Communicating with New Social Media: Same Goal, Different Tools, Better Results
By Marco A. Nunez, Jr., Program Director, Direct Impact
If the disparate cultures that have existed throughout history have shared anything, it has been the instinctual need of humans to communicate with each other. This has been accompanied by an unstoppable drive to create new ways to increase the volume of information that can be shared, the number of people it reaches, and the speed of information delivery.
From the development of the first written language to the invention of the printing press, phone, radio, television, mobile phone and finally the World Wide Web itself, the human race has never stopped seeking more efficient ways to contact others.
While they share the same core functions as their predecessors, the Internet and mobile technologies stand apart in their ability to expand exponentially our ability to share more information, with more people, more quickly.
In addition to the Web sites and blogs that are familiar to many, a number of new Internet applications have begun to emerge. A global understanding of the definitions of such terms as Digital Media, New Media, Social Media and Web 2.0 remains elusive. One thing has been made abundantly clear to us: since these are the communication tools of the future, those of us who are unable to keep up will be left behind.
Professional and Personal Communication Tools
The ability to facilitate the sale or purchase of a home is based on establishing a relationship with a prospective buyer or seller. Nothing will ever replace the importance of a real estate professional’s relationships in the community. Still, agents who are dedicated to growing their business also rely on advertisements to ensure that potential buyers and sellers outside of their personal and professional networks are aware of the services they offer. While purchasing space in local newspapers and real estate publications increases exposure, these venues are inherently limited in the level of personal connection they can create.
For this reason, services such as LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter are invaluable tools in a marketing arsenal. They allow Realtors® to share the kind of professional and personal information that increases visibility and establishes a level of comfort with prospective clients.
As a networking tool for professionals, LinkedIn allows users to create a resume-like profile and connect with friends and colleagues anywhere in the world. Its real power comes from a search function that lets members see the connections of the people in their immediate network. Better still, the search function also works in reverse, allowing users to search for professionals in a particular industry and/or location or to find a specific person, and then to see if there are common connections.
Facebook employs a similar approach with an emphasis on providing extensive personal information. Facebook users are able to find family members, friends or even classmates from elementary school and add them as friends. Once connected, users are able to share and view pictures, videos, news articles or status updates.
In a class all its own, Twitter is a rapidly-growing application that allows users to share any type of information they want so long as it does not exceed 140 characters. This highly mobile service is becoming an increasingly popular way to meet new friends with similar interests, keep in touch with old friends and find and share information deemed mutually valuable by subscribers to an account.
While these services can serve different purposes, together they allow users to share as much or as little information as they choose. In utilizing these tools, a real estate professional not only increases visibility but with very little effort is able to provide personal details that build the comfort and trust that are necessary to develop a successful client relationship.
General and Local Real Estate Information-Sharing Tools
Some applications will allow the dissemination of detailed information regarding the real estate profession in general, as well as the particulars of a specific housing market. Real estate professionals are experts in the market dynamics of their community. A number of these new communication tools, coupled with the advanced search functions of Web sites such as Google, allow those seeking specialized categories of information to find sources more easily.
The ability of the Internet to provide specific pieces of information serves a particularly worthwhile function in a market with a population as transient as the Northern Virginia/DC metro area.
Web sites and blogs provide an opportunity to create a clearinghouse of information that prospective buyers and sellers will find indispensable
Since there is a highly visual element to homebuying, recent years have seen an explosion in the use of photo and video technologies in the real estate community. Most Realtors® probably already have access to Web-based technology that allows them to display digital pictures and videos in multiple ways.
Photo Sharing Web Sites
Those without access to this technology may want to consider Web sites such as Flickr and Picasa for photo sharing. Both provide users with a small amount of storage at no cost, as well as the option to pay for additional storage. In addition to offering a simple, affordable way to store and display pictures of homes for sale, both services contain search and share functions that make it even easier to expose potential home buyers to relevant information.
Virtual Home Tours
YouTube has become a popular medium for creating video home tours to post online. As video-enabled mobile phones become more popular, a few services have begun to facilitate real-time broadcasting of video. Users of services like Qik are able to create a free account to stream live video feeds that can be viewed online. While the attention and interaction that comes with showing a home in person will always be preferred, services such as Qik offer a level of flexibility previously unheard of, allowing a Realtor® to walk through a home virtually with a client in another location.
Social Media: Is it Worth it Or Not?
Many people can be overwhelmed by the abundance of new technologies promising (or threatening, in some cases) to change the way that we live. One of the greatest attributes of these new tools, however, is that they can be tailored to fit your individual needs.
Experiment with some or all of these and decide where to put your energy. Discover which of these technology tools best complements your real estate business and put it or them to work for you. It is likely that you will soon learn that if you can’t beat them, join them.