Advanced Access June 2002 Newsletter

June 2002 Newsletter

The day of the sun is like the day of a king. It is a promenade in the morning,
a sitting on the throne at noon, a pageant in the evening.
- Wallace Stevens

The summer season is typically a busy time in real estate. With the kids out of school, many families want to be moved and settled in to their new home before the new school year begins again in the fall. As summer is a season of moving and changing, it's also a great time for you to check out some of the 350 styles available to you in our NEW Classic Package.

The summer template shown above is just one of the many "seasonal" website styles from which you can choose in the NEW Classic Package. Best of all, it's so easy to change the look and feel of your website instantly online. When you're ready, you can change your "look" once again with the click of your mouse. We're always adding new style choices to our repertoire, so be sure to check back often to see what's new and exciting.

If you haven't upgraded to the new Classic Package and would like more information before deciding whether or not it's right for you, please contact your Account Executive.

Summer Solstice - a Time of Energy and Renewal
Time to Renew Your Commitment to Internet Marketing

Recognized as a time of high energy and the beginning of new work cycles, the Summer Solstice is celebrated this month (June 21) in the northern hemisphere. The Summer Solstice is the longest day of the year, and the time when the sun is at its highest point north of the equator. The word solstice is Latin and means the "sun stood still." Before and during the solstice, the sun appears to rise and set at almost exactly the same places. Many civilizations recognize the solstice as a time when the energy from the sun reaches its peak.

Celebrate the spirit of the Summer Solstice by affirming your commitment to your Internet Marketing program. Last week's marketing tip discussed the evolution of many search engines to the "Paid Placement" model, and outlined several different programs to achieve greater exposure on the Internet. Every week you receive a marketing tip from your Account Executive via e-mail. It's been proven that our clients who read their marketing tips and put them into use are those with the greatest success on the Internet. We keep all of our marketing tips on the Advanced Access website for your review, and invite you to check them out when you get a chance.

Some of our BEST Marketing Tips are those with success stories from our valued clients. If you have a website or Intellicards success story you would like to share, we would like to give you a free month of hosting. Please send your success story to us at info@advancedaccess.com

Advanced Access already offers a multitude of choices for promotional banners to highlight your listings through the ListNOW program. Taking it a step further, by popular request we're pleased to introduce our new "Create your OWN Banner" program in ListNOW. In addition to choosing from the banners we've already created for you, you can now create your OWN banner - complete with a large selection of color choices - quickly and easily in your Virtual Office.

Use your imagination with our new program to create your own banner designs to showcase your listings on your website. The Banner program is a FREE upgrade, and is now active in your Virtual Office. If you are interested in learning more about the new Banner program, please contact your Account Executive.

When we began our small web design business in 1998, our primary concern was your complete satisfaction with our level of service. Four years and over 12,000 clients later that priority is still number one - and the number of employees who server our customers has continued to grow. Our commitment to do "whatever it takes to ensure your success" is backed by dedicated Design Specialists, Account Executives, Design and Administrative staff who are here to serve your Internet needs.

To keep up with our rapid and steady growth, we have been hiring more customer service representatives than ever. In fact, we now have over 50 people dedicated exclusively to customer service and/or support to ensure your success with your Internet marketing program. As we become a larger company, it's more important to us than ever to maintain our high level of service. Our growth would never have been possible without the support of our loyal clients across the country, and we thank you sincerely for your business.

In the April newsletter, we announced our Website Check-Up program, where your Account Executive will be giving you a phone call to provide a thorough review of your site, and provide you with ideas and suggestions to make your website the best it can be.

We're pleased to announce that our new Check-up program has been extremely well received by our valued clients. Our hard working Account Executives truly enjoy talking to our clients, and especially appreciate your positive feedback. Here are a few of your comments:

"Thanks so much for your personal phone call yesterday. It came at a most advantageous time when I was considering how I might make better use of my web site. I loved your fresh ideas, and look forward to working with you on implementing them to the highest and best potential.

With appreciation,"

Mary Ann Lord, CRS,GRI,CRC
Keller Williams Realty

"Chris, this should get me totally up to date for now -- I'll talk to you within the week to upgrade to the Classic site. You have been extraordinarily helpful, you have given me more advice than I have received in the entire time since I signed onto your company's services.

Remember, if you have any questions, comments or suggestions, your Account Executive is only an e-mail or phone call away.

MARKETING YOURSELF and your BUSINESS on the Internet has never been more intriguing than it is today. The evolution of "Paid Placement" and "Bid for Keyword Search" services has created an exciting new market for the savvy real estate professional. It's simple: if you can capture the power of Internet marketing you can create more exposure for your website, and accordingly, more INCOME potential for your business.

Some of our clients have told us they have trouble finding the time to implement all the great marketing ideas we send you every week. To that end, we are pleased to announce the formation of our new Premium Internet Marketing Service division. Designed to save you time and increase the exposure of your website on the Internet, we offer THREE LEVELS of marketing promotion. YOU choose the level which best suits your personality, marketing requirements and budget.

Please be advised that Advanced Access still provides our regular and consistent submission services to the search engines. In addition, we send you a valuable Marketing Tip each and every week - designed to help you make the most of your website and increase your exposure on the Internet. Our new Premium Marketing Service is a comprehensive service that extends above and beyond our normal submission services.

If you are interested in learning more about our Premium Marketing Service Division, please click here, or contact your Account Executive.

This is significant news: For the first time, the Internet caught newspapers as the primary media resource for consumer home searches and surpassed newspapers in many key real estate marketing categories, according to the 2002 Survey of Home Buyers and Sellers, which was released recently by the National Association of Realtors.

The survey also found that for the first time, the method consumers used to first learn about homes favored the Internet. In 2002, 8% said they first learned of their home on the Internet, compared to 7% from newspapers. This figure doubled for the Internet from 2000 and has doubled in every NAR Home Buyers and Sellers survey since 1996. The figure for newspapers declined 1% from 2000 and has declined 2% overall since 1996.

The survey showed that virtually all methods used by real estate agents to market homes, including yard signs, newspapers and home magazines, and even word of mouth from friends and relatives, declined in the 2002 survey - except the Internet. The Internet was used by 53% of agents as a marketing tool, rising 14% from 2000.

The NAR survey proves that there's never been a better time to make the BEST use of your website and e-mail marketing program.

Advanced Access has scheduled server maintenance on Sunday evening, June 30th between the hours of 7:00 pm - 12:00 pm, Pacific Daylight Time. There may be a brief interruption in service at some time during the maintenance cycle. The utmost care will be exercised to ensure minimal disruption. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.

On July 4, 1776, America claimed its independence from England and Democracy was born. Each year on July 4, Americans celebrate that freedom and independence with fireworks, barbecues, picnics, and gatherings with family and friends. We invite you to celebrate this upcoming holiday with clients and prospects by sending out one of our colorful and attractive Intellicards designs. There are several patriotic selections in the "Multimedia" category from which you can choose.

We at Advanced Access would like to thank you sincerely for your business, and wish you and your family a safe and happy Independence Day. Happy Birthday, America!