Real Estate Agent Working from Home Increases Sales by over 200% Utilizing the Services of a Virtual Assistant from MyOnlineStaff!

The Client

The Challenge

Shortly after the tragic events of 9/11, the residential real estate market exploded with housing in many areas increasing in value from one year to the next by 40% or more.  Competition was fierce, and agents were scrambling to compete.  Our client needed to find new ways to maximize his sales efforts.  Unhappy with his current production levels, he turned to MyOnlineStaff for new ways to achieve a competitive edge over the other agents in his area.

The Solution

Utilize Online Staffing Services from MyOnlineStaff!

• Client spent more than 70% of his time attending to paperwork, making and receiving phone calls not directly related to sales - many times while in the middle of showing a property to a prospect.  A Virtual Assistant was recommended;
• A Virtual Assistant ("VA") from MyOnlineStaff cost a fraction of what client would have paid for an in-house employee
• After a short training period, the VA was able to handle all of the paperwork associated with client's sales.  Additionally, the VA handles all of clients inbound calls, taking messages when client is busy, and forwarding messages to client as appropriate.  When VA doesn't have other work, she calls referrals and other leads for client, and sets appointments for client according to client's schedule, which she manages.  VA is also able to do research for client online, finding restaurants, providing directions for client, arranging flights or other travel arrangements, for personal or business
• Client doesn't have to deal with any of the HR concerns of having an in-house employee, such as benefits, sick-leave, taxes, etc.
• Client doesn't have to house his Online Staff, because the Online Staff is housed in our facilities
• For a very low expense, 70% of clients time was now freed up for showing houses, providing more sales opportunities, and consequently, more sales

• Now that client had 70% more time on his hands, he needed that time filled with more sales opportunities. In addition to the telemarketing done by his VA in her spare time, client engaged MyOnlineStaff to provide a web designer for setting up a website and doing some online marketing, including Search Engine Marketing (SEO), an opt-in email marketing campaign
  
• Within 60 days, client trippled the amount of showings (sales opportunities) he performed, and increased his take-home sales commissions by over 200%!
• VA now works on a regular referral program for clients, earning referrals from each of client's sales

The Results

Why It Worked

As noted elsewhere on this site, while it used to be the case that doing everything yourself was the way things were done in small business, and staying in business while doing everything yourself was a sort of "Badge of Honor"...something to be admired.  However, this is "Industrial Age" thinking.  We are no longer in the Industrial Age.  We are in the 21st century Information Age.  In today's business, companies and business professionals need every advantage technology can offer in order to remain competitive, let alone get ahead.  MyOnlineStaff takes advantage of all of the latest advantages in computer and internet technology in order to provide opportunities for maximum profitability.  Small businesses, and even "one-horse" operations such as that of this real estate agent, with limited capital but big dreams can now compete "with the big boys" with Online Staffing provided by MyOnlineStaff in their corner!