Real Clues

[RealClues] #331: Social Networking

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New for June 16-30, 2008 at www.ListenandLearnRealEstate.com
(See Featured Products for detailed descriptions)
Wealth vs. Riches--You may be "wealthier" than you realize
How to rid yourself of spam
Hot for social networkers--Yoono.com
Seven Strategies to Bump the Slumps

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Table of Contents
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1. CoachingClues: Network, Network, Network (Part 1 of 2)
2. Welcome Notes: The Five Major Seller Food Groups & Your Bucket List
3. Reprise: When Referrals Are Not Enough
4. Create a Better Life: Four Strategies to Reduce Stress
5. Positive News for Positive Realtors(reg):
6. New this week at www.LuxuryClues.com: Rate These Tuscan and Florence Restaurants? McMansion or Mansion; Santa Barbara's Doggie Parade
7. Featured Products: Twelve Coaching Sessions for $149
8. Increase Your Production with Personal Coaching
9. Give Us Your Feedback on this Newsletter
10. How to Subscribe/Unsubscribe

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1. CoachingClues: Network, Network, Network (Part 1 of 2)
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Social networking may soon overtake virtually every other source as being the most important strategy for lead generation. Have you incorporated this powerful tool into your business?

What is a social network? According to Wikipedia, social networks are on-line communities where people can explore interests or activities that they share with others. The key point is that social networks allow participants to interact through chat rooms, instant messaging, traditional email, video, video email, file sharing, blogging, and discussion groups. Wikipedia identifies three primary types of social networking services:

1. Directories such as former classmates

2. Means to connect with friends (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, and YouTube)

3. Recommendation systems linked to trust (LinkedIn)

For example, social networks are a great way to stay in contact with family, friends, as well as your clients. Many agents who have lost track of past clients and friends have found them through these networks. These sites also allow you to share pictures of your listings, videos, links to interesting articles, as well as important information for potential clients. Granted, there are certain risks associated with being on-line. Whatever you post is there for posterity, even if you take it down. Identity thieves can check your work history. Nevertheless, the benefits of participating far outweigh the potential risks.

Marc Davison in his column dated May 22, 2008 states that these Web 2.0 applications are now the primary way for today's new generation of buyers and sellers to connect. Davison argues that many people fail to realize that Web 2.0 "is deeply rooted in good old-fashioned tradition. I submit that if applied correctly, blogs, Twitter, and the like could very well be the vehicle by which those old-fashioned ideologies we honor so dearly can be resurrected."

Putting it a little bit differently, Web 2.0 is very much akin to the general store from 100 years ago. People came there to discuss politics, hear the latest gossip, and most importantly, find and maintain personal connection. The way that you participated was simply by being there. Davison's contention is that places such as Facebook, MySpace, LinkedIn, and YouTube serve the same function today as the general store did 100 years ago.

In today's Web 2.0 environment, having a website with your bio, a branding statement, and cool technology tools is no longer enough. Today's consumer wants to get to know you through the actions you take on-line, not just through the static content that you post on your website.

For those who have not joined in the social networking phenomenon, it can be overwhelming. Where do you start? What social networks are really worthwhile? How much time should you spend and where should you spend it? Should social networking take priority over other real estate related activities? Do you need a blog or is a profile on Trulia and Zillow a better alternative? Can spending all this time on-line actually translate into closed sales?

The answer to these questions depends upon what you want to achieve on-line, how proficient you are with technology, how well you write, and how diligent you intend to be in terms of regularly participating. Much like the individual who sits at home and avoids interacting in face-to-face activities, if you're not willing to "be there," and be actively engaged in the social networking process, then this is probably not a good venue for your business development. On the other hand, given the huge proportion of younger buyers and sellers that frequent these various sites, not participating will cause your business to gradually erode as the next generation of buyers and sellers shifts to Web 2.0 solutions for their real estate needs.

The great news about the Web 2.0 environment is that most of the real estate specific services are either free or very low cost. This means that you can experiment with different services and determine which ones are the best fit for your business.

The most critical factor in your success will be your willingness to contribute to those who visit you on-line. Bob Burg and David Man in their book, The Go-Giver, point out that you can't expect to earn interest until you put money in the bank. The same is true in terms of web marketing using Web 2.0 solutions. To attract business, you must provide service that your web visitors find to be valuable.

If you're ready to put social networking to work in your business, next week's article will show you how.

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2. Welcome Notes
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Welcome to our new subscribers this week. Each week RealClues provides you with great strategies to improve both your business and your life. If you find this issue of RealClues helpful, take a moment to hit the "forward" button and send it to another friend in the business.

I was listening to Mike Kelly's interview on www.ListenandLearnRealEstate.com. It's called "The Five Major Seller Food Groups." This is an amazing audio podcast that gives you a systematic approach to dealing with normal sellers who are trying to sell their property when the market is packed with foreclosures, short sales, and REOs. The information about the tax consequences is absolutely something you must know if you are working with distressed properties

Niki Favela of GMAC sent me a message on LinkedIn asking me what was on my bucket list. For those of you who did not see the movie, your "bucket" list is the activities that you want to do before you "kick the bucket." I'll be fulfilling one of mine during the next couple of weeks by going to Tuscany.

When we return, look for a major product announcement. This product is one you'll use with your kids, friends, clients, and for those of you who play cards, it's also an alternative to poker night. Guess what--it will also help you make more dough--now isn't that cool?

Make it a great week.

Bernice Ross, MCC, and Byron Van Arsdale, MCC
www.RealEstateCoach.com, www.LuxuryClues.com, www.RossdalePress.com, www.ConferenceCallTraining.com, and www.TeleconferenceLine.com

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3. Reprise: When Referrals Are Not Enough
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I'm hearing from many agents that they are not receiving as many referrals as in the past. Referrals are an important part of our business, but they work best in conjunction with other lead generation techniques. Check out the article below to learn more about what to do to keep your business running strong.

http://www.realestatecoach.com/articles_archive/art200611referrals.html

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4. Create a Better Life: Four Strategies to Reduce Your Stress
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This article first ran in June of 2007. Summer is a busy time for all of us and it's easy to get stressed out, especially with the cost of gasoline and food. Discover the four strategies to knock out your stress now.

http://www.realestatecoach.com/articles_archive/art200705-reduce-stress.html

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5. Positive News for Positive Realtors(reg)
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Resale home sales rebound, first quarter GDP was better than expected, and much more. Tune in today to hear the good news about today's real estate market.

http://listenandlearnrealestate.com/news.html

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6. This Week at www.LuxuryClues.com
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*Have you been to Tuscany, Florence, and/or Sienna? If so, what are your favorite restaurants. We leave for Italy in a few days and will bring back our report--what's yours?

*McMansion or Mansion--what are the differences?
Santa Barbara's Doggie Parade with Cesar Millan, "the Dog Whisperer." Check out the pictures of these decked out pooches and get a tip for having a great blog.

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7. Featured Products
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**Agents: Twelve Coaching Sessions for only $149.00
Are you interested in hiring a coach but cannot afford the $1000 per month some of our competitors charge? If so, RealEstateCoach.com has a coaching program for all pocketbooks. If you are an agent and would like to experience what coaching is like with a Master Certified Coach, consider ordering our Get Balanced or Get Crazy audio CD coaching program. Here's what one agent shared about the program:

"I'm having so much fun with this program. I can't write down all the great ideas fast enough!"

Get Balanced or Get Crazy coaches exposes you to the six core foundation pieces you would normally address during your first year of coaching. Master Certified Coach Byron Van Arsdale coaches me through the challenges I faced over the twenty years I was selling. By the way, in case you think I'm a great actress when you hear these--I'm not. We actually dug into real events. This program consists of 6 hours of audio CD and is composed of 12 coaching sessions. At the end of each CD, there is a series of 10 pieces of fieldwork to help you cope with challenges you may be facing. Best of all, it's priced at $149.00.

**New at www.ListenandLearnRealEstate.com Six to eight new audio broadcast training modules EVERY month for only $29.97 per month or $147.00 for six months. Here's what's new for June 16-30, 2008:

**Wealth vs. Riches
Are you wealthier than you may realize? The term "riches" refers to having plenty of money, but true wealth is the belief that you have more than enough. Take the quiz in this session to determine what characteristics you share with the wealthiest people in the world, who by the way, have plenty of riches.

**How to rid yourself of spam
No more deleting unwelcome emails from your inbox or combing through your spam filters to see if you have missed an important message. If you want to eliminate spam from your life, there is a simple solution. The sooner you make the shift, the easier it will be.

Hot for social networkers--Yoono.com
Are you overwhelmed with the thought of having to keep up an account on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social networking sites? If so, Yoono.com is running a brand new beta program that provides a great solution.

Seven Strategies to Bump the Slumps
Is your production down? Not to worry! This session will share seven great strategies to put you back on the road to great production.

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8. Increase Your Production with Personal Coaching
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Looking for a well-trained coach who knows the real estate business? Our coaching team can help you increase your production and make your dreams come true. Send an e-mail to Shane@RealEstateCoach.com and we'll help find the right coach for you.

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9. Give Us Your Feedback On This Newsletter
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We want your feedback-to share your thoughts and suggestions, please e-mail us at Shane@RealEstateCoach.com.

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10. How to Subscribe/Unsubscribe
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Visit our Web site, http://www.RealEstateCoach.com to subscribe/unsubscribe to RealClues.

Copyright (c) 1996-2008, RealEstateCoach.com and Teleclass4U.com, LLC. All rights reserved. Permission is granted to reproduce, copy, or distribute RealClues as long as this copyright notice and full information about contacting the contributors to this newsletter is attached.

Contributors to this newsletter:
Bernice Ross, MCC, and Byron Van Arsdale, MCC, Owners, www.RealEstateCoach.com, www.LuxuryClues.com, www.ConferenceCallTraining.com; www.RossdalePress.com; and www.TeleconferenceLine.com
Shane Bowlin, REC General Manager

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