Tools of the trade
Microsoft’s Free Real Estate Resources

The software giant’s free business tools include step-by-step articles and easy-to-use templates for your marketing and prospecting.

REVIEWED BY KELLY QUIGLEY

MicrosoftOffice.com

You may not realize that you have access to a plethora of free business tools through Microsoft Corp. if you already use Microsoft Word, Microsoft Outlook, or any of the other software programs in the company’s Microsoft Office suites.

At the Microsoft Office Web site, you’ll find templates for creating calendars, crafting marketing materials, and best of all, business tools geared specifically for real estate professionals. Anyone can access these tools, but you won’t be able to put them into use unless you have the relevant Microsoft software, such as Word or Publisher. If you don’t use Microsoft products, you can still benefit from articles on topics like work/life balance and improving your online presence. Here are links to some of the most valuable tools found on this Web site:

• Managing Real Estate Client Communication. In real estate, you can’t afford to miss a beat when it comes to keeping in touch with past customers and managing your current client base. To make that job easier, tap into this collection of articles and templates created solely for that purpose. Use a Word template for writing a Real Estate Client Introduction Letter or creating a Real Estate Client Communication Plan that will help you proactively manage your client relationships.
  
• Tools for Real Estate Agents. Microsoft has made this page its hub for all things real estate. From here you can link to resources for Promoting Your Real Estate Web Site, or access a template for the Introduction of a New Salesperson and Creating a For-Sale Flyer. There also are a number of resources to improve your general work skills, including Tools for Time Management, Tools for Making Presentations, and Tools for Work/Life Balance.
  
• Clip Art and Media. If you want to spice up your marketing materials or add a decorative touch to your newsletter, browse this vast collection of clip art and media. A search for the term "real estate" turns up more than 30 pages of results, including images of homes, real estate practitioners, and for-sale graphics. You also can find images of skylines, handshakes, and other real estate-friendly motifs.
  
• 7 Steps to Successful Real Estate Marketing on the Internet. Trying to get your name out on the Web? This article spells out what to do for a more effective online presence, from owning your own domain to incorporating the Internet into your listing presentations. The content is authored by Saul D. Klein, John W. Reilly, and Mike Barnett, principals of InternetCrusade, which operates the e-PRO designation course for the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.

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REALTOR® Magazine Online's Web review editor surfs the Internet to find sites useful to your business and off-hours lives. Have a favorite real estate Web site that you would like to see reviewed? Send your suggestions to mediatech@realtors.org. All decisions on which sites will be reviewed are completely at the discretion of REALTOR® Magazine Online's editorial staff. Please note: this column does not review individual practitioner or brokerage sites.

The columns focus on free sites, as well as sites that charge for goods and services but still offer a free component of practical, sustained value to real estate practitioners, such as a free newsletter or industry news.
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