Friday, February 20, 2015

How MLS Leadership can improve the industry


Amazing how local MLS has made aggregators the leaders in the real estate industry. 

It's two years later and the MLS that I belong to has come out with a great website which should help take back authority from aggregators. See: State27Homes.com
From my perspective the leadership of all the participating MLS "services", (basically all of them) are not putting their members first. They should be providing local search in a more user friendly way and be the main and only source for buyers. By doing so, they would be justifying the fees they charge members and the information would be timely for buyers. Everyone wins. Instead the management of the local MLS office makes the aggregators the authority in the industry. 

Many brokers do well with the aggregators so they may say this is wrong, but if so, why do most sellers and buyers reference Zillow or the like as the authority? It's bad business. Doesn't effect me personally, but those that run the local MLS office in your area and elsewhere should consider the benefit of being the authority source for buyers. 

http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2015/02/20/listhub-cuts-trulia#.VOfB7wz9FF4.twitter

Monday, February 9, 2015

5 WAYS TO INCREASE RESTAURANT PROFITS - A 4 PART SERIES (part 2)

Part 2 of a 4 part series   www.SnagABiz.com  Part 1

REPEAT BUSINESS - THE KEY TO GROWING WEALTH!

Increase customer visits to your restaurant:

    Once you gain those new customers, keep them and your existing 

customers coming back. This might seem obvious, but what are you doing to make this happen?


A great experience is expected if you want repeat patronage, but you can also influence return visits.

If you create specials, they should be the most profitable items on your menu
(on a % basis), and should be changed regularly. Some specialty winners can become part of your regular menu. If you change your specials weekly or
bi-weekly, create a quality handout to hand out to your customers with their dining check letting them know the schedule of your specials. Handouts should also be given for special holiday dishes or events, and for limited-time plates.

Collect e-mail address for the same purpose of the handouts and create an e-mail campaign schedule around your specials. By the way, specials don’t mean discounts. It means something different from your normal menu.

I’m not a believer in coupons or “two for one” specials unless you’re a fast food joint. If you want to buy a customer a drink or give the table something extra AFTER they’ve come back, that’s great.  In my opinion, if you offer a coupon, you’re devaluing your menu and you’re training many people to wait for the next coupon before they will return again. Improve your customer’s experience and coupons won’t be necessary.

Part 3 of 4 will appear next week: 3. Increase the average bill per table.  End Part 2
                  


YouTube Video of the Riverview Restaurant: