Do you want to be SOLD on social networking sites
I don't know about you but I don't like to be sold. I do like to buy but on my terms and in my time frame. I guess I don't like to be pushed.
And that's how I like to treat other people.
There are various titles for real estate agents. Some call themselves Realtors (R), some are called real estate agents, real estate brokers, real estate consultants, real estate salesperson, etc.
It's the real estate salesperson moniker that bugs me. I've helped a lot of people buy homes but I don't recall ever selling someone a home. When listing a home for sale, your job as a real estate agent is to market the home which will result in a sale but you can not actually sell it by twisting someone's arm to write a contract.
But there is a lot of selling going on online.
The Internet is free. There is a lot of information available to us today that nobody could have dreamed of when ALGORE invented it. In order to pay for it, there are ads. Some of them are annoying but it's the small price we have to pay to use the Internet. You don't have to click through just because an ad is on a page but apparently some people do or there wouldn't be any ads.
But now, let's turn our attention to social networking.
The so called gurus and experts are telling real estate agents (and lots of other businesses) that the future is in social networking. These experts aren't necessarily great real estate agents, in fact, they may not even be real estate agents but make their money teaching real estate agents how to do be successful. And it isn't perfectly clear that promotional activity in social networking results in real estate success.
Because people who are interested in buying real estate don't go online to search for an agent.
People go online to search for homes for sale.
But I've noticed a little trend on Facebook and Twitter that I think is a little annoying. Instead of promoting friendship, some real estate agents are promoting business. And a few are doing it in a very aggressive style.
Take an example of just one agent who had this to say (several times and several different ways over the course of a week or two) on Facebook.
Anyone need help buying or selling in Charleston today?
Who can we help this week buy or sell in Charleston?
If I can help you buy or sell in Charleston, please let me know!
Can we help YOU buy or sell in Charleston?
Who can we help buy or sell real estate in Charleston?
Yes, I'm on Facebook and Twitter and I do post some real estate related stuff. I link to this blog, I link to articles of interest relating to business, finance, the economy and some fun stuff that I think might be interesting to others. And yes, I do promote my listings but not for the obvious reason but to get additional "Google juice" so that those homes my clients have hired me to sell will be more easily found by real estate buyers searching online.
I just think that if you meet people in social networking and become friends, one day if they like you and trust you, they may ask for your help in buying or selling real estate.
Your friends don't really want to be SOLD every day. They want to be your friend.