it isn't feasible to send a link to each and every one. (It is VERY time consuming to pull all of those links  - read that as "costly to you."  So, we choose one listing at random, and add that link to the email so you can see how things are going with your listings. These emails go out immediately after postings are completed, and include the total number of listings posted, and by what system they were posted (we will get into that in Part 3). The email is then sent to you AND listings box so it can be audited.

You'll learn how we choose who is on the Craigslist Team, and also about the systems we use, in Part 3 of How Best Agent Business Does Craigslist. Intrigued by the thought of saving that time and receiving additional exposure for your listings?  You should be!

Having your virtual assistant do your Craigslist posting is the perfect example of "working smarter not harder." Best Agent Business is anxious to do this for you. Take 30 minutes today to schedule a call with Steve Kantor to see how a part time virtual assist can transform your business.  Interested in a part time career with us? Visit our website for more information on how to apply.

 

 Best Agent Business

Part Time Virtual Assistants

Steve Kantor, President 

Schedule a call with Steve Kantor at

 http://www.bestagentbusiness.com/schedule-a-call.htm

In recent blogs, we have talked about free marketing opportunities available to agents, particularly Craigslist.  This handy tool has gone far beyond just used furniture sales and is now an important real estate site. Though it is free, posting there still takes your valuable time, so adding your listings to Craigslist is a perfect task to delegate to a virtual assistant.  Best Agent Business can help you get started on Craigslist.

The Craigslist Team at Best Agent Business was split off from the Listings Team to become its own entity, but still communicates with the Listing Management Team.  Steve wanted to have a team specifically dedicated to handling just Craigslist Posts in response to what often happens in real estate offices.  The listing assistant will post the original listing, but it often never gets re-posted, as it get very time consuming to keep up with.  When that responsibility is shifted to us, we free up the time of both agents and their in-house staff, while helping the client maximize exposure.

Our Craigslist team has 8 Craigslist Listing Assistants who currently service 20 clients.  Of those clients, we have one who posts 2 times per day at specified times, one client that we post randomly for up to 3 times per day, and then others that choose to have us post 1-3 times per week.  So our team is equipped to handle the ever changing needs of our clients.  Clients are assigned to a Craigslist Listing Assistant on a rotating and work-load basis.  We are constantly testing and adding new Craigslist Listing Assistants and promoting others to full Listing Assistants so we are always prepared to handle growing client needs.

Some clients ask about Craigslist on their own and we get the ball rolling for them.  We also reach out to new and existing clients about our Craigslist team services:

1. For new clients, we mention on the Client Kickoff Call with the Listing Management Team that our Craigslist service is available.  This helpful service might be worth including in their initial lineup of services.

 

1. On a monthly basis, we review the list of clients who use our Listing Management Team to create a list of all the clients we feel can benefit from the Craigslist Team and email each client individually letting them know of our services.  The Key Assistant is always copied on this email, so she knows what is going on, and is aware that this option has been presented to the client.

 

1. We also approach clients already using Craigslist to advertise their listings, who might like for our team to take that over and manage it for them.  This will free up a lot of their time and promote their listings.  

Keep checking back for parts 2 and 3 of  the Craigslist series.  You won't want to miss the rest of the story!  If you want some creative ideas to help your business or want a cost effective way to put ideas into practice, Best Agent Business is on the job. Take 30 minutes today to schedule a call with Steve Kantor to see how a part time virtual assist can transform your business. Interested in a part time career with us?  Visit our website for more information on how to apply.

 

 Best Agent Business

Part Time Virtual Assistants

Steve Kantor, President 

Schedule a call with Steve Kantor at

 http://www.bestagentbusiness.com/schedule-a-call.htm

We hear lots about Napa Valley in California but Charlottesville Virginia is wine country.

Virginia actually ranks fifth in the United States in wine production.  Virginia wineries stretch across the state.  The Charlottesville area is home to at least 21 wineries producing a variety of excellent wines.  An excellent choice for a lazy summer day activity is wine tasting at one of the local wineries.  A great place to start sampling local vintages is the Monticello Wine Trail.

There are some other Virginia wine trails:

Northern Neck Wine Trail

Bedford Wine Trail

Shenandoah Valley Wine Country Trail

 

 

Contact Pam Dent, e-PRO, SRES, NHD, REALTOR®, Real Estate III, Charlottesville, Virginia at 434 960-0161 to buy a property in the following areas in Central Virginia: Charlottesville, Albemarle County, Keswick, Glenmore, Ivy, Crozet, Earlysville, Free Union, Cismont, Scottsville, Fluvanna County, Palmyra, Lake Monticello, Louisa County, Louisa, Mineral, Spring Creek, Orange County, Gordonsville, Orange, Barboursville, Greene County, Ruckersville.  Email Pam Dent.

View all of the Charlottesville Virginia homes for sale.

View my website Charlottesville Horse Farms or visit my other blog Charlottesville Horse Farms and Country Homes for more information on Charlottesville Virginia horse farms, homes, events and real estate.