Real You Incorporated Podcast Launched

Kaira Rouda, President of Real Living Realty and author of the book Real You Incorporated recently launched the Real You Incorporated podcast. The channel launches with two audio episodes including an interview with the author of "Never Eat Alone", Keith Ferrazi and an interesting discussion Carrie Runals, co-host of the DivaCast. (Snarks beware). I recently had an opportunity to talk with Kaira myself. We discussed what's up with Real Living, her book, personal branding and more. My interview with her should be added to the Real You Inc. broadcast soon, until then you can check it out in the MLBroadcast at the link below.

Click here to subscribe to the Real You Incorporated Podcast in iTunes.

Click here to listen to my interview with Kaira.

Real Men Read Women's Business Books

Book Report - Real You Incorporated - 8 Essentials for Women Entrepreneurs
Kaira Sturdivant-Rouda - President Real Living

I have a little button that says "Real Men Read Women's Business Books". It cost me $24.95 plus tax and is worth every penny. Why would I pay that much for a button? Because when the author of my latest book report pinned it on my lapel, it was with the agreement that I would buy and read her book. I would have done it without any prompting at all, after all, her company is an MLBroadcast client. That's not the only reason I wanted to read the book. I sincerely admire her business style and feel as if there is a great deal to be learned from her insight and experience. I took the quick trip to the local Barnes and Noble and grabbed the last copy on the shelf a few days ago. I just finished reading it and I have to say I was not disappointed.

When I read a business book I want to feel as if I can take action on the information. The style in which Kaira writes allows you to do just that. The book is broken into two sections and presents a total of 8 "Real Facts" (chapters). A graphic is used throughout that is series of concentric rings that start with the reader in the center and radiate out as the book progresses. At the conclusion of the Real Fact sections are 3 items: Questions to Consider, Action Steps and short biographies of successful entrepreneurs that talk about their experiences and the outcome of their journeys. There were a few times that men were painted in less than a favorable fashion by the women highlighted in the biographies, but I wouldn't characterize it as "man bashing". That was refreshing compared to some of the other similar publications in this category that I have been exposed to before. I found the book to be a very easy and compelling read. I rarely read a book cover to cover that quickly. From practical lessons in personal and business branding to work/life balance I feel as if there are takeaways that I will be able to implement in my own business endeavors.

I would recommend this book to anyone, male or female, that is interested in the entrepreneurial spirit and the process of business success. So there you have it. Kaira, I kept up my end of the bargain. Thanks for the button.

Previous Book Reports From Mike's Corner:
Truth - New Rules for Marketing in a Skeptical World
Movies in The Mind

Be Unreasonable
Citizen Marketers
The Power of Place
The Long Tail
An Army of Davids
Mavericks At Work
Waiting For Your Cat to Bark?
Next Book Report
BuzzMarketing

Nation’s 4th Largest Real Estate Broker To Provide Video Podcasting Services

HOUSTON (Feb. 28, 2007) – Real Living, the country’s 4th-largest real estate brokerage, has partnered with MLPodcast to provide their agent network with listing and community video podcasts. Using existing still photos, listing data and marketing copy, MLPodcast produces high quality music videos with professional voice narrations.

Michael Price, MLPodcast’s president stated: “The relationship we have with Real Living allows any agent or broker to order a video podcast production with little more effort than entering an MLS number in a Web form, along with a few mouse clicks. By connecting our Web services applications together, we have established a solid infrastructure for the creation and delivery of content. It’s an unprecedented vendor-client relationship.”

Video podcasting takes the concept of a virtual tour to the Web 2.0 level by adding the power of broadcasting and syndication. Consumers can gain access to listing enhancements through free subscriptions that push new content to Web browsers, video-enabled cell phones, iPods™ and other video-enabled mobile devices automatically. MLPodcast has also amassed a network of destination sites specific to the podcasting platform. Each client podcast is distributed to this network, which includes Apple’s iTunes podcasting directory, Podcast.Yahoo.com and more. This distribution greatly improves organic and direct referral Web traffic from search engines.

"We are very excited to work with MLPodcast," said Kaira Sturdivant Rouda, chief operating officer of Real Living. "Today's consumers want an experience, and they want it online. With MLPodcast, our agents are able to podcast community videos and property listings - giving the consumer a better view of their new potential home or community and making the agent more marketable."

One of Real Living’s Chicago area franchises, Real Living Helios Realty, is an early adopter of MLPodcast’s service with more than 25 active listings currently hosted in their broadcast feed.

“Podcasting our listings has really given us an edge,” said Joe Magliochetti, principal broker of Real Living Helios Realty. “Today’s market is characterized by increasingly tech-savvy home buyers looking for detailed, on-demand information, so putting these podcasts to work can be the difference needed to get homes sold faster, to the right buyer."
Visit www.mlpodcast.com to find out more about video podcasting for real estate. To learn more about Real Living, visit http://www.RealLiving.com.

Trulia Advisory Board on The Agent Value Proposistion

Trulia recently created an advisory board of industry leaders to help guide their business development efforts. They recently asked each board member the same question and posted their results in a blog post yesterday.

"With property information available across the Internet and new discount real estate services popping up everywhere, how should full service agents reframe their pitch to buyers and sellers to communicate their true value proposition in the home sale transaction?"

The responses were all very succinct and insightful. I would recommend it as required reading for all real estate professionals. Real Living COO Kaira Sturdivant Rouda summed up some of the most important issues

"Key elements agents must be able to master and pitch to clients today include: immediate e-mail response time, a robust personal and brokerage Web site, a blog, a listing search marketing strategy, and online contextual and key word advertising. It’s critical to be where today’s consumers are - and she’s there - online. And the majority are, as always, seeking a professional real estate agent’s help."

Your online strategy can no longer play second fiddle to anything you've done in the past. Bob Peltier - President of Edina Realty stated something I have been saying for years, and it's right on the money

"There is a difference between information and knowledge."

The real estate pro that has mastered information distribution and created the most compelling marketing message regarding the value proposition associated with their knowledge will be the big winners in 2007. I would evaluate my listing presentation and place as much emphasis on your ability to distribute information online as you do on the essential transaction and negotiation skills that set you apart from your competitors.