I've once again been remiss in writing more frequently, but I heard this story the other day and I felt the need to share it with someone - namely any of you who read this blog.
One of our agents (unnamed of course) chose to use their non-CBH email address to send information to a client. Now this client, who is not very sophisticated when it comes to the internet or email communication gets the message from the agent, reads it and then notices at the bottom something that says (paraphrasing here) "have a 500-600 credit score...there is help"
Now this client comes unglued, thinking the agent has written something about the buyer of his property having a 600 credit score, and gets ready to blow up the deal. Can you imagine what would have happened had the agent not been able to explain the problem away? A big commission check would be sitting in the toilet while some 3rd party email company was making their money selling ads in messages.
The moral of the story - PLEASE use your CBHearthside email when you communicate with clients. Not only does it portray a better message (like maybe that you work for a real estate company not named AOL) it also is free from dumb ads and garbage that cloud the message you are trying to deliver.
Anywhere you can get your 3rd party mail you can get your Hearthside mail. Trust me. If you want it on your blackberry, we can put it on your blackberry. If you want it in your outlook, we can put it in your outlook. It is very simple and much more professional.
Wednesday, August 5, 2009
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Maybe it is just me, but this is pretty cool....
Check out what Coldwell Banker introduced today via its "On Location" YouTube channel. I think it is an awesome way to position the brand as a tech savvy leader in the new era of real estate - but you tell me what you think.
Sorry if you can't see the whole number - the text number is 30241
Sorry if you can't see the whole number - the text number is 30241
Friday, June 26, 2009
The Doylestown Tweetup
Wednesday evening I went to my first ever local "tweetup". The term is a play on the word meet-up, but of course like everything having to do with the social network/communication tool twitter the word has been bastardized so that it promotes the service.
Before I get into the event itself, let me tell you how came to be and how I even knew it was there.
Of course you all know I have an account on twitter and I use it regularly. Even though it annoys Stefanie when I say so I do like my twitter account and I think it has value. (if you don't know Stef's position on twitter, just ask her - it's fun to watch the steam come out of her head). Nonetheless, I use my account to follow local real estate happenings as well as things that would interact with my other endeavors, including the Rotary Club I belong to (which also has it's own twitter account). Turns out the Rotary Club started being "followed" by a new twitter user called @DoylestownTwTp (which is of course shorthand for Doylestown Tweetup). I looked into what they were offering - and that's when I learned about the first ever local tweetup scheduled for the 24th.
So I went. All the people who had been tweeting back and forth about the event were there, and we all put on our nametags just like any other networking event Realtors go to all the time. But on this one your name was secondary - on your nametag you were required to put your twitter "handle" (which is just your account name like @CBeadling01) so that others knew who you were from the tweets you have filed, and they knew whether you were someone they wanted to follow based on your real-world conversation.
My guess is that when VH1 does their look at the '00s (have we come up with a name for this decade yet?) one of the things we will all laugh about is the tweetup. Just like pet rocks, parachute pants and the macarena, the tweetup will become a part of the legend of social networking.
But that is not to say the concept won't be around forever. What I saw in that room Wednesday night were a bunch of people with a similar interest gathering to meet one another and prospect for business (or for friends). As Realtors, we know that event well - we have just been doing it based on our memberships in the Chamber of Commerce, the local service club or the P.T.A. forever. This just brings a new (and free) spin to it all. Now you don't need an organization to generate meetings - a group of people with similar interests who have never met before can organize a time and place online and can show up with a basic "knowledge" of the other people based on what they have already read online.
Don't let the silliness of the name overshadow the underlying principle...social networking is not just about getting on facebook and telling your world that you saw a grey hair - it is also for extending your real-world network, which is what Realtors do best.
Go today to http://search.twitter.com and look up your town - see if someone is already meeting in your backyard and join them. If they're not, be the one who gets the ball rolling.
Before I get into the event itself, let me tell you how came to be and how I even knew it was there.
Of course you all know I have an account on twitter and I use it regularly. Even though it annoys Stefanie when I say so I do like my twitter account and I think it has value. (if you don't know Stef's position on twitter, just ask her - it's fun to watch the steam come out of her head). Nonetheless, I use my account to follow local real estate happenings as well as things that would interact with my other endeavors, including the Rotary Club I belong to (which also has it's own twitter account). Turns out the Rotary Club started being "followed" by a new twitter user called @DoylestownTwTp (which is of course shorthand for Doylestown Tweetup). I looked into what they were offering - and that's when I learned about the first ever local tweetup scheduled for the 24th.
So I went. All the people who had been tweeting back and forth about the event were there, and we all put on our nametags just like any other networking event Realtors go to all the time. But on this one your name was secondary - on your nametag you were required to put your twitter "handle" (which is just your account name like @CBeadling01) so that others knew who you were from the tweets you have filed, and they knew whether you were someone they wanted to follow based on your real-world conversation.
My guess is that when VH1 does their look at the '00s (have we come up with a name for this decade yet?) one of the things we will all laugh about is the tweetup. Just like pet rocks, parachute pants and the macarena, the tweetup will become a part of the legend of social networking.
But that is not to say the concept won't be around forever. What I saw in that room Wednesday night were a bunch of people with a similar interest gathering to meet one another and prospect for business (or for friends). As Realtors, we know that event well - we have just been doing it based on our memberships in the Chamber of Commerce, the local service club or the P.T.A. forever. This just brings a new (and free) spin to it all. Now you don't need an organization to generate meetings - a group of people with similar interests who have never met before can organize a time and place online and can show up with a basic "knowledge" of the other people based on what they have already read online.
Don't let the silliness of the name overshadow the underlying principle...social networking is not just about getting on facebook and telling your world that you saw a grey hair - it is also for extending your real-world network, which is what Realtors do best.
Go today to http://search.twitter.com and look up your town - see if someone is already meeting in your backyard and join them. If they're not, be the one who gets the ball rolling.
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
2013 is only a few years away...will you be ready
I promised myself I would write an original post this time, but I saw this article from Stacy Higgibotham on the blog NewTeeVee and I had to share it with you. As you know, Coldwell Banker just launched it's "On Location" video service with YouTube to help buyers and sellers see properties and communities in a new way.
Check out Stacy's commentary on the growth of video online:
Even if you don't know what an exabyte is, know that it means people are turning to the web more and more to find video files....remember when you used to hate waiting for a page to load because it had pictures on it?
Your clients don't remember that either...they want more.
Check out Stacy's commentary on the growth of video online:
Even if you don't know what an exabyte is, know that it means people are turning to the web more and more to find video files....remember when you used to hate waiting for a page to load because it had pictures on it?
Your clients don't remember that either...they want more.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Video Tips from dakno marketing
Gang - here is a great post from the people at dakno marketing and Bobby Carol. Check it out before you go and spend big money to make a real estate video.
http://www.dakno.com/blog/real-estate-video-tips/
http://www.dakno.com/blog/real-estate-video-tips/
Friday, May 8, 2009
You are further ahead than you think!
I know many of you think my favorite passtime is to humiliate your technical experience, your knowledge, your understanding of Social Media and the new consumer. Many of you have come to me in the past, tail tucked between your proverbial legs, to ask a question about twitter or LinkedIn or craigslist, and are convinced I am going to laugh as soon as the last word leaves your mouth.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Well, almost nothing. I do occasionally share a story of a question with Stefanie in a semi-chuckling way but I do it as much because I want her to know what to teach as because I want her to enjoy the laugh.
But when a reporter from one of our local newspapers contacted me the other day, I knew just how far ahead of the curve many of you really are. This reporter was tasked with writing a piece about Web 2.0 and the real estate business - and had supposedly already done most of the work before she contacted me. Unfortunately, the research work wasn't very well done.
The first thing that got my attention was when she asked me what "Generation Y" was, and whether they were the ones using social media. Sheesh. That is the only obvious fact in this situation - Generation Y invented social media...they are certainly the ones using it (in fact, the latest study shows that 97% of Generation Y are online).
When the interviewer asked me about "tweeter" I knew it was going to be a long day. For those of you not certain, the program is called "Twitter" and the updates you post there are called "tweets". Not a big concern if you are Joe-public, but if you supposedly have researched Web 2.0 for an article you are writing the difference is pretty large.
So the next time you fire up your facebook or add another connection to LinkedIn, know that doing so puts you much further up the ladder of knowledge than you think...pat yourself on the back and know that I am proud of you.
Nothing could be further from the truth. Well, almost nothing. I do occasionally share a story of a question with Stefanie in a semi-chuckling way but I do it as much because I want her to know what to teach as because I want her to enjoy the laugh.
But when a reporter from one of our local newspapers contacted me the other day, I knew just how far ahead of the curve many of you really are. This reporter was tasked with writing a piece about Web 2.0 and the real estate business - and had supposedly already done most of the work before she contacted me. Unfortunately, the research work wasn't very well done.
The first thing that got my attention was when she asked me what "Generation Y" was, and whether they were the ones using social media. Sheesh. That is the only obvious fact in this situation - Generation Y invented social media...they are certainly the ones using it (in fact, the latest study shows that 97% of Generation Y are online).
When the interviewer asked me about "tweeter" I knew it was going to be a long day. For those of you not certain, the program is called "Twitter" and the updates you post there are called "tweets". Not a big concern if you are Joe-public, but if you supposedly have researched Web 2.0 for an article you are writing the difference is pretty large.
So the next time you fire up your facebook or add another connection to LinkedIn, know that doing so puts you much further up the ladder of knowledge than you think...pat yourself on the back and know that I am proud of you.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
5 Steps for Selling Homes Online - RIS Media
Another post from another source - I promise I will start writing my own stuff again soon. This article is from RIS Meda and outlines the basics of what agents should know about marketing and selling on the internet. A good read - especially if you are overwhelmed by all this technology.
http://rismedia.com/2009-05-06/think-selling-homes-online-is-out-of-reach-5-practices-all-successful-internet-marketers-have-in-common/
http://rismedia.com/2009-05-06/think-selling-homes-online-is-out-of-reach-5-practices-all-successful-internet-marketers-have-in-common/
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