MHA 10-12-10 Fall Conference: Technology Tidbits with Laurel Zacher & Daisy Nguyen Tools, Tricks & Websites for Apartment Management

1. MHA Fall Convention 2010
Technology Tidbits:
Tools, Tricks and Websites for
Apartment Management
Panel:
Laurel Zacher & Daisy Nguyen

3. Technology Moves Fast!

4. A Little About LZ
• 17 years experience
• Experience in sales, leasing and
marketing in both site, corporate and
vendor roles
• Responsible for marketing 6,000 apts,
38 communities at Bigos Management
• MHA Technology Committee Chair
• Passionate lifelong learner and
experimenter with technology (this
stuff’s in my blood!)

5. A Little About Daisy Nguyen
• 10+ years experience
• Experience in Accounting, Yardi,
Operations, Business Management,
Sales,Training & Marketing
• On the MHA Technology Committee,
PR Committee&Economic Task Force
• Passion for combining creativity &
business! I write an industry-focused
blog at http://blog.rentsoda.com

6. Deep vs Wide Approach

7. Part I:
Leveraging Affordable Web-
Based Technology

8. aka
“More Google Freebies
than You Can
Shake a Stick At”

9. Google for Business
• Nine great tools, plus one bonus!
Gmail Places
Analytics Alerts
Reader Calendar
Docs iGoogle
Picasa Bonus: Goog411
• All free
• For full list, see:
http://www.google.com/intl/en/options/
or Google: Google Apps

10. It Starts with an Account
• One log in for all
tools
• Recommend
signing up with
Gmail to start
• Consider personal
vs business accts
• Google for small www.gmail.com
business:
www.google.com/ententerprise

11. Gmail gmail.com
• Can easily handle large files over
10MG (photos)
• Label and archive…forever?!?
– 7.5GB storage (consumer) vs 25GB
(enterprise)
• Priority, starred, regular incoming
• Access from anywhere
Do you do secret shops? Set up a new
address every time for responses – it
takes less than 2 minutes.

12. Example

13. Gmail gmail.com
• Not just for @gmail.com accounts
• Google Gmail can host YOUR email
– @rentsoda.com email account is hosted
on Google Gmail
• Another added benefit: You can
integrate with Outlook, and have
Google access for Email Web access!
Are you a management company with
several properties each with its own
domain? Have Google Gmail host your
@yourdomain.com email account!

14. @yourdomain.com Sign Up

15. Analytics google.com/analytics
• Simple HTML code (add to every pg)
• Smartphone/iPad apps to access site
info on the go
– Analytics Agent Lite (free - iPhone)
– Analytics for iPad (free – iPad)
• Integrate with AdWords to
track campaigns
Even if your current host uses other
tracking software, add the HTML code so
you can access data anytime, anywhere!

16. Reader google.com/reader
• RSS reader - what’s that?
• Copy and paste links
• Receive updates and articles as they
publish
• Received in Reader acct, but can
forward by email direct to you
Get REAL TIME information, including
reviews, as it goes public
• ApartmentRatings.com
• MultiFamilyInsiders.com
• Submarket information

17. ApartmentRatings RSS Feed
Look for the RSS Feed logo
(look for me!)

18. UDR.com

19. Docs google.com/docs
• PC or Mac compatible
• Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Forms
• Upload files from your desktop or
create new ones
• The result? You can open all these
files anywhere and share them with
anyone.
Use as a light version of co Intranet
• Central storage for master documents

20. How to Add Docs
Can upload multiple files

21. Sharing Docs

22. Sample Docs

23. Picasa picasa.google.com
• Central photo storage
• Group photos by creating albums
– 1 for each community
• Can publish to web (community
photos) or keep private (employee
events)
Add your high-resolution photos and give
high-
vendors a link to download photos – you
never have to email large files again!

24. Example
Private Public

25. Places google.com/places
• Claim (or add) each of your
communities as the business owner
• Affects how you appear on Google
Maps
• Edit information
– Add photos
– Add videos
– Add web address
– Add office hours
– Add other info (Pets welcome? Outdoor
pool?)

26. Places (con’t)
• Claim process can be a headache
– Postcard: 2 weeks+
– Phone: Instant, but must be done when
someone’s on site
• Link back to your site to drive traffic
– Helps improve your site’s ranking in
Google
– Side note: Ellen Thompson, 4Walls,
recommends 5 links to your site from
other web sites

27. What You Get for Your Time
Which one is more likely to
result in a lead?

28. Some Nifty Places Features!

29. Alerts google.com/alerts
• Poll: Who has alerts set up for:
– Your name?
– Company?
– Senior leaders?
– Competitors?

30. Calendar google.com/calendar
• Get your calendar on the go
– Sync with most (all?) built-in calendars
or use mobile browser
• Never forget another event
– Event reminders via email or have text
messages sent to mobile phone
• Share your schedule
Create a training calendar that all sites
and employees can access!

31. Google Calendar/Outlook Sync
• Example:
– Daisy & Jim at ABC Company use Outlook
– Daisy & Jim want to share Outlook calendars
– ABC Company does not have resources to buy Microsoft
Exchange Server
– OR, if Daisy & Jim work at different companies, this also
works!
• Solution:
– Set-up Google calendar to sync with your Outlook
Calendar automatically
– Share your calendar with others at your office without an
Exchange server, or with those outside of your company!
FREE, EASY, CONVENIENT WAY TO
SHARE CALENDARS without the
Exchange Server!

32. Calendar Sync Set Up
• Make sure you're using a supported
operating system and version of Outlook
• Download Google Calendar Sync (version 0.9.3.6):
http://dl.google.com/googlecalendarsync/G
oogleCalendarSync_Installer.exe
• Follow Installation Options and click Install
to finish set up
• Once Google Calendar Sync is installed on
your computer, the Google Calendar Sync
Settings window will appear
NEED HELP?
http://www.google.com/support/calendar/bin/answer.py?answer=89955

33. Calendar Sync, cont.
Enter your email address and password
and select the Sync Option you prefer.
You'll also be able to set the time interval
for syncing to occur.
Double-click the calendar icon in your
Windows System Tray to access
settings after set up.
Google Calendar Sync Settings
window
• When your events are actively syncing between Google Calendar
and Microsoft Outlook Calendar, you'll see arrows in the Google
Calendar Sync icon:
• When events aren't actively syncing, your calendar icon will look
like this:

34. iGoogle google.com/ig
• Add Gadgets to customize your page
• Alerts?
• National news?
• Calendar?
• Picasa photo viewer (just for fun!)
Track your sites’ Craigslist ads in REAL
TIME by adding the Craigslist Monitor
gadget! Make sure ads include a key word
(e.g. co name)

35. Sample

36. Bonus: Goog411
• Free information directory
• Great for mobile – hands-free option with
Bluetooth
• Accurate voice recognition
• No commercials
Program in co cell phones as quick-dial #
quick-
and eliminate 411 information costs!

37. Part II:
Useful Tools and Web Sites

38. Templates
1. Http://DocStoc.com – 23 million public
documents have been uploaded. Looking
for a template to start off your letter, policy,
checklist? Maybe someone already has
something started! (most free, some cost)
2. Http://MicrosoftOffice.com – Microsoft
Office has tons of templates that users
have uploaded + clipart! (free)
3. Http://LeaseLabs.com - design, create, and
edit signs, banners, forms, business cards,
promotional items, etc. utilizing library of
100s of templates. They can print for you.
($40/mo)

39. PDF Tools
Free PDF converts – all of them install
as a “printer” option so that you can
print any document as a PDF.
1.Http://DoPDF.com
2.Http://CutePDF.com
3.Http://BullZip.com
Reasons to use PDF?

40. Screen Shots
Need to capture all our part of what
you see on your screen? For training?
For a presentation? To clarify
instructions?
1. Gadwin PrintScreen – FREE
www.gadwin.com/printscreen/
2. SnagIt - $50.00 – this software has
more options and a more robust/
versatile program
www.TechSmith.com/Snagit

41. Document Storage AKA
“Cloud Storage” & Sharing
Need to share your documents? Files
to big to email? Want access to your
files from more than 1 computer? Need
back-up for important files?
1. Google Docs
2. DropSend.com
3. DropBox.com
4. Box.net

42. Craigslist Help/Tools
Http://Postlets.com – helps create
Craigslists ads (free)
Http://StatCounter.com – code that
you can add to your Craigslist
post to track traffic (free)
Http://RentSentinel.Com – a low-cost
service that helps create Craigslist ads
– the provide GREAT analytics ($40/mo)
Http://SyncMyAd.Com - one-stop
syndication across 250+ websites
($39.95/mo or $79.95/mo w/ILS sync) LZ+
DN

43. Save Online Videos
Http://Keepvid.com
Http://YouTubeX.com
Http://ClipNabber.com
Http://ZamZar.com
Http://Vixy.net
• All of these are FREE
• Allow you to grab a video from the internet
and save it onto your PC
• Can use the video later without internet
connection LZ+
©

44. Sharing Photos
Google Picasa
Flickr.com
ShutterFly.com
PhotoBucket.com

45. Facebook Tools
Http://PageModo.com – designs
custom Facebook pages - FREE
Http://Facedekk.com – iPhone
application that allows you to
manage more than 1 Facebook
account without having to log out and
log in again.
Http://HooteSuite.com – let’s you manage
multiple Facebook accounts, as well as
Twitter, LinkedIn, Wordpress &
Foursquare. FREE for up to 5 networks,
$5.99/month for more than 5. (iPhone also!)

46. Local Search/Maps
Small is the new BIG!
LOCAL is the new market place to BE!
Be sure you are listed!
1. Google Places
2. Bing Local
3. Yahoo Local

47. Online Survey Tools
• Free basic plan: 10 questions, 100
responses
– $200/yr prepaid, unlimited
• Free 60 day trial (unlimited)
– $158/yr prepaid, unlimited
• Free basic plan: 12 questions, 100 responses
– $199/yr prepaid, unlimited surveys/responses

48. Email Marketing/Newsletter Tools
• Did you know the limit on most email
providers is 200-250emails/hour? (to prevent
SPAM)
• Do you send newsletters or
announcements to residents that go to 200+
addresses? Most won’t get it.
You can build/manage your email list,
design html email campaigns & track
your results!

49. Faxing
$8.95/month
$9.89/month
$9.95/month
$10.00/month

50. Part III:
Mobile!

51. iPhone/iPad/Smart Phone Apps
1. DIGITS by Shift - Calculator with tape that to review work.
Can email tape to 3rd parties. iPhone & iPad only
2. LIST MASTER by List Logic Software - List templates (i.e.
for To-Do’s, Groceries, etc.). Features columns & rows
that have basic functionality – like total, add, subtract, etc.
iPhone only
3. Checklists Unlimited by Yadahome.com – Everyday list
application for the Blackberry
4. READ IT LATER by Idea Shower – Let’s you save pages to
view later – even without an internet connection. iPhone &
iPad only.
5. Facedekk – allows you to manage multiple facebook
accounts without having to log-in & log-out between
accounts. iPhone & iPad only

52. iPhone/iPad/Smart Phone Apps
6. Twitter on iPhone/iPad: my favorites are Twittelator &
Tweet Deck – both have great user interfaces, multiple
account access & great search tools. Tweet Deck has a
desktop version and currently has a version for the
Android in Beta.
7. Twitter for the Blackberry: UberTwitter, a clean, friendly
interface that has great search, supports profile editing
and more.
8. For Android, Seesmic – EASY interface, supports multiple
accounts. (Also available for iPhone & Blackberry!) They
also have a desktop version.
9. Foursquare – Let’s users check-in at different places.
Great for getting tips, coupons, information about the
places where you are currently located. There is a LOT of
buzz on how to use this as a marketing tool for multi-
family. iPhone, Android, Blackberry and most smart
phones

53. iPhone/iPad/Smart Phone Apps
10. Box.net – online “cloud” file sharing platform – available
for iPhone, iPad, Android
11. DropBox.com - online “cloud” file sharing platform –
available for iPhone, iPad, Android, Blackberry
12. Flipboard – makes twitter & facebook have the look & feel
of a magazine (iPhone & iPad only)
13. Noterize – versatile note-taking application that allows
user to record audio while taking notes. Users can load
pdf or powerpoint to annotize. iPad only.
14. GoodReader – PDF reader for your iPhone/iPad
15. BeamReader – PDF reader for your Blackberry
16. Adobe Reader – PDF reader for Android phones
17. JotNot Scanner Pro – turns your camera into a scanner by
taking a picture of the document and then turning it into a
pdf.
18. DocScanner – turns your camera into a document
scanner. For Android & iPhone

54. iPhone/iPad/Smart Phone Apps
19. Tag Reader – Needed to read Microsoft Tag barcodes;
open app, take picture and MSFT pulls up info on your
phone. iPhone and Droid.
20. QR Code Reader and Scanner – Scan QR bar codes to
pull up information on your phone without having to
type in long URLs. Look for b/w QR box. iPhone.
21. iQRPro – read QR codes…CREATE QR codes! $0.99,
iPhone
LZ

55. Part IV:
FREE Information!

56. And BLOGS – OH MY!
• Great way to find information, humor,
personality, content, etc.
• Luckily, the multi-family industry has
some great bloggers:
– Multi-Family Insiders: PROS: TONS of blogs, multiple
bloggers, all in 1 place! CON: Not all blogs are created
equal
http://www.multifamilyinsiders.com/home/multifamily-
blogs
– Mark Juleen’s Blog – video blog http://markjuleen.com
– Kate Good’s Blog – http://kategoodblog.blogspot.com
– Charity Hisle - http://www.2witterbug.com/
– http://ApartmentTherapy.com – great website with
apartment decorating ideas and examples

57. And BLOGS – OH MY!
Great non-multifamily industry blogs:
• Mike Whaling’s Blog – Social Media &
Marketing expert http://30lines.com/blog
• Seth Goodin – Business & Marketing blog
http://sethgodin.typepad.com/
• Guy Kawasaki – Entrepreneurial Business
& Management blog
http://blog.guykawasaki.com/

58. Ask Away!
Laurel Zacher
lzacher@tbigos.com
/BigosMgmt (professional)
/LaurelZacher (personal)
@LaurelZ
/in/LaurelZacher

59. Ask Away!
Daisy Nguyen
612-889-3733 (cell)
daisy@rentsoda.com
LIKE US!
http://facebook.com/RentSoda
FRIEND ME!
http://facebook.com/DaisyRentSoda
FOLLOW ME! @RentSoda
CONNECT with ME! /in/RentSoda

60. WE SHARE!
Slides will be available on
slideshare:
http://www.slideshare.net/rentsoda/MH
A-technology-tidbits