If you follow me on twitter you know I am taking a few days away from the office to participate in the mandatory ritual of capitalist parenthood...taking the kid to Disney World. Perhaps I'll post some thoughts from there as they relate to our lives in the real estate business...perhaps not (after it is supposed to be vacation, right?)
What I couldn't resist doing today, however, is writing this post from 30,000 feet. Air travel has changed so much in the past 12-18 months - certainly in response to the changing technology needs of frequent travelers. It is amazing how different flights are now from the "buy your headsets for $1" days of just a few years ago.
So here I am in my seat, cell phone on, working on my blog. I can turn the cellular functionality off so that it doesn't interfere with the important flight functions (which of course seems odd since the flight attendants are using a cellular device to ping my credit card for the drinks). When I get on the ground I will publish this with one push of a button. I can answer all the email I avoided today, can review the spreadsheet Jamie sent about office production and also generate the press releases related to the Coldwell Banker buyer bonus that launches when I get back.
Have I mentioned somewhere in the last few sentences that my laptop is still securely stowed under the seat in front of me? Yep, doing all this from my phone.
Even better, some airlines are starting to offer wireless internet on their longer flights; it will only be a matter of time before it's on all of them. Imagine how productive I could be right now with internet access? (especially now that the red bull just came off the beverage cart?) Certainly ends the need for the lame in-flight movie.
So you might be saying "who cares". After all real estate agents aren't exactly the corporate types they used to develop George Clooney's Up in the Air caracter. The truth is that while we don't travel much, isn't it one of the oldest real estate rules that deals always happen (or explode) while you're away? Well, were my deal going south at the same time I was chances are good I could have it fixed before I hit the ground (especially if I used Skype or GoogleVoice to make calls without a cellular signal).
Also remember that many of our clients fly...a lot. Perhaps before you best client takes off for his/her next big trip you offer them something to read other than John Grisham.
OK, red bull in full effect now - back to those spreadsheets! Hope you have a great weekend!
(note: because I didn't have wirless access on this flight I used an application called AndroBlogger to write this offline. It is a free app for Android users, and I am sure a similar one exists for the iPhone)
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Happy FourSquare Day!
Chances are good you don't know it, but Friday is "FourSquare Day" and I want to be the first to wish you a happy one. You can learn more about this event, which is being billed as "the first global social media holiday" by clicking this link.
Before I get too deep...know that Friday is the holiday because of the play on words. FourSquare = Four, Squared = 4/16 = April 16.
So are you confused yet? I think it is a pretty safe bet that most of you have not had any interaction with FourSquare, which is a new social media tool based on the idea of location-based connection. I have been using it for about six months, and I know there is one agent (maybe two) who are experimenting with it too. The idea is simple; when you are in a location you do a "check-in" on your handheld device that records your location and shares it with other FourSquare users. Additionally you can force your FourSquare updates to twitter, extending the network even further. If you believe the FourSquare hype, the tool allows people to see where you are, offer you tips & suggestions while you are there, and perhaps encourage "meetups" based on your location - the ideal social networking concept.
So should you FourSquare yet? Probably not. Keep maximizing the tools you have been working with first. Get twitter figured out first, start up and run your fan page with efficiency. More importantly, learn the elements of your handheld device so that when the time comes you can manage an application like FourSquare with ease.
Why is FourSquare important? Well, many reports have targeted the mobile social media (that being done with your handheld device) as next area of social media to have major impact. There are a number of ramifications for real estate but none of them have been fully worked out just yet. Every company out there, including our brand and the others you know, are trying to come up with the "cool thing" that is powered by mobile social media. I know someone will figure it out, and within two years I am pretty confident tools like FourSquare will have a major impact in our industry.
For now, just remember that you knew about the first ever "FourSquare Day". Use it as an opportunity to visit the FourSquare site, maybe as a chance to add the FourSquare app to your mobile device...perhaps even to get your "newbie" badge! If you do, be sure to friend me...as I'll be out tomorrow checking in around our towns.
Before I get too deep...know that Friday is the holiday because of the play on words. FourSquare = Four, Squared = 4/16 = April 16.
So are you confused yet? I think it is a pretty safe bet that most of you have not had any interaction with FourSquare, which is a new social media tool based on the idea of location-based connection. I have been using it for about six months, and I know there is one agent (maybe two) who are experimenting with it too. The idea is simple; when you are in a location you do a "check-in" on your handheld device that records your location and shares it with other FourSquare users. Additionally you can force your FourSquare updates to twitter, extending the network even further. If you believe the FourSquare hype, the tool allows people to see where you are, offer you tips & suggestions while you are there, and perhaps encourage "meetups" based on your location - the ideal social networking concept.
So should you FourSquare yet? Probably not. Keep maximizing the tools you have been working with first. Get twitter figured out first, start up and run your fan page with efficiency. More importantly, learn the elements of your handheld device so that when the time comes you can manage an application like FourSquare with ease.
Why is FourSquare important? Well, many reports have targeted the mobile social media (that being done with your handheld device) as next area of social media to have major impact. There are a number of ramifications for real estate but none of them have been fully worked out just yet. Every company out there, including our brand and the others you know, are trying to come up with the "cool thing" that is powered by mobile social media. I know someone will figure it out, and within two years I am pretty confident tools like FourSquare will have a major impact in our industry.
For now, just remember that you knew about the first ever "FourSquare Day". Use it as an opportunity to visit the FourSquare site, maybe as a chance to add the FourSquare app to your mobile device...perhaps even to get your "newbie" badge! If you do, be sure to friend me...as I'll be out tomorrow checking in around our towns.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
It's supposed to hit 90 degrees today!
If you have been following along for a while now you may know about my infatuation with TV weather personality Cecily Tynan...but this is not a post about the weather or those who deliver it with aplomb.
This is a real estate blog. We are real estate professionals.
So how is it, that on a day when the thermometer is approaching 90 degrees we are showing this many houses on our web site with snow?
Yes, I grabbed all these from CBHearthside.com TODAY. Since CBHearthside.com is fed by the three MLS services we utilize, that means they are still in the MLS. Since the MLS also sends all our listing info to many other brokers, some of our syndication partners and to Realtor.com - you guessed it. Snow is falling everywhere.
Worst of all, as we head into this National Open House Weekend event, some of these photos have open house balloons right next to them...yikes!
I started this post with the idea that I would find one or two and post them. Then I found a few more, and a few more, and a few more. Believe it or not I could have kept going. There is one from every office in here except one. Congratulations to our Northampton office for not having any snow photos.
Think of the message this is sending to your sellers who are expecting to pay you a lot of money for your skill and marketing savvy. Think of the money you are spending on promotion driving people to your web site or Realtor.com to see these houses. Think of how embarrassed you would be right now if one of these photos were yours.
C'mon team...let's see if we can't do a little better.
This is a real estate blog. We are real estate professionals.
So how is it, that on a day when the thermometer is approaching 90 degrees we are showing this many houses on our web site with snow?
Yes, I grabbed all these from CBHearthside.com TODAY. Since CBHearthside.com is fed by the three MLS services we utilize, that means they are still in the MLS. Since the MLS also sends all our listing info to many other brokers, some of our syndication partners and to Realtor.com - you guessed it. Snow is falling everywhere.
Worst of all, as we head into this National Open House Weekend event, some of these photos have open house balloons right next to them...yikes!
I started this post with the idea that I would find one or two and post them. Then I found a few more, and a few more, and a few more. Believe it or not I could have kept going. There is one from every office in here except one. Congratulations to our Northampton office for not having any snow photos.
Think of the message this is sending to your sellers who are expecting to pay you a lot of money for your skill and marketing savvy. Think of the money you are spending on promotion driving people to your web site or Realtor.com to see these houses. Think of how embarrassed you would be right now if one of these photos were yours.
C'mon team...let's see if we can't do a little better.
Tuesday, April 6, 2010
Social Media to the Rescue?
Wow, took a few weeks off from the blog...blame it on the good weather. Sorry about that. But I had an interesting situation remind me that about the importance of sharing and of social media. Hopefully you'll indulge me in a little family news.
Day after Easter, wife decides to take my 3-y.o. on an adventure to the Limerick outlets (now to the Cville folks that may not be an adventure, but remember I live in Doylestown). Anyway, just before King of Prussia on the turnpike the car hits something rather large and blows a hole in the tire. Darn...trip in jeopardy.
The trouble is that my wife has never changed a tire, and when she called me on the telephone I decided that wasn't the time to teach her how. Not owning a AAA membership, I hop into my car to run to the rescue.
Here is where it gets interesting. Not wanting the two of them to have to sit on the highway for the half hour or so it is going to take me to get to K of P, I put a message on twitter and facebook asking anyone in the area to reach out to me as I needed a favor. On facebook I even took the unheard of step of publishing my cell phone number right in the status update.
Wouldn't you know that within five minutes I had one text and two phone calls all offering to lend a hand? People in their offices, people in their cars (not that I endorse such behavior). It was really cool to see how much social media has become a part of our daily lives.
Good news is that I got to K of P, got the tire fixed and everyone got to the outlets (well except me, I had to go back to work). The social media messages continued to flow for the remainder of the day - it was a pretty interesting experience.
Don't give up on social media just because someone doesn't contact you right away..they're out there, listening. When the time is right - either in your world or in theirs - they'll reach out to you.
Day after Easter, wife decides to take my 3-y.o. on an adventure to the Limerick outlets (now to the Cville folks that may not be an adventure, but remember I live in Doylestown). Anyway, just before King of Prussia on the turnpike the car hits something rather large and blows a hole in the tire. Darn...trip in jeopardy.
The trouble is that my wife has never changed a tire, and when she called me on the telephone I decided that wasn't the time to teach her how. Not owning a AAA membership, I hop into my car to run to the rescue.
Here is where it gets interesting. Not wanting the two of them to have to sit on the highway for the half hour or so it is going to take me to get to K of P, I put a message on twitter and facebook asking anyone in the area to reach out to me as I needed a favor. On facebook I even took the unheard of step of publishing my cell phone number right in the status update.
Wouldn't you know that within five minutes I had one text and two phone calls all offering to lend a hand? People in their offices, people in their cars (not that I endorse such behavior). It was really cool to see how much social media has become a part of our daily lives.
Good news is that I got to K of P, got the tire fixed and everyone got to the outlets (well except me, I had to go back to work). The social media messages continued to flow for the remainder of the day - it was a pretty interesting experience.
Don't give up on social media just because someone doesn't contact you right away..they're out there, listening. When the time is right - either in your world or in theirs - they'll reach out to you.
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