Point2 Agent Education : Point2 Broker

Exclusive Invitation for a Live Point2 Agent Session in the Dallas Area

Tanya Spilchak — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:02:00 GMT

Do you live in the Dallas/Fort Worth area?

Want to learn more about how you can use Point2 Agent Syndication to advertise your listings online and gain more leads?

Point2 Agent will be in Arlington, Fort Worth, Garland, Plano, Grapevine, Dallas and El Paso between September 28th and October 1st, 2009!

Click HERE to sign up for the Point2 Agent Event closest to you!

~ Tanya Spilchak, Point2 Education Coordinator

Point2 Agent Email System Migration Begins Today

Tanya Spilchak — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:49:00 GMT

The Point2 Agent email migration has begun!

Starting today, and until October 9, all current Point2 Agent accounts are being migrated to new Rackspace email accounts, which provide extensive spam filtering, organizational tools, and email messaging options.

Everyone's migration date will be different, due to the volume of email addresses and emails that must be migrated. The day prior to your migration, you will receive a migration notification email. You will still be able to access your old email account at any time to review prior email messages, although after your migration date, all new emails will be delivered to your new Rackspace email account.

If you have not already done so, you will want to export the contacts in your old account and import them into the new Rackspace email account, so that you can generate prospect contact lists, add additional information to contact records, and still keep in touch with your key clients.

If you have any questions regarding the new email accounts, you can reveiw the email migration FAQ's and some key information about Rackspace.

Once again, the migration to the new Rackspace email accounts has commenced. We know that you'll love them as much as we do!

New Point2 Agent Email System - Migration Starts Tomorrow!

Tanya Spilchak — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:49:00 GMT

Starting September 15, Point2 Agent will begin migrating current email addresses over the the new Rackspace email accounts , complete with new features and functionality!

This migration will be done in stages due to the volume of emails within Point2 Agent. When it is your turn to migrate, you will receive a migration notification email indicating that you are next in line to be migrated!

In preparation for this upcoming release, there are a few things you need to do so that you are ready for when your migration notification email arrives:

Export your contacts from your current email account, so that you can import them into your new Rackspace email account.
Review the migration FAQ's , so that you are prepared.

Tomorrow marks the start of the email migration, so keep an eye out for your migration notification email!

New Point2 Agent Email System Almost Here!

Tanya Spilchak — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 14:54:00 GMT

It's almost here. Next week marks the start of the migration to the new Point2 Agent Rackspace email accounts!

Between the weeks of September 15-October 9, your current email accounts through Point2 will switch over to Rackspace email accounts. Due to the volume of emails within Point2 Agent, this migration will be done in stages. You will receive a migration notification email indicating when your specific email address(es) will be migrating over to Rackspace.

Your email address will remain the same, but all new emails will be delivered to your new Rackspace email account(s).

Here are a few answers to commonly asked questions:

What happens to all the emails in my current email account?
In the weeks following September 15, they will be migrated over to your new email account. During the migration timeframe, you will still be able to access previous emails in the old account. Once migration is complete, all of your emails will be reunited and accessible in your Rackspace account, which provides you with further spam filtering, task management, time organization, and email messaging options.

What do I need to do prior to my migration date?
Exporting your contacts from your current account, so that they can be imported into your new Rackspace account. This will allow you to retain all of the current prospect information you have, as well as provide opportunities to add further information, add prospects to mailing groups, and having a Frequent Contacts list of those who you email the most.

I need more information or assistance.
To help you transition between email providers, we have created email migration FAQ's (which includes information regarding downloading email to Outlook) and pulled together key information about Rackspace.

Keep an eye out for your migration notification email!

New Point2 Agent Email System Coming!

Tanya Spilchak — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:56:00 GMT

A few months back, we mentioned that we were looking forward to some crazy-good improvements here at Point2. And we're pleased to say, you won't be disappointed.

You asked for it. We listened. You wanted an email system that's fast, that blocks spam, and that's flexible. That's just what we're giving you!

Very soon Point2 Agent will providing email accounts through Rackspace, one of the world's most reliable hosting companies! Between September 15-October 9, 2009, all existing email addresses through Point2 will be moved over to new Rackspace email accounts.

We've selected Rackspace as the new provider for all our email accounts because we want to provide you with the flexibility, speed, and additional features you need for your business.

Features like:

Enhanced spam filtering options, which allow you to not only block email addresses, but also IP addresses.
Increased email account sizes, providing further options for storing messages from prospects.
Outgoing servers with Point2, so you don't have to use your ISP's outgoing servers.
An updated look and feel to your email account and email messages makes it easier to keep in contact with prospects.

We're excited about the changeover to Rackspace email, and we know you will be too!

And to help you transition between the old email service and our new and improved email service, we've created email migration FAQ's and pulled together key information about Rackspace .

Rackspace email. Fast. Flexible. Feature-rich. Look for further details in the coming weeks as we approach the September launch date.

Food for Thought: End Website Form Spam

Tanya Spilchak — Mon, 24 Aug 2009 15:54:00 GMT

As part of our 2009 feature enhancement plan, Point2 Agent now provides spam protection for online forms!

Captcha requires users to enter in the letters and numbers shown in an image before the form can be submitted through your website, thereby preventing spammers from submitting their messages through your site. Using an example from our Point2 Agent Education website's Feedback Form, this is what the user will see:

The Captcha forms will be part of the main forms that are part of your Point2 Agent website, including Contact Forms, Feedback Forms, and Online Reports. You have the control to determine whether you will require users to submit the Captcha information or not. By default, this feature is turned off.

To enable spam protection, follow these steps:
1. Log in to your Online Office and go to 'Edit Website'.
2. Click the 'Settings and Disclaimers' tab.
3. Choose 'Change Site Spam Settings'.
4. Enable your website's Captcha.
5. Changes are automatically saved.

Enjoy this new tool in Point2 Agent!

~ Point2 Education Team

Top 5 Support Questions of the Week: June 27th - July 3rd

Riana Back — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 14:15:00 GMT

The Top 5 support questions our Customer Care team has received are:

1. I've received an email about Neighborhoods still being available even though the auction is over, what does this mean to me?

Now that the neighborhood auction is over, all neighborhoods are $20 each. The Dutch Auction works as a reverse auction. What this means is there is a starting price which gradually decreases as the days pass until the auction closes and the neighborhoods reach a floor price. The starting price for each neighborhood reservation on the first day of the Dutch Auction is $250. The cost decreases by $10 increments until the auction ends on the final day of the auction month to the floor price of $20 per neighborhood. If you’ve received the email about the Neighborhoods still available for purchase, please follow the link within the email to reserve that neighborhood. To reserve a Neighborhood, simply follow these instructions:

- Login to your Online Office
- Hover your mouse over the 'Admin' tab and select 'Neighborhood Expert'
- Click 'Buy Neighborhoods' in the bottom left corner
- Choose your State/Province - Browse the neighborhoods available
- An area that says 'View sub areas' is not an area that can be reserved, you will need to click this link to see areas below it. Any neighborhoods that state 'Reserve' (in blue) to the left of the neighborhood are available
- Click on 'Reserve' beside your desired area
- Your page will refresh to the purchasing page where the price will be listed, the time it is going to be reduced in the auction, and fields to enter your credit card information
- Enter the applicable billing information, select your desired number of lease periods, and click on the 'Purchase Neighborhood' button

All our neighborhoods are sold on a quarterly basis, meaning that no matter when you purchase them during a particular quarter, they will still be good only for that quarter. (Next quarter being July 1st through September 30th)

2. I've pointed my domain over to my Point2 Agent website more than 48 hours ago, what should I do?

If you’ve recently pointed your name servers over to Point2 OR if you’ve recently changed your domain records to host your email elsewhere, please allow up to 48 hours for the changes to go through. If it’s been longer than 48 hours please contact Customer Care by emailing agent@point2agent.com and they can look into it and update the changes for you.

3. How do I opt-out of Handshake if I don't want to use the feature?

If you have once participated in Handshake in the past but now no longer wish to do so please follow these instructions to block your existing agreements and ensure that your Point2 Agent listings will no longer be advertised on other websites and vice versa.
Note: When blocking Handshake agreements you must select a reason for your blocking them. Please select 'Blocking Agent does not participate in Handshake'.

1) Blocking Existing Handshake Complete Agreements:

- Login to your Online Office and select the Community tab
- Click the Handshake link
- Click on Handshake Complete
- You will see a list of all members with whom you have a completed Handshake agreement with
- Since you are wanting to block all members simply click the Select All link above the Block column
- Scroll down and click Update List
- Choose your reason for blocking and click OK

Now you will need to block any Pending Their Approval members as their Point2 Agent listings still appear on your website while you are waiting for their approval.

2) Blocking Pending Their Approval members:

- While in the Handshake area choose the Pending Their Approval link
- You will see a list of agents whose listings may appear on your website unless you block them
- Use the Select All link again above the Block column
- Scroll down and click Update List
- Choose your reason for blocking and click OK

Now you should have no Handshake Complete or Pending Their Approval members. If you have any in Pending My Approval, you should block these ones as well.

3) Blocking Pending My Approval members:

- While in the Handshake area choose the Pending My Approval link
- You will now see a list of agents who are waiting approval to display listings on your site
- Use the Select All link above the Block column
- Scroll down and click Update List
- Choose your reason for blocking and click OK

Finally, you will want to ensure that your Auto Block setting is set to Block new members from displaying your Point2 Agent listings. This will ensure that you are not participating in Handshake or receiving new Handshake agreements to approve/block.

4) Adjusting Auto Block Setting:

- Login to your Online Office and select the Agent Connections tab
- Select Handshake and then select Options
- Under the section Auto Block Setting make sure the box is checked off to Automatically set New members to Blocked By Me
- Scroll down and click OK to save the change

If in the future you wish to enable Handshake again, you can re-approve these members. You will have to wait for them to approve you in return.

4. I'd like to get my broker signed up with Point2 Agent, how do I do that, and what's in it for me?

If you invite your broker to join Point2, you have the opportunity to be rewarded! You can receive one free year of our Premium membership if you:

    1. Invite your broker to use Point2 Agent

    2. Your broker signs up for a Point2 account and confirms their membership

    3. Once your broker has confirmed their membership, they must invite at least 5 Agents to join their Agent Roster

    4. Each of the Agent's added to the Roster must also login to their account, and confirm their membership

    5. Once all of the steps above have been completed, please let us know the Name and website address of your Broker that you had signed up, we would be happy to provide you with one free year of our Premium membership

5. Are there more resources to help me with my website/account besides the User Manual?

View this blog post to see a list full of support resources available to all Point2 Agent members.

Have a great week!

~ The Point2 Agent Education Team