January 2011 IDX Broker Agent Newsletter

Happy New Year and welcome to your first 2011 Training Newsletter!

This month's newsletter will explain how to brand your email updates, how to build a quick search form using the Form Builder Tool, and how to promote your myAgent Application, the free iOS mobile application that comes with IDX Broker.

We have changed the format of this newsletter slightly to accomodate more email clients. If you have any feedback for us, please fill out this this survey. Don't forget to add us via Twitter and check out our Facebook page!

Best regards,
The IDX Team
help@idxbroker.com

---

Customizing Email Updates

Automatic email updates is a very popular feature. These emails go out to leads when new MLS listings match the Lead's saved search criteria. Did you know that you could also customize some of the features available in those updates? Below are some simple steps you can take to do that.

From Address & Carbon Copies
In the Global Preferences section of IDX Broker, you may specify a custom From address for your email updates. This email address can be different from the primary email address on your account. Many agents like to use a general email address here, rather than their personal email address. Your "Display Name" as shown in the Contact Info area of your control panel is going to be the "From" address.



You may also opt to receive carbon copies of the email updates. You can either be CC'd on all email updates that go out from your account, or you can receive a daily summary. The daily summary includes each lead's name, email address, and a link to the search results included in their email update. Most people select daily.

Email Updates Sub Header
Use a sub header to modify your branding. Quickly add images or text for display directly above the listings in the email update message. In the example below, we'll use a sub header to display a company banner at the top of the email updates message.

In IDX Broker under Customize -> Sub Headers -> Lead Pages, we've entered some simple HTML referencing our banner image. Note that you cannot upload this banner into your IDX Broker account. Use an image hosting service such as Flickr, or host the file on your own website.

This sub header will display our banner at the top of the email update message:



Signature & Contact Information
The contact information displayed in the footer of your email updates is pulled from the information you have entered in the Account Management -> Contact Info page in IDX Broker. Please check to be sure this information is accurate.



If you are working with a web designer, the email updates may be customized further using a Page Wrapper. The Page Wrapper for email updates can be used to display custom HTML email stationary in your email updates. For more information on using Page Wrappers, please see this article in our online Knowledge Base.

---

myAgent by IDX: Mobile Property Search

MyAgent, the free iPhone/iPad app is designed to give you an advantage in the field. Use it when you're touring neighborhoods with a client, or encourage your client to download the app and enter your Agent ID code. That way if your client finds a home they like, you're more likely to receive their call or email. Why? Because your contact information shows up at the top of every search!

Note that next Wednesday we will be releasing an additional banner like the one below. This banner will feature images of both the iPad and iPhone. This will help you promote to those clients who own an iPad!

Your agent code is found under the Mobile tab in IDX Broker:



You can use the red snippet of code provided to promote your app on any web page. This badge is linked directly to the app in the iTunes app store. Site visitors just need to click, download, and enter your agent code (xxxx) to browse listings on the go.



This QR code is also provided so you may promote your app on the web, as well as in any print materials you may use to market yourself. This QR code can be included on business cards, brochures, print ads, etc. to provide an easy way for prospective clients to view listings with their iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch via your myAgent Application.

---

Build a Quick Search

IDX Broker's Quick Search Builder provides you with a small, basic search form that you can display anywhere on your website. The Quick Search form is small enough to fit in a sidebar on your website, or as a feature on your home page. The Quick Search form builder is located under the Widgets tab in your control panel. Here, you can drag and drop items from the left-hand side of the screen into the grid in the center of the screen to create your own custom search form. You may customize dimensions, font sizes and styles for each item by using the options above the grid.



Once you've finalized your layout, click the "Generate Script" or "Generate HTML" button. Your Quick Search form layout will be replaced by a chunk of code that you can copy and paste anywhere on your website where you would like this form to display. We recommend that you use Script when possible. This way your City list will change dynamically to match either the properties available that day in the MLS, or match any recent changes you've made to your Custom City List.

Now that you have the Script or HTML, simply place it in your sidebar HTML file, or anywhere else on your site. Your Quick Search form will show up automatically when you view the page in a browser!



We hope you enjoyed your newsletter!