Is This Picture Worth A Thousand Words?

Yes, believe it or not, this picture IS worth a thousand words…give or take! What do you see when you look at this image? Is it an inkblot test, a complicated maze, or a pacman video game screen shot? Guess again! This image is, in fact, a link to the Lois Schneider Realtor mobile website!

Pretty cool, huh!

This image is known as a “QR” Code (“QR” stands for Quick Response).  Allan Hoffman of the Star Ledger provides this quick explanation for the quick response code. “It’s essentially a special type of square bar code in a matrix with other squares, like those on display here. But rather than being used by retailers to scan items at checkout, like other barcodes, QR codes are for your own use, with a camera-equipped mobile phone. By using an application known as a QR code reader on your phone, you’re able to scan a code with your phone’s camera, and then view a website, text or contact information.”

Now that you know what it is, expect to see them everywhere! QR codes are now featured on packaging, print ads, billboards and t-shirts.  They are a fun,  free, “quick” way to send mobile phone users to more detailed information about your business and your product.  QR codes can be linked to websites, informational flyers, movie previews, restaurant menus…EVEN a photo slide show of a real estate listing. The information can be stored on your phone, which eliminates the need to write down or remember website addresses, phone numbers, etc. It’s all right there at your fingertips! There are many options for QR readers for your smartphone. According to Hoffman,  NeoReader (for the iPhone) and Barcode Scanner (for the Android) are popular choices.  And you can generate your own QR code at www.qrcode.kaywa.com!

So point, shoot, and let these cool little pictures open a link to a world of words about your business!

Making The Grade

The 2009-2010 school year has officially come to a close, and with final exams and graduations behind us, it’s now time to relax a bit and ease into the lazy days of summer…summer school that is! 

At Lois Schneider Realtor, we know that hitting the books, learning the latest and greatest technology, and sharing the most valuable tools available to our clients is the best way to deliver the A+ service we strive to provide.

That’s why we have implemented training sessions like “Microsoft Mondays” and “Facebook Fridays”  for our sales associates and support staff. Over the summer, we will also be building a brand new, state-of-the-art website that will combine the ease-of-use of our current website with some exciting new features that will provide the most accurate, up-to-the-minute information regarding not only LSR listings, but all listings from the Garden State Multiple Listing Service, community and school information, market information, and so much more!

Another great, new tool that Lois Schneider Realtor is pleased to announce is mobile technology. With more and more consumers using their  phones as a virtual office, Lois Schneider Realtor wanted to create a mobile website that is convenient and easy to view from any mobile device with internet capability—smart phone, blackberry, or traditional cell phone—if you have internet access, you can view and search our mobile website, www.LoisSchneiderRealtor.com, from your device. And the technology doesn’t end there.  Look for our signs in front of listings all over town, follow the text messaging instructions posted on the signs, and instantly receive detailed photos and descriptions about the wonderful property… right in the palm of your hand. Our goal is to provide you with the fastest, most accurate information you need for your home-buying decisions.

In our continued effort to serve our clients, we have also expanded our team of Sales Associates! Lois Schneider Realtor welcomes the addition of  Elizabeth Cicchino, Cory Robinson, Pamela Slaughter, and Anthony Verducci, each one bringing the knowledge, commitment, professionalism, and exceptional service that Lois Schneider Realtor has built a reputation on for over 30 years.

Our ultimate goal, as always, is to provide the best service to our clientele. We will continue to crack the books, do our homework and our research, always looking for new ways to provide that top-notch expertise you deserve. Feel free to let us know if we’re reaching our goal and making the grade, or if there is anything we can do for you!