• Use the power of WordPress to create your brokerage site
• Insert your listings using the SmartBroker plugin
• Simple yet powerful administration area for adding and maintaining listings
• No minimum term or hidden costs
• No lock-in – export your data at any time

The Complete SmartBroker System

The SmartBroker system consists of two parts:

1. The front-end This is the part your visitors see. This is built using WordPress, a popular (and free) content-management system. Any static pages (e.g. buying advice), blogs or newsfeeds are handled by WordPress, and can be updated without any technical knowledge – no more waiting for the web guy to get round to your request! SmartBroker listings are then inserted into your WordPress site using the SmartBroker plugin.
   
   
2. The administration area This is where you log in to add, maintain and remove your listings. Powerful tools help with creating listings, uploading photos and videos and handling enquiries.

Find out more about WordPress at wordpress.org.

Why use WordPress at all?

Good question – there’s a post about this here.

• Use the power of WordPress to create your brokerage site
• Insert your listing using the SmartBroker plugin
• Plugin creates search page automatically
• Featured boats widgets and small search boxes to place into your site design
• No re-inventing the wheel, no obscure systems to learn

Create your site using WordPress, then embed SmartBroker

WordPress allows you to create a website to suit your business, and then the SmartBroker plugin will embed your listings.

The plugin automatically creates a search page. It also includes widgets and shortcodes to insert featured boats widgets and small search boxes into your site – maybe you’d like a search box at the top of every page?

The SmartBroker plugin is available for free at http://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/smartbroker/, and there’s a demo server the plugin can use to show dummy boat listings. With these resources, it’s possible to develop your brokerage site without any costs or time constraints; you can then buy your SmartBroker subscription once you’re ready to go live.

For information about building a site with WordPress, go to http://codex.wordpress.org/WordPress_Lessons.

• Built-in wizards help you add new boats quickly
• Standard listing specifications ready-to-go in one click
• Flexibility to add custom specifications
• Seamless photo & video formatting and resizing
• Prices converted from GBP – EUR
• Automatic conversions for lengths, weights and capacities

The power of SmartBroker is in the Admin Area

Once you’ve got your WordPress site up and running, it’s time to get your boat listings online.

The admin area is the password-protected site where you can create boats, maintain your listings and perform a variety of advanced actions.

Creating a new boat listing is simple, as the software guide you through with pre-populated specification forms and broker’s notes fields. You can upload as many photos as you like, and embed YouTube videos directly into your listings.

• Share listing data with popular listing sites
• No more re-entering boat data into multiple sites
• Uses the popular OpenMarine standard for data interchange
• Compatible with YBW.com, RightBoat and Boatshop24.com

Listing sites may charge a fee to advertise your boats on their site.

Current compatibility list

Advanced features to help you work smarter

SmartBroker has a range of features for the power user, including a system to get owner’s to approve listings online, and the potential to track users as they view your listings.

Get owners to check for listing errors – all online!

The approval system allows boat owners to check and correct any errors made in their boat listing. This keeps your listings accurate and converts visits into sales.

• Automatic labelling of provisional listings
• Submit listings for owner approval in just two clicks
• Owner approves the listing or suggests amendments online
• Re-assures owner you’re working hard for them
• Full audit trail showing approval history
• No lost paperwork or listing errors

Track potential buyers and start proactive marketing

You can request that potential buyers to go through a quick & free registration system which gives access to extra boat photos – this allows you to track them around your site and see what kind of boats they’re interested in. Aggregate statistics give you an in site into how popular a particular listing is – useful if considering a price change, of example.

• Match boats and users to make more sales
• Call or email to suggest a visit onboard – before they contact you!
• Collect email addresses for your newsletter
• Guidance to help comply with data protection law

Add notes to contacts and boats

Keep track of any phone enquiries or boat viewings by adding notes to the system – then all of your team will be up-to-date with recent events. No more lost paperwork or embarrassing blunders – all the information you need is available anywhere.

• Add notes to record events or conversations
• Link events with the relevant boats and contacts
• Time and author information added automatically, so you know where to direct any queries.
• All your team are up-to-date, all the time.
• No more lost paperwork or embarrassing slips.

Sample contract templates

SmartBroker includes sample Sale & Purchase agreements, Listing agreements and supporting documents. These can be edited and styled to suit your business – never be without a listing agreement again!

Includes a custom data-collection form to help during yacht visits – make sure you collect all the details required for a great listing.

• Comes with sample agreements for you to edit to suit your business
• Contracts based on industry guidelines
• Make sure your whole office is using the same paperwork

• PC and Mac friendly – just access with your usual browser
• Allow your staff to administer the system for you
• Add unlimited administrators at no extra cost
• Download and backup your data whenever you want
• Can be integrated into your existing site
• Nothing to download or install

Online, safe and secure

SmartBroker is a complete cloud solution for your boat listings. All your data is available 24/7 from any computer with an internet connection.

SmartBroker data is held in secure, industry-standard data centres based in Reading, UK and backups are performed to off-site storage regularly.

The data you put onto your SmartBroker system belongs to you, not us, and you can download a complete copy of this information (including photos) at any time.

The SmartBroker contract is a month-by-month contract with no minimum term, so you’re not tied to one system for ever.