Molly Heyen - Chicago City Estates

It's been so long!

I had SO much to say on Friday, but Active Rain was down. Then I was busy all weekend and the site was not working again yesterday when I sat down to write. Now I need to get my groove back!

Thursday was interesting. It was a beautiful day which I started by meeting a friend for breakfast. He's a new agent in a suburb and he's also a Real Estate Lawyer. It was great to be able to chat and connect and see how we may be able to help eachother in our careers.

After that I did not want to lock myself up at home so I bounced around the city. First I went to a coffee shop to work, then I met my mom for lunch (not that I was in the least bit hungry), I went to another coffee shop and fell into a conversation with a new friend through my Facebook fan page.

The great thing about this friend is I've only known her for about a week. She started working at my old office one week before I left! Obviously we hit it off. I was at a coffee shop near her office and it was nearing the end of the day. We wanted to take the conversation off line, so we met for a quick beer in the neighborhood. We were able to talk for an hour about both of our new jobs. Since I used to work in her office I was able to give her some feedback on the office dynamic.

She's not looking to buy or sell in the near future. I wouldn't even think of bringing an idea like that up. That is the difference between proper networking and acting like you haven't eaten in weeks. I want to work with people when they are ready, willing, and able to work with me. However, if I don't build relationships now I won't be there when those friends are ready, willing, and able.

It was a wonderful conversation. She and her husband are coming over for dinner in a few weeks and I can't wait to meet him and for them to meet my husband.

After that hour we had to run because I had more networking to do! My husband and I went to Buddy Guy's, a famous Blues club in our neighborhood. There was a special neighborhood gathering that night and we wanted to meet more people. When we checked in my husband asked who was in charge of sending Twitter announcements. The man he asked pointed out a woman and our target was set.

I quickly confirmed that she does indeed follow my Twitter feed about the neighborhood so I introduced myself. She is a very sweet woman. Her husband and mine hit it off quickly (they work in the same industry). She introduced us to a few other influential neighbors. One was taking pictures, so I asked him to be a featured photographer on our Facebook Page. He agreed and sent me pictures the next day.

From that mostly cold off-line networking event I gained two new Twitter friends, three new Facebook fans, and more activity on both feeds then we have had to date. I'm also learning how to join neighborhood committees so we can get even more involved!

Moral of the story: Keep networking on and off-line. You will be amazed by what you learn and who you meet!

Agent Reboot Chicago!!

Notes from section 4:

Future-Proof Yourself - Capturing People's Attention With Video

 

 

 

Social Net Working?

This has been the theme of my past two days. Yesterday, no matter what I tried to concentrate on all I could do was think about how Social Networking can work for us. Due to that my open tabs on Firefox currently include: How to Measure Your Facebook Engagement, Google Website Optimizer 101, and How to Make Your QR Codes More Beautiful.

We haven't even used QR codes!! (By the way, this is just an example, I'm in Chicago not LA)

Nonetheless I am just like most other people out there and I am convinced that if I can be found by the average Joe like the Social Media Examiner or Mashable were found by me and if that Joe comes to one of my web presences more than once then I have achieved success. The funny thing I've noticed is once you start researching a topic you might find one source that seems indispensable, but as you explore that source you will find many others that are just as high-quality. In fact, go do that, then come back.………

Did you notice what I've noticed? The additional sources you find are all friends with that original source who led you to them. Here's the key I realized today

After working hours I grabbed a drink with an old friend. She is in grad school, but considering leaving that program for a different path. Before she goes to another school she will have to get a job somewhere doing something (surely we've all been there before!). Through the conversation I learned that she just joined LinkedIn (a networking tool) and I told her about a random function I am attending to support my college (a networking tool). She said to me that the thing that intimidates her the most about networking is how phony it all is. I instantly remembered that feeling.

What I realized and told her at that moment is

to learn great networking skills, look at the older generations. These are people who are already established. They are not as hungry as us Gen Xers or Yers or whatever we are (I seem to be on the cusp). They go to networking functions to make friends and isn't that the best way to collect contacts? If you are friends with your contacts, truly friends then you are happy to help them in anyway you can.

Guess what that leads to?

They want to help you too! Remember learning about symbiotic relationships in science class? Mutualism is a part of that, where each individual benfits from the relationship. That is what I've seen as the pure goal of networking, each individual is looking for a benefit. For it to work what will you bring to the table?

I opened with a question, Social Net Working? This can be viewed in a few ways. Is being social on the net working? Is being Social with your net working? Do Social and Net equal Working?

For me only time will tell, but since one of our retweets was retweeted and better optimized by Chicago Magazine's Best Citizen, Enrique Perez who, at the time I saw our retweet, had just under 700 followers and when I looked again for confirmation was at 700 and tonight is at 730+ I have a feeling that the Social Network is working. BTW I thaked him for the retweet and was tweeted a you're welcome!

The best thing about taking some time away from the city and hiking through the woods is the amazing feeling that comes with seeing nothing ahead but trail, trees, and, with a bit of luck, animals. It's one of the greatest ways to relax, clear your mind, and rejuvenate for hard work ahead!

All week I've been carefully considering my new workload and how I need to adjust my lifestyle. I understand now why most entrepreneurs consider themselves to be workaholics. I'm feeling very addicted to my work. Every task I do sets me up for another project and really feels like it is moving us forward. It's a fantastic feeling!

However, if I allow myself to get too caught up in this it will surely backfire. That is the core of addiction. One thinks something feels so good, but by overdoing it the good feeling wears off and the addict keeps going after it in hopes that the good feeling will randomly come back again.

In real estate the balance of work and play is of particular importance because everytime you break away from your work to simply connect with others on a social level you strengthen your relationship. You cannot run a business without nurturing your relationships. If you let those go who will work with you?

Last night I set aside the goal tracking document I have been trying to complete this week. I knew it was almost time to go to dinner with our Toastmasters club. I had some time left so I started futzing around on Active Rain, trying to learn more about what it can do for me. Boy can this site pull me in! Just as I was thinking about maybe going to the event late my husband IM'd me and said he was leaving work and would see me at the restaurant. I had to tear myself away and get to the train.

As it turned out I was the first of our party to show up. Eventually everyone arrived and we spent hours over dinner connecting, chatting about work, gardening, cocktails, travel, you name it. The best part is, the only reason we know this group is because we share one common goal, to become better public speakers. My husband and I have been members of the club for five years and the people we have met and relationships we are building are unparalleled. The dinner ended with us making plans to have dinner with another couple at a later date, new friends!

Following the dinner we went to one of our favorite bars for a nightcap. Just as we were leaving I ran into an old friend who worked with me in real estate the first time around. I've happened to run into her three times now in the past six months. She manages a restaurant now and we will have to stop by in the next two weeks, new old friend!

If I let work get the best of me last night and chosen to stay in I would not have two new friends today. Who knows perhaps in that case all my work would be for naught.

The inspiration from this post came from a short article I read this morning on Forbes. I don't know if it's true, but there was a long period of time where the subject's whereabouts were unreported.

If he was alone during this time, I wonder why?