RealTown's RealTownTalk

I think it is "becoming" a more serious tool but only for those who use it correctly. It appears you can be too "in your face" promoting your business to your Face book friends and you can also be too passive. I see it overused and underused by people of all ages. Clearly people are having some sucess with it already. (I plan to set up a seperate "business page" myself.) But it just seems there isn't a clear concensus as to it's importance to the industry just yet.

Thomas Fentress

mail@thomasfentress.com

I agree with you Tom. Facebook is not my idea of using it as a referral site but I did join it less than a year ago to connect with some old friends and younger family members. Now, the older family members are joining too. They don't want to miss out. Ha. I also tried to create a business page, just in case, but I am not sure this is the place to get more business. However, I do like getting our business name out in front of as many people as i can. So I joined LinkedIn, as well. This site is more professional but still doesn't seem like the place to get referrals, as much as it is to get jobs or pick up employees. We'll see, this whole thing is still new for Realtors. The longer sites like these are begin used, the better the sites will become.

Re: Carolyn. I have heard of some obscure horror stories with having your information posted on facebook, but they are so rare and bizarre, you have a better chance of winning the lottery.

With the advances of technology nowadays, if someone really wanted to find out more about you, they easily could. I don't think that providing your information on facebook should deter you from the marketing possibilities.

On a further note, if your still concerned, you can always make your profile private, so that only people you accept to view your profile and information will be able to see everything. This can be done in the setting for your account.

John - you may want to read the following article on RIS Media. It's very insightful.

http://rismedia.com/2009-11-11/social-media-can-be-a-sinkhole-for-real-estate/

I was reading all the great information from everyone regarding Facebook. There is a terrific tool I found on a group on Linkedin for Facebook. It is a "Seemylisting.com" tool that puts a nice box of your listings on your Facebook page. I have recommended all of my clients use this:

http://www.realtor.com/seemylistings/

I can see where Facebook can help and is certainly fun reconnecting with old friends and classmates. I have moved around alot and have lost touch with many of them, now I am relocated close to an area of where I grew up and although I am on facebook - I have not used it frequently enough. My goal now is to become more familiar and learn more of the internet social networking sites.

Barbara Hopkins

I know some baby boomers using these tools for marketing. As a baby boomer I am slowly catching up with the technology. It can be a little overwhelming at times.