Miscellaneous :: SoundBiteBlog.com

Remember the horror movie, “The Blair Witch Project?”

While shooting a documentary, three student filmmakers mysteriously disappear in the woods of rural Maryland. A year later, their documentary footage is found.

Most people hate it or love it. Either it scares you so bad you pee your pants, or it leaves you nauseous with a splitting headache! Regardless, The Blair Witch Project only cost a meager $35K to produce, but grossed nearly $250M! Proving that even the most amateurish, low budget productions can achieve tremendous success.

One of the fastest growing social networks on the Internet is YouTube. The popularity of this platform clearly demonstrates the significant rise of consumer interest in video and the rapid growth of its use for business sales and marketing.

Fortunately, as is typical when certain media trends skyrocket, a greater variety of cost-effective associated technologies becomes available. Such is the case with digital video recording, editing, and publishing.

Enter The Flip Video Recorder!

Available in 4 basic models and priced from $149 to $279, the Flip Video Recorder offers up to 4 hours of quick and easy video recording, allowing even the most technically-challenged to achieve some measure of success!

As simple as it is to record, it’s just as easy to download videos to your computer by using a ‘flip-out’ USB connector. Each model comes with FlipShare pre-loaded software that allows you to quickly edit your videos and seamlessly upload them to popular websites like YouTube.

Video Tip: Poor Man’s Tripod – To help reduce the amount of vibration and shake, find a bolt that screws into the base of the Flip recorder. Cut a length of string nearly as tall as you, and tie one end to the base of the bolt. On the other end, tie a large flat washer. When shooting video from a stationary position, simply step on the flat washer and pull up on the string until tensioned. This will allow you to capture smoother footage, even when you pan a scene. Plus, it fits into your pocket a whole lot easier!

The applications for using video in real estate are virtually limitless:

Neighborhood Reviews, virtual tours for listings, highlight area shops and businesses, feature local parks and attractions, market reports, local expert interviews, real estate advice, etc..

A short video is the ideal solution for Out-of-State clients who want more than a basic photo gallery. A video provides them with a greater sense of floor-plan flow and the surrounding context of neighborhood/area.

Video can allow prospective clients the opportunity to become better acquainted with you before meeting in person, further reinforcing their level of comfort and trust with you.

While you shouldn’t plan on winning an Oscar anytime soon, using the Flip Video Recorder can be one of the more effective tools you can utilize to communicate valued information to prospective clients and further distinguish yourself as the knowledgeable real estate professional for your market.

Check-out a couple of my favorite real estate video RockStars:

The Clark County WA RE Expert Dale Chumbley

The Vancouver BC Penthouse Expert Ian Watt

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Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate professional providing knowledgeable empowerment and relentless representation for his clients of residential properties and vacant land throughout all of Kitsap County WA and portions of Pierce, Mason, and Jefferson Counties. You can also find him at KitsapLife.com, ActiveRain, Everyday CK, and Crabbing in the Hood, or e-mail:  kitsapagent@gmail.com

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January 2007 …  A blog is born.

Way back then (seems like ages ago), Rich and I started this venture. We had plenty of ideas, tons of energy and just enough arrogance to believe that people would want to read our questionably erudite prattlings! In the intervening time many things have changed. I pulled away from the blogging crowd and social media, Rich immersed himself in it. Yet, through all the changes, our friendship and mutual respect has survived and grown. SoundBite has become a closet full of articles and memories.

I sit here on the morning of 01-01-10 thinking about what the new year will bring. I am sure I am not alone. The beginning of a new year always has a subtle flirtation to it. Thoughts of what might be in store beckon.

Between us, Rich and I have acquired over 100 years of living. We have yet to aquire 100 years of wisdom. Then again, 2060 is not that far off. When exactly do we become wise? And how do we know when we get there?

Thursday morning coffee this week included a conversation about our homes. We both find ourselves in a similar, somewhat bewildering  situation. The houses seem suddenly quiet. Both of us bought large homes years ago in which to raise families. Now our children are off to explore their lives, rendering the family home quiet. As we were talking, we noticed that each of us has only three people living at home; husband, wife and one child.

I can remember looking forward to some quiet in my life. I often felt that the schedules, appointments, meetings, sports practices and parent-teacher conferences consumed every available hour. Now that all those hectic responsibilities are in the past, I find myself with hours to fill and little idea how to fill them. Maybe it is finally time to discover Golf!

The new year beckons. I have decided that I will commit to only one New Years Resolution … I will enjoy my journey for the journey’s sake alone.

There will be 52 Coffee Thursdays before the next New Year. I look forward to each one. They are a part of my journey too.

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This Friday, December 11th at Pacific Northwest Title in Silverdale, Kitsap area real estate professionals will have the ‘joy’ of being entertained taught by Natalie Danielson of ClockHours.com

Natalie will be facilitating two brand new Social Media classes – one on Blogging Basics, and the other on Twitter. Here is the all the skinny:

• Two brand new 3 clock hour classes
• Tuition :$30.00 for each or both for $55.00 (deal)
• Date : December 11th, 2009
• Time: 1st session Blogging Basics 9:30 – 12:30 pm
• Time : 2nd Session Twenty Questions on Twitter 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Pacific Northwest Title

2021 NW Myhre Road, Suite 300

Silverdale, WA 98383

(360) 692-4141

To register, email:  vickieL@pnwtkitsap.com

Directions to Pacific Northwest Title

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Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate professional providing knowledgeable empowerment and relentless representation for his clients of residential properties and vacant land throughout all of Kitsap County WA and portions of Pierce, Mason, and Jefferson Counties. You can also find him at KitsapLife.com, ActiveRain, Crabbing in the Hood, Facebook, Twitter, or e-mail:  kitsapagent@gmail.com

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Tags: blogging, clockhours.com, natalie danielson, pacific northwest title, silverdale wa, social media training, twitter

“Social Media is the new Water Cooler.

It’s where People Connect and Interact”

~ Rich Jacobson ~

I had recently published my second article in the series “Developing a Social Media Strategy for Small Business” to my blog over on ActiveRain and wanted my local SBB readers to know about it.

You can find the full article here:

“The ‘WHY’ of Social Media for Small Business”

The article explains some of the basic reasons why using social media makes sense for promoting and growing your business. Much of what I share is born out of my experiences in real estate, but can be easily adapted and applied to other business models.

To access the 1st article in this series, go to:

“Social Media is a Conversation, not an Advertisement”

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Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate professional providing knowledgeable empowerment and relentless representation for his clients of residential properties and vacant land throughout all of Kitsap County WA and portions of Pierce, Mason, and Jefferson Counties. You can also find him at KitsapLife.com, ActiveRain, Crabbing in the Hood, Facebook, Twitter, or e-mail:  kitsapagent@gmail.com

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Tags: Kitsap County WA real estate, small business in kitsap county wa, social media, social media marketing, social media optimization, social media strategy

Okay, so this is probably the first and only recipe you’ll encounter here on SoundBite. I typically give other real estate agents a hard time for blogging about jokes and recipes. Most consumers want good quality real estate content, not Aunt Betty’s County Fair winning recipe for meat loaf.

However, I’ve been asked enough times that it warrants posting my salsa recipe. There just aren’t enough characters on Twitter to do the recipe justice, and posting to Facebook would simply get lost in the shuffle.

For the most part, fresh ingredients are the key to making good salsa, so don’t cut corners there. Find a local market that excels at good quality produce. Fortunately for us here on the Kitsap Peninsula, we have Central Market in Poulsbo.

Mix the following in a large mixing bowl:

8 – 10 large finely chopped radishes

One bunch of fresh Cilantro – I usually cut-off the top half with just the greens and chop it semi-fine.

6 – 8 cloves of fresh finely chopped garlic – you can use the a tablespoon of the pre-chopped stuff.

1/2 diced Sweet Onion – I prefer Walla Walla sweets…

6 finely sliced green onions

One large Red Bell Pepper, finely chopped

2 large Jalapeno Peppers, finely chopped

4 small to medium vine-ripe tomatoes, chopped semi-fine

Two cans of Rotel Diced Tomatoes with Green Chiles

Two small cans of Tomato Sauce

7 or 8 cranks of freshly ground pepper from a mill

1 teaspoon of sugar

If you want more heat, add another Jalapeno or a habanero.

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Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate professional providing empowerment and relentless representation for his clients of residential properties and vacant land throughout all of Kitsap County WA and portions of Pierce, Mason, and Jefferson Counties. You can also find him at KitsapLife.com and Crabbing in the Hood.

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Tags: Kitsap County WA, recipes, Sparky's World Famous Salsa