If you are already way into social networking you can skip this article completely. This is strictly for those who aren’t already converts to the new religion. There are so many social networking sites now and so many different ways to be in constant touch with everyone it might seem confusing. Relax. I am going to make it easy for you.
1. If you are doing it and like it, keep right on doing it.
2. If you are not doing it and are wanting to learn about "getting business from social networking", step two is just as simple as step one. Skip it.
Skip it completely. All of it. It is just that simple. If you are even thinking of taking a class so you can "learn about it", skip the class and skip learning about it. Somebody says they’re an expert and wants to explain it to you, get up and walk away. It has already become a part of your life and it is important to you or it isn’t.
Just as an aside, I will point out that there is no top producer – anywhere in the United States (that I know about) that is actually getting their business from Twittering, Facing, My Spacing, Poking or any of the other brand-new and utterly fantastic great ways to be in non-stop touch. None. I know, I know, it eventually will be the thing to do. If your actions today are mainly to get you ready for that brand-new tomorrow then freak freely.
Why is social networking so popular?
Because, for some, it is fun. Lots of it. In order to not feel guilty about goofing off, it then becomes necessary to rationalize that fun by figuring out how what one is doing is really "good for business". People who like to play golf or tennis do this all the time. Playing golf is good for business. Be in business and connect with anyone often enough and you can get business from doing that thing. But is there any valid reason to trick oneself? You do it, you like it and want to keep doing it. By itself, that is a perfectly valid reason for doing just about anything that isn’t harmful.
From the 2008 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers:
Naturally, the percentage of sellers (far far more important demographic, in my opinion) wouldn’t be as good as the percent of buyers using social networking sites. If the public you are wanting to reach is first-time buyers it might have validity to spend time following, tweeting and poking. If first-time buyers aren’t your main public it looks to me like an odd thing to work on at all.
In answer to the question I just know I am going to get: yes, I am expecting to make a lot of new friends with this particular post. 🙂
