International Real Estate Assistants Association                                            May 2007

• The NAR Convention    
• Risk Takers Often Find Success
• IREAA Spotlight: Our Member of the Month
• Welcome To Our Newest IREAA Members
• IREAA Logo
• Call for Content - Be A Featured Contributing Author (Get Noticed!)
• A Helpful Site
• Write A Winning Brochure 

The NAR Convention

IREAA has secured a booth for the NAR Expo & Conference!
Visit our web site for additional information.

We only have a few spots left! Take advantage of the opportunity to attend NAR by participating in the expo as a member of IREAA! Don't miss your chance to sell your services to more than 26,000 real estate professionals and guests! You may never have to prospect for new clients again!

You can participate in the expo as an IREAA associate for an investment of only $399. That's just $100 per day for an incredible opportunity for you to have face-to-face access to over 26,000 real estate professionals. Can you just imagine how much business you can bring in?

I'm in! Sign me up and keep me informed!

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  Succeed By Taking Risks 

Taking risks is difficult - whether for an individual or a company - because it involves uncertainty. Fear of the unknown ends to hold us back. But because risk is one of the main paths to success, intelligent, calculating risk taking is worthwhile. Here are a few tips to bear in mind:

Don't focus only on the negative. Consider the possible benefits - you'll never reach the top of the mountain if you're always looking down.

Welcome fear. But don't let it immobilise you. Use it to increase your alertness and further the chances that your risk taking will meet with success. Fear should act as a helpful warning, not a barrier.

Weigh up the odds. It doesn't make sense to risk a lot for a small potential gain. Ask yourself the following:

"Exactly how much am I likely to gain? What are the realistic chances of success? What could I lose, either by going ahead or standing still?"

Get the facts. The more you know about a situation, the better you can evaluate the risks involved. Taking a risk does not mean making a blind leap - intelligent risk taking is based on thorough market analysis, planning and research.

Examine the worst case scenario. Often you'll find that it's not as bad as first thought. For example, if you're hesitant about trying a potentially better way of doing your job, because you feel your job will be at risk if it backfires, sit down and reconsider. Talk it over with a trusted colleague, friend or employer. They may be able to give you a differing, more realistic perspective.

Bet on yourself. Risk in business should not be like going to the race track and betting on a horse. In most of the risks you take, your own hard work, initiative and sheer determination will naturally play a crucial role in the outcome.

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IREAA Shines The Spotlight on
Cindy Colucci of Assist U, LLC

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A Warm Welcome to IREAA's Newest Members

Please give a warm welcome to your newest fellow members:

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Ensure You're Proudly Displaying the IREAA Logo

Contribute to the IREAA Newsletter: Get Noticed!

A Helpful Site

HP's Learning Center offers free online classes that cover many topics such as Microsoft Office products, Adobe PhotoShop and Illustrator, Macromedia Dreamweaver, Search Engine Basics, Linux 101, and many more. Check them out at http://h30187.www3.hp.com/?mcID=sbc .

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Brochures - How to write a winner

Does you have a "presentation brochure" that introduces you to the public? In just a few well chosen words and with strong graphic images you can sell potential customers your products or services.

To create a winning brochure, try these steps:

• KNOW YOUR SUBJECT. Gather your company's statement of philosophy, history and goals. Review these for your own background; don't include this content in your brochure. Most people don't want to read through such ponderous prose.
• DECIDE ON TOPICS TO COVER IN PRINT. Be sure to include all essential facts: company title, location, contact details, what you do or make that people need.
• BE UPBEAT. No apologies needed. Present a confident impression of your company.
• USE HEADINGS. Give each topic its own clear heading. Remember that most people won't read every word. Headlines catch attention and convey information.
• PLAN FOR WHITE SPACE. Don't fill every inch with words - give the eyes a rest.
• KEEP SENTENCES AND WORDS SHORT. Avoid jargon. Write as you would talk, then go back and clean up grammatical errors.
• BE CONCRETE. Steer away from abstract generalisation. What's the product you produce? Who uses us and specifically how does it serve the user? If your company offers "a wide range of services and solutions," just what are they?
• USE BULLETS like the ones in this article, breaking your copy into manageable bits that can be read and absorbed at a glance.
• SHORT QUOTES FROM HAPPY CUSTOMERS or endorsements from experts in your field can help to sell your company. When a customer on the phone bubbles over with compliments, jot them down. When customers email you notes patting you on the back, save them. (But be sure to ask permission to quote).
• DRAFT WITH A STRANGER. Show your first version to someone who is not connected or familiar with your company. What questions are left unanswered? What is confusing? Proof read carefully before you word process or typeset the final copy. Late changes can prove to be expensive.
• OMIT CHANGING INFORMATION like prices, dates and names that may soon change. Design your format in such a way that any changes can be easily worked in the next time you revise and reprint. Leave pricing to a separate sheet.
• ONCE WRITTEN AND PROOFED find a printer who can help you choose the photo's, artwork, type styles and paper that will make your brochure and your company!) stand out from the crowd.

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