Net Deaf

I Can't Hear a Word You are Saying

Bruce Springsteen sung "57 Channels and Nothing on" in the early 90's. Today, that has changed. Life seems even more hectic than yester year (pre-internet), and we have 500+ channels with nothing on.

TIVO? That is not an option for me. There isn't anything that is worth TIVO-ing.

Honestly, have you ever just sat there mindlessly flipping channels? Almost out of loyalty to your TV set. "It must be me. There has got to be something worth watching" . Us guys are notorious for the click and flip.

So if you have any geek in your bones, you move on over to your trusted Internet Connection. You check the new Technorati bookmarks, or you Blogs Search Google to see what's up in the Blog-o-Sphere. Ah mind candy. MMM Good!

Well there went a nite spent on your favorite juicy blogs. Dear Lord, you even keep them in a rss reader. That, GULP!.. you actually use! (Less than 12% actually read RSS feeds, and most don't know that it is an RSS feed).

Goodness, you could have been prospecting, sending out cards, returning calls. For what?

Empty Calories

The web has a ton of hype and advice that is fattening, but not so healthy.  There is a whole lot of noise with little meat and no veggies.

Your average viewer has ADD (I say viewer not visitor)  & clicks thru mindlessly and falls onto your site. What are you going to do to get them engaged into your world? Keep in mind very few Home Buyers or Sellers go online looking for an agent. The lasrge majority go online looking for information-usually starting with listings.

Some IDEAS:

1. Interactivity-anything you can do to get them interacting with you in anyway is good.
   a. Chats
   b. Offers
   c. A Phone info line
   d. Comments are a great idea on a blog, but so far most local markets aren't worth much for commentary.
   e. Explore all the modalities. Offer PDF's that they can print out and touch, video, audio, etc.
2. Elegantly Sell!- If you don't sell, someone else will. This is the story where someone goes to a site and sees your MLS Listings and then buys from someone else. Or worse yet, the buyer decides on your neighborhood because of your well written blog, but uses another agent.If you don't make an offer, you will never get a counter.
3. Have an Opinion-As my Dear old Coach Cope used to tell us at UOP, "Coaches coach, Players play, Administrators administrate. There will be no overlap!" Another way to look at it is, "lead, follow, or get out of the way.
   
   One of the great features of the web is that it gives you a method to tell your companies story. It pulls off the Make-Up and reveals who you really are. It can reveal the depth of your expertise or lack there-of.
   
   Sure you need to be an ambassador to your city/neighborhood, but you also must be the "Obvious Expert". You do this by having an opinion. However, if you are not an expert, you will not have much depth. Have you ever considered to befriend the Planning Commissioner, or even the Board Members of your Condo Association? Become an insider.
   
   This is where the power of the net will only work for you. This is how you can become a marketer and transcend the salesman.  This is how you get people to come to you, instead of you going to them.

By remembering these suggestions you can make your blog or website an actual resource that will keep your visitors coming back, opting in, and buying or selling thru you.

Comments

[Dave Weiss - Chicago REALTOR]

You know, not that many people use feed readers, but the ones who do are generally more educated, better paid, and more astute buyers and sellers of real estate. These are the people who can become loyal to you through your use of technology and buy and sell properties with you for the rest of their lives.

Narrow-casting is not a bad thing.