RealTown's RealTalk

Great article,

Would love to know your thoughts..................

Read here-

REAL ESTATE AGENTS USING TWITTER

Excellent! I just had a closing that went awry in a few areas; this concept may have helped to open the window to the client. Thanks!

The actual title of the original post should be "How NOT to Use Twitter - Really" ...

If anyone actually believes that anything posted on Twitter is private, I've got a bridge I'll sell you cheap... maybe even the Statue of Liberty... Twitter has holes... many of them not found yet and some have already been found and been plugged. But once something is posted anywhere on the internet, it's out there and can never be pulled back. Somewhere there is a copy. Hackers are always banging on popular sites, and software, trying to hack them or figure out some way to break in.

If you want to send private communications, Twitter certainly wouldn't be my method of choice. Besides, where did the idea that Twitter is some sort of professional tool come from? You want to keep in touch with all the parties in a transaction? Buy in to a "secure" transaction management system like Settlement Room for instance. I'm not promoting that particular service, but they are well known in the industry.

Twitter, Facebook, and all the other currently popular sites should not be used to post your private information, or communications. It isn't safe. If you wouldn't post something right here in this forum, you shouldn't post it in any of these public places, even if they are supposed to be in a private mode.

So, take it from someone with over 30 years in the tech business... don't use public forums for private matters... it's not as "private" as you might want to believe.

Larry Perry
RealeSeller™ Transforms Outlook Into a "Genuine Real Estate CRM Application"
Our Online RealeSeller training classes are FREE!
Phone: (972) 514-3218
Email: Larry@realeseller.com
Web: www.realeseller.com
Blog: The Real Blog
Exchange Server: 123Together.com

 

[Larry sez: Twitter, Facebook, and all the other currently popular sites should not be used to post your private information, or communications.]

Agree.

No way would I use MySpace, Twitter etc (I don't like Facebook and deleted mine) for client confidential communications. I'd immediately move them to private e-mail.

The point in the article about what exactly we do to earn the big bucks and how it can be demonstrated via Twitter was right about the 'how' it needs to be done--but wrong about the 'where':

What I have always done is CC everyone directly involved in the part of the transaction we're working on so all are in the loop.

I introduce a client to a receiving referral agent with an e-mail with loan pro, agents and client CCd. Softens the edges on a new person meeting another new person, defines their roles etc.

I've been working on a transaction this morning, after learning that our offer was accepted from the listing agent:

**Note 1, CC buyer and loan person - We got it! YAY
Executed contract by X date. Need insurance quotes, home and termite inspection--I will order. Stand by for correspondence with home inspector. Here's the SPDS, FEMA map, we need to confirm flood plain. Need . . . . (what we need so far, who gets what done, please reply all so we know, thankshaveagreat weekendIloveyoutoo)

Response from loan person and buyer. We're on same page.

**Note2, CC buyer and home inspector - when can you inspect the home, how much and here's buyer info. Tell us all you will do. Buyer will meet you for last half hour, when will that be?

Response from inspector and buyer. We're on same page.

Escrow gets brought in shortly. Lather rinse repeat. :)

I don't think I would ever want to use Twitter for any of this.

Candice

Why is there such an effort to try to find an application for Twitter in real estate? I didn't see the benefit of Twitter for my business when it first came out but there is so much hype about it around my area that I thought I might be missing something. I recently tried using Twitter in a REO notification service to take advantage of Twiiter's cell phone messaging alert capability. I also leveraged some Twitter widgets to display on my blog and website. This experience only proved to me that real Buyers don't use Twitter, nor do they want to. All I got were other agents (my competition) following the Twitter. It was a big waste of time.

Seems like agents that can't offer a good website or blog are jumping on the Twitter and Facebook bandwagon thinking this is their entry into the Internet marketing world without having to pay anything.

Keith Byrd

www.SloCountyHomes.com

Good morning,

Several of you are missing the point of Twitter, Facebook, and My Space. The whole point is to get in front of you potential clients. If you can provide REAL information that is of VALUE to your audience people will think of you as a resource in the area of Real Estate.

Forget about doing an actual transaction and concentrate on lead generation.

Our office has had four finished transactions in the past month that are directly attributable to leads generated on Facebook alone.

Think about how you can reach more people in a shorter period of time.

Michael Downer

ERA Van Syckel Weaver and Lyte

I think alot of you are misunderstanding what this article is telling you. Twitter is cloned already by at least 4 decent to very good scripts. Twitter is a brand name, a figure of speech, and basically slang for instant messaging within a micro blog application.

Mr. 30 Years of IT experience, I get your point. Again, if you read the article fully you would read it was stated - " Use a 3rd Party script for your own website, if you feel as if this would impose on privacy."

Did you know the Department of Defense uses Twitter? With 16 Years working for the DOD within IT and SATCOM, its a larger company than you will ever work for in the Private sector....

They use this for exactly the same reason I was referring to, updates, real time data, a management tool, and they also use it for Feedback. They can get feedback almost instantly fed to them, and all the key players can readily chirp in.

--- No need to explain your experience level to me---

Again, this poses no threat to privacy- No one is saying to exchange social security numbers or private data over Twitter. It could be used as a " Where are we at" kind of tool or for real time updates, or for answers that are clearly displayed to everyone. Most will not grasp this concept, because they do not want to show a client just how screwed up the entire process can be of buying or selling a home. But, if you are using it to remove some blame from YOU the Realtor - Then chances are you can show your client - This wasnt my fault.... Look they have dropped the ball. ETC.

Candice,

How does your client know when anything gets done? When you email them? When does the 3rd partied actually receive your email and read it? How do they know where that large paper trail is? You vouch for that - If it was screwed up, as your client... I would blame you if I couldnt see who's at fault.

Do you CC your client with all the bad news behind the scenes? Of course you dont. Im sure you have missed a couple of closing dates in your day. Im not calling you out, but I bet you have lost referrals because of that.

Tell me when my move in date is Candice?? : You realize if you miss this by 1 week or 2... You arent getting anymore business from me. However, if it was totally laid out in front of me, I would not blame you and would clearly see who is actually at fault and why. I would probably not use them again - not you.

[Ryan sez: How does your client know when anything gets done? When you email them? When does the 3rd partied actually receive your email and read it? How do they know where that large paper trail is? You vouch for that - If it was screwed up, as your client... I would blame you if I couldnt see who's at fault. ]

Hello Ryan. :)

We track important communications (using tracking programs such as ReadNotify) and/or follow up with a phone call if we get no reply. Most of my office's business is repeat and referral business so we're usually among friends and know how to maintain contact.

[Do you CC your client with all the bad news behind the scenes? Of course you dont.]

Depends on the news. And, as originally stated, on the level of involvement the client wants.

[Im not calling you out]

Aww, bummer. I'm full blooded Italian, menopausal and there's a whole desert out here to bury bodies. HAHA

[I bet you have lost referrals because of (missing closing dates, communication issues)]

I don't worry about referrals I have lost. Only taking care of the ones I have received. :)

Not sure what any of this has to do with using Twitter, Ryan. If you enjoy using it as you do, no problem. The best technology is what you use. It's okay if I don't, too. Different strokes.

I love my social networking sites and get lots of attention from mine.

When prospects become clients, however, to me it's time to graduate HS and get to work. ;)

YMMV

Prajna - Namaste