Feeling Our Way Along

Yes, we're all in this together. Welcome to the neighbor you've never met but will soon meet. Our world is getting smaller in a good way. The Internet does have a face, millions in fact.

A commercial it doesn't have to be but as good it should be. Your brand does matter. Your content does make a difference. If at first you don't succeed, try, try again ...

Disclaimer: If spotty naughty language offends you, consider yourself warned and consider passing on watching this video.

Social Networking - What is the Cost of Membership?

As each day passes, more people join a growing list of users who are participating in at least one of countless online social networking communities.

To join, most of these sites are as simple as giving your name, email address, and creating a password and user ID. Click the link in the verification email immediately sent your way, and you've become another statistic in an exponentially growing list of online community members.

From big players growing their businesses to a new user getting acclimated to this new online world, anyone is welcome. Since most of these social networking sites are so easy to join, why not give it a try and see what comes of it? What do you have to lose?

Or .... Scenario #2 ... Pay to join.

Just recently, we ran across an article at microblink.com titled, "How Much Would You Pay for Twitter?". We recommend checking out their article and also visiting Guy Kawasaki on Twitter. You can also register your vote on Guy's social networking poll, "How Much Would You Pay for Twitter?"

We haven't voted yet because we're on the fence. From the looks of it, spending $5.00 a month for a social networking platform (such as Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Active Rain, etc.) would be a very small expense for what potentially one could gain from a membership.

In our minds, the bigger question is whether or not we would like our new online social worlds if we had to pay for it. To a certain extent, isn't the allure and power of online social networking the idea that anyone with access to a computer can join and immediately begin expressing who they are without spending any money to do so? Yes, time is money. However, if you don't have money, but you do have time, this may be your launching pad to something bigger and better. It provides a level playing field where creativity and what you know is not trumped by who you know and how well you're connected.

Would Twitter even need the default brown avatar (the default image for members who do not upload a profile picture) if it was a paid membership site? Who would pay for a membership and not take the time to brand their Twitter cubicle? I had a conversation last night about the brown avatar. That conversation would no longer exist. The laughs, connections, small talk - the Twitter community as we know it - would be in subtle ways completely different (as would Facebook, Linked In, Active Rain, just to name a few). As it is, some people for varying reasons can only contribute to their memberships now and again. Their lack of use doesn't necessarily equate to a lesser quality of content. If you were in this camp, would you pay knowing that your time to contribute was limited?

In short, what is lost when money becomes a factor? How much creativity and personality is left at the doorstep for control and manipulation when capitalism steps in and begins to rule the roost? Do you really think we would like what we see?

Social Networking - Why All of the Resistance?

You hear it over and over again. I don't get it? What's the point? This is not useful. I don't want to .... Blah, Blah, Blah.

The sheer amount of negativity that comes with change never ceases to amaze me. In fact, it seems that, as a society, we're most ardent in our ways during periods of time when it's obvious that "the way we've always done it here" attitude is simply not working and the eulogy is all but written on the wall.

Now, with the latest social networking revolution of the web we're hearing the same rally cries from those who don't get it. Why all of the reluctance to embrace change? In essence, it comes down to one word:

IGNORANCE

I'm not providing this criticism to be negative. I get it. I started with all of the same thoughts. I know for most of you, all of this social networking stuff is relatively speaking new, different, and oftentimes confusing. Was the skepticism any different when people started using personal PC's (anyone remember the Franklin, Compaq - when it was, Commodore 64)? We all could give a 100 examples of what we would never use that we now can't live without.

As real estate professionals, we should be embracing the changes that come with the onslaught of all of this new technology and social networking platforms. Yes, there is a negative, when you don't want to be, you remain connected and it can be tough and downright frustrating to get away from time to time. On the flip side of the coin, this connectivity enables you to do a larger extent of your business operations from the comfort of your chosen working environment.

As a theme that reoccurs hear on The Realty Buzz, embrace these social networking changes and be a part of making the experience better. Instead of being frustrated by all of this newness, spend your time, efforts, and energy getting to know these tools to start using them to work for you!

As the saying goes, doing what you've always done gets you more of what you've always gotten. If that's good for you, I apologize for wasting your time here. For the rest, get movin' and usin'. Change is what you make of it.

Embrace the Confusion!

In between our day to day activities as Real Estate professionals, more and more of us are making time for this online social networking "stuff". Remember in the beginning, your multifaceted platform of choice was Craigslist. Come to think of it, did you really have too many other choices?

Now, the social networking tools / platforms / communities are a dime a dozen - Twitter (of course, right now no social networking article would be complete without shamelessly Tweeting a plug for Twitter), LinkedIn, Facebook, Active Rain, Inman, Plurk, MyBlogLog, FriendFeed, Tumblr, Jumpcut, Brightkite, etc., etc., etc.

To this point, some of you are saying, "yeah, I know these sites, get on with your point" while others are saying, "Tumblr, Jumpcut, Brightkite, what now, where did these guys come from?"

Agreed, this social networking thing seems to be all over the board for most Real Estate professionals. Where do I start? What do I use? Does this fit into my 80%, 20% time spent rule? I don't get it! How many of these things do I need to belong to? This is just silly.

Do any of these remarks sound familiar?

For those of you who've already resolved themselves to using these social networking platforms, new questions arise. How do I stand out in such a large crowd? What's the best use of my time? What's the right tool? Wait a minute, is this a popularity contest or am I looking for business leads?

Make no mistake about it, we're all learning as we go. Even the big boys and girls. However, there's a major difference. The big boys and girls are learning about things nobody yet knows about while the rest are learning about things the big boys and girls have already learned and are now teaching. They take the time to understand the silliness, using and evaluating tools and ideas for countless hours to learn what truly is silly and what potentially has staying power. Are these individuals smarter than you? In some instances, sure. Regardless, it doesn't really matter. The important point and their major advantage (key to success) is that they do this social networking thing for a living, which means they spend a lot of time doing!

As a Real Estate professional, do you earn a living by working an hour or two out of each day while taking countless days off in between? How many hours are you really putting into learning this new social networking environment?

We're not foolishly suggesting that success can be found by simply banging your head into a wall hour after hour with your efforts and pains producing results just because. However, you can't expect to be an expert without putting in the time, practice, and following through with relentless perseverance.

Hard work and dedication has it's rewards. We've all been there, we've all felt successes to one extent or another. This social networking thing is no different with one exception. We're on the ground floor, and this is no ordinary opportunity.

Embrace the confusion. In fact, be thankful for this confusion as you have the ability to be one of many, yet relatively speaking, amongst only a few, that will be able to reap the rewards and enjoy the benefits that this social networking medium will bring.

If you want more out of this, stop treating it like a hobby and start working at it like a job. Give this the respect it deserves, the devotion it calls for, and the effort that it's going to take to figure it out. After all, who said transforming your business was going to be easy? It'll take a lot of work, but it's got to be done.

Make your mark while the gettin's good. And, right now, the gettin's really good!

What`s Twitter`s Viability?

Twitter, Tweet, Tweet! Yes, we're all definitely having fun micro blogging. As with most things in life, the dust will settle and reality will set in. When it does, what will have become of Twitter?

In a previous post (What`s Your Purpose Here Anyway?), we addressed the purpose of Twitter and why, from a business perspective, we should be using the tool. Knowing our purpose, the next question becomes Twitter's viability.

Will Twitter simply be that fun social networking tool that drives you to let everyone know that you're sitting down at a Starbucks with a brimming hot double cappuccino or will it really continue to evolve into something much bigger than that?

Does Twitter have the potential to become that multifaceted, lead generating, social networking tool that ultimately we will all use as seamlessly as keyboards translating our thoughts onto computer screens?

Is it going to be that routine, that powerful, that necessary?

What`s Your Purpose Here Anyway?

So you're a big social networking guru in the making now. It's hard to image a time when you weren't part of these social networking websites. You're confident because you feel as if you've grabbed a small part of something big getting bigger every day. First floor in an elevator Tweeting messages on your Blackberry all the way to the top. You brag to your cohorts that you have a profile on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, just three of the more well know social networking sites amongst a growing list of countless others.

In your newly found confidence, what's all of this networking "stuff" doing for you? Are you developing relationships and growing your business or are you merely playing in a playground pretending that one day you will make it too?

At the bare minimum, you have to formulate a loose game plan or generate a basic set of guidelines directing your social networking efforts. None of us know exactly what our future holds but there has to be a method to your madness. There has to be a reason why you're using these social networking sites.

It's fun to Tweet your friends letting them know you're watching "Sleepless in Seattle" or writing on someone's "wall" (Facebook tool for those of you still learning) letting them know you have a date this weekend but, and a very big BUT, you must not forget the reason in which you use these tools ... or perhaps these are the reasons.

Are they or do you have a bigger purpose here?

Active Rain - Real Estate Professionals Start Blogging

Networking, networking, networking. There are few better Real Estate specific social media networking outlets than Active Rain. A targeted audience, over 100k members strong, for you to broadcast your real estate business message. As important, there are endless opportunities to increase your online marketing knowledge and presence through Active Rain. If you're not a member. You need to be.

However, before you get started, send us an email (PropertyQwest@gmail.com) with your email address so that we can invite you to get started blogging with Active Rain.

We want those points! For those of you who use Active Rain, enough said. For those of you who haven't started, but need to, you'll understand our NEED and GREED for points!!!

If you're tech savy, you don't need this video. Simply go to http://www.activerain.com. Otherwise, the quick video below will nudge you in the right direction.

Real Estate, Social Networking, the Internet

Are you a Realtor, an investor, a wholesaler, or simply a real estate professional? Do you use the Internet? If you do, do you use it to simply research information, check the weather, and find out the latest news or do you use it to broaden your network and increase your business?

If you don't, you need to otherwise there's a whole world out there you're missing.

Laptops, cell phones, Wi-Fi, today's latest and greatest technology. Communication and networking drives our business as does it with many businesses. The Internet is "theee" platform to bring your world into your front room.

We're certainly not experts, we don't have all the answers, but, we do know that this technology "thing" is our future.

If you're willing to embrace this future you will find many opportunities around each corner. We'll highlight what we do, the tools we use, the sites we visit, and hopefully help you broaden your technological horizons.

Disclaimer: Perspective from real estate investors actually practicing what we preach. Welcome to our "Bully Pulpit". We intend to exploit it to the best of our abilities to expand our tech yearning horizons.