Word of Mouth :: Tim Fisher

We had the pleasure of interviewing Tim Fisher, a recent REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ certificant and Marketing Manager and REALTOR® with ResortQuest Real Estate.  ResortQuest offers real estate sales and vacation rentals in resort destinations throughout North America and Hawaii.

Tim recently completed the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ certification and we asked a few simple interview questions.

1) What is your background?

I’m a licensed REALTOR® and the marketing manager for ResortQuest Real Estate in Bethany Beach, Delaware. We are the real estate sales and vacation rental leaders at Sea Colony and throughout the Delaware’s Quiet Resorts, and we have been for four decades. My primary job for the sales side of the business is getting quality buyers to our talented sales team through comprehensive marketing – direct mail, print and, increasingly, the Internet.

2) Why did you undertake the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ certification?

Business, real estate included, is moving online because that’s where the consumers are. I started looking for a resource that could fill in the gaps in my knowledge of how the Web works and introduce me to the emerging technologies that will shape our business, allowing us to better serve our buyers and sellers. I found it with the REAL ESTATE WEBGRAPHER™ certification.

Using technology effectively, and adopting early in the cases of the most promising developments, means better marketing, more efficient processes and, ultimately, more time to focus on what really matters – providing exemplary professional services to our buyers and sellers. The Web is constantly evolving and continuously offering new opportunities if you know where to look. As marketing manager, it’s critical that I stay engaged. Webographers.com provides a great starting point and an ongoing resource.

3) What are your impressions of the online experience?

The certification program is comprehensive, covering topics ranging from virtual tours to online transaction management to mobile technologies. It discusses both the technologies and their applications, as well as the benefits of their use. While each lesson is targeted to pieces of the technology picture, the theme of a unified Web presence is continuously reinforced by discussing how these technologies and techniques can, and should, be used in concert.

The concepts discussed in the lessons are reinforced by activities using products actually available – making the information learned in the lessons more real and more applicable to the day to day business of real estate. Having that sandbox to play in before completing the lesson was important to solidifying my understanding of the material.

Those looking to improve their grasp of technology and how to apply it to make them more successful will benefit greatly from this approach to learning.

4) How long did it take you to complete the certification?

I completed the training over the course of a couple weeks, dedicating about 20 hours or so to complete all 11 courses, exams and opting to complete all hands-on activities. I had 90 days to complete all of the courses, but once I got started I was hooked and finished it in some pretty intensive bursts.

5) What would you tell those who are considering this certification?

Do it. I was looking for a certification that featured a variety of technology. This one fit the bill. It’s worth the effort even if your goal is just to increase your technology vocabulary.

If you’re intimidated by the rapid advances in technology, this certification will put you at ease because it’s self-paced, the text reinforces the online courses and the activities let you apply what you’ve learned with real programs and applications that are available in the marketplace today.

The Internet isn’t going anywhere and, if the past few years are any indication, it’s going to continue to revolutionize the way we do business, the way we market our services, the way we interact with our customers and a few more things we haven’t thought of yet.

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Thanks Tim and all the Best!