After an interesting day at the Stompernet conference Doug and I got together to chat about some of the things we heard throughout the day, in particular two things from the Social Media presentation.  The first  minute is our general chit chat, but after that we hit you with the Two things You Need to know about Social Media.

Watch this video now to learn what they are.

I don’t blame you for wondering whether or not you can really sell a house using Social Media.

If you were to rewind the clock 100 years I bet people back then were thinking, can you really sell a house using a Newspaper?  The answer to both questions is yes, but today one is more effective than the other.

Case Study: Using Social Media to Sell a house

It’s easy to dismiss the power of New Media marketing in the Real Estate business, mostly because it’s so new.  We don’t have enough social proof that it really works.  That’s the reason I’m writing this post today, I found a case study that’ll knock your socks off.

My friend Tim Moore wrote about how he used Social Media to sell his house in just 50 hours.  I ran across his post this weekend and was amazed with his results.  I highly recommend you read his Case Study: How I Sold My Home in 50 hours.

Takeaways from the Case Study

Tim’s success was largely due to the fact that he already had a well developed network.  He also did all the work to make it easy for people to get and share information about his house.

I don’t want you to run out and start streaming your listings down your social profiles, instead I want you to think about HOW you can build up a highly responsive network without all the usual sales B.S.  Selling online is totally different than selling offline, you have to learn how to create buzz & generate interest.

If you’re just starting out you should focus on building a high quality network by sharing good useful info (that’s what Tim does.) Then and only then can you garner enough attention when the time is right.

The reason I shared this is to show you that it’s possible to use Social Media to sell houses.  This doesn’t happen over night though, you have to be committed to using the platforms to build real connections.  If you’re not sure how to do it, I recommend you get help.  Either get some training, or hire a consultant to shortcut the time it takes to build a powerful social network.

A Bonus for You

I’m pretty sure this all sounds interesting to you, buy you probably want some more.  Good news, I’ll be interviewing Mr. Tim Moore on Real-TechGuy Radio.  We’re going to dig in and get some REAL tips on how you can use social media to improve your Real Estate business.  You can listen to the interview by clicking the big blue button below.

With all this HYPE about how great social media is, are you still wondering how it can help your real estate business?  Wouldn’t it be great to have some clear instructions on how these social networks fit together to help you find more buyers and sellers?

The Social Media Blue Print was created to teach you how to use the Social Networks and online marketing to turn internet traffic into qualified real estate leads to help you close more deals.

At the end of the day I think we can agree that we both want to close more deals, right?

To tell you the truth, I’d need WAY more room than I have on this blog to show you the Social Media Blueprint, so you’ll need to give me your name an email address so I can deliver the Social Media Blueprint right to your inbox.

How do I get my copy of the Social Media Blueprint?

I figured if you’ve read down this far you’re interested in knowing how to get your copy of the Blueprint.  So here’s how it works, you give me your name and email address and I’ll give you directions to the secret location where I’ve stored the first part of the Social Media Blueprint for Real Estate.

To get the first part of the Blueprint all you have to do is enter your name and email address in the form below.

I’ve been thinking about how Social Media and Real Estate come together.  All too often we get caught up in the little stuff (Facebook & Twitter) and we forget to think about what’s really important.

Why?

Do you remember WHY you started using these tools in the first place?

Over the next few posts I’m going to start connecting the dots on why I started using Social Media and how I’ve used what I learned to bring you here.  You see, the internet is all about people finding what they’re looking for with just a click of their mouse.

Your job as a marketer is to make sure they click on you.

In my next post I’m going to show you how I took over a keyword phrase which got me to the front page of Google in not just the number One spot, but 8 of the 10 spots on the page.

So here’s the deal, Click on the SUBSCRIBE button below and I’ll deliver each new post Directly to your email inbox.

If I could offer just one piece of advice for REALTORs, it would be to Stop Sucking all the value out of every conversation and instead learn how to ADD value.

I’ve mentioned in past posts that social media is changing marketing and the first thing you need to understand is that No One Cares About You.  If you’re still working in that old school marketing mentality you’re doomed to fail online.

Everything you do online should have a clear value proposition for your network.  If you want people to listen you have to say something worth listening to.  If all you’re doing is advertising prepare to be tuned out.

Why am I writing this?

To help you STOP being lame.  Yesterday I posted a “Conversation Starter” on the Real Estate Referral Group which gave agents a chance to shine (if they said the right thing.)

Here’s how this works…  I post the question and the Fans of the page give answers in the comments section.  Pretty simple right?  What you have to keep in mind is the more replies we get the more people on Facebook will see this.  For those of you not in the “know,” that’s the real power os social media…Conversation.

Commenting on this thread does two things:

1. Gets the “thread” in front of more people.
2. Showcases a bunch of smart answers that homebuyers can use.
3. Gives REALTORs a chance to advertise (without advertising) <—more on that in another post

Here’s an example of Doing it Right:

Those are two solid pieces of advice that any buyer would be happy to read.  Now here’s an example of Doing it Wrong:

The one in the middle is good, however the ones directly above and below are LAME.  Please allow me to explain WHY these comments SUCK!

While the two comments on the first photos are adding value to the conversation the two comments on the second photos are SUCKING value from the conversation.  Do you think buyers will want to work with people who always TAKE or always GIVE?

Share your thoughts in the comments section below.

Hey Gang,
I wanted to give you the heads up on an interview I just did with Steve Rosenbaum from Social Media Do’s and Dont’s.  Steve is going to be one of the speakers at the event on Monday December 4th.  You can view all the planned session and speakers HERE.

What is the Virtual Real Estate BarCamp?

Just in case you haven’t heard about the Real Estate BarCamp, let me tell you a little more.

• It’s a one Day Online Event
• There are 28 Speakers
• Event topics will include using Social Media to generate more business
• There is NO CHARGE to attend the event

As if you need even more reasons to sign up for this event, here’s a list of 40 clear reasons why you need to register for Real Estate BarCamp.

Sneak preview of the #VREBC

I know that you have  a bit of time between now and the VREBC on Monday, so why not use some of that time to get primed and ready for all the action?   Steve and I decided to give you a sneak preview of the hottest speakers coming to the Virtual Real Estate BarCamp.

All you have to do is visit SteveRosenbaum.com to access the 17 preview calls that Steve has recorded.

Last week I read an interesting post by one of my favorite bloggers, Chris Brogan.  In, “If I Were a REALTOR,” Chris shares 9 ideas on How to Use New Media for REALTORs.

Over the next few posts I’m going to expand on each of Chris’ ideas and I’m even going to try to provide you with some examples.  The problem most Real Estate agents have is getting out of their own head.

It’s time to STOP thinking about you and start thinking about who you want to attract.  That means letting go of what you think you know about marketing and embracing the power of the new media to help you provide value.

NAR statistics show that 84% of home buyers begin their search online.  Are you doing everything you can to stand out from the crowd?  If you’re just sharing listings and advertising your business chances are you’ll get lost in the shuffle along with every other real estate agent doing the same.

Blogging

The first thing that Chris mentions in his post is blogging.  He recommends starting a blog about the  area where you’re selling.  Tons of REALTORs are missing this amazing opportunity to prospect on the web.

Basically you can break this down into a very targeted area which is sometimes referred to as your “farm area.”  If this task seems daunting at first, try thinking about it as a newsletter.  You don’t have to be the best writer to create good content.  Some of the things you can include in your weekly blog are:

• Local Events Calendar
• Local News
• Legislative Updates
• School Calendars
• New Restaurants and Stores opening

It’s not too hard to come up with content ideas weekly when you’re sharing neighborhood specific information.  I recommend you blog at least once a week because it helps with your search engine rankings as well as keeping your page up to date and relevant.

Blogging Tools for REALTORs

I thought I’d also include a couple of blogging tools to help you get started.  I’ll also give you my thoughts on each one of these tools.

If you want an easy to start blog which requires ZERO skill then I suggest you go with Blogger.com.  This platform is easy to use and gets indexed by Google very quickly.  The downside is that you’re limited on customization (which makes branding a problem.)

Another platform that REALTORs are using for blogging is Active Rain.  The AR community is full of smart Real Estate Agents using Blogging as a prospecting tool.  This is a great way to get ideas on how to create that “neighborhood newsletter” type of blog.  The downside to this network is that you have to pay to make your blog public (indexed by Google) and customization is limited.

My favorite platform for blogging is WordPress.  You have two options:

1. WordPress.com is the free hosted version.  This gives you a blog which is semi-customizable and indexed by Google immediately.
2. WordPress.org is a free download, but you’ll have get it hosted.  There are tons of advantages to using this version including the fact that you’ll own the domain, you have an unlimited amount of plugins to customize the look and feel of your site, and it’s built to be indexed by Google quickly. (By the way, this site is running on WordPress with a custom Thesis theme.)

Be the first to get all 8 installments of How to Use New Media for REALTORs

This was installment number one in a series of eight posts to help REALTORs leverage New Media in their Real Estate business.  Get the next 7 delivered to your email inbox by subscribing to our feed.

With the year rapidly heading to a close I wanted to give you guys the “Best of 2009.”

Next month will be the Real-TechGuy’s first birthday.  I couldn’t have told you a year ago whether or not anyone would be interested in what I had to say, but here you are.  As a community we REALTORS are growing.  Together we’re learning how to take on this new challenge in marketing and communication.  Each day I’m inspired by your questions to create new and better content to help you succeed.

I’ve learned so much in the last year and I owe it all to you, my readers, friends, and fellow REALTORs who have given me so much great feedback.  You’ve guided me in the right direction enabling me to help you better understand this New Media.

Next year is going to be another BIG year in SM.  In fact, I’m willing to bet you that by this time next year we won’t even be calling it Social Media anymore, it’ll just be New Media, maybe even just MEDIA.

Alright, without further delay here are my top picks for 2009.

Social Media for REALTORs | Best of 2009

1. Are You Using Social Media to Listen? : In this post I challenged people to rethink how they were using SM.
2. Social Media is an Attention Economy : This post reveals the secret currency of new media.  If you want people to “pay attention” to you, you have to “pay attention” to them.
3. Do You Really Have Friends? :  This was an eye opener for some people.  What’s more important, Quality or Quantity?

Facebook for REALTORs | Best of 2009

1. You Could be Using Facebook Wrong :  I think this one turned a lot of heads, I remember people actually getting offended just because of the title.  I guess the truth hurts.
2. Facebook tips for REALTORs: Friends List and Privacy Settings :  This was one of my first video posts and the most successful with over 1,700 views to date.
3. Building Facebook Fan Pages that Stick : This was an excellent netcast where I revealed ALL the steps I took to create the Official Real Estate Referral Group.

If you think this stuff was good, wait until Next Year…

Don’t miss a single thing!  Get every helpful post, cool video, and great podcast delivered right to your mailbox by subscribing to our feed.

In this post I want to save you the two years it took me to realize:

To succeed in social media you need a team

When I first started out as a REALTOR I thought I could do it all myself.  That’s a common mistake amongst entrepreneurs.  Just in case you didn’t realize it, REALTORs are entrepreneurs.  I’ve made this mistake more times than I care to admit.

For instance, when I was buying and selling properties as an investor I did it all.  My list of responsibilities included:

• Buyers Agent
• Project Manager
• Electrician
• Painter
• Carpenter
• Drywaller
• Sellers Agent

Why on earth would I take on all these responsibilities?  For the same reason every new entrepreneur does…to save money.  At that time I hadn’t really considered the value of my time.  I’d hate to go back and put a price to the hours I spent doing all this work.  If I was smart I would have hired out all the trade work and just focussed on the buying and selling of these properties.

I bet you’re wondering how this ties in to social media.

If you’re like most REALTORs you’re a one person show.  You market, sell, schmooze, and close deals.  How much more time do you have to do anything else?  If you’re a good agent the answer should be none.

If that’s the case, then why would you go and try to learn Facebook, Twitter, Linked In, Blogging, Web Design, SEO, and everything else that people say you need to be successful online?  Is it to save money?

Let’s do a little exercise:

Take a moment to think about how much time you spend on the various social networks each day and multiply it by twenty (5 day work week).  Take that number and multiply it by your hourly rate (you can figure that out by taking the average dollar amount you make per deal divided by average hours worked per deal.)  My numbers look like this:

2 x 20= 40 hours per month

40 x $150= $6,000

Now that you’ve got those numbers worked out you need to figure out what your return on investment is.  How many deals are you closing through social media?  In my example I’d need to close one $200,000 deal per month to make up for my time spent online.

The point wasn’t to discourage you, I just wanted to help you asses the situation.  If you’re not getting the results you need then you only have a few options:

1. Stop using Social Media (not recommended)
2. Spend more time attempting to increase your return (REALLY not recommended)
3. Spend less time and hire someone cheaper than you to do it (Highly recommended)

To succeed in social media you need a team.  If you can hire out most of the work and spend less of your valuable time getting better results why would you do it any other way?  The numbers don’t lie, chances are you’re wasting time doing things that you can hire out for cheaper.

Don’t worry, I’m not going to leave you hanging.  First I want to provide you with some social proof that I know what I’m doing, then I can go into my sales pitch.  Check out these search results for my brand:

• Real-TechGuy on Google
• Real-TechGuy on You Tube
• Real-TechGuy on Twitter

What do you find in these places when you search for your name or brand?  If the answer is nothing, I can help.  Just send me an email to Jonathan [at] Real-TechGuy. [com] with the subject line “Social Media Evaluation” and I’ll get in touch with you to schedule a call.

Last week I had the pleasure of attending another Social Media for business seminar sponsored by “The Closing Agent.”  I couldn’t help but laugh when I realized this uber high-tech class was taking place at the Beardall Center in Orlando, Florida.

I’d like to say I was there to learn, but the truth is I was really there to spy on them.  The speaker was Amy Jantzer from weedott.  She had a “Presentation Zen” styled power point using bright red graphics against a black background (she gets style points for that.)  For those of you that aren’t familiar with “Presentation Zen” it’s a movement to improve the state of power point by using more pictures and less bullet points.

Her presentation was focussed on 4 main Social Networks

1. Active Rain
2. LinkedIn
3. Facebook
4. Twitter

The last three make sense, but I’m still on the fence about Active Rain.  See Active Rain is indexed by Google, but only through their paid option otherwise your blog is only open to members of the site.  Don’t get me wrong, there’s are lots of people there, but I’m not sure how the internal network could really lead to more business.

Networks like Facebook and Twitter are going to be the best places to find consumers.  Correct me if I’m wrong, but as a REALTOR don’t you make your money from consumers?  Primarily I think LinkedIn and Active Rain are good B to B platforms, but if you’re in the B to C business the best place to spend your time is the one with the most consumers.

Nothing against Active Rain, but having to pay to make your site public seems like a waste.  You can accomplish the same using a Facebook fan page and it’ll cost you ZERO.  If  I thought it was worth it, I’d gladly pay.

I digress.  The next three things she covered was the purpose of Social Media.

The Three main points were

• Branding
• Networking
• Prospecting

Those are valid points, not much I could add to that.  She ended the session with 4 essential tips to succeed in Social Media:

1. Set Measurable Goals
2. Link Profiles
3. Use multimedia
4. Listen

The first tip is my favorite, “set goals.”  I’ll expand on that in a later post.

Anyone who’s been following my blog knows how I feel about listening.  Overall I enjoyed Amy’s presentation and will be watching for some of her upcoming events.  I heard rumors of upcoming workshops where you’ll be able to bring your lap top and get hooked up to the interwebs.  Sounds like fun.