Advanced Access February 2003 Newsletter

Happy New Year! January 2003 Newsletter

"In the year ahead, may we treat our friends with kindness
and our adversaries with understanding."

An Eventful Year… AA Products & Services Released in 2002

2002 was a colossal year for product additions and enhancements here at Advanced Access. In case you missed some of last year's news, the following is a review of the products, services, and upgrades we released in 2002. Our products are designed to help you become more successful in your business, so be sure to take advantage of ALL the fabulous marketing tools available to you in a comprehensive Internet marketing program for the New Year.

To begin the year, we released "My New Home," designed to give your buyers a GREAT reason to send their family, friends and co-workers directly to your website. My New Home allows homebuyers to display their homes on your web site so they can show their family and friends.
In the spring, we added FUN NEW DESIGNS to our Holiday and Event Collection in our Intellicards repertoire.
AA's designers released new banners in our Lifestyles Collection of Image collage. Our designers are constantly adding new and updated selections.
In May, to provide you the control to make changes to your website at any time, we introduced the NEW Classic Package website, with HUNDREDS of design styles from which you can choose. A breakthrough in state-of-the-art Internet technology, with the Classic Package you can now literally "change the look" of your site instantly with the click of a mouse. Since its release, we have over 8,000 clients who are using this new product.
In the summer, we released even MORE design styles for the Classic Package, including seasonal and holiday templates.
A new feature added to ListNOW in 2002 was the ability to design your own Banner to showcase your listings.
The summer of 2002 marked the beginning of our NEW Premium Marketing Service. Designed to save you time and increase the exposure of your website on the Internet, this optional service allows our marketing experts to take care of your Internet Marketing for you.
To improve the speed and capacity of our website hosting service we finished a complete renovation of our server room, and purchased a new "high powered" SQL server dedicated exclusively to our Classic Package programming.
In October, we introduced our NEW & ENHANCED Customer Support Division with expanded hours of service. Our Toll Free Customer Support hotline - 866-518-1571 - ensures immediate response to your telephone calls. Although this change was complicated, the rewards have been faster response time to your telephone inquiries, and more efficient service in general. Read more about customer service later in this newsletter.
In the fall, our new Property Update Center was released, allowing you to create a page for each of your transactions for your clients' review on the Internet. The page is accessible through your website with a unique password - ensuring complete privacy for each of your clients.
And the grand finale - in December, after a vigorous beta testing period we released NEW Intellicards 3.0 - a completely enhanced version of our popular graphic e-mail program. Intellicards 3.0 features a brand new "look", incredible graphics, and MORE categories, campaigns, and designs to make your e-mail marketing campaign a HUGE success.

You ain't seen NOTHIN' yet! Thanks to YOUR feedback (which we always welcome here), we are already working on new ideas for MORE product improvements and enhancements. We'll be keeping you updated through this newsletter and our weekly marketing tips, so be on the lookout for additional products and services to be released in 2003.

To find out how you can use our new products and features to maximize your Internet Marketing plan, please contact us via e-mail at support@advancedaccess.com or by phone at 866-518-1571.

Our Resolution: Continued Commitment to YOUR Success

At Advanced Access, our resolution for the New Year is to continue to bring you the most innovative products and services for the real estate industry, and to back these products with reliable and efficient customer service. We would like to thank you for your business and support, and we wish you a happy, healthy, successful and productive New Year.

An essential element in our commitment to your success is our weekly e-mail "Marketing Tips," designed to give you ideas on how to make the most of your Internet presence, how to drive more traffic to your website, and provide you with resources you can avail yourself of to create more "Link Popularity" to help boost your results on some of the search engines.

If you haven't had time to read your marketing tips each week, start the NEW year right by viewing the previous tips by clicking here! Listed by date and subject for your convenience, these tips are a valuable resource as you plan your marketing strategy for the New Year. Together we can ensure that 2003 is the year of SUCCESS in your Internet Marketing.

Stephen Canale Offers 50% Discount on Tips & Tricks

Stephen Canale, a prestigious National Seminar Speaker, has been in front of thousands of business professionals since he first began his speaking career in 1989. He speaks to and trains sales and management groups enabling them to maximize their sales, marketing and technology skills.

One of Stephen's popular publications is his weekly Technology Tips & Tricks newsletter, designed especially for the real estate industry. Everyone knows it's not easy keeping up in today's world of rapidly changing technology, but here's some help.

If you sign up for Stephen's Technology Tips & Tricks newsletter you'll receive weekly tips on using technology to enhance your business productivity, sales and marketing. In addition, you will be given the option of joining the "Canale-TechTalk" e-mail discussion group, at no additional cost. When you've got a question, odds are that one of the members will have your answer!

Finally, paid subscribers are given access to the Canale Library which contains past "Tips, Tricks & Articles" that are a "must read" for anyone serious about using technology to enhance their business, become more productive and gain "The Competitive Edge" in their market.

Here's what some of Stephen's subscribers say about his Technology Tips & Tricks newsletter:

"For the money, you simply can't beat the information that you provide us via the Canale's Tips and Tricks. I personally like your frank opinions on new software, etc. "We" need a professional that says it like it is -- and you are "the man". - Eva Keagle, ABR, CRS, GRI, ERA - Colonial Real Estate, TX

"Most technology-based writers aim and fire far above their readers' heads, thereby wasting their efforts and frustrating their readers. Mr. Canale will score a bull's-eye with everyone who practices real estate every day and has to face the routine challenge of staying ahead of the competition. You will be checking your mail daily for the next issue." - David L. Banks, Nothnagle Realtors, NY

GREAT NEWS! Stephen has extended a 50% discount offer for a limited time to all Advanced Access valued clients. For two weeks only, until Tuesday, January 28, 2003, you can purchase Technology Tips & Tricks for $14.50 per month, instead of the regular $29.00 per month price. The discount price will be extended for a ONE-YEAR period if you subscribe before January 28, 2003.

Here's how to order your newsletter: Visit Stephen Canale's website and fill out his order form online, or print it out and fax it to his office. To receive the discount, you MUST enter "AA 50% Discount" in either the "Comments" or "How did you find me" sections of the order form. There will be no reference to the special AA discount anywhere in the Canale website.

Our NEW Customer Service System
Guarantees FASTER, More Efficient Service

A few months ago we unveiled our new Customer Service system, which was a HUGE change for our clients and the company. We were confident that you would be delighted with the extraordinary level of service in our new system. Since its inception, we have monitored both the response time and YOUR success with our new system, and were pleased with the results.

During the last month, when you called on our Toll-Free Support Hotline during regular business hours (7 am-6 pm Pacific Time, Mon-Fri), we have answered 92% of your phone calls. That means you only had to leave voice mail messages 8% of the time. In the past two weeks our average has risen to 95%, and our goal is to maintain our average at this level from this point forward.

How long do you have to hold before we answer? In the past three weeks we've averaged 28 seconds to get to your phone call. Our goal is to maintain our average in this category to 30 seconds or less.

Here's what our clients are saying:

"WOW! You've done it again. Advanced Access knows what the words Customer Service are all about and you just keep improving your services. My hat is off to you and your staff." - Jeanette Edwards, Plano TX

"You people are doing a commendable job. I have been evaluating your product and equally importantly, service for the last 3 weeks. The competition is stiff, but I can tell you that based on the overall performance, I have decided to maintain the website with you. It's hard not to be impressed with everyone's ATTITUDE. There must be a pretty good environment over there." - DR Johnson, Maumee, OH

Nothing is more important to us than your satisfaction, and as always, we welcome your comments, suggestions, and feedback. If there is anything we can do to make your experience with Advanced Access more pleasant, please do not hesitate to contact us ANYTIME.

As always, we thank you sincerely for your business and support. Don't forget our Customer Service HOTLINE with ONE Direct Number, and ONE Direct E-mail Address:

Toll Free - (866) 518-1571
E-mail - Support@AdvancedAccess.com

NAR reports Outlook for Real Estate is STRONG for 2003

Great news for the industry from NAR…the final numbers for 2002 are expected to shatter all-time records with 5.56 million existing-home sales and 979,000 new-home sales, up 5.0 and 7.7 percent respectively from the previous records set in 2001, says David Lereah, NAR's chief economist. "The momentum gained from low mortgage interest rates will carry strong home sales into 2003, with an improving economy offsetting modestly higher mortgage interest rates as the year progresses," he says.

Mortgage Rates are expected to gradually rise…Lereah expects the 30-year fixed mortgage interest rate to rise gradually from a current low of around 6.0 percent to 7.0 percent by the fourth quarter of 2003. He projects the unemployment rate to gradually decline to 5.3 percent by the end of this year from a current peak of 6.0 percent. The consumer confidence index is expected to rise from an estimated fourth-quarter 2002 reading of 83 to an index of 119 by the end of this year.

We wish all of our clients a SUCCESSFUL and PRODUCTIVE 2003.

Vince Ferragamo makes TOUCHDOWNS in Real Estate

With the Superbowl coming up later this month, we thought it might be fun to showcase our own football hero client and local real estate office owner, Vince Ferragamo. Vince started his company in Anaheim Hills, California - Touchdown Real Estate - after a successful NFL career, highlighted by a Superbowl appearance.

Vince wrapped up his football career with the Buffalo Bills and the Green Bay Packers, but had his greatest success with the Los Angeles Rams. He set records that are sure to withstand the test of time. Drafted by the Los Angeles Rams in 1977, Vince led the Rams to the NFC West Championship and on to Superbowl XXIV after only 12 games as a starter. Although the Rams were defeated by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Superbowl XXIV remains one of the greatest in the history of that event.

Vince is now a successful real estate professional and a dynamic leader of his team at Touchdown Real Estate. Vince's life and career experience, solid strategy and proven leadership abilities make him one of the leaders in the community. When he's not in the office, Vince spends much of his time in the community working with local charities, such as Alzheimer's Association and the Special Olympics, in addition to coaching youth soccer and football. He is also the founder of the Vince Ferragamo Foundation, created to fund qualified non-profit organizations.

We're honored to count Vince Ferragamo among our valued clients at Advanced Access.

Know Your Domain Expiration Date!

These days, it's more important than ever to be aware of your domain expiration. That's why one of your resolutions should be to get out your PDA or Appointment Book and jot down the expiration date of your domain name. As the owner of your own domain (www.YourName.com) it's also in your best interest to ensure your contact information is CORRECT through your Registrar.

Last week's Marketing Tip outlined the instructions for locating the expiration date of your domain name. Of course, if you have any trouble identifying the information, simply call our Customer Support Department toll free at 866-518-1571 or e-mail us and we will be happy to look up the information for you.

Meet Jeff Menendez … our Featured AA Employee

This month, we're featuring Jeff Menendez from the customer support department. Jeff has been with us since June of 2001 and was recently promoted to a supervisory capacity in customer service. As an accomplished musician, Jeff Menendez understands that talent and commitment are only part of what it takes to make beautiful music - whether he's in an orchestra, ensemble, or working with his valued customers. Jeff has a creative, enthusiastic and energetic approach in serving his clients - and his customers are always his top priority.

Aside from his work at Advanced Access, Jeff has many interests. He plays the drums in orchestras, percussion ensembles, and teaches privately. In his free time he loves to body board, play basketball, snowboard and work out. He has recently been more involved in recording and producing music. Jeff is a sports fanatic who feels that "Sport Center is God sent." A healthy love of the outdoors inspires Jeff to go camping and mountain biking regularly. He also loves to travel, and has been to Hawaii, Central America, Colorado and the Northwest. His goal is to do more traveling in the future, including a backpacking trip to Europe.

Jeff is extremely involved with his church as a Youth Leader and a musician. He enjoys going to concerts and art galleries, and reading for enjoyment. Jeff is also a wine connoisseur and enjoys collecting wine, and wine tasting expeditions to vineyards in Temecula, Washington and Napa Valley.

We're proud to have Jeff Menendez on the Advanced Access team of skilled and enthusiastic professionals.

And finally….a few words from Elizabeth Dole

"Success can come in many areas, such as motherhood, business, or volunteering. It can be finding something that leads you to say "Nothing I ever did made me feel this important."

To our Valued Customers: Best Wishes for a Successful 2003 from all of us at Advanced Access!

Thank you for your business - we appreciate your patronage and support. If you have any questions, comments or suggestions, please send them to us.

** Refer one of your colleagues to Advanced Access - if they purchase a website, we'll add a FREE MONTH OF HOSTING to your existing contract. **

TO DREAM ANYTHING that you want to dream-that is the beauty of the human mind. To do anything you want to do-that is the strength of the human will. To trust yourself to test your limits-that is the courage to succeed.

BERNARD EDMONDS

December 2002 | Back to Main Page | February 2003