Technology- Is It Really Necessary?

Most folks have jumped on the bandwagon of technology to one degree or another, but there are skeptics who say there's too much emphasis on the tech and not enough on the touch. So who's right? Maybe everyone.

As social networking and cloud computing grow exponentially, you have to make a choice. You either stay with the veteran methods of marketing, communicating and running your business or you adopt the new methods (and hope to be able to keep up.) The good news for the "old school" is that you don't have to - and shouldn't- give up all the old ways of doing business.

No matter how adept you become at utilizing blogging, twittering, facebooking and other social networking techniques, at some point you will have to talk with clients face-to-face or on the telephone. It's also important to remember that no matter how good you are at navigating the Internet and social media, most Realtors can't expect to get all their business from that source.

Incidentally, to effectively use social media, you have to be able to communicate well in writing and address relevant topics that hold the attention of your audience so being able to forge a great article or blog is pretty important.

But what about social media and high tech connections to the "cloud?" First of all, once you get the basics down, the whole thing is kind of fun. I think it's key to view the whole thing as much more than just a marketing endeavor. Use the social facet of Facebook for keeping in touch with old friends and acquaintances across the country or overseas. Weaving the fact that you're in the real estate business is as simple as commenting on something interesting and relevant that might have happened that day or that week. When I say relevant, I'm talking about a subject that the non-real estate professional can understand. So, don't get into an in-depth monologue about the subtleties of the short sale process using real estate vernacular. It's great to give the reader an overview of these subjects, but don't assume he cares about the minutia of your interactions with the bank negotiator. A lot of real estate people don't even want to talk about that.

The hardware part of the equation is also a kick. I just got a Motorola Droid and I have to say, it can do everything my laptop can do just on a shrunken down scale. I tweet, blog and take pictures and videos. I haven't begun to explore all the free and low-cost add-on programs I can easily download. Real time, GPS enhanced product location capabilities using a camera fed bar-code scanner is just a sampling of what this little thing can do. I can view listings, respond to corporate lead texts and e-mails and record voice notes.

Wireless laser printers that operate through a home or office network, bluetooth everything and good quality videos made possible by a myriad of portable flash drive cameras like the Flip make our jobs easier and more effective and more interesting.

So, the challenge as a professional is finding a balance between the tech and the touch. Having a group of colleagues to share with is key to not getting bogged down (or "blogged" down- sorry) with the huge spectrum of options. Be honest with one another. If you find yourself "hiding" behind e-mails or marketing pieces, re-group and start making phone calls and stopping by clients homes to say "hi." You got into this business because you're good with people. Enjoy the journey and have fun with your sphere of influence.

Remember, there's no substitute for human interaction, but it sure is fun to spice things up with a little tech!