Posted by Hank on January 06, 2003 at 10:37:48:
My computer came with Act 2000 on it (used computer).
I don’t have an owners manual.
How can I use this as a mailer program for postcards & letters ?
Monopoly? And keeping track of phone numbers. - Posted by Joshua
Posted by Joshua on January 05, 2003 at 20:09:41:
Hi everyone. First off I would like to thank all those who have ever helped me in my learning with REI and all my future learning I will get from here. I’ve come to the point where I have learned enough to go out and begin learning by experience and action. YEAH!! I’m meeting with a seller tomorrow.
Anyhow, does anyone know of a program to use to keep track of phone numbers you call so that if you come across two different ads that leads to the same seller it will tell you? That way you don’t need to go back through all the numbers in the paper to make sure you already didn’t call them earlier. “Just wondering cus I did that twice tonight.”
And the Monopoly bit…I’m seeing that REI and Monopoly relate quite a bit. What a great way to make a living…playing “monopoly”. “I know it’s not all play so plz don’t flame me. But it sure is fun.”
Thanks,
Joshua
Re: ACT! or Track-It - Posted by Wes (DFW-TX)
Posted by Wes (DFW-TX) on January 06, 2003 at 15:42:04:
Hi Joshua,
I would recommend ACT! (http://www.act.com/) - a Contact Management software application specifically designed to keep track of sales calls and a history of your conversations with current and prospective clients; or Track-It (http://www.trackit.com.au/) - which is designed to make property analysis and management simple enough for either you or your employees, and covers all types of real estate management as well as Contact Management.
Wes
Here’s a way to do it - Posted by rm
Posted by rm on January 06, 2003 at 09:00:05:
Use 3x5 cards.
Paste the ad at the top.
Get a 3x5 card box to keep them in.
On the tab dividers, write all the possible 3-digit exchange numbers.
Then, file all your cards by the first 3 digits of the phone number.
Re: Monopoly? And keeping track of phone numbers. - Posted by KC Questions
Posted by KC Questions on January 06, 2003 at 01:15:10:
Look into buying a PDA. I have a Handspring and it uses the Palm Desktop software that allows you to enter a lot of information about each contact whether you are at home or away, and you can pull up info on each contact no matter where you are.
ACT Software - Posted by Branden Bestgen
Posted by Branden Bestgen on January 06, 2003 at 24:02:57:
I use a contact database software called ACT. You can buy a copy at www.act.com. I found this to be one of the simplest, easiest, and cheapest software out there, and I tried most of them. You can record every conversation you have with your buyers, sellers, tenants, vendors, etc. You can also group them into different classifications and set reminders for you to call them whenver you need to.
Branden Bestgen
abl@rent2home.com
Easiest way… - Posted by Chris - Fl
Posted by Chris - Fl on January 05, 2003 at 22:28:27:
Open up Microsoft Word or Notepad…
Add your number… now… here’s the tricky part… the NEXT number (and all others will follow this) will either be HIGHER or LOWER… if it’s higher put it on top… if it’s lower… put it under neath… now with each addition you simply use the theory and find its respectful place in your list… you can even add a small note next to them… ie.
nm= Not Motivated
VP= Vacant Property
ATM=Asking too much…
AH= A$$Hole!
CB=call baack 2/01/03
this is too easy…
next!
Re: Monopoly? And keeping track of phone numbers. - Posted by Tim Fierro (Tacoma, WA)
Posted by Tim Fierro (Tacoma, WA) on January 05, 2003 at 21:53:17:
Or you can just not worry about it and go onto the next one on your list. If you happen to catch someone again, eventually they may want to deal. If not, just move on.
Keep it simple, you may not use it very long - Posted by MoniqueUSA
Posted by MoniqueUSA on January 05, 2003 at 21:46:02:
You might want to go with a simple, low-tech approach to keeping up with the phone numbers – like using a spreadsheet so that you can easily sort to find a number to see if you’ve called it before, or the 3x5 cards idea.
Why? When you decide that you’re tired of calling newspaper ads and instead want to get motivated sellers calling YOU, you don’t want to have lots of time and energy invested in a complex, high-tech system that you won’t use anymore.
MoniqueUSA
Re: Monopoly? And keeping track of phone numbers. - Posted by JustaJoe
Posted by JustaJoe on January 05, 2003 at 21:23:03:
Monopoly is an xcellent way of looking at the real estate business. When you buy a property in the real world you look for the same benefits that you look for in a monopoly property. Cash flow, Cap. Rate. cost of improvements (green houses, red houses).
As for the data base I agree with Brads post. Just keep it simple and quick by that I mean do you want to spend your time setting up a data base or will 3x5 cards works just as fast. Will the 3x5 cards be better or worse for you due to the way you self manage your life?
Hope this helps and let us know what worked for you!
Joe
Database Program - Posted by Brad Crouch
Posted by Brad Crouch on January 05, 2003 at 20:50:01:
Joshua,
It seems to me that a good way to keep track of phone numbers, potential buyers, potential sellers, etc. would be to acquire a relational database software program . . . like FoxPro or Microsoft’s Access. There are others, as well.
Just create a series of interlocking databases, one for each field of your primary database (easier than it may sound - read the accompanying documentation to learn how to do this). You would have a separate field for phone numbers which would appear on each record.
Then you could make an “inquiry” of your databases, listing the phone number field as your “keyword”. Or anything else you wanted at any time . . . just make a different field the “keyword” if you’re looking for different information.
Run the phone numbers through your database before you make the call. It only takes a few seconds. If you find a phone number you have called previously, take a look at the “notes” field on THAT record (you DID create a “notes” field, right?), to see what happened before. Maybe the guy is ready for another call.
Or you could create another “flat file” database (non-relational) consisting only of phone numbers you have called. This would require constant updating (as would the “main” database), and the idea would be to list the “valuable” prospects into your “main” database. If you don’t constantly update your databases, they will soon be worthless.
Or you could simply buy a bunch of 3" X 5" Rollodex cards, and use one card for writing down each phone number you called. There will even be enough space for you to write notes on each call. Write the phone numbers in the upper left corner of each card and keep the cards in ascending order, with a divider between different area codes.
Hope this helps,
Brad