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FAQ ... own a networking Portal for your business!
1/ I already have a real estate web site, why do I need a Portal site?
This is the question we are asked most often. The answer is quite simple however.
If you are not satisfied with traffic to your site from prospective buyers and sellers and from the general public, then you might want to consider owning a networking Portal that people not only look forward to visiting everyday, but a portal so convenient and time saving they'll not want to do without! As a result, people will make your Portal their home on the net!
Your Portal is designed to attract new and repeat visitors. It is one of the most resourceful linked-up sites you’ll find anywhere with everything people want and need to start their busy day.
Your real estate listings and images are wrapped around all the special features that are important to most folks. Now, your real estate listings are showcased to more and more people and in the process you'll be branding your name and primary real estate web site.
2/ What are the features on the Portal that will compel people to revisit my portal site and to refer it to their family, friends, colleagues and clients.
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If you have browsed through the portal site you'll know the value of this Portal:
1/ There is a very helpful fire prevention icon at the top right of our home page. It has an audio announcement icon and when activated … it reminds home occupants every three minutes that the stove is on in the event they become distracted from the kitchen. There were an estimated 14,000,000 unreported in-house fires last year in Canada & the U.S.
2/ There will 50 of the most popular newspapers linked directly from your Portal, updated daily.
3/ Links to 10,000 more newspapers domestically and internationally, updated daily.
4/ Links to the top 100 most popular web sites on the internet.
5/ Links to Weather, Sports, Financial, TTC, Government Listings, Maps, Travel Warnings,
Air Departures / Arrivals, Traffic Cameras, Movies, Family Guide to the North, Golf, Fashion & Beauty, Health & Fitness, Google, GMail, MSN, Yahoo, Craigslist, Kijiji, YouTube, Super 7 & 649 CNN, CBC, Fox, TSN, Amazon, Priceline, FedEx, eTrade, eBay, Travelocity, WebMD, MySpace, Livinghome, Ask Health, MTV, SciFi, MovieLink and more!
6/ One of the most talked about features on your Portal site will undoubtedly be the spectacular images and videos captured by the Hubble Space Telescope. A collection of stunning images and video clips from deep field space including what is deemed to be the most important photograph ever taken.
Please ask yourself which site you would rather visit in your busy day; your primary real estate site or your Portal site that still showcases your real estate listings … but has everything else featured as well?
3/ Am I required to pay anything up-front?
No, you only pay your one-time $295 set-up fee once we have launched your new Portal site live on the net.
4/ How long will I own the Portal site?
It’s yours … you own it outright! Keep it live on the net for as long as you like.
Remember, your new Portal will be networked … growing day by day, so by keeping it live on the net, you’ll be growing your real estate contacts and referral base. It’s to your advantage to keep your Portal going for as long as you remain active in the real estate profession!
5/ Is the Portal custom designed?
Yes, we will custom design the Portal to meet your requirements in background colour, and any added or deleted featured links.
5/ How long will it take you to complete this Portal site for me?
We worked many days developing your Portal template. With program development, labour, approvals, activating all featured text and web site links, linking images and video clips … all in effort to develop a site that you will be excited to recommend to your circle and to your clients. But we are not done yet, we still need to register your domain name, setup your free hosting, set up your free email account, setup a “buy now” button for your advertisers, link the portal to your primary site and customized the look of your Portal to your complete satisfaction! Don't worry, all these extras are included in your one-time setup fee.
6/ Are there any fees to design & upload my advertiser’s banner ads?
We do not charge a monthly maintenance fee to manage your site, but please understand we must charge for extra work done to your Portal. Therefore, a $35 setup fee will apply to upload and link any advertising banner on your Portal site. We suggest, you charge advertisers a minimum $100 advertising fee to participate for a term of one year. Enrolling advertisers will help grow your network, because each advertiser in the home service industry has there own circle and clients. The objective of your customized Portal is ... one business helping another through a referral network ... made up of home service advertisers on your portal.
7/ How much does it cost me to host my Portal site?
Your hosting is free for the first two years. When you take that in to consideration along with the first paid advertiser provided to you by our company, you could say you are getting the site for free! After the free two year hosting plan, you can expect to pay approximately $7.50 per month for hosting. However, if you decide to broaden your online community with the purchase of a second portal, for the purpose of networking with more advertisers, then we’ll add another two years of free hosting to your first Portal site. Same applies to your second Portal if you expand to a third Portal and so on. We can build as many Portals as you like and your advertisers will always offset your costs. So while you earn advertising dollars, you’re continuously growing your business.
8/ Can you link the Portal to my primary web site?
Yes, we can link to your primary web site from more than one location on your Portal at no added cost.
9/ Do I register my own domain name?
If you like, or we can register it for you. Either way the name will belong to you exclusively.
Here are some examples of domain names for you (URL’s):
www.YourNamePortal.com www.YourNameLinks.com www.YourNameNewsLinks.com
or any other domain that includes or does not include your personal or business name. Your Choice!
10/ Is the cost of my domain registration included in the purchase of the Portal?
Yes, the cost of your domain name registration is included, however you will be required to renew annually at your own expense. Renewal is about $10 annually!
11/ Are any promotional items included with the purchase … to help me market my new Portal site?
Yes, we will provide you with the following products, which are all included in the purchase of your Portal site:
1/ 250 business cards … free!
2/ 2 Hubble Space image e-postcards for email marketing to clients and contact list … free!
3/ an 11 x 17” laminated poster … free!
4/ 10 promotional Bahamas Cruise Certificates.
12/ Do my advertisers receive any promotional items?
We recommend they order the same free items as provided to you to help network the Portal
1/ 250 free business cards … pay shipping only.
2/ 2 Hubble Space image e-postcards for email marketing to clients and contact list … free!
3/ an 11 x 17” laminated poster … free!
13/ When will I receive my promotional material?
1/ Business Cards - within 15 business days of receiving your payment for the purchase of the Portal.
2/ Hubble Space image e-postcards - within 5 business days of receiving your payment for the purchase of your Portal.
3/ an 11 x 17” laminated poster - within 5 business days of receiving your payment for the purchase of your Portal.
4/ Bahamas Cruise Certificates - within 5 business days of receiving your payment for the purchase of your Portal.
The same time frame applies to your advertisers – from the day you receive their payment for placement of their banner ad.
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14/ How long will it take to launch my Portal?
Your Portal can be launched in 72 hours.
15/ What is the cost to insert a property photo and description?
We must charge you a flat rate fee of $25 for each image / description of property that we post on your Portal.
16/ Will all the featured links be linked-up when my Portal is launched?
Yes, all the links featured on your Portal will be activated!
17/ Must I charge my advertisers or can I give them a free trial ad?
We leave that up to you! Please keep in mind however, that we must apply a $35 fee to design and insert their banner.
18/ How much should I charge for advertising space?
Again we leave that up to you. Our suggested advertising rate is between $100 and $200 depending on page positioning and the size of their banner ad.
19/ How will businesses pay me for their advertising?
There are two methods of payment. They can send you a cheque by mail to your recorded address, or they can purchase online via a secured shopping cart that we set up for you through PayPal.
20/ When the Portal is launched, how do I pay you?
There are two methods of payment. You can send our company a cheque by mail, or you can purchase online via our secured shopping cart through PayPal.
21/ What type of advertisers can I expect to join me?
You will discover, that businesses in the home services industry are best suited for participation on your Portal. They include:
Mortgage companies, renovation companies and other skilled home trades, furniture outlets, home inspectors, landscapers, home security companies and home stagers … just to name a few.
22/ Who manages my Portal?
We do, unless you choose to manage the Portal yourself.
23/ Is there a management fee if you manage the site for me?
No monthly management or maintenance fee will apply.
24/ Is this Portal site a template that will be offered to other agents.
Yes, any real estate representative or broker or any other business for that matter can request to purchase a Portal site from us. We use the same layout and design but change the colours around ... so portal sites will have a different appearance. It is unlikely that any two Portals will be introduced to the same person, and if by chance that happens, it should not matter because each portal will have different advertisers.
25/ Can I buy more than one portal?
Yes, if you fill-up all your ad spaces on your Portal, you can buy a second portal. This will help you grow your business in other networking communities.
If you purchase a second portal with 2 years free web hosting you’ll also receive another year of free web hosting for your first portal and when you fill-up all your ad spaces on your second portal, you’ll receive a third portal absolutely free including two years free web hosting!
26/ Who will submit my Portal site to search engines.
We can do all that for you, unless you would rather do yourself!
27/ I am interested in starting now … what’s the next step?
Call us at 416.481.5353 to get started!