Coming into 2010, you'll see a strong theme at Webographers.com of the REW Certification being the "First Certification" that should be obtained in a Real Estate professional's career.

As of late, we're seeing a rush of the following professionals seeking the REW Certification:

(1) Those Considering a Real Estate License - Those considering a real estate career, are seeking the REW Certification.  We've had numerous calls, inquiries and sign-ups on those about to enter license training.  Q&A with this audience has shown that real estate technology and establishing a consumer-facing web presence is foremost on their minds due to their experience as a real estate consumer...the REW Certification is a part of their business planning for when they obtain their license. 

FACT: Individuals do not have to already have their real estate license to obtain the REW Certification.

(2) Those Obtaining Their License -  Those currently in Real Estate License Classes (Pre-License Training) are a hot group currently obtaining the REW Certification.  Without question, REW Certification is the most desired certification, coming first in their educational pipeline...as it pertains to establishing a "online business storefront, with consumer-facing backend technologies to manage one's business".  Other niche speciality certifications for working with "Seniors", or "Luxury" properties, are certifications as deemed as useful "later" in one's career.

(3) Those Yet to Adopt Technology - Those agents & brokers who have yet to adopt technologies and surround themselves with technology-driven assistants to grow business as a top-producer, are turning to the REW Certification.  This audience is true of the first-year agent, or the 20+ year career agent.   This audience has likely put off adopting new, online business strategies to best work with today's tech-savvy consumer. 

Today's consumer is very choosy about working with professionals who clearly show technology is a competency of their business.  "Wearing" the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER certification, clearly shows a benchmark towards technology adoption and usage.

As it may, real estate technology is now "IN" - whether for (a) marketing and solication purposes or (b) back-end, office operations, now is the time to acquire and "try-out" technologies not previously considered.

The landscape of real estate, technology vendors is maintaining a solid user base in this down ecomony.  Vendors want your business and are willing to do what it takes for agents to give their technology "a go".

Some considerations these days in your next technology purchase.

-- Demo / Trials / Waived Fees - such promotions may be clearly detailed on Vendor websites or require a brief phone call to the "sales extension" of a given company to see what perks may exist.  Whether limited to full-use demo accounts, 30-60 Day Free Trials, or waiving of setup fees, market conditions lend itself to bargain deals if you inquire and show interest. 

During the experience to achieve the REW Certification, candidates have opportunity to "toy" with and demo today's leading products in our Learning Lab.  Purpose of this sandbox is to allow REW candidates to best understand the value proposition to competencies like agent websites, single-property websites, video/virtual tours, but to also make a more informed choice on products they acquire for business use in the commercial world.  Agents should seek to get their arms around 1 product in a given competency like Video Tours, so they may compare and contrast other competitor products in the industry.  Always take the opportunity to demo before commitment to a longterm agreement.

-- Case Studies / Testimonials - I prefer technology companies to tell me a "story" that describes a customer's issues & goals and details how their product came to the rescue.  A story that is personal, candid, full of details that gives insight of how this product has helped peers.  Things like case Studies & white-papers are so critical in understanding how the product was applied in the real world.

Given overall reduced pricing and for agents to best "call the shots" as vendors look to maintain a solid customer base...we at the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER Certification recommend agents and their assistants procure that must-have application that has been put off.  Secondly, a firm recommendation is to purchase products that may not have been considered last year by an agent, as now is the time to go outside-the-box and try-out technologies you may not have considered before.

Is 85% of consumers using the internet enough to change our ways? How about the graph to the left, which if the trend continues, will be OVER 90% in 2009?

Here's the statistic - "85% of the time the internet is used for home searches". This is one of many statistics that comes out every year. However, numbers are just numbers unless they're interpreted, so what does this mean?

Imagine 100 people are looking for a home. 85 of them would use the internet to find their new home. Curious how many people use Real Estate agents for home searches? 85. The same number of people that use the internet.

Here's another fun fact. If you added together the percentages of people who use home books or magazines, builders, television AND billboards, it's still less than the number of people who use the internet. In fact, it's 14% less. Interestingly, magnets, calendars, pens, and park benches aren't even tracked.

The bottomline, when it comes to finding a home, the internet is used as often as real estate agents. In fact, everyone I know that has ever bought a home found it online themselves, and than found an agent who could get it for them. What if you could do that for them? What if your website was what they found instead of the free MLSs out there? What if they found that home on your site? I wonder who they would ask for assistance?

What if there was a technology certification out there that could teach anyone how to create their own consumer facing, online presence? Look no farther, you've found it.

Occasionally you read an article or a comment, and it's so powerful that you can't hep but repost it.  I came across the following reader comment on Inman news on the Oct 2 guest perspective, "Opportunity street is still knocking."

"... Those real estate professionals who decide they are going to make the best of this situation and not complain about it and those who continually educate themselves on the newest trends, use the Internet to hone their networking and marketing skills, (and) do something different to stand out ahead the crowd will reap huge rewards as this market turns itself around, as they have already set the stage for success.

Whether you decide to specialize in short sales, foreclosures, investment properties or you chose to work closely with a mentor or a real estate trainer or real estate coach, the fact is you are chosing to DO something about it! You make your own success, and I totally agree you either put roadblocks in your way or you drive on through to that 'Street of Opportunity.'" --Peter Vekselman

This short two paragraph comment strikes the very core of the purpose and intent of the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER (REW) - that is if you want to better yourself, invest in yourself.

Because of the overwhelming response to opening the doors for trainers and coaches to market REW, this week we take a a real life look at REW Trainer Commissions and Bonuses.

For general information REW Trainers (trainer requirements, commissions, bonuses), see the blog post "Introducing REW Trainers :: Earn Commission & Bonuses" or visit our trainer page.

Let's examine a couple different scenarios:

50 SALES - Let's consider 50 REW sales

50 REWs (at $149 each) = $7,450 in Total Sales

--> $1862.50 (25% Commission)
--> + $750 (Bonus)

= $2,612.50 Check to an REW Trainer

100 SALES - Let's consider 100 REW sales.

100 REWs (at $149 each) = $14,900 in Total Sales

--> $3725.00 (25% Commission)
--> + $2500.00 (Bonus)

= $6,225 Commission to an REW Trainer

50 REW SALES + 4 BROKER PACKAGES

50 REWs (at $149 each) = $7,450 in Total Sales
4 Broker Packages ($3499 packs of 50 users) = $13,996
Total Sales = $21,446

--> $5361.50 (25% Commission)
--> + $4500.00 (Bonus)

= $9,861.50 Commission to an REW Trainer

Remember...50 REWs got you $2,612.50 as shown in first section...adding just 4 broker packages (the "50 user packages") for that month, you sky-rocketed $9861.5

With numbers like these, how could you refuse?

>> Sign-up now! >>

Do you already hold workshops and training sessions with Real Estate Professionals? Are you already a Certified e-PRO Trainer? Maybe it's time to consider adding REW to your trainer offerings and become an REW™ Trainer.  For additional details, keep reading or visit our Trainer Page here.

Become an REW™ Trainer and extend your training offerings while earning generous sales commissions AND bonuses. Sign up now!

Getting Started - 3 Easy Steps

1. Complete Application :: Fill out this form in our Trainer System. (ensure you can meet the Trainer Requirements

2. REW™ Certified :: A free user account will be supplied to you to complete the certification. ((Note their is a $75 registration fee. If already an e-PRO Trainer, email ScottLau [at] Webographers.com as your registration fee is waived.)

3. Sales Domain :: A sales domain like jhicks.Webographers.com is created for you upon completion of the certification.

Trainer Requirements

Trainers should be in good REW™ Certification standing in order to lead by example.

Commissions and Bonsues

Commissions for both single user and broker account sales are 25% of the current sale price and are paid on a monthly basis. See for yourself how much you can earn!

Single User Sales

Commission on a single user account is 25% of the current sale price (including a 15% discount). Commission around $45 each.

Broker Accounts

Multi-User Package - Brokers are billed one time. REW™ Trainers earn 25% commission of the sale price of the broker account.

Monthly Subscriptions - Brokers are billed monthly for 12 months (or the term of the agreement). REW™ Trainers earn 25% commission every month of "Monthly Packages".

Plus Bonuses - Bonuses are offered as an added incentive. If you reach these sales milestones, you get more!

Sign up TODAY!

We all know in the last few months that the blogosphere has grown in staggering leaps and bounds. Many RE professionals have realized that they need a blog, but many don't understand how to maximize the benefits of blogging.

Enter the Advantage Solutions Group's "No Blogger Left Behind" webinar. Labeling it simply as a "webinar" is a huge understatement. Hosted by faculty staff Joeann Fossland (e-PRO, GRI, PMN, ACRE) and Frances Flynn Thorsen (e-PRO, SRS, CEO), "No Blogger Left Behind" is an 8 week, all-inclusive, everything you need to know to become a successful blogger roadmap.

Eight 60 minute webinar / teleconferences discuss everything, from the very basics of what blogging is, to finding your niche, to even earning revenue off of your blog. A downloadable workbook containing live links to blogs as well as the course homework assignments combined with group activities provides for an interactive learning experience.

As an added bonus, all courses are recorded, so if you miss a session, or you are just looking for a review, they can be downloaded anytime.

"No Blogger Left Behind" is a stellar example of not only spreading technology knowledge amongst RE professionals, but also bringing the real value-proposition behind the technology to the forefront.

Today, the National Institute of Webographers, provider of the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ (REW) certification announced Homeminders® as the premier "Closing Gift" technology within REW™. To see the full press release, please click here.

"We are excited to showcase Homeminders® to candidates of the REAL ESTATE WEBOGRAPHER™ certification (REW™). As the industry’s leading provider in home-maintenance, closing gifts, Homeminders® is perfect for real estate professionals looking to continue their relationship with clients well after closing,” said Marc Grayson, president of the National Institute of Webographers. Grayson continues, “Gifting a Homeminders subscription to your clients provides them with an online tool to manage their homes, store and access valuable information, and receive monthly email reminders that help maintain that important asset, their home.”

The Homeminders system simplifies home management by creating a web-based detailed home maintenance plan that covers every facet of a home’s upkeep. It also acts as a centralized storage solution for owner’s manuals, warranty documents, receipts and photo records. Its personalized upkeep schedules and monthly email reminders help homeowners make important decisions about their homes quickly and easily, and manage their contractor/handyman relationships more efficiently.

Homeminders joins the host of Technology Sponsors providing their technology solutions as case study examples to reinforce the technology courses within REW; providing live demonstrations to look underneath-the-hood of today's foremost technologies.

This is the first of 3 articles focusing on what REW can do for the Real Estate professional and how he or she can and will benefit from the addition of these three letters to their name "R-E-W". This week, we will focus on real estate agents, the ones at the forefront of our market.

What REW is not

REW is not a case study in the latest fads, trends and buzz technologies. How do you know what's a fad? Easy, check out your favorite blog or RE news site. There will be a host of articles on the most trendy technologies. I'm not saying the latest trends are ineffective, I simply believe they are not time-proven. That is what separates the successful, and PROFITABLE web-technologies found in the REW certification from the rest.

So what can REW do for Agents? In two words - EARN REVENUE. How you might ask?

1. GENERATE LEADS - Obviously before you can make connections, wow your clients, and close sales, you need to find them. REW answers two questions every individual has about marketing on the Internet: (1) Where do I start? (2) How will people find me? It starts with the basics of a web-storefront and advertising (Agent Websites and Single-Property Websites), and moves on to gaining exposure (and therefore web-traffic) to your site (Lead Generation and Blogs).

2. EARN TRUST and CREDIBILITY - Everyone knows to be successful in sales, you need to earn your client's trust, which ultimately lends you credibility. Clients these days are web-savvy - it's just a fact. They expect salespeople, ESPECIALLY RE Agents - facilitators of probably the most important purchase in their life - to be as knowledgeable if not more.

Picture this - a client finds your Agent Website and surfs your Single-Property Website listings.

a.) Credibility #1 - Without even having to contact you, they can make a decision if you are offering what they are looking for. This may appear negative - trust me, it's not. You will definitely be more successful with clients that reach out to you. Assume they decide to send a request to your email. You respond promptly via your phone or other mobile device because you utilize Mobile Technologies.

b.) Credibility #2- Your client is impressed with your prompt reply. Eventually they engage your services to close a purchase or sales transaction. You handle all paperwork via digital documents online via your PDA or laptop while enjoying coffee with them in the local coffee shop.

c.) Credibiilty #3 - Efficiency, consistency, and ease of the entire transaction. Your client completes the transaction without hardly breaking a sweat and you earn revenue.

d.) Credibility #4 - But it does not stop there. Your client is so satisfied with your service, they refer YOU to additional friends and family. Instant leads are created, and the process repeats itself.

3. IMPRESS YOUR CLIENTS - At one time or another, we have all had to work with a salesperson - whether it be purchasing a new car, or even a coffee maker. Whatever that item is, you have questions and you need answers to make the best informed decision. I'm sure you can remember the salespeople that were truly helpful and in important purchases, you probably would refer them to a friend or relative. Possessing the technology and web-savvy skills to impress and satisfy your clients is what will keep them AND their contacts coming back - whether it is next week or in a few years.

REW is not just another cert you complete and add to your letterhead. It is a lasting reference, providing you with the tools to help yourself. But like any reference, it needs to be utilized. If used properly, there is no limit to the benefits you can attain.

With REW, you work smarter, not harder.