Finally, the results are in and the “Survey Says…”

A few weeks back I wrote about the importance of Surveying Your Audience. Since then I’ve done another survey and I’d like to get your opinion on the results.

Just a warning, some of these results are contradictory, so if you can help me understand what the hell these people (or you if you took the survey) are talking about, please chime in anytime in the comments section below.

So let me set this up for you…

I started using Social Media (mostly Facebook in the beginning) over 2 years ago. In January 2009 I started this blog to share what I had learned out there in the trenches. After a year of writing I realized that I need to monetize this blog or I was just wasting my time.

After trying a few different approaches I thought the smartest thing to do was survey you (my readers) to figure out what kind of stuff would help get you ahead in the world of Social media marketing for your real estate business. The following is a look at the surveys that we’ve done in an effort to create the right product for you.

Survey #1 Says…

The first survey we did was to get a better idea of the delivery of the product, so here are the results:

Clearly list building was very important to these folks

Classroom style training pulls a narrow victory

Looks like most folks prefer video training

What do the results of this First Survey Say to me?

I’m no genius, so judging by these results I’d say that most of the people who replied to this survey are interested in learning how to use Social Media to build a list of buyers and sellers.  They prefer classroom style training which is also supported by videos.

What would you say? (reply in the comments section below)

Survey #2 Says…

After the first survey I went into development phase of the product which would help agents build a list of buyers and sellers using social media (just like the survey said they wanted.)  Once I put together a rough draft I hosted another training call where I pitched the product and made some sales, but not nearly enough to make it worth my while.

I figured it was time to do another survey to get a clearer idea on what they wanted and how much they would pay for it, here are the results:

Looks like Facebook is pretty important

Hmmm..this is where things get a little confusing for me

Seriously??? Building your brand is worth less than 10 bucks???

WTF do these results mean?

After the results of the second survey I’m scratching my head trying to figure out what these results mean.  In the first survey list building was the most important, but in the second survey it was brand building???

Looking at the results of this second survey I see that building your brand using Facebook is the most important thing and you’re willing to dedicate 2 hours per week to do it.

The part that throws me for a loop is the $10.  If building your brand is so important why would it only be wroth $10?  Is that $10 per week?  $10 per 2 hour session?  or $10 total?  (help me out, share your thoughts in the comments section below.)

This is where I could really use your help understanding the results, leave your thoughts, comments, advice, or ramblings in the comments section below, Thanks!


  • karendrinkwalter

    We are excited to use facebook for marketing and equally excited that it is free and has the ability to reach buyers, sellers and other realtors, and it is free. We've been paying for advertising and paying a lot for years. So thinking that maybe facebook is a little niche that we can use and not cost is a bright little light for us. There is value in the training for using facebook, butwe've been stumbling through on our own, so do we need to pay someone to help us and is there that much more that you can show us that we can't find out for ourselves?

  • Finally, the results are in and the survey says — http://ow.ly/1aiWy

  • Finally, the results are in and the survey says — http://ow.ly/1aiXq

  • Finally, the results are in and the survey says — http://ow.ly/1aiXr

  • I think there's a lot to Facebook that most don't know which includes etiquette, list building, brand building, time management, viral marketing, building effective groups and pages and all sorts of other lil tricks.

    But yeah, stumbling through is a good way to do it if you have the time…so kudos to you for putting in the time Karen 😉

  • RE: I think there's a lot to Facebook that most don't know which includes etiquette, list building, brand buildi… http://tinyurl.com/ydbs8ae

  • Oh, plus…Facebook is just the tool…there's an end strategy to get more business. I'm pretty sure you can't close deals on Facebook…you have to figure out how to turn Facebook traffic into REAL customers.

  • RE: Oh, plus…Facebook is just the tool…there's an end strategy to get more business. I'm pretty sure you ca… http://tinyurl.com/yd3uavt

  • amyshrader

    It goes back to: People want something for nothing! I am pretty Facebook savvy and have tried to share my knowledge with people in my sphere of influence. But sometimes people want or require more time than you have to give them. And when I suggest setting up a one on one time and charging a fee for it, they become outraged. My time is valuable and my knowledge is worth something as well.

    I think with the real estate market being what it is right now (not the greatest), many realtors are feeling the pinch. They want to keep up their “traditional” marketing methods (Real estate magazines, newspaper ads, etc) as well as learn online / less expensive methods. The key is getting people to the light bulb point of understanding that re-allocating some of their marketing $ from print advertisements to social media will really save them money in the long run.

  • karendrinkwalter

    I agree.

    Karen Drinkwalter
    Montana Homestead Brokers
    (406) 661-1282 cell
    Real Homes for Real People
    Use my web site for all your searches: http://www.mymontanahomestead.com

  • News: Finally, the results are in and the http://bit.ly/cy1EHm

  • I think that people are getting tired of all the “free” information that is being pitched that only leads to the “really good stuff” that costs money. I think that information is a valid product that can certainly be marketed, but seems to me that anyone who has more than 100 fans fancies themselves an expert and worthy of being paid.

    So, even when someone like you has good information and should be compensated for that information, you get lumped into the same category as all the others who seem to want to take advantage in this age of the “new media.”

  • social media news – Finally, the results are in and the http://goo.gl/fb/Aqkp

  • I couldn't agree with you more Amy, time IS money. I know the Real Estate market is tough, but I am constantly surprised when I meet agents who don't have a marketing budget. It's Shocking!

    Yep, demonstrating the value over print marketing is the next step. As we get more students and they achieve more we'll have lots more case studies to work with.

  • LOL Dave, the free information to the paid modules is quite routine. …and yep, everyone with 100 fans is a “Teacher.” I guess figuring out the point of differentiation is the next step in this process.

  • Finally, the results are in and the http://bit.ly/aTTQ5T

  • RT @Real_TechGuy: Finally, the results are in and the "Survey Says…" http://bit.ly/aqxnPF

  • I have had more people very interested in 1 on 1 consulting than anything else. I've even had a few mortgage brokers tell me that they've spent $65,000 on print advertising so my consulting fees are a drop in the bucket to them. Most people don't have a CLUE to the strategies of list building and even using Facebook to the max. I'm talking to them every day and I'm amazed at how little people really know. I think the key is finding the people that value that time is money. I much rather pay people that have more extensive knowledge in a subject matter than trying to figure things out on my own especially when I want results NOW.