Blog Entries tagged 'CMAEON'

Bike Ride Fever

info@cmaeon.com — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 08:00:00 +0100

Bike Ride Fever
Our CEO Tim is getting some time off this week – the CMAEON staff have taken over!
ost people know about Ride Your Bike to Work week. Typically it falls in May, and it’s a great way to get some exercise and to commute to work without building up an unhealthy amount of road rage. CMAEON has a lot of avid bike riders on staff, and we’re looking to commute. Many people never make the switch from driving to riding, so we’d like to give you a little encouragement.
Here [...]

Why You Need More than IQ to Manage Leads

tim.vasko@cmaeon.com — Wed, 07 Jul 2010 08:00:00 +0100

Imagine a business where a lead comes in, is entered into the CRM system and then… just sits there.

This lead, let’s call her Ms. Smith, didn’t come in through traditional channels, so she was routed through an employee who didn’t really know how to use the CRM system; the wrong ranking was assigned to Ms. Smith, so nobody knew she was a hot lead, ready to buy, and worst yet, no salesperson was assigned. Long story short, Ms. Smith sat there, unattended until she phoned back again. [...]

Everyone is connected – will you use this power for good or evil?

tim.vasko@cmaeon.com — Wed, 26 May 2010 08:00:00 +0100

For better or for worse, it has been proven over and over again in the last two years that everything and everyone in the world is connected.

Of course, we are all connected in the online ecosystem, plugged into each other with social networking sites, search engines and blogs. The unprecedented scale at which we freely share information about ourselves has given rise to a new concern – are we are too connected? Do we really want people to know all about everything we’re doing al [...]

Don't Just Build Another Website - Build a Web Portal

kathleen.devere@cmaeon.com — Thu, 13 May 2010 08:00:00 +0100

CMAEON's CEO Tim Vasko was recently invited to speak at the REMarTech Conference in New York City. The goal of the conference was to connect the real estate world to the technology and tools that are shaping its future.

On that matter, Tim delivered a keynote presentation entitled 'Web Portal Magic'. The basis was this:

“Don't just build a website – build a web portal that utilizes SEO, social media and interconnectivity to take your web presenc [...]

The Missing Connection: Comparing CRM to CRM? Why Feature Comparison Doesn’t Work

tim.vasko@cmaeon.com — Fri, 07 May 2010 08:00:00 +0100

It makes no sense, for any business, to invest in technology based on a comparison of features. Today, the basic features of CRM are well-defined - any CRM will provide the basics of contact relationship management.

CRM has been around for more than a decade. It was originally designed as a tool to enable businesses to share information between sales and other various departments that dealt with customers. Those features are clear.

The next iterations of CRM were designed to [...]

Getting Connected 4 “REAL” Part 1

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0100

Through travel, I’ve had the rare opportunity to view businesses, entrepreneurs and work forces from many different industries to watch how things are shaping up and changing. From E-Health in Pharmacies, to RealEstate, Mortgage Banking and Wealth Management -every industry is shifting to become more closely connected. As our world continues to connect, pushing the envelope for change and challenges; there is little question that we continue to push the boundaries of how we become connected [...]

Tim Vasko to be Keynote Speaker at UVic Business Banquet

Tue, 13 Oct 2009 08:00:00 +0100

We are thrilled to announce that Tim Vasko will be the keynote speaker for the University of Victoria’s Faculty of Business Banquet for students, faculty and the business community on November 26th, 2009.

His speech, “Let’s Face It: Tough Markets, Broken Models, You Can Make a Difference” will focus on how changes affect us and our perspectives and how it gives us the opportunity to reach for new horizons.

“Let’s face it - it is a fact of life that the world change [...]

All Looks Tip Top in London - Seen Directly from "London's Eyes" on the World ...

tim.vasko@cmaeon.com — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:00:00 +0100

I met with a good friend of mine who deals in the financial sector in the UK today. It was great to see Andre - haven't seen him since last August when the markets went to hell!

The last time we met, I was just discovering that our largest health client had filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy - it was a distraction during our regular board meeting in Toronto.

It's Just Smarter Marketing To Connect (2 of 2)

tim.vasko@cmaeon.com — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 08:00:00 +0100

In the last few posts I've been talking about "Smarter Marketing" - which is why we call "Smart Marketing" in The Connected Market Space iQ3. I talk about it here on my Video.

Leads are about (1) Quantity, which is the aggregation or volume game - in essence, making sure you are as visible as possible throughout the web to bring in a large volume of leads.

Next, drilling down to (2) Quality. Are these leads truly potential buyers? Are they looking for the products [...]

It's Just Smarter Marketing To Connect (1 of 2)

tim.vasko@cmaeon.com — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 08:00:00 +0100

Do you still pay $3.00, $5.00, $10.00 per minute for international phone calls? Ever hear of Skype?

Of course if you were a business person who was paying $5.00/ minute for a phone call (if you still use the phone at all with email, SMS and your Blackberry in hand) you'd be working for the Government and have an unlimited budget. Oh wait, Governments are cutting back and getting smarter too...

So, I've been wondering how our Google is so much like the old AT&T� [...]

Myth and Misunderstanding: Real Estate Marketing & Sales - What Young Marketers and Old ...

tim.vasko@cmaeon.com — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 08:00:00 +0100

What do real estate "marketers" who were in high school or university a just over a decade ago, who became "marketing experts" in real estate and old-school sales guys have in common? The first group, the "marketers", learned their trade in the hottest market ever in the history of real estate. The second group, the sales guys, hasn't had to change a thing for more than a decade, or two (or three or four or even five!). The Internet and information were held close to the vest through t [...]

‘Bing’-Dong! The Connected Market Space: The World is Knocking @ The Front Door - Here ...

tim.vasko@cmaeon.com — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 08:00:00 +0100

In 1997 (Wow! Thirteen years ago - time flies when you're thinking), while I was a full time Professor at the University of Victoria - I wrote and published a small paper called Technomics: How Access to Information Will Change Global Business. That was before the term "search engines" was part of common, everyday discourse (and before Google was even a company).

Here we are, way after the turn of the millennium, 2009, and what was my dream in 1997 - The Connected Market Space - has [...]

Another One Bites the Dust: The 5 Top Mistakes that Keep Developers from Selling Their ...

tim.vasko@cmaeon.com — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:00:00 +0100

Over the last four days, I've talked about the dangers of developers and sales people "knowing too much" and thus not doing the jobs they should be doing. Yesterday, I spoke about what can happen when a Print Media Expert is hired to do an Online Media Expert's job. Today, I'm going to switch gears a bit, though, and wrap up this week with one of the biggest mistakes I see developers making today.

Mistake #5 - Waiting for the Market to "Come Back". The market is ripe for buye [...]

Another One Bites the Dust: The 5 Top Mistakes that Keep Developers from Selling Their ...

tim.vasko@cmaeon.com — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:00:00 +0100

Yesterday I discussed the mistake developers often make in presuming that they themselves are Media Experts. In that same vein, I will show you today how hiring a Print Media Marketing Expert is a not only an outdated but also wasteful mistake many developers often make.

Mistake #4 - Hiring a Print Media Marketing Expert. Print media is not a dinosaur - it's an albatross. The problem with print media marketing agencies is a two-headed one: First and foremost, they are excessi [...]

Another One Bites the Dust: The 5 Top Mistakes that Keep Developers from Selling Their ...

tim.vasko@cmaeon.com — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 08:00:00 +0100

Just as dangerous as assuming a salesperson has an intimate knowledge of media and marketing - as I touched on yesterday - is a developer who assumes that he or she has that same intimate knowledge.

Mistake #3 - Being a Media Expert. Would a developer hire a general contractor to do an architects job? "Hey, here's a piece of property, Joe. Go ahead and build something, we'll get it sold..." I don't think so, either.

This is what developers do when they become media ex [...]

Endangered Species: What GM has in common with the Real Estate Brokerage Industry

tim.vasko@cmaeon.com — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:00:00 +0100

An excerpt from a conversation between Michael Tuff, CEO of Racaria Capital Financial Solutions and Myself

MT: Why has it been so difficult for the process of buying real estate to make the jump onto the internet?

TV: Because the MLS was designed to make it impossible. To buy a house or a car, you need to see it, right? So the MLS system evolved to make real estate agents indispensable. We have traditionally paid tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars to get the key, get [...]

Another One Bites the Dust: The 5 Top Mistakes that Keep Developers from Selling Their ...

tim.vasko@cmaeon.com — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 08:00:00 +0100

Yesterday, I spoke about the first mistake any developer can make in project marketing and sales. As I said, I've seen a lot of developments stall or self-destruct at the hands of a developer who felt like he or she "knew it all." I told you about my friend the hotelier, who became a developer, then a travel "guru," then a marketing and sales "expert" capping off this illustrious and varied career with a stint as a financial products broker. His development is still just a patch of dirt.

[...]

Another One Bites the Dust: The 5 Top Mistakes that Keep Developers from Selling Their ...

tim.vasko@cmaeon.com — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 08:00:00 +0100

I've recently watched several developments either stall, or implode completely. This is not because of the economy, nor is it because people aren't buying. Rather, it's because the developers "knew too much" - or so they thought. In order to sell a partially completed project, a new development, or a completed project with the balance of inventory, developers need to wake up and get into the Connected Market Space where 85% of buyers are searching or "hiding out".

How can properties [...]

Welcome to the new CMAEON blog!

tim.vasko@cmaeon.com — Fri, 08 May 2009 00:00:00 +0100

Here we’ll update you on changes in the industry, and also on what we are up to in the office.

Blog posts will mostly be updated by Tim Vasko, CMAEON’s CEO, we will also be having guest bloggers contributing to the CMAEON blog, who are experts in a number of fields, including marketing, real estate and mortgage banking.

So keep checking back for new updates, and subscribe to our RSS feeds.

We hope to see you again soon!

Lost Connections: How The “Sharper” Brand Lost its Market Connection

tim.vasko@cmaeon.com — Thu, 24 Jul 2008 08:00:00 +0100

I’m in a cab at 58th & 7th in NYC - broke my bluetooth Jawbone headset. No worries - it’s hanging by wires, still working - sort of, if I hold it just right. Anyway, I bought the extra protection plan from the retailer who sold it to me - Sharper Image.

“Drop me off on 51st…” - I figure I’ll stop in at the Rockafeller Center Sharper Image and get a replacement. I walk to the Bank of America Building - I find the Shaper Image sign - and the image in the blacked out windows t [...]