RealTown's RealTownTalk

I just had my first closing from Facebook. A high school friend who I had not spoken with since graduation, contacted me since he read that I was a Realtor on Facebook.

Not only are sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn fun resources to reconnect with past friends, they are also incredible Sphere of Influence builders. Through Facebook, I have made distinct connections individually to friends from high school and college. Also, I have connections from various clubs and associations I belong to currently and during my eduction. These associations have actually formed "groups" where you can search to find other members.

As for finding people of Facebook, you can use the search tool at the upper right hand corner. Just type in a name. There is also a tool when signing up that you can see who from your current contacts (Outlook for example) are also on Facebook and you can request to be their friend.

In regards to your overwhelming amount of emails, in the Settings you can turn on or turn off the email response. This allows you to decide who you want to receive emails from, what you want to be contacted about, etc. If you turn them all off, you can always just make sure to check in once a day or once a week to see what has been posted on your profile.

Finally, it is a great way to update everyone in your life of what is going on. You can do this via posts or uploading pictures. However, many websites now with articles have a tool at the bottom to share that link on your Facebook profile. This allows your friends a one-stop location to find out all the articles you have found recently relating to real estate in your area! Definitely a great tool!

Michelle Lydin
Lydin Group Realty
Colorado

Hey John....You are really pushing the envelope ! Ha, Ha. I am a 60 year old licensed real estate agent, who truly believes that the Internet is really HOT, and the true wave of the future these days. I am a little behind on all of the YouTube, FaceBook, Twitter, etc following, but am endeavoring to look into/subscribe to it in my own small way. What is of major impact to me is the digital video interest that is expanding worldwide. I am affiliated with an internet company called VMDirect that has what I believe is the hottest and best internet technology company out there....anywhere ! The applications are very affordable, and give us an edge as realtors (or any small to medium size business owners) to capitalize on the internet by means of live broadcasting and video e-mail marketing campaigns. I would really appreciate an opportunity to hear from you (or anyone else) who may want to take their business to a whole new level using video on the Internet. I think we need to "get ourselves out there" to reach a growing network of individuals who are increasingly using the Internet before they contact agents to buy/sell homes. VMDirect has products to enable us, as realtors/small business owners, to take our websites/video/tours directly into the e-mail boxes of our contacts, in a very professional way.

Karen Ginter
(716) 866-7202
KarenGinter@VMDirect.com

At 57 I have been fighting the face book sight. It seem like I am on the internet all day long, and feel guilty when i don't answer my e-mail in a timely manor, like immdeiately. I finally gave in and signed up three days ago.

After reading the follow ups to your question I am glad Idid.

Now just to find more hours in the day.

Hello John,

I have been using facebook to post all of my listings, summer rental property and also photo and testimonies of new homebuyers. I personally feel that this is a value tool for keeping your name out there for potential homebuyers, sellers and renters. I do believe that the baby boomer are accepting these tool.

Sincerely,

Debbie Colubiale

GRI,CRS, SRES, ABR, Broker-Associate

www.CapeMayHomeFinder.com

I love Face Book and consider it a great marketing tool. A lot of my friends who are the 50 and 60 year old boomers are becoming addicted to social networking. The market I work in is very small and quite a few of our Realtors are on Face Book. I try to keep my "advertising" very low key as I do not want to be a shark trolling in the waters. I have yet to get any leads however several of my past clients are now my FB friends. It's a great way to increase your Sphere of Influence.

Valerie Graue

valerie.graue@coldwellbanker.com

Dear John,

I am older than you and my daughter just introduced me to Facebook a few weeks ago and I am struggling to use it, would enjoy any insight anyone can give me on using facebook.

Mary Ann Hawk

I have been a little hesitant to use facebook as a marketing tool for my business. I guess I just wonder how safe it is. How much information is to much information on my personal profile as far as my career, #'s and addresses available to the public. Has anyone had an unpleasant experience on facebook?

Carolyn

I found BoomJ.com to a better network for the boomers:

The Name "BOOMj.com"

The name BOOMj derives from the two primary audiences we serve: the Baby Boomers Generation and Generation Jones - both born during the big 20-year, post-World War II boom in births from the mid-1940's to mid-1960's.

• Baby Boomers were born 1942 to 1953; we associate their youth with Howdy Doody, Davy Crocket hats, and later, Woodstock and Vietnam War demonstrations.
• Generation Jones, born 1954 to 1965, is a newer concept and name that represents the actual children of the sixties (more wide-eyed than tie-dyed); Jonesers were weaned on The Brady Bunch and Easy Bake Ovens and later were the teens of 70's heavy metal, disco, punk and soul.

Baby Boomers and Generation Jones today

Today, Boomers are 53 to 64 years old and 16% of the adult US population; Jonesers are 41 to 52 years old and 26% of all US adults. Together they are almost 80 million people, arguably at the prime of their lives. We shouldn't really say "they," but rather "we," because most of us that created BOOMj.com are part of one or the other generation (and at the risk of sounding corny, proud to be so).

The New Generational Paradigm

We're excited about the new generational paradigm. Generation Jones has already been the recipient of extensive major media coverage, and we're enjoying watching the buzz. Jonesers were originally mistakenly lumped in with Boomers simply because of shared high birth rates, but generational personalities stem from shared formative experiences, not head counts. The dramatically different formative experiences of Boomers and Jonesers created two very different generational personalities. We at Boomj.com "get" Boomers and Jonesers, the differences as well as the similarities.