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The New Real Estate Connection- Online Social Networking
March 6, 2009 ·  

Michael has invited special guest  Jonathan Shaw to comment on new Real Estate trends. Jonathan shares with us a re-post of a very good article by Peyman Aleagha for RISmedia
http://rismedia.com/2009-02-23/social-networking-and-the-new-real-estate-sphere-of-influence/

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Social Networking and The New Real Estate Sphere of Influence

 Actually, we’re not just talking about “social networks,” but business networking as well. The Internet has made dramatic changes in the way the world shops, locates information, and in how they communicate with each other. Of course, e-mail is the elephant in the room. But, as we become ever more mobile and in a hurry, networking will become a many-faceted activity.

 So, what do we mean by online or social networking? It’s all about sending messages to one another in real time, and getting back responses quickly. But, it’s also about introductions. We introduce our contacts to others, and they can introduce us to their network. It becomes an ever-growing circle, encompassing more people who in some way keep up with what we are doing or saying.

 A large part of these networking services is information retrieval as well. It isn’t just searching on Google, but also searching within a network for answers to questions, and sharing those answers with our circle of contacts. And, it seems that new services just keep popping up.

 The big names are:

 Twitter.com - This text and email communication tool has grown tremendously since it began. Leaving “tweets” as they are called, is placing short bits of information out via cell phone text message, RSS feeds or even voice to text conversion. It is used a lot to keep people who “follow” you posted as to where you are and what you’re doing.

MySpace.com - More for the younger set, but infiltrating older age groups as well, this is a social networking site for exchanging information, sharing music and just about anything else two people would like to share online.

Facebook.com – Facebook is a lot like MySpace, only for an older age group. It is also used to communicate over distance, send messages, and share information with a social network.

LinkedIn.com - This is a business and professional network of the first order. It is set up with a resume profile, connections to others in your field, business or company, finding employment and making deals. With more than 10 million users, it is a great place for a business person to network.

 There are some specific etiquette concerns when using these network resources. They may be free in most cases, but you shouldn’t abuse them. A recent example that was publicized was a home buyer who asked a question on Facebook. They received dozens of “USE ME!” e-mails and contacts from real estate agents. They were not amused. These weren’t productive answers to their question, but just hurled requests for attention, much like throwing a handful of business cards into a group of people.

 Your goal in working within these network sites is much the same as it is in personal networking at the Rotary Club. Be friendly and around. When a real estate related question is asked, be there with a courteous and informative answer. Just keep doing it, and you’ll build relationships over time that will bring you business. And, when consumers on these sites start to recommend you to their online connections, you’ve dramatically expanded your sphere of influence without shaking a hand or attending a meeting.

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Filed Under Important Thoughts, Local Trends, Marketing Your Home, Real Estate on the Web

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Comments

5 Responses to “The New Real Estate Connection- Online Social Networking”

  1. Karin on March 8th, 2009 1:14 pm

    That was a great article! Anyone who has their own business should read this. It is vital these days to have an online presence. Without it you are shooting yourself in the foot and probably loosing a ton of potential business!

  2. Brian Boisson on March 9th, 2009 9:21 am

    Jonathan,
    Thanks for the information.

    It is informative and helps explain in simple english the different networking resources and the differences amoung them.

    Brian

  3. Nicole on March 9th, 2009 4:24 pm

    Having an online presence is vital in any business, especially in a business like Real Estate. I would say 50% of my business comes from the internet, so I am a firm believer in having a solid online presence.

  4. Jean Joh on March 11th, 2009 1:40 am

    Thanks to Jonathan for sharing that great article, and to Michael for opening the door for the agents in our office to be up on the latest technologies. I’m still working on increasing my online presence, but am happy to say I’ve already received one referral through twitter. It’s a fantastic way to meet people and to let them get to know us and hopefully come to trust us for their real estate needs in the future. Picked up a few good recipes too!

  5. Adam Chinn on March 12th, 2009 6:39 pm

    Thanks to both Jonathan and Michael. The article was great and it does explain what a few of the networking sites offer and what they are about. Web presence is very important to a business, especially in today’s world.

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