As I speak to thousands of real estate professionals around the country, I hear the same refrain.  Once REALTORS understand its many limitations, they want out of "A-O-Hell" ASAP!

Unfortunately, AOL doesn't make it easy on anyone wanting to switch to the real Internet.  However, there's no need to abandon all hope --just follow the four easy steps below... 

STEP 1: Stop Using AOL Software

Completely uninstall all AOL software from your computer --this is especially important if you are using AOL 5.0 (if you need help with this, solicit the services of a friendly techie).  The reason for this is to make sure you can install other Internet software without experiencing compatibility issues often caused by AOL software.
(NOTE: be sure to write down your AOL screen name and password before the uninstall.  Also, do not cancel your AOL account at this time --that will come later)

STEP 2: Set Up A Real Internet Account

This actually involves several secondary steps:

1. If you don't have one yet, get a domain name that is short, easy to spell and remember, and says something about what you do (you can try 000Domains for inexpensive domain name registration)
    
2. Find a good Internet Service Provider (ISP) to host your domain name for e-mail (and eventually the Web).  MindSpring is considered a good national one.  Or you can find all ISP's that service your area by going to The List.
   (NOTE: be sure to tell the ISP to use your domain name for your e-mail --i.e. "carol@yourdomain.com")
    
3. Have your ISP tech support help you install the necessary Web browser (suggest Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.01 or greater) and e-mail software (suggest Microsoft Outlook Express 5.0 which is free, or Outlook 2000 which isn't)
   (NOTE: be sure to also ask the ISP how to set up dialup access to the Net and how to access your new e-mail account)
   

STEP 3: Tell The World!

Change all references to your AOL e-mail address to your new address.  This means all printed material (ouch!), and all references found on the Web (i.e. your personal and company Web sites, REALTOR.com, Homeadvisors.com, IRED.com, as well as any other directory it might be found)
(NOTE: you can use a search engine like Altavista to look for other possible instances of your AOL address on the Web --e.g. "username@aol.com" --be sure to use the quotes in the search field)

STEP 4: Point Them In The Right Direction

Since AOL does not let you automatically forward e-mail to another address (another good reason to drop it!) you are going to have to "educate" your clients and prospects to use your new one.  Continue to handle your AOL e-mail via the Web at http://www.aol.com (remember, you should no longer have any AOL software on your system).  Every time you receive an e-mail from someone that is important to you, respond (via their Web interface) by letting them know your new address.

It may take up to six months to ensure that everyone is using your new e-mail address.  Once you are reasonably certain that no one will be sending you important e-mail via AOL, you can safely cancel your account.  At that point you can rejoice --you've made it out of A-O-Hell!

There is no question about AOL's important role as the first introduction to the online world for many real estate professionals.  However, its niche has turned into a "noose" for those who continue to use it yet struggle to excel at doing business on the Net.  Once you are on the real Internet however, your whole world of online business possibilities and opportunities expands considerably!

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Now that you have successfully freed yourself from the bonds of AOL, it is important to realize that much of your business (at least for agents in the U.S.) will come from AOL users.  This can create a real headache when trying to send them attached files (but you already knew this, didn't you!).

In my Feb' 2000 column ("How To Make Sure Your AOL Prospects Don't Go Away!") I mentioned a service called Click2Send that would solve the attachment problem.  Unfortunately it is no longer a free service --but not to worry, the Internet always provides!  You can use a very similar service called Whalemail that is free.

Here is how you would use it to "send" files to your AOL clients:  Suppose you needed to send a CMA report to a prospective seller.  Once you've created your free Whalemail account, you upload the file through your browser to a special location on their servers, and Whalemail will e-mail your recipient saying that there is a file for them to pick up at a particular Web link.  The recipient simply goes to the link address and downloads your file through their Web browser.  It's as easy as that!  Of course better yet would be to convince all your AOL clients and prospects to get on the real Internet --but that might be a little harder...