I have been on Facebook for a while now and have 345 friends to show for that but how many of us Realtors joined Facebook to network with other Realtors and find ourselves going on there for "personal" business? I have in the past few months cut down the time I spent on Facebook because it is not INCOMING producing! Sure, I enter all my listings on there, but what is the likelihood that I can sell a home thru Facebook? 0? 1? Not sure about the outcome but I have decided to put my energy elsewhere. As a Realtor, my number one problem is time management because I don't have to report to myself.. I am my own boss - Therefore, I can goof off and not do a single thing, and stay in my robe and call it, "working out of the home"..It's time to take a step forward and do more incoming producing activities - no need to blame the market, the housing crisis, unemployment, etc.. because I am seeing Realtors having their best year yet in 2008 because they didn't let Negativity or other distractions stop them! Facebook is great to network, but if you are spending hours upon hours playing games, chatting, you are not beimg productive! "Design upon your major definite purpose in life and then organize all your activities around it" (Brian Tracy) So, as the saying goes, "I've heard there's going to be a recession; I've decided Not to Participate" :) Happy Networking! and Be a Success in whatever you do! Remember, you control your destiny!
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Yes, Facebook is great for networking/referrals from all over the country, but, I had to discipline myself to stay off of it during normal work hours and not spend my time chatting with old friends/family :)
I actually have a lot of clients who are now my friends on Facebook, so I see that as a way to constantly interact with them in a fun way. However, I allow myself to go on Facebook only if I get my work done.
Simply networking. I moved to the town I am in 10 years ago. It is a great town but it has its groups and cliques and it takes years to break into those circles. It is amazingly hard to break in. Most of the people were born and raised here, went to grade school on up through high school and those that go to college either go to Roanoke College or VA Tech....they have their group of lifelong friends and they don't invite outsiders in. The great thing about Myspace is that you are not trying to socialize with an established group, you are trying to socialize with an individual. As individuals we all can find something in common with one another. Once you find that common ground you can establish the dialog and then friendship and before you know it you are invited to attend things that the "group" is doing. When I count those sales I am not counting the ones referred by myspace friends that have become actual friends in real life, just actual transactions from Myspace. I did make a rather large double ended referral from a Myspace friends friend in NC though! Never met her or the agent that I referred her to! It is all about networking!
My brother is a member of a very successful BNI group....the one thing he has taught me is that the key to networking isn't to necessarily know the "right person" but to know who knows the "right person". When I started networking with that in mind business changed. Kind of like the 6 degrees of separation.
Hi Mini - I'm planning to ramp up my time on Facebook in 2009. Yes, it does have its share of distractions, but I think if used correctly it can be a productive part of my online presence. We'll have to revisit this topic in a few months.