Magic Tricks Made Easy

Old Sacramento is a very popular tourist destination and is better known for its cultural heritage. This place has a very interesting history that stands testimony to the splendor of Sacramento. After the sudden gold discovery at the foothills around the Sacramento River, the region flourished. It soon became a primary trading center for gold miners. However, the new city was consistently threatened by floods and finally, in 1852, the city was washed away by devastating floods.

The 1960s witnessed major renovations undertaken to restore its past glory. Over the years, Old Sacramento has flourished, to become a major commercial hub for different businesses. Old Sacramento is a national landmark today and boasts of fifty-three priceless historic buildings. Due to its remarkable history, cultural value, unique dining and shopping experience, Old Sacramento has become the rich man paradise. Thousands of rich and affluent people visit Old Sacramento to rediscover its rustic grandeur and experience its magic. Despite its name, this place offers modern amenities to provide comfort and luxury to its rich and elite guests.

After its revival, Old Sacramento greatly improved its infrastructure, making it easily accessible. With a market, docks, water taxis, delightful excursion cruises and exciting waterfront restaurants, it has managed to grab the attention of the rich and the famous. Old Sacramento takes pride in its year-round event calendar and attracts more than five million visitors every year. Visiting Old Sacramento at the time of the Gold Rush leaves a lasting memory of the place. The main events include the Sacramento Jazz Jubilee, Bridge-to-Bridge Waterfront Festival, New Years Eve Fireworks Spectacular and the Pacific Rim Street Festival.

However, the biggest attraction for music lovers around the world is the jazz festival. The nightclubs and cabarets are very popular among the rich people visiting Old Sacramento. Old Sacramento is also a favorite getaway for young couples.

Old Sacramento is famous for its glorious museums that speak volumes of its golden past. The Discovery Museum Gold Rush History Center showcases some of the finest artifacts and objects that are truly captivating. On the other hand, the California State Railroad Museum offers a unique experience to visitors through its extraordinary exhibits of restored trains and other artifacts displaying rail history.

If you are looking for non-stop entertainment, then Old Sacramento is the place to be. The Eagle Theater has a record of being one of the oldest entertainment venues and continues its tradition even today through the presentation of lively plays. In the past, a horse-drawn carriage was exclusively the privilege of the rich. While in Sacramento, the rich can relive this experience by taking a ride in a horse-drawn carriage. The other options include cruising on a riverboat and enjoying a pleasure ride on a steam locomotive train, along the breathtaking Sacramento River.

The rich and the famous can enjoy some of the worlds best cuisines in the majestic hotels of Sacramento. With over twenty restaurants, visitors are guaranteed of the finest dining experience. These restaurants are apt for all occasions, business or romantic candlelight dinners, overlooking the pristine river.

With such an unusual blend of the old and the contemporary values and lifestyle, Old Sacramento continues to appeal to the aesthetic tastes of the rich around the globe.

Kris Koonar
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/visit-old-sacramento-83339.html

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Hey every 1 ~
does ny one know how brad makes a red cloth appear from his hand in the INTRODUCTION video of Ellusionist street magic course ??

plz help ppl, where can i learn it or buy the trick ?

Actually, it’s a kind of fake plastic finger… you shove the cloth into it, while it is in your left fist…. and then slip it on and most people don’t notice it.

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The Inn at Little Washington in Washington, Virginia has consistently been rated one of the top ten little hotels for years. There are no signs to point you in the right direction, but when you see the white building with flags flying you will know that you have arrived at the Inn. A stately Dalmatian with a string of pearls around its neck will greet you as a member of the staff takes your bags leading you to a little alcove for refreshments of biscuits and Herbal Tea.

The smiling face in the portrait of Brillat Savarin, from the 18th century, hangs high above the fireplace seeming to give his approval. Through French doors is a lovely courtyard with tables lovingly set with crystal and silver, giving you a hint of what is to come. The stunning collection of art and antiques, flowers everywhere, sumptuous fabrics and wall coverings tantalize the eye.

The delectable little Inn, established in 1978, was the creation of Patrick O’Connell and his partner Reinhardt Lynch. Just for some reassurance of this quality Inn, it was the first enterprise to be awarded five stars for their accommodations and five stars for its restaurant from the Mobil Travel Guide. AAA awarded the Inn its highest rating, the 5 Diamond Award, for both accommodation and food. It is the first Inn ever to receive that award from AAA.

The brilliant London stage and set designer, Joyce Evans, created the gorgeous 15 bedrooms and suites without ever coming to America. Almost all of the furnishings where purchased in England. She then numbered each item and shipped them to the Inn. Once at the Inn they were put together like a giant puzzle. The suites are two stories with balconies and views of the beautiful gardens.

Recently they added the Mayors House. This lovely accommodation has a private courtyard, two fireplaces and the bedroom has a beamed ceiling. The Inn adds just the right touches to make the magic of the place. Huge bouquets of flowers will fill an armoire in the reading area of one of the rooms. Or a canopied sofa will be covered in exotic fabrics in vivid colors. Every single room is unique and beautiful to the last detail.

It is like a dream when you step into the dining room. Absolute pure luxury awaits you. Each table is very romantic with silk lampshades in a rose color floating overhead. Reinhardt Lynch is the host and he keeps a watchful eye as Patrick’s dazzling creations arrive at the 30 cozy tables. If you can believe it, each course outdoes the last one. The Sommelier will marry a wine with your ordered meal from the wine cellar containing over 14,000 bottles of wine. The Herald Tribune as dubbed this restaurant one of the top ten restaurants in the world.

Craig Clairborne has honored the Inn with the classification of the best in the world. Patrick, while classically French trained, believes in healthy, imaginative meals or as he puts it, “the cuisine of today.” For the past 14 years the Zagat survey has rated it number one in all categories.

The Inn installed a new kitchen in 1998 and many refer to it as the most beautiful kitchen in the world. There is an enormous Vulcan range that was built to order in France topped with a huge hood of brass. They even have two tables in the kitchen which they call the inner sanctum, where patrons can watch the action.

The service at the Inn is impeccable with an eye to detail. Travel & Leisure readers always rate it as the world’s best. You can partake of breakfast in the sunny Terrace room by the garden or have it sent to your room. A wonderful touch is that the staff will pack you an exquisite picnic and map out a scenic route through the countryside where you can view some of the best scenery in the country. Just make sure you return in enough time for the afternoon tea.

The Inn at Little Washington has won top honors from all the organizations that judge food and accommodations. They have been consistent, year after year.

Just across the street from the Inn is a recently renovated old tavern that was built in 1740. No longer a tavern it now serves as The Inn Shops. There are 5 beautifully decorated rooms that offer everything from tableware to delicacies from the Inn’s kitchen. All of the 5 rooms retain their original identities from the 1800’s. Food provisions of all sorts are offered for sale in the old kitchen. Things like jellies and jams or spices. The original dining room offers glassware and china. The old general store has become an art gallery. In the old Tavern Room you can choose from period pieces, silver or pewter.

The Inn at Little Washington is a must see. When you are in the Washington, Virginia area why not treat yourself and be a guest. You won’t be sorry.

This article may be distributed freely on your website and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links and the resource box are unchanged.

Mary Hanna has traveled the world by Air and Ship while writing eBooks, Software Reviews and Practical Articles on Internet Marketing, Cruising, Gardening and Travel. Visit her websites at: http://www.CruiseTravelDirectory.com and http://www.CruiseGold.com You can read more of her articles at http://www.ArticleBazaar.net

Mary Hanna
http://www.articlesbase.com/hotels-articles/one-of-the-top-ten-little-hotels-is-the-inn-at-little-washington-76166.html

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If you are undecided about where to take the kids for a family day out, ask them! There is a good chance that Walt Disney World will not be far from their thoughts. This is a must visit place for any child, young or old, the ultimate in theme parks, and absolutely massive!!

Walt Disney World includes an amazing two water parks, four mini-golf courses, a shopping area but most interesting of all for the kids, four theme parks. This family orientated World is a child’s dream, but what do you visit first?

Magic Kingdom

Set in an amazing 107 acres, the Magic Kingdom is split into seven different lands, which include Main Street USA, Fantasyland, Tomorrowland, Liberty Square, Adventureland, Fronteirland and Mickey’s Toontown Fair. A truly great variety of entertainment for the kids, which is based on the original Disney Land Park. Something the kids will never forget!

Epcot

The Epcot Park is split into two different sections, Future World and World Showcase. The Future world consists of various areas dedicated to energy, space, environment, imagination, technology and the automotive industry.

The World Showcase represents 11 different nations, giving the children a view of different foods, entertainment and aspects of life in other countries. The children will find it very educational, but fun at the same time.

Disney-MGM Studios

This is perhaps the ultimate dream for the kids, a movie themed show park where they have every chance of running into their favourite Disney characters. Add in the thrill of the vast array of rides to hand, and you could be spending some amount of time here! Make sure you bring the refreshments.

Animal Kingdom

An interesting blend of traditional Zoo, together with a few exciting rides. There are a number of highlights to the Animal Kingdom, but the Jeep Safari is a must before you finally leave.

What more can you say about Walt Disney World? Not to be missed.

Jay Sanders
http://www.articlesbase.com/advertising-articles/the-ultimate-theme-park-walt-disney-world-orlando-69457.html

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New Jersey is blessed with many scenic attractions, and with its relatively small land area, many of the scenic attractions can be experienced during a short weekend trip. With so many scenic destinations to choose from, we have chosen the best scenic weekend getaways in New Jersey.

From the rugged Kittatinny Mountains along the Delaware River in the northwest Skylands, to the rolling farmland and historic sites of Hunterdon County, and across the state to the Jersey Shore with it’s fantastic beaches, amusements piers, boardwalks, and charming Gingerbread Victorian homes, New Jersey offers a wide choice of scenic destinations for travelers of all interests from active adventure to a slower paced relaxed destination.

The Best Scenic Weekend Getaways In New Jersey

Cape May
Cape May is an ideal place to visit for that special scenic seaside weekend getaway. This beach resort town offers beautiful, powdery sand beaches, a charming village with Gingerbread Victorian homes, gas-lit street lamps, horse drawn carriages, tree lined streets, and an historic light house. To complete the weekend getaway experience, there are a variety of Victorian bed and breakfasts, quaint shops, and fine dining restaurants that appeal to all tastes. While the summer season is the most popular time to visit, Cape May has become a year round attraction offering seasonal programs, candlelit house tours, and a variety of other cooler weather activities.

Cape May is also the home of one of the largest commercial fishing ports in the United States, and as a result you will find a good variety of seafood restaurants that serve up locally caught fresh sea food.

Things to do
If relaxing on the beach is not your thing, there are plenty of other activities that can occupy your day time leisure hours. They include; bike riding, with many bike rentals available locally by the hour or day. Cycle down to Sunset Beach or the Cape May Light House built 1859 and listed on the State and National Registers of historic places, or the nearby Bird Observatory operated by the New Jersey Audubon society. There is picnicking, beach walking at sunrise or sunset, where you might see schools of dolphins swimming by, whale and dolphin watching boat trips, kayaking in the salt water marshlands, a salt marsh safari, deep sea fishing, a nautical museum, and an historic W.W. II coastal defense gun emplacement.

Places to Stay
The Albert Stevens Inn – Located within walking distance of the Cape May Point Lighthouse and the Cape May Bird Observatory.

The Bedford Inn – A Victorian home with gingerbread trim, a block from the beach, has a large old-fashioned veranda with rocking chairs, and a Victorian parlor with a fireplace.

Victoria B & B – A Victorian home with home made quilts adorning the beds. Located in the center of the historic district and a block from the beach, it has four Victorian buildings with front porches and sitting parlors.

Hunterdon County – Clinton/Frenchtown/Lambertville/Sergeantsville
Hunterdon County is a special scenic destination with rolling farmlands, historic sites, and charming towns. Featured here are the towns of Clinton, Frenchtown, Lambertville, and Sergeantsville. All are small charming towns with surrounding rural scenic beauty that can easily be seen during a weekend getaway.

Clinton nestled in the hills, is a classic American small town that has attracted photographers, movie makers, and visitors here for its scenic and historic beauty. It’s a charming historic village with shops and cherry tree lined streets, a river with a 200 foot wide waterfall winding through it, and lined with old grist mills.

Things to do
Hunterdon Museum of Art – A contemporary art museum located in an 1836 stone gristmill listed on the National and State Historic Registers. 908-735-8415

Red Mill Museum Village – The most photographed spot in New Jersey, is situated on 10 scenic acres next to Clinton’s waterfall. The museum is just steps across the antique iron bridge with over 40,000 artifacts and chronicles more than 180 years of Hunterdon County history. 908-735-4101

Clinton Canoe & Kayak Rental – 908-735-6767

Ken Lockwood Gorge, Califon – From Califon down to High Bridge, the Raritan River cuts through a beautiful scenic gorge straddled with huge boulders.

Places to Stay
Courtyard Lebanon – A new hotel with spacious rooms, a small heated pool and a complimentary breakfast.

Holiday Inn Select – Within walking distance to the downtown shops.

Frenchtown is an undiscovered secret that is attracting visitors with its many three story multi-colored Victorian homes, art galleries, antique shops, clothing boutiques, and restaurants, all surrounded by rural scenic rolling hills, a river and historic sites.

Things to Do
If you chose to make Frenchtown your overnight base for exploring Hunterdon County, rent a bike at Freeman’s bike shop and ride south along the D & R Canal towpath, stopping in at Stockton, then continue on to Lambertville. Return to Frenchtown by way of Route 29.

Check out Alexandria Balloon Flights – 908-479-4878.
View Frenchtown’s romantic sunsets from a hot air balloon. See fantastic views of the river, the riverbanks, and the rolling hills.

If its summer, rent an inner tube at Delaware Tubing, 908-996-5386, for a leisurely float along the Delaware River. Check out the Sand Castle Winery for tasting and tours

Places to Stay
National Hotel with dark wood beams, beds draped in mosquito netting.

The Widow McCrea House, a Victorian inn with antique guest rooms and a candlelit gourmet breakfast.

Lambertville is Hunterdon County’s only city and is popular with visitors attracted to its quaint town with tree lined streets, Victorian homes, antique shops, clothing boutiques, art galleries, and restaurants. Its five block downtown area along the Delaware River attracts window shoppers and browsers.

Things to do
If you chose to make Lambertville your overnight base for exploring Hunterdon County, and you have your own bike, head North to Frenchtown on Route 29, and return south along the D & R Canal towpath, stopping in at Stockton.

Lambertville Historical Society – The Marshall House with 1834 furnishings, a Shad history display, and quilts.

Magic Glass Studio – Create your very own one of a kind glass piece at their unique studio.

The Museum At Holcombe-Jimison Farmstead – where you can see old farming equipment, a country kitchen, a rural post office, Dr. Leaver’s doctor/dentist office, a blacksmith shop, a print shop, a carpentry shop, and a period herb garden.

The River Horse Brewery – is the area’s only microbrewery producing handcrafted lagers and ales. Take a walking tour of the kegging and bottling operation and sample products in the tasting room.

Places to Stay
Chimney Hill Farm Estate – This fieldstone country inn was built in 1820, and is surrounded by eight acres of fields and landscaped grounds.

Inn at Lambertville Station – The cities largest bed & breakfast is family friendly. Its three stories with most rooms
The In having a view of the river.

York Street House B & B – A Victorian home with a front porch and wooden rocking chairs and a candlelight breakfast.

Sergeantsville is a small village that resembles Pennsylvania’s Amish Country with its rolling hills, open farmland, and the State’s last pre-20th century covered bridge, and an old fashioned general store.

Things to Do
Drive through the last pre-20th century covered bridge in New Jersey, and stop by to visit an old fashioned general store.

Northern Skylands
Here you can experience New England scenic beauty without leaving New Jersey. The Northern Skylands Region is rich with mountainous terrain, riverfront towns, state parks, farmlands, wildlife, bed and breakfasts, and plenty of recreational opportunities. This is an area that has some of New Jersey’s best cycling, fishing, tubing, canoeing, and camping.

The Upper Highlands Region of the Skylands, from the east at Ringwood State Park, west to Vernon Valley, and south to the glacial lakes remnants of the former Morris canal, and North to the New York State border, it attracts more annual visitors than Yellowstone National Park. It is a beautiful scenic panorama of forests, sheer cliffs, and a scattering of open areas of lakes and streams. This area is popular for down hill skiing, snowboarding, camping, trout fishing, hiking, and golf.

The Ridge and Valley region of the Skylands covers the extreme Northwest corner of the State and the Kittatinny Mountains. The region is very popular with outdoor enthusiasts. It has the highest point in New Jersey at 1,803 feet and attracts active visitors seeking camping, hiking, skydiving, cross country skiing, snowshoeing, and fly fishing.

Things to do
High Point State Park
The view from High Point Monument, at 1,803 feet above sea level, is a spectacular panorama covering three states of rolling farmlands, mountains, forests, rivers and streams. The park also contains an 18 mile section of the Appalachian Trail. It’s an all season park for attracting visitors for mountain biking, horseback riding, hiking, swimming, fishing, cross country skiing, ice fishing, dog sledding, and snowshoeing.

Stokes State Forest is 15,996 acres of scenic mountain views and a beautiful section of the Appalachian Trail. The rugged terrain makes the forest a popular area for mountain biking, hiking, fishing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling, horse back riding, swimming, and camping.

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area borders over 40 miles of the Delaware River and almost 70,000 acres expanse of scenic beauty, breath taking cliffs, and a 1,400 foot deep, 900 foot wide gap that separates New Jersey’s 1,528 foot Mt. Tammany and Pennsylvania’s 1,462 foot Mt. Minsky. It’s a popular place for back packing, hiking, biking, canoeing, camping, cross country skiing, picnicking, horseback riding, and fishing. For the less active, take a one-day auto tour of the park and experience waterfalls, rural scenery, and historic Millbrook Village.

Skylands Manor and New Jersey Botanical Garden at Ringwood. Spend a couple of hours wandering through the 96 acre gardens with over 400 varieties of lilac. Take a stroll though the woodland paths of magnolia walk, and crab apple vista, with a visit to the elegant Tudor-style manor house.

Franklin Mineral Museum at The Franklin mine is a zinc mine known for its unique display of mineral fluorescence, (glowing rocks) and variety of rare species. They have thousands of mineral specimens on display with a huge fluorescent presentation of brilliant and glowing colorful minerals.

Places to Stay
The Inn at Panther Valley – Is a beautiful large full service Inn, ideal for some one looking for a weekend getaway inn with plenty of amenities. Located 20 minutes from the Delaware Water Gap, in the heart of the Northwest NJ Skylands, it has a modern fitness center, shops, restaurants, and nightly entertainment. They also support corporate retreats and weddings.

Alpine Haus Bed and Breakfast Inn – Located next to Mountain Creek Resort in Vernon, this 19th Century Victorian Inn has eight well-appointed, cozy rooms all with private baths. There are two Carriage House suites with fireplace and Jacuzzi

Crystal Springs Resort – The new Minerals Hotel features 175 rooms from luxury to the Presidential suite, all with attractive mountain, pool or golf course views. Many of the rooms have cozy fireplaces. It also offers the regions best fine dining restaurant.

Frank Dalotto
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/best-scenic-weekend-getaways-in-new-jersey-119030.html

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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XHbYTm8U1v8&feature=related

I cant seem to find it , I brought david blaines street magic dvd , but it was not on there

Thanks

Funny dude!

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Cheap Discount Vegas Vacations, are there such a thing? When people think of Vegas they think of spending money and gambling. The thing is that you don’t need to spend a fortune planning a Las Vegas vacation.

Here are a few best kept travel secrets for finding the best room rates and cheap hotels in Vegas.

Plan your Las Vegas trip during the week rather than weekends. Decide how long you want to stay in Vegas for. Many hotels offer lower room rates the longer you stay. Many of the downtown casinos and hotels are cheaper than accommodation on the Strip. Look into hotels that are not on Las Vegas Boulevard. They have bargain room rates.

If you are staying for a week then ask what the weekly room rate is. Plan your Vegas trip well ahead to get the best rates. Most Vegas hotels have an incredible 90 percent occupancy rate. An incredible 63 percent of Las Vegas visitors book at least two weeks in advance. Look out for hotels offering a free night if you stay for three or more nights in Vegas. Book your hotel on an airline website.

Download Travel Axe where you can search around 20 websites to help you find the cheapest Vegas deals.

TIP: If you call the hotel with your Travel Axe deal they will usually try and beat their offer. Check to see if your planned trip coincides with any major conventions or popular events, etc, on at the same time. If a convention is on at the same time it could be impossible to find a room. Some conventions have attendees of more than 50,000. Here are some conventions and popular events to look out for:

January – Consumer Electronics Show
February – Men’s Apparel Guild in California (MAGIC)
March – NASCAR
April – National Association of Broadcasters, World Series Poker, Clark County Fair and Rodeo, Fremont Street Mardi Gras, City of Light Jazz Festival
May – Networld + Interop (high-tech), EA Sports Supercross, Cinco de Mayo, Summer Jam, Stars, Cars & Guitars Motorhead Festival, Jazz in the Park
June – Jazz Festival, International Truck Show
July – Fourth of July Fireworks
August – MAGIC, Newport Pacific Jazz Festival
November – Softbank Comdex (software and high-tech)
December – National Finals Rodeo

It’s a good idea to contact the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (3150 Paradise Rd., Las Vegas, NV 89109, PHONE: 702/892-0711, FAX: 702/892-2824) to find out who or what will be in town at the time you’re planning to visit.

It is possible to plan a cheap, discount Las Vegas vacation that will cost you next to nothing. Everything from cheap hotels, cheap airfares, cheap car rental. By spending a little time improving your knowledge about your Vegas vacation destination you can end up saving hundreds on your trip – and having more money to burn.

What are you waiting for? Sin City is calling you!

Karin Manning
http://www.articlesbase.com/travel-articles/cheap-vegas-vacations-how-to-get-the-best-room-rates-in-vegas-60673.html

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I now want to find a good street magic site..but they all suck…i’m just starting but i learn quick….EASY 10 POINTS!!!

Finding solutions to magic tricks is about knowing what to search for.

One small site featuring videos and some solutions is: http://www.magicsir.com/category/close-up-tricks/

Here’s another site with 10 tricks revealed:

http://ei-am.blogspot.com/2007/01/top-10-magic-trick-tutorial-videos_21.html

The following 2 links are the trick, and its solution, respectively:

This one is about Levitation:

Heal and Seal Soda Can – preformed by David Blaine, then the answer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jei1uBFyafU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46ms3rIsKkc

-many tricks have variations to it’s solution. In this example, fire can burn black soot onto the can giving it the same effect as black paper, which can be rubbed off.

There was a 5 part series called, Breaking the Magicians’ Code: Magic’s Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed. If you can find those videos, you’ll be entertained for 5 hours but many of those solutions are for stage acts and lesser for street tricks. I cannot provide you with a link to those 5 videos as they have been deleted but the title may give u a lead to begin your search.

Some current famous magicians are:
Cyril Takayama
David Blaine
Criss Angel
YouTube their tricks to learn the name of a trick that interests you, then google the trick with additional words such as ‘revealed’, ’solution’ or ‘answer’
All these tips should keep you occupied for some time.

Assuming you want to learn tricks for free, the above are some methods. You can also search your local library for books or run another search to learn basic techniques used in magic. With the basics, you’ll be able to invent a handful of your own acts.

As a last resort, which will cost you, try a local magic store or a site that will sell you solutions.

Best of luck!

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If you haven’t been stuck on a deserted island for the past year or so, you have heard the talk of the real estate bubble losing quite a bit of air. The downturn to this market has drastically affected real estate companies in their never ending quest to stay profitable. In the spirit of the all mighty dollar, here are 10 quick tips for broker/owners to help maintain their bottom line.

Tip 10: Keep Your Producers, Lose Your Losers

Hold your agents accountable for their production. Keep the good ones, lose the ones that are just wasting their time and your money. What you don’t need is a bunch of dead weight slowing down the rest of your agents. All it takes is a few low producing agents looking for reasons why they aren’t converting, to jump to the conclusion that it is the company to blame. We call these agents “Jumping-Jacks”, these are agents who have hung their license with every firm within 30 miles hoping to find the right match, not realizing that the firm isn’t the reason they are not making money.

Tip 9: A Million Dollar Look Doesn’t Cost a Million Dollars

Too many brokerages let their next-door neighbors son design their company logo and branding. The first foot you put forward to the public is your brand. Website, business card, street sign, fliers, letter head, if you look unprofessional more then likely they will think you are too. There are hundreds of “drive-through” Internet based design firms that can make your agency look like a million dollars for a few hundred bucks. I can guarantee this is the best spent 500 dollars you will ever put into your business.

Good Branding

Houlihan Lawrence www.houlihanlawrence.com

Home One Realty

www.homeoneonline.com

Falcon Living

www.falconliving.com

Poor Branding (sorry)

Montana Real Estate Brokers www.mtrealestatebrokers.com

Carolinas Metro Realty

www.carolinasmetro.com

Dwell

www.dwelltexas.com

Recommended Design Firms

Logo Works

www.logoworks.com

Logo Bee

www.logobee.com

Logo Maker

www.logomaker.com

Tip 8: Cut Traditional Advertising

If you are still spending over $1000 a month on print, please for the love of god, stop. Don’t get me wrong, print/tv/radio is great at building your brand….slowly. However, you will not see a direct return on investment from traditional advertising. There is no way to say a radio ad that cost $5000 dollars brought in 300 leads and 5 sales, it is just too hard to quantify. If you spent $5000 on Google Adwords to drive traffic to a well designed website with a good CRM (customer relationship manager), you will be able to tell you exactly how many sales resulted from your advertising spend. Broker Wendy Richards of Denver, CO recommends a lead generation system called Realty Generator. They receive a consistant 500 leads a month by spending $3000 on their Internet marketing suite. That results in a lead aqusition cost of just $6 per lead. If you sell 2% of those leads with an average commission of $4,000, that is over $40,000 of quantifiably profit each month.

Tip 7: Office? What Office?

If you are planning to get an office or upgrade to a bigger one. Stop and think. Overhead is one of the biggest killers of a start up business. Unless it is completely necessary, there is really no need for an office in this day in age. There are many places you can meet your clients. Panera Bread is one of my favorites, talking shop over a nice ciabatta and latte is much nicer then chatting beneath the hum of a florescent light.

Tip 6: Get More Out of What you Already Have

If you have a website, you probably aren’t using it to the fullest. If you have a multi-function copier you probably don’t know everything it can do. There are tons of examples of things most brokerages already have that much more profit can squeezed out without any more expenditure. Look at all your assets and try and take advantage of everything they offer. Don’t go out and buy new things hoping that it will be the magic profitability elixir. The truth is Realtors as a whole are notorious for being consumers and most Realtors spend more on making money then they ever actually make. Lean is mean, only spend it if you can see a direct and obvious return on investment.

Tip 5: Keep the Leads Flowing

If you are looking to cut costs, do not cut the lifeblood of any successful brokerages…leads. If anything, refocus money spent elsewhere on brining in more buyer leads. Without customers you might as well close up shop.

Tip 4: Build Solid Relationships

The mortgage broker next door or the title company that stops by each week to chat can be some the best partners in helping grow your business. You can legally join in marketing agreements that are 100% RESPA compliant to help offset some of your advertising budget. Also think of your agents as a partnership. If you pooled all the agents and collectively bought your advertising you can take advantage of the lower prices you get when buying in bulk.

Tip 3: Previous Customers are Loyal Customers

When the market slows down one of the best places to look is to the people who have helped you get where you are today. Drop thank you letters to all your past clients, send them home valuations, or just let them know your there to help. Things happen, people have to move, and it would be a shame to lose that deal cause you were “out of sight, out of mind”.

Tip 2: Take Advantage of Free Advertising

There are TONS of free advertising venues on the Internet. If you have a few extra minutes, you can really generate some serious leads with only a little finger power and a point in the right direction. An agent friend of mine in Hawaii receives over 150 leads a month just from posting on Craigslist.

Here are the most popular sites you can put your listings on and get tons of free traffic to your website: www.craigslist.com, www.trulia.com, www.oodle.com, www.propsmart.com, base.google.com

Tip 1: Don’t Lose Your Listings

In a slower market, a buyers market, many home sellers get quite impatient when their home doesn’t sell within the first few months of listing. You need to make sure you are doing everything you can so the only excuse for the home not selling is the market itself. Homeowners will try and blame anything and everything on you, not on the actual merit of their home. So cover your bases, make sure you market their property everywhere you can and you list it for a reasonable price. In general, don’t take pocket listings, don’t overprice the property, and most importantly set expectation so they know what to expect.

We hope this helps, and remember if there wasn’t bad times, the good times wouldn’t seem so good.

Justin Tracy

Marketing Director

RET Certified

info@retcertified.com

www.retcertified.com

Justin Tracy
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/10-ways-to-stay-profitable-in-a-down-market-124232.html

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You constantly hear it every time you go out or make plans “stop by my house and we’ll pregame then head out”. This clubbing phenomenon has become in itself part of the whole clubbing experience and thus deserves some attention with some pregame and pre-clubbing tips.

Lets face it drinks are not exactly the cheapest thing in a club, in fact you sometimes leave the club feeling violated after a night of drunken credit card spending and ATM withdrawals with 9 dollar service fee’s. So to lessen this problem to a degree we all know the best thing to do is to get a headstart on your drinking at your pregame party. Have a few friends get a bottle or two prior to entering the club, this will help you get a headstart and probably cut your drinking bill by half.

Another tip related to the drinking situation is something that i have learned the hard way. Ask for drink prices BEFORE you order a drink, because as the night progresses and your blood alchohal level rises with every hour that passes you start ordering drinks left and right and when the time comes that the bartender says 15 dollars for the shot you just downed and you reach in your pockets only to feel air you have a serious problem if your friends are nowhere to be found. So always remember ask for drink prices and make sure you have the funds before downing a shot.

When you finally arrive at the club, you have to accept the fact that it might just be a terrible night for the club you have chosen and your better off leaving and going to another spot. The worst thing to do is go to the front of the line and ask a bouncer how it is inside. Do you really think that they are going to say “dont waste your money, it sucks” ?. No they are not, they are going to tell you that its just getting started, or its packed, or the music is great or some cheap excuse to get you inside to make them more business. The most relaible way to find out is just find someone that is leaving and has just walked out the door, stop them for a second and ask them their how it is inside, chances are they will tell you their honest opinion unless they are trying to screw you over or have some fun.

If the case is that their is a line across the street, and you dont have any connections to skip it your next best chance is to start walking up and down it and hope to god you find someone you know. When you find someone start making casual conversation and then get you and your group closer and finally just get together with them in the line, make sure you have conversation flowing the whole time between you both as to not pay attention to other people in the line.

A lot of times you will have people standing outside the club that claim to be the almighty promoters when more then likely they have to ensure they get themselves in much less get you or anyone you know in. Dont ever think a promoter will actually do something special for you if you do not know them, many times a promoter will offer some kind of discount, or say he will make u skip the line only to get you there but when it comes down to it they wont help you out with anything and your stuck waiting in a line. So save some time and dont listen to any promoters magic offers.

Jared Esguerra
http://www.articlesbase.com/art-and-entertainment-articles/the-pregame-84542.html

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