New Habits for a New Year
Posted on January 1, 2013 by Don DeRosa
Time and health are two precious assets that we don’t recognize and appreciate until they have been depleted.” ~ Denis Waitley
Wow. What a year! The turkey leftovers are gone. There are just a few pine needles left in the carpet. And your Aunt Miriam, thank goodness, has gone home to Indiana and has taken the fruitcake with her. Now it’s time to reflect.
I don’t know about you, but I reached many of my goals in 2012, and that feels great! Still, I know 2013 will bring plenty more challenges and opportunities. It would be boring, wouldn’t it, if we were completely finished with everything by the end of the year. I mean, what would we do then?
So we carry our unfinished business into the following year. That’s what New Year’s resolutions are for, right? “For every single day of 2013. I’m going to eat just 700 calories and jog six miles!”
For many of us, new year’s resolutions are made to be broken. In fact, for some of us, the best way to make sure something doesn’t get done is to make a new year’s resolution to do it. It’s the kiss of death!
Thankfully, though, we live in the digital age where help is as close as your iPad. So this month, I’ve got two apps to recommend.
Before I tell you about them, though, this is a great time for a quick review about the importance of setting – and writing down – your goals.
Yes. I said write down your goals. Think you don’t need to write them down? Let’s test that. What if I offer you a million dollars to drive to San Diego, California, but with a catch: I’m going to drop you off in the middle of nowhere, on a road without any signs pointing the way. You have three days get to San Diego, but you are not allowed to get out of your car or ask for directions. And you aren’t allowed to use a map. What do you think? Could you do it?
At the very least, it’s going to be really, really difficult to do. You’re probably going to spend the next three hours just trying to figure out where the heck you are.
But let’s change that offer: This time I offer you $1,000,000 to drive to San Diego, but I give you a map and point you in the right direction. It would be a very different offer, don’t you think?
I write down goals every day. It’s a key part of my success both in real estate and in my personal life. I teach my students that goals should be “SMART”: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, and Trackable,
But if all you do is write down your goals and stuff them in a drawer, they’re not going to do you much good. Which brings me to my first mobile app for the year: “Make It Happen!” by Cobalt Techno for iPad and iPhone.
This clever little program is right up my alley. The software is easy to use, and it allows me to plan overall goals, define milestones, and track my progress, too. It even lets me set up monetary goals with specific dollar amounts, so I can save for a vacation or build up private financing for a large real estate deal. With my goals clearly written, updated and always close at hand, I can just about ensure success for 2013.
But I told you I had two app recommendations for January, not just one. I’m also recommending MyFitnessPal. MyFitnessPal tracks exercise, diet, and much more. And because it’s Internet based, you don’t’ have to have an iPad, iPod or iPhone to use it. This recommendation may seem frivolous, but success in every aspect of your life – including your business — depends on maintaining your physical health.
Besides, we both know that even though Aunt Miriam took the fruitcake home, she left behind two dozen of her famous double-dark-chocolate-butterscotch-and-cookie-dough-pecan brownies. And they’re calling to me.
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Calling in the Home Pro
Calling in the Home Pro
Posted on July 1, 2014 by Don DeRosa
“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” ~ Beverly Sills
Poor Cousin Roy. He sure loves a bargain, and he couldn’t wait to show this one off to me. He just bought a property, he said, that would be perfect for a big family. It’s got a sparkling pool! A gourmet kitchen! Four huge bedrooms, and three updated bathrooms!
I was skeptical, because I’ve seen some of Roy’s “bargains” before. But, what the heck, I had some free time, so I was willing to take a look. Maybe I could be helpful.
Well, it turns out the pool wasn’t exactly sparkling, unless you count the sun’s reflection off the black, oily sludge at the bottom. And the bedrooms were huge only if you’re a gerbil. The kitchen had all the extras, all right: a battered old garbage disposal sitting on the floor, a vintage double oven in trendy harvest gold, and – well, who really needs a faucet, anyway? And let’s not talk about the bathrooms. Ever. To anyone.
Now, my readers already know that this is the kind of property I love, because I can make a ton of money on it. But it takes careful due diligence to make sure it’s going to be profitable, and I was pretty sure cousin Roy didn’t even know where to begin.
I asked what the renovation would cost. Roy smiled with confidence. “Exactly $2,542.69,” he said. “See, I found this Internet article on how to renovate a kitchen for under $500. Then, I figure around $1,000 for wood floors. Oh, and $542.69 to put in a new roof. I already figured out the cost of the shingles and everything! You know, I’m doing the work myself.”
“Okay,” I said, weakly. “What kind of roof did you decide on?”
“Green,” Roy said brightly. And it just went downhill from there.
Roy was right about one thing: It is possible to estimate the cost of repairs and renovations. That’s one of the things I teach in my courses and it’s an essential skill for making quick decisions about which properties to buy. But those estimates have to be based on facts, not guesses. And at some point, you and your contractor will have to come up with some real numbers.
This is why I’m so happy to live in the age of the Internet, with so many great tools for investors and contractors. One of my favorites is Home Builder Pro Calcs, developed by Double Dog Studios. This app, which is available for both iOS and Android, has hundreds of calculators you can use for renovations. Putting up a roof? With just a little bit of information, you can figure out in seconds how many shingles, rolls of felt, and even how many roofing nails to buy. Need insulation? Enter your attic dimensions and the weather zone you live in, and you’ll know what kind to buy, and how much. Need to figure out how tall a tree is? How powerful an HVAC system you need? This app will even tell you how long it will take to fill up that grungy swimming pool.
And it’s easy to use, too, so you don’t need to be a contractor to make sense of it. The calculators are organized by subject: electric, plumbing, floors, and roof, for example. In addition to calculators, Home Builder Pro has some really helpful educational guides, like a chart that explains lumber grades, and a pretty good glossary of construction terms. It’s very handy.
Now, don’t get me wrong. An application like this will only help you if you’re willing to put in realistic numbers. As computer gurus used to say, “garbage in, garbage out.” Wishful thinking will get you nowhere. But good data and careful planning can turn a turkey of a house into an eagle.
Hopefully, even cousin Roy will understand this someday. Until then, though, I’ll do my own due diligence. And I’m still not talking about those bathrooms.
Scanners and Thumb Drives and Keyboards, Oh My!
Scanners and Thumb Drives and Keyboards, Oh My!
Posted on May 31, 2014 by Don DeRosa
“The soul never thinks without a picture.” ~ Aristotle
It’s summer! It’s time for gadgets! Last month, we talked about some of the smaller extras you might want to get for your new tablet or smartphone – things like screen protectors and styluses and cases. This month, I’m going to talk about some bigger investments you might want to make in your business’s “infrastructure”: a scanner, back-up capacity, and a keyboard. I’ll also mention a couple frivolous items I just can’t resist mentioning.
First, let’s talk about scanners. Trust me, you want one. Why? Because it’s an essential tool for getting, and staying, organized – especially if you’re one of those people who writes stuff on whatever little piece of paper is close at hand. I used to be like that, and I could never find anything. Now, I scan that piece of paper, or receipt, or business card, or contract, and I save it in an electronic folder. I’ve organized those folders like an old-fashioned filing system, so I can find that little piece of information right away. This allows me to have as little paper in my office as possible. More importantly, the fact that I can find information fast gives me credibility and fosters trust.
Buying a scanner is easier than you think. In fact, there’s a good chance you already have one, because a lot of printers have scan functions, too. Your printer probably lives in your office, and this is very handy . . . when you’re in your office. It won’t do much good if you’re out and about and you want to email a signed contract to your lawyer. That’s why I also have a portable scanner that I keep in my car for just such occasions. By the way, make sure at least one of your printer-scanners can handle more than one page at a time. Mine can scan 24 pages a minute, and I can’t tell you how much time that thing has saved me.
All that scanning, though, doesn’t do you any good if you lose your data. Hey, computers crash. They get stolen. They get lost. You need to keep a spare copy of all your electronic records in a safe place. Remember: It’s not a matter of whether you’ll lose your data. It’s a matter of when. So there’s a second essential you’ll want to have, and that’s a way to back up those files.
There are a few different back-up solutions. The best way is to upload them to the “cloud.” But what does that mean? That term really confused me at first. It just means that it’s available somewhere out there in cyberspace. It’s not tied to a particular computer, so you can get to it from any computer – not just your own. A lot of Internet plans now include some cloud space for their customers.
In order to upload files to the cloud, though, you’ve got to have an Internet connection. What if you’re in a remote cabin somewhere, or you’re meeting with someone who doesn’t have a computer? In a pinch, my favorite back-up solution is the thumb drive. This little marvel is only about two inches long and plugs into your computer. It’s basically a big storage room for computer files. You can download files from your computer onto your thumb drive (or flash drive, as it’s also called), and then you can upload them again later. I have a thumb drive that fits on my key chain, so I’m never without it. I recommend getting one that’s at least eight gigabytes.
Third, you may want a keyboard. Most tablets and smart phones don’t have physical keyboards; instead, the keyboard appears on the screen and you type from there. I don’t know about you, but I can’t type fast on this kind of keyboard. I grew up when keyboards had, well, keys. Computer manufacturers have recognized this fact, and created all sorts of keyboards to go with your computer.
Keep in mind, though, that any keyboard is going to add weight and bulk to your computer. Don’t get one so heavy that you no longer want to carry around your tablet. Assuming you do want to get a keyboard, be sure to try it out in the store. This is especially true if you are used to “touch typing” – in other words, if you type without looking at the keyboard. Some keyboards aren’t much better than the one you see on your screen.
Finally, here are some strange miscellaneous USB gadgets that have come out in recent times: A wireless missile launcher. A disco ball. Hand-warmers. A toaster.
The people who developed these have way too much time on their hands.
Still, you never know when you’ll need a USB missile launcher. Now that I’ve got my business infrastructure in place, I think I need a missile launcher. Really. It’s for my kids. Yes, that’s it. For my kids.
Real Men – and Women – Have Accessories
Real Men – and Women – Have Accessories
Posted on May 2, 2014 by Don DeRosa
Congratulations. You’ve got a new tablet computer! Whether it’s an iPad or Windows or Android – and I’m an iPad man, myself – buying a new tablet is a lot like having a baby: You’re going to want to buy some stuff to go with it. And boy, is there a lot of stuff to choose from! But it’s easy to get overwhelmed, both by the variety and by the potential cost. Where is your money best spent? Today I’ll talk about some basic extras you’re going to need.
You probably bought your new device at an electronics megastore, or perhaps online. You can get a lot of accessories from the same place. Many of them will be cheaper on eBay, but you’re going to want to play with your new tablet right away, and it needs some immediate protection. That’s reason enough to go ahead and buy a couple items right then and there, even if it means paying more.
First, you’ll want a screen protector, because you’ll be messing with that screen a lot, and it’s going to get scratched. Don’t choke at the price. It may well be military grade. Okay, so you’re not in the military, but what the heck, it couldn’t hurt. Be careful putting this thing on. It takes a steady hand and some patience to get the bubbles out.
The second thing you’ll need is a case. These, too, are relatively expensive if you pay retail, but remember: this is an investment in your business. It’s an investment in YOU. Be sure the case is designed to fit your particular brand and model, and that it has protection for both the front and the back of the device. You would think that would be a given, but a lot of cases only protect one side or the other. Think carefully about the features you want – they may not be as practical as you think. For example, you can get cases with built-in keyboards, which is great for some people. But it does add a significant amount of weight, and your little computer needs to be light enough to take it with you everywhere.
Third, get yourself a stylus. You don’t need it for everything, but you’ll be limited to a few applications until you have one. The stylus has come a long way since that little plastic stick you used with your first smartphone. The new ones are shaped and weighted like pens for ease of use. In fact, some of them actually have built-in pens – a feature I really like. The least expensive kind of stylus has a soft rubber tip. It’s a lot like writing in crayon: thick and clunky. It works in a pinch, though, and it’s a good idea to have some cheap spares – a good thing to purchase on eBay. But for everyday use, think about getting an Adonit Jot Pro. It has a fine point with a little clear disk attached. It feels and writes just like a pen, and it’s well worth the extra money.
Finally, make sure you have all the right cables and rechargers you’re going to need. These items may have come with your device, but they’re not always included and you’ve got to have them right away. When you’ve got one of everything, I recommend that you buy additional chargers and cords – cheap – on eBay. Then, keep spares in your car, your home, and your office just in case of an emergency.
Once you have these four things – the screen protector, the case, the stylus, and recharger – you’ll be ready to play with – I mean, train on – your new tablet.
Of course, I haven’t even scratched the surface when it comes to computer accessories. Next month, I’ll tell you about some cool items for your smartphone.
Just one more thing. Remember how I said that getting a tablet is like having a baby? Well, my wife has informed me that getting a new iPad is nothing like giving birth. I guess I’m going to have to trust her on that one. But hey, what’s a little poetic license?
Hungry? There’s an App for That!
Hungry? There’s an App for That!
Posted on April 4, 2014 by Don DeRosa
“Never order food in excess of your body weight.” ~ Erma Bombeck
Gosh, I’m hungry. Hey, I’m all for working hard, but there’s a limit. Ever hear of an acronym called “H.A.L.T.”? Don’t get too Hungry, Angry, Lonely, or Tired. Well, I’m hungry! So this month, I’m taking a little dinner break.
Picture this: You’re knee-deep in grout and dust from working on a bathroom rehab. You’ve been at it all day, and now you’re rushing to pick up your Aunt Mavis at the airport. The only thing she’s had to eat in eight hours is one of those tiny bags of Real Georgia Peanuts they give you on the plane. And you sure don’t have the time or energy to cook. What to do?
Well, in the old days, you’d pick up Aunt Mavis, drive home through rush-hour traffic, thumb through a thick printed phone book for a pizza place that delivers, call in your order, and a pizza guy would magically appear at your door – in about 45 minutes. By now, it would be several hours since poor Aunt Mavis enjoyed her peanut “lunch,” and she might be too weak to eat.
Thank goodness for 21st century technology! While Aunt Mavis is waiting for her luggage, you whip out your iPhone, log into your favorite restaurant app, and in just a few clicks, you’ve ordered dinner. You pick it up on the way home, serve it immediately, and spend the rest of the evening catching up on Uncle Eddie’s medical conditions.
If mobile technology is all about making life easier, it doesn’t get much easier than ordering food online from your favorite quick-serve diner. I order food on my iPhone pretty regularly, and not just for my family, either. Got a hard-working crew that needs a breather? Have pizza delivered. Trying to lure REIA members to a business meeting? Try Chinese food. You get the idea.
I have a few favorites for ordering online, including Chipotle, Domino’s, Pizza Hut, Moe’s, and Jimmy John’s. These places have free downloads, and allow you to register for free membership. Once you’re a member, you can input your address, your payment information, and your favorite menu items. Then you can order with just a couple clicks. Very, very handy. These apps will even find the nearest location when you’re in unfamiliar territory. And better yet, members get great coupons and even the occasional freebie. With my little stable of restaurant apps, I’m never without a place to eat, and I’m rarely out of range of a place that delivers.
This article wouldn’t be complete without a mention of Zifty, which we have in Atlanta. This company takes food delivery to new heights. Through Zifty, you can order from a great selection of high-end restaurants, and if you ask for it, the driver will bring you a magazine and some paper towels, too. Sweet!
Ordering food on a mobile device isn’t just convenient, though. It’s good business, too. Why? Because your time is worth money: If you’re cooking, you’re not marketing.
Next month, we’ll get back to business. Tonight, though, I’ve got two dozen wings with my name on it, and they’ll be here in fifteen minutes. Want to join me? Come on over, and bring your appetite.
New Tricks for Old Dogs – Investing in Education
New Tricks for Old Dogs – Investing in Education
Posted on February 28, 2014 by Don DeRosa
“I accidentally forgot to graduate from college.” ~ Anne Lamott
Last week my Aunt Blanche came to dinner and told us all about a class she was taking: Financial Markets, at Yale. Really? THE Yale? Blanche is pretty imaginative, so I thought she was making it up. Sure enough, though, she proved it: She’s got a certificate in Financial Markets from Yale University. I have to admit I was impressed. It had to have taken work and dedication, and, I imagined, lots of money, too.
That got me thinking about how important it is to invest in ourselves, particularly in our own education. So many of us think we don’t have the time or money to spend on ourselves. We feel overwhelmed just facing the details and expenses of daily life. In my experience, though, learning something new gives me new energy and motivation to spend on all the mundane stuff.
Maybe you’d like to invest in yourself, but someone else has told you it’s just silly. That sounds like a naysayer to me, so let’s talk about naysayers for a minute. You know who they are: the folks who tell you it’s dumb to spend 15 weeks on a college course. The ones who say you’re too old, you’re too busy, you’re not smart enough. There’s a naysayer in every family. And too often, the worst naysayer of all is YOU.
Don’t give naysayers free rent in your head. When I started my real estate investment business, every single person (with the exception of my wife) said I was absolutely nuts. They told me to get a regular job and forget all this real estate nonsense. If I’d have listened to them, where do you think I would be right now? Probably running a warehouse again. Instead, I have a great income and plenty of time to enjoy my family. Investing in myself – investing time, money, and effort – has given me a life I never could have dreamed of otherwise.
Which brings me back to education. The cost of a single real-estate investment course or seminar may seem high, but if the instructor has a good reputation and the topic is closely related to your business, you’ll get your money back ten times over. You can’t really afford not to educate yourself – not when some of your competitors have already taken the same courses and have hit the ground running.
How do you spot a good course? A really good real-estate investment course includes lots of specific details, with helpful materials to use once the course is over, such as forms, reference materials, and even software. In addition, I design my courses so that they have something to offer both “newbies” and experienced investors.
But let’s say you don’t need a lot of detail. Maybe you’re just looking for a broad overview of a subject. Maybe you need to brush up some math or accounting skills. Or maybe you just want to learn something for the heck of it. No matter what your motivation, you’ll find plenty of resources out there, and many are absolutely free.
In addition to full-scale REIA courses, there are lots of free presentations given by experienced real-estate investors. These tend to be general rather than specific, but they’re terrific for understanding the “big picture.” If you’re lucky enough to have an active REIA community, as I do, you’ve got lots of opportunities to learn this way.
But what if you want to learn about something that’s not directly related to real estate or investing? Let’s say you want to learn HTML, the programming language used for building websites. In that case, just go to your favorite search site and enter “HTML tutorial.” You’ll find all kinds of lessons, and for the most part, they’re free.
Some of us feel the need for more structured classes, or would like to study a subject in more depth. Then I recommend MOOCs. A MOOC is a really exciting development in higher education. MOOC stands for “massive open online course.” MOOCs are college-level courses taught online via some of the best schools in the country, including Georgia Tech, Harvard, MIT, Stanford, Yale, University of Michigan, and many, many more. MOOCs might include homework assignments and perhaps even exams. Most of these are free courses that last several weeks; but for a nominal fee and some hard work, some courses offer certification directly from the school. You can find MOOCs at www.coursera.org, www.edx.org, and www.udacity.com.
Now, MOOCs aren’t meant to be a substitute for college, especially for your kids. But they’re a great way to bolster your brain power, or your resume, or both. They’re also great for someone who’s thinking about going to college but needs to get a feel for the commitment it would take, or someone who’s already been to college but wants to update their knowledge.
Not everyone is up to an eight-week commitment, of course. But you can invest in education – and in yourself – even if you’ve just got 20 minutes to spare. For quick “brain snacks” check out www.Ted.com, which has hundreds of video talks by experts touching on every possible subject from creativity to quarks and from politics to penguins.
Aunt Blanche’s resume now includes a Certificate in Financial Markets from Yale University. She has also taken Jazz Improvisation, Art History for Gamers, and Nanotechnology. I can’t wait to see what she’ll do next!
Blanche’s education has come from some of the best minds in the world, and so can yours.
Trust me: you’re worth the investment.
Mobile Technology – It’s Not Just For Your Kids Anymore
Mobile Technology – It’s Not Just For Your Kids Anymore
Posted on January 24, 2014 by Don DeRosa
Every once in a while, I like to take a close look at my business to make sure I’m still reaching my full income and personal potential. Hopefully, you do the same from time to time, because it takes diligence to maintain success for the long haul.
Students of mine know that if something isn’t working well, it means one of three things: their business is underfunded, underexposed, or undermanaged. This basic principle hasn’t changed since I started investing in real estate in 1997.
But how you meet that third requirement – adequate management – has changed a lot, because one of the keys to good management is the productive use of available technology. And boy, has technology changed since 1997!
Do you remember when a car phone was cutting edge, but it was a huge, expensive, ugly block of a thing with a foot-long antenna. There was no texting, and that phone sure didn’t take pictures, or save documents, or keep track of my appointments, or give me directions, or, well, do anything except make a phone call. And even though I was pretty tech-savvy, I was still very dependent on low-tech solutions like filing cabinets and calculators and old-fashioned film cameras.
When I started investing in real estate, and before I developed the systems I now teach, I had paper everywhere. In my office. In my car. On the dining room table. Wherever I was, I had every piece of paper I might possibly want at my fingertips – if I could find it, that is – except the one I actually needed at that particular moment. Sheesh!
And now? What a difference! My iPad and iPhone have allowed me to load my entire life into one small device. My iPad can communicate with my staff, manage my expenses, and give me directions to the next house. It can find neighborhood comps, and take high-quality pictures and video. It can “park” pictures or contracts or handwritten notes in the cloud, so my staff and I can both get to them easily. It can keep my calendar and tell me when I need to be at my son’s hockey game. And most importantly, it can save me enough time to be at that game.
Experts say that people waste an average of 45 minutes per day looking for things they’ve misplaced. I’ve been able to roll so much of my work and personal life into my slim little iPad that I save at least an hour a day. That’s time I can spend looking for prospects, or having lunch with my wife, or hanging out with my kids.
The fact is, these changes in technology have given us productivity potential that was unimaginable 20 years ago. And like it or not, smart use of that technology by your competitors has raised the bar for YOU as well.
Maybe some of you are still resisting 21st century technology. You know who you are. You have a cheap phone that does just one thing – it makes phone calls – and you’re proud of that. You’ve never texted, and you hope you never do. You still have to ask your six-year-old nephew how to send an email. And by gosh, you’re never going paperless, thank you very much.
But wait! Maybe, secretly, you wish you could use some of this new technology to your advantage. Maybe you’re not so happy being stuck in 1993. It’s a real pain in the neck driving back to your office to fetch that contract you forgot. By now, though, you think the technology train left the station so long ago there’s no hope of ever catching up. You wouldn’t even know how to turn on an iPhone, much less put it to good use. Heck, you’re still a little shaky about the faxing thing! Even if you were ready to learn, where on earth would you start?
Or maybe you’re on the other end of the scale: You’re pretty comfortable with your iPad or Android, and you’ve put it to good use, but you wonder if it can do even more than you know.
Well, whether you’re a complete beginner or an experienced user, I’ve got some good news for you: Knowledge is power, and it’s there for the asking.
Using an iPad or smartphone isn’t intuitive. It requires training, and patience, and practice. It also requires willingness – the willingness to start at the very beginning and ask lots of questions even if you think they’re really dumb.
In the coming weeks, I’ll be offering inexpensive classes where you can learn how to use an iPad to streamline your life and maximize your profits. If you’re a complete beginner, I’ll start by showing you how to turn it on. Even if you’re an experienced user, you’ll learn some new tricks to improve your productivity, increase profits, and free up more leisure time.
I hope you’ll join me at a session convenient to you. Wherever you get your training, though, please get it, because it’s never too late to start learning – and that technology train isn’t slowing down anytime soon.
Wait – My Phone Will Do What???
Wait – My Phone Will Do What???
Posted on December 30, 2013 by Don DeRosa
“I have a thing for tools.” ~ Tim Allen
So, here it is: January. You’ve gotten most of the pine needles and tinsel out of the carpet so the dog won’t eat it. Aunt Flora and Uncle Ruben have gone back to Miami. Your kids are back in school. And you? You’ve had a minute or two to breathe and enjoy the satisfaction of a holiday season well spent. Time is precious, isn’t it?
But now, it’s time to get moving again. The warmth of the holidays has become the chill of winter, and with that comes heating bills and college tuition and credit card bills. It’s time to make some serious money.
I realize it’s not easy to get in gear again after the New Year. But if you’re like me, you can’t afford to sit on your laurels for too long. Lost opportunities are very expensive.
That doesn’t mean, though, that you can’t have a little fun while you’re at it. So go get that new smartphone Santa brought you, and let’s get cracking. You know you want to!
There was a time when owning a smartphone was a luxury. Not anymore! It’s probably the most useful single gadget you own. I know people who take a lot of pride in having a very basic cellphone. That’s a valid choice, of course, but now I wonder how I ever got along without this amazing device.
You already know a lot of the things your smartphone can do, of course: It’s a camera – and smartphone cameras are getting better all the time. It’s a GPS device that can get you to your next appointment – or to the nearest Starbucks. It’s a calculator, and a music player, and a calendar, and an Internet device, and a dandy way to send a text or an email.
Hey! You can even use it as a phone, if you can figure out how to answer it. Which, eventually, you will.
But recently I discovered some apps that surprised even me. Did you know you can use your phone to measure distance? Or as a leveler? Or as a magnifying glass? There are loads of individual apps like these available for Androids and iPhones. But what I really love are bundles of tools. They’re as handy as Swiss pocket knives, and you can get them for iPhone and for Android.
One iPhone version is called Pocket Tools, and it’s put out by CreativeMotions. This little app has a ruler, a protractor for measuring angles, a bubble leveler, a plumb bob, a flashlight, a caliper, and a unit converter. And the grand total for this little gem? A whopping 99 cents.
Android has an equivalent called Tool Box, and it’s from Maxcom. This one is also 99 cents, and although I’m an iPhone man, I have to admit that this one, which has 21 separate tools, takes the cake. There’s too much to list everything here, but Tool Box includes most of what Pocket Tools has, plus a compass, a vibrometer, a magnifier, a scorekeeper, an altimeter, a counter, an abacus, a metronome, and more.
What makes these tools so useful is that they’re always available. You might forget your tool box, but you’ll rarely forget your phone. And that means these tools will always be at your fingertips.
Now, three cautions about using smartphone tools. First, there’s a learning curve, so you’ll need to play with these tools before they can be really useful. (I’m still working on using the compass. But then, I never could use one of those darned things.)
Second, I recommend using these tools only for estimates, at least until you’re sure they’re accurate. If you need precision, stick with old-fashioned tools. But in a pinch, isn’t it nice to just whip out your phone to see if the floor of that old house is level?
Finally, make sure you get your downloads from a reputable site. One of my favorites is www.downloads.cnet.com. It doesn’t eliminate the risk of picking up a virus, but it reduces your risk substantially.
So you see? It may be cold and snowy out there, but getting back to work after the New Year doesn’t have to be a drag. Even if your smartphone isn’t really a toy, it’s worth some serious play time.
Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got to get back to work. I hear there’s an app I can use as a universal remote control for my TV. It just doesn’t get more practical than that!
Busy Season? Don’t Lose Your Mynd!
Busy Season? Don’t Lose Your Mynd!
Posted on November 26, 2013 by Don DeRosa
“It is not enough to be busy. So are the ants. The question is: What are we busy about?” ~ Henry Thoreau
I love the holidays! But they can be pretty tough to navigate, what with parties, church and synagogue events, school happenings, gift shopping, cooking, work, and everything else I’ve got to manage. Thank goodness for my iPad, because otherwise, I would forget about Grandpa Bill’s annual Christmas Luau. And that party is a hoot!
We’ve talked about applications for getting organized before. Well, I’ve found a new one I think you’ll like: “Mynd” calls itself the “calendar with a brain.” That might be taking it a little far, but it’s pretty darned smart.
The best applications can integrate with other apps to make your life easier. What do I mean by that? Well, let’s say you’ve got an appointment with your lawyer at 3:00. When you made the appointment, you put it into your smartphone’s calendar. (You did do that, didn’t you?) On appointment day, your calendar sends you a reminder, and you’re ready to get in the car and go – but you don’t remember where her office is. If your apps aren’t integrated, you’ll have to exit your calendar, go into contacts, and find your lawyer’s address and jot it down. Then you’ll have to exit contacts, get into your GPS application and enter the address. What a pain in the neck! Don’t you wish your calendar could just talk to your contacts list and fetch the address for you? Well, that’s exactly the kind of convenience I’m talking about.
Mynd’s real strength is its ability to link with other apps, especially Evernote and LinkedIn. Those apps are worth explaining here. Evernote is a very handy app that sets up storage space in the “cloud” where you can keep important files. So, for example, if you have a document and you want to be able to get it from any computing device, you can put it in Evernote. You can put all kinds of things in there – pictures, documents, and more. And here’s an important bonus: when your computer crashes (and sooner or later, it will crash), everything you’ve uploaded into Evernote will still be there, safe and sound.
The second application I mentioned is LinkedIn. LinkedIn is similar to Facebook, except that it’s designed for professional contacts rather than for friends.
So your calendar entry in Mynd isn’t just a calendar entry anymore. It’s a link to everything you need in order to function at a particular event.
Let’s take a look at how Mynd manages all this information for you. Let’s say your lawyer is one of your LinkedIn contacts, and she needs to sign some documents. When you make an appointment with her, you’ll enter it in your Mynd calendar. Then you’ll link the calendar entry to the documents she has to sign, which you’ve uploaded into Evernote. When the time comes to see your lawyer, Mynd will find your lawyer’s LinkedIn profile and tell you where you need to be, how to get there, and how long it will take. And it’ll also put those documents just one touch away. It even gives you a link to instantly contact the lawyer to let her know you’ll be late. No muss, no fuss.
Another thing I really like about Mynd is the way it’s designed visually. Most calendars give you a list of the events you’ve got on a particular day. Mynd will do that if you want, but the default view, which uses attractive and easy-to-read panels, is a lot more fun. In fact, it’s downright trendy. Not only do you see what’s next on your calendar, you also see the people with whom you’re going to meet and how many tasks are left to be done. It even tells you about the weather. Pretty snazzy, if you ask me. Oh, and I love this: when I’ve finished everything on my calendar for the day, it gives me one final reminder in big, bold letters, and it’s one I often need: Playtime!
As of this writing, Mynd is only available for iOS (iPhone and iPad). That limits its usefulness for people who use Android smartphones. Hopefully, though, it’ll soon be available for them as well.
In the meantime, Mynd is getting me through the holidays this year. So if you’ll excuse me, it’s time to get myself a bowl of Grandpa’s Hawaiian figgy pudding!
Building a Better Blog
Building a Better Blog
Posted on October 30, 2013 by Don DeRosa
“I’m writing a book. I’ve got the page numbers done.” ~ Steven Wright
Last month, if you’ll remember, I talked about starting a blog. I began with a reality check, which I’ll repeat here: Blogging can be a great marketing tool, but it takes a lot of work to keep one up. And don’t expect riches!
I gave you four other tips as well: make sure you have something to say, know your goals, identify your audience, and read other blogs. Those tips are just as important when you sit down to write individual posts, too.
Remember my second cousin Flora, the cat lady? I told you about her last month. She has a blog called “Cats.” I’m afraid it’s not very good. The background is hot pink, the text is yellow, and there’s a hamster dancing around in the corner. As soon as you enter the site, you hear the song for the Chicken Dance. I’m pretty sure she has posted every single picture she’s ever taken of her 34 cats, including the pictures that are blurry and underexposed. Plus, she adds lots of kitty pictures off the web. Oh, and a recipe for Flora’s Skinny Butterscotch Potatoes. And that was just yesterday.
Thank goodness she only posts about three times a year!
So let’s start with content. What makes a good blog post? Well, if you’re a beginner, it should probably be short and cover just one topic. I don’t know about you, but when I open a blog and I see a wall of words, my eyes kind of glaze over. I’m a lot more likely to read a post that’s just a paragraph or two. But it’s got to be interesting. Pictures are nice, too, but watch for copyright issues. You should also include Internet links to your sources if you can.
And for heaven’s sake, don’t try to sound like a writer. Flowery will get you nowhere. The best writers are the ones where you don’t notice that they’re writing.
Now, it’s all well and good to blog. It’s a lot more fun if you can actually get people to read it. There are a few ways to do that. First and foremost is the content and design. It does you no good to get people to your blog if there’s nothing worth looking at. So make sure the design is clean, attractive, and the site loads quickly – and make sure you’ve done your best on the content.
Another tip: Think carefully when you name your blog. The name should be unique and interesting. Here’s a little homework assignment: Google “real estate blog.” Which blogs are you most interested in visiting? Which ones sound like all the others?
When you’re learning about Internet marketing, you’ll hear a lot of talk about keywords and search terms. Some blog platforms will let you identify keywords or tags – common words someone might use for an Internet search – to help bring in visitors. For professional sites, search words are important, and you’ll want to title each post with that in mind. However, given the choice between a good search term and good writing, good writing should win every time.
Here are some other ways to get your blog noticed: visit other blogs and comment on their posts, with a link to your blog. Add your blog address to your business cards and marketing materials. Join a network of blogs, and find out how to win blogging awards. Develop relationships with other bloggers. Invite a well-known blogger to write a guest post for you.
Once you’ve got your blog up and running and you’re getting some traffic, you’ll want to grow your readership. This will probably happen slowly over time. The three most important factors here are the quality of the content, how often you post, and how easy you are to visit.
Post as often as you can, and make it high quality. It’s no fun to visit a blog that never changes. Many successful blogs post several times a day. You don’t have to do that, but you should at least blog once a week, even if it’s just a paragraph.
Another way to build readership is to make sure you’re set up for RSS. RSS stands for “Really Simple Syndication.” If you have an RSS link on your blog, people can subscribe to it. They’ll get a notice every time you post, and you’ll get the pleasure of watching the number of visitors rise.
Clean. Well-written. Frequent. Easily accessible. Those are just a few keys to successful blogging. Past that, just have fun. If you enjoy what you’re doing, your enthusiasm will be contagious!
