Are you looking for a way to SPICE up your blog?

Are you trying to find a way to connect with your blog audience and show that you have a sense of humor? That you're not like every other Realtor out there? That real estate doesn't always have to be so serious?

Why not make a video on Xtranormal.com? It's free and easy...and TOO. FUN!

I wrote about this website in yesterday's blog post about some of the great tools I learned about at RainCamp Dallas.

As an experiment, I made my first video about the real estate market in 2006. You can see it by clicking on the link above. I mainly did it as a test - to see how easy it would be to actually make. Many times sites claim they are "easy" to do, but in reality it actually takes someone in MENSA with a genius IQ and 2 degrees from Yale to figure out what's going on.

Not the case here. It's almost TOO easy.

EVERYONE can benefit from using these clever videos in your business! You can make a video about so many different topics:

• The home buying process - Realtors
  
• Educating buyers on different types of loans - Lenders
  
• Tips about what to look for in home inspections - Home Inspectors
• Why not the obvious - a quick commercial about YOU?

How would YOU use a video in your business? I'd love some more ideas...

In my second video from Kim Daugherty productions, I show George W Bush and President Obama talking Texas Real Estate. And who knew "W" had some great advice about McKinney, TX Real Estate referrals?

When I registered as a Platinum ticket holder to attend RainCamp Dallas this past Tuesdy, I tried to imagine all the things I would learn, the people I would finally "meet" and valuable tools I could implement into my business to give it the boost it needed...

• I pictured meeting Loreena Yeo, Jason Crouch, Debe Maxwell and Donna Harris to name just a few (done!).
  

• I pictured learning from two of the most forward thinking men in the real estate industry - Bob Stewart and Brad Andersohn (done!).

• I pictured myself typing away feverishly on my laptop, following along with each speaker using the Wi-Fi promised the Platinum Ticket Holders (this was the only thing that didn't happen).

However, I never in a million years pictured myself walking away a movie producer.

So how and why did this come to be?

It all happened during one of Brad's talks about valuable FREE websites that we could implement into our business. Information that previously had not even been shared! I was pumped! So I opened up Microsoft Word (I guess having a laptop came in handy for at least THIS purpose) and ended up leaving with 7 pages of notes worth their weight in gold.

I must have written down a hundred different websites that I could take advantage of. A few I starred, indicating I should pay attention to this one first once I got home and digested the information. But one intrigued me more than the others. What is it?

www.xtranormal.com

Xtranormal.com allows users to create video, for free, by just typing the action and words that you want to happen. I immediately bolded, highlighted and starred this one. Guess it's the creative part of me that fell in love with this little product. It was unique. It was different. I wanted to implement it immediately.

For those of you who weren't able to attend Raincamp Dallas, or any of the other Raincamps this year, I am going to attempt to go through many of the mentioned websites to see how to incorporate it into a real estate business. At first glance, making a "movie" like the one below may not have seemed like a way to generate business. But, we learned that in order to make it, you've got to think outside of the traditional box.

Who knows...maybe this will go viral and take off so that millions view it. Do you think it will have an impact on my business then?

Or maybe only 25 people view it here on ActiveRain and that's where it stops. I guess I won't know until I try. And try I did.

So, with that Active Rain, I give you my first movie from Kim Daugherty productions...

...and it's all about the real estate market in 2006. Yes, no-doc loans, underqualified buyers and greedy real estate agents.

Enjoy Part 1 - Part 2 is coming soon to a blog near you...

For those of you with school age kids, you undoubtedly have heard of, or have been a customer of, Learning Express. Located in McKinney at the NE corner of Lake Forest and Eldorado Pkwy, Learning Express has been my choice for birthday gifts, toys for my kids and for the monthly birthday party gifts that always are needed!

Why?

Learning Express offers unique, educational toys (that are FUN) that you can't find at the local big box chain stores. Sure, you can find a few Legos and other brand name toys, but for the most part you can find personalized toys that are different and more brain-stimulating (if that's a word?) than any where else. The staff is always friendly and they even offer, get this - FREE GIFT WRAPPING.

Sadly, I am writing this store review a moment too late. Unfortunately, Learning Express is closing their doors. For you groupies out there and loyal customers, this is sad news. It's bad news for the city of McKinney as well. We are losing a fabulous business. A sign of the times, for sure.

**So why write a review about a closing store? It's not too late to help them out, which in turn will help YOU out too. A win-win of sorts.

As of today (12/14/09), EVERYTHING IN THE STORE IS 50% OFF (excluding personalized gifts which are still 35% off) and Redline items are an extra 10% off!

Win for you: inexpensive and GREAT gifts just in time for Christmas.

Win for Learning Express: you are helping them clear their inventory as quickly as possible.

Stop by and grab up some gifts while the selection is still good.

Locations:

Learning Express - McKinney, TX

The Plaza at Stonebridge

4900 Eldorado Parkway, Suite 148 - McKinney, TX  75070

972-542-8697

Learning Express - Allen, TX

McDermott Towne Crossing

1314 W. McDermott, Suite 140 - Allen, TX  75013

214-383-2610

Regular Store Hours:

Monday - Saturday:  9:30am - 6:00pm

Sunday:  12:00noon - 5:00pm

Thank you for being a great McKinney business, Learning Express!

WHAT: A Career in Real Estate? Join us for a Q&A Ladies Night!

WHEN: Monday, November 30 2009 @ 7:00

WHERE: d + b real estate, located on the beautiful historic square in downtown McKinney

207 E. Virginia Pkwy, Suite 203 - located above the Lavendar Tea House

If you've EVER contemplated what a career in real estate might be like, then now is your time to get your questions answered!

Laura & Kim, d + b real estate's owners, will be leading a casual informational meeting about the process of getting your real estate license, the fees and costs involved and all of the in's and out's of a career as a Realtor.

Enjoy some light snacks and perhaps a glass of wine as we provide a comfortable setting in which you can get all of your questions answered.

You MUST RSVP by November 29. Feel free to bring a guest!

Email: Kim@RealFamilyRealEstate.com or call 972-838-5394

Spacious 3 bedroom plus study home located on a generous cul de sac lot just minutes from EVERYTHING:

• Tollway, 121 and 75
• Children's Medical Center in Plano, Plano Presbyterian & Medical Center of Plano
• Stonebriar Mall, Shops at Legacy, Willow Bend Mall
• Award winning Elementary School
• Major employment centers: EDS, JC Penney HQ, Frito Lay

Immediate move-in available. Pets approved on a case by case basis. Preferred 12-month lease, but may entertain shorter terms. Call today for a showing of this ideal Plano rental home!