I had an early meeting this morning with Mary Ann Pate – A Timely Solution.

Mary Ann is an organizing and productivity coach. She’s also a friend of my sister, Catherine. My brother, Craig, was also paired up, by coincidence, with Mary Ann at the recent CCAR golf tournament.

After both of my siblings bent her ear about my Internet marketing expertise, Mary Ann decided she better meet up with me before my little sister from the Upper Peninsula in Michigan tracked her down, too.

May Ann Pate and I talked for an hour and a half about her site and how to increase A Timely Solution’s web presence. I think we’ll be doing some business together – web site, marketing, and some cooperative business networking.

Recent surveys show that close to 90% of home buyers or sellers start their real estate search on the Internet.

This is up from 84% just two years ago. When you break down the time of the day that people are searching you notice that it is a 24/7 process; every hour of the day people are looking for homes on the internet with a clear peak in the afternoon.

It is not only crucial that you work with a Realtor who has a presence on the internet; they also need to provide you with the tools to do your research. Look for a 24/7 real estate agent. Our team uses many different websites and domain-names to make sure your property gets worldwide attention and provides you the search tools to find your next home.

Why is the Internet so powerful?

1. Empowerment
2. Convenience
3. Anonymity

Almost 96% of the people searching on the internet are looking for listings and 22% check on community information. It is interesting to note that print advertising has strongly decreased over the last couple of years; right now only 7% of buyers and/or sellers will check the papers or magazines for real estate information.

Last week, we listed a house owned by a professional associated with the real estate industry. He has working relationships with hundreds of local Realtors. You can imagine the difficulty for him in choosing an agent. One of the reasons he chose our team was our Internet marketing program. He told us that the difference between our Internet marketing program and his number two choice was vast.

The Internet is rapidly becoming the most critical element in effectively getting a home sold. The very reason we have a team member dedicated to Internet marketing and promotion.

If you are considering selling your home in Danville, San Ramon, Pleasanton, Alamo, Dublin, Walnut Creek, California - contact Craig to hear about our Internet Marketing Program. (925) 984-4910

I guess it had to happen sooner or later. With all the people we’ve been helping and pleasing with real estate transactions and Internet marketing advice, I’m really not that surprised to learn of this grassroots movement.

If it continues to gather steam, I may have to make other plans for the next four years.

With popular endorsement like this, shouldn’t YOU consider HarperMees & associates when considering real estate in Danville or San Ramon, California?

I will be addressing the CPC Job Seekers group in Danville, CA Saturday on how to advance one’s career possibilities by using free Internet resources. The group meets at Community Presbyterian Church ( 222 West El Pintado, Room #100 ) in Danville, California from 9am to 11:30am.

In today’s competitive job market many professionals continue to ignore the huge competitive advantage the Internet provides for career advancement.

Unemployment in the San Francisco Bay Area has been rising. With the housing crisis problems and rising gas prices adding more stress and complexity to being unemployed, doing all one can do to get one’s resume and name in front of employers is a must.

The last time I addressed a job seekers group, I noted quite a few people in the audience that were former Realtors or mortgage brokers.

This photo is one of the main points I want to address.

This is the short version of a presentation I recently gave to Experience Unlimited, a job seekers networking group that meets weekly in Lafayette, CA. This chapter of Experience Unlimited serves all of Contra Costa County.

8 Simple Tools to Market YOU

The Internet has changed the rules. We can find anything and everything we want by searching on the Internet. People are looking for exactly what YOU have to offer. If you do not have an Internet presence, you can’t be found and are losing out on many opportunities.

Having a significant Internet presence will serve you no matter where your life goes. Do not wait until you are in need to build your online presence, build it now and nurture it.

Here is the #1 thing to remember – YOU Are The Answer.

People are lookiing for you. You need to present yourself, your service, your product as the answer to their needs. Take those great lessons about defining your perfect client and apply them to helping you define YOU as the perfect solution.

Here are the 8 Tools presented:

• Blogging
• Gmail
• Google Base
• Google Alerts
• Google Reader
• LinkedIn
• News Releases
• Ezine/Articles

YOU are the Product, the answer. Millions of people are searching on the Internet to find the answers and solutions to their problems, needs, and questions. When promoting yourself, your service or product, remember – the other is tuned into WIFM – What’s In it For Me? Position yourself as the answer/solution they seek.

Use these simple tools to promote you by:

• Being a Problem Solver
• Offering Expert Advice
• Posing Questions
• Explaining Ideas or Concepts
• Informing Others

If you leverage the power of the Internet effectively, the world will come to you. Remember, You Are the Answer – people are already searching for exactly what it is that you have to offer. The Internet is like a big pond where your promotional activities ripple out into a vast network and then return to you.

When it comes to promoting YOU on the Internet, nothing will serve you better than a blog. A blog is the most powerful resource you can have in your arsenal. It is nothing more than a personal website that serves as your online power base. Here are some of the benefits of blogging:

• You Become an Authority
• You Show Up in Search Results
• Your Knowledge Increases
• Like Attracts Like
• You Present a Personal Face to the World

I am not going to go into all of the details about the 8 Simple Tools to Market YOU, but here is a list of applicable links:

• www.Gmail.com
• www.Google.com/Alerts
• www.Google.com/base
• www.Google.com/Reader
• www.PRLeap.com/
• www.Free-Press-Release.com/
• www.I-Newswire.com
• www.24-7PressRelease.com/
• www.SBWire.com/
• www.SanePR.com/
• www.LinkedIn.com
• www.TheFreeLibrary.com
• www.GoArticles.com
• www.ArticleAlley.com
• www.IdeaMarketers.com

 Remember -