People Really Do Want You To Tweet About Your Cat.

We’ve got a special treat for you this Monday after the Inman Connect Conference in SF.  Guest blogger Todd Carpenter from Lenderama.com and DenMod.com has delivered a quick and hard point about the use of Social Media in the Real Estate Industry. 

Thanks for the post Todd… but now I am going to have to explain this whole Twitter thing to our base.

I didn't even make it through the first session of Inman Blogger's Connect before posting to Twitter with discouragement:

"I can't spell, have bad grammer, don't care about comments & am intensly personal on twitter. Maybe I'm not cut out for this."

Yes, I can see now that I misspelled "grammar" and "intensely". All the better to prove my point. After all, I'm writing this post and you're reading it. I guess I am cut out for this after all.

For the most part, the advice covered in the first session wasn't bad advice, just not the advice I would give. The second worse speller in the blogosphere (besides me) is Teresa Boardman, and she seems to be doing pretty darn good as a blogger. Dan Green doesn't even allow comments, and he's the single best mortgage blogger out there.

The one bit of advice that did brake the camel's back though, was the statement from one panelist that nobody wants to here about your cat. She then went on to say real estate agents should use tools like Twitter to broadcast things like open houses, or new listings. It's taken me almost a year of social networking interaction to figure this out, but I can't agree. In fact, far from it. I've found that the more personal I become on social networks and blogs, the more business I do.

This is not an easy thing for me to say, because it means that I was very wrong about social networking from the start. I'm the guy who still holds the number one position in Google for "stop throwing sheep at me", my post on how ridiculous I think it is to market on Facebook.

There's a debate this weekend on Bloodhound Blog arguing the merits of voting for Generation Y vs the Baby Boomers. You know who I market to?  People who will want to do business with me. You know how I'm finding them? By becoming more and more personal on my blogs, my social networks, and in person.

SF Connect 07 was a business trip. SF Connect 08 was a vacation. Yet I managed to close far more business this year than last.
It's my business to network with real estate agents. Reaching them through online social networking has been highly effective, but only after I became far more personal.

While many bloggers at Connect were busy with hash-tags and highlights from the seminars, I used Twitter to brag about the Altos Research after, after hours party (which was EPIC by the way), or to find people to go to lunch with, or to comment on Lani's uppity standards when it comes to drinking tequila.

Unprofessional? Yes. Absolutely unprofessional. That's the point really. Social networks are not about being professional. Being professional on social networks can even make you look like a bit of a square. The people who might think you aren't professional enough probably don't even know what Twitter is. Tweeting only your open houses isn't going to earn you any whuffies in the world of social media.

Reputation management is a vital skill set these days. You may decide that letting your hair down on Facebook or Twitter is bad for your professional image. Hey, I won't argue that. You might drive away more potential business than you earn. But please don't tell me that people don't want to hear about my cat, because many people do. I see it my own business every day.

By the second session of Inman Connect, Linda Davis was talking about how important it was to let your personality shine through on your blog. Linda is awesome. One of those great people who you know before you ever meet her. Someone I made a point to to hug before I left. She's an example of the sort of magic you can work online by just being yourself, and not worrying about the latest stats, listing, or open house.

But who knows. Maybe she's not cut out for this either.

—

Thanks again, Todd!

Todd Carpenter is editor of Lenderama.com and DenMod.com. He's also the organizer of REBlogWorld, a real estate focused blogging conference on September 19th at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

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Tags: Twitter, Real+Estate+Blogging, Todd+Carpenter, Social+Media

Comments

[Molly]

Speaking from personal preference here and as a person who has worked in a real estate office and raised in a real estate family. I have real estate dripping out of my pores howeva', I have removed blogs from my RSS because they told me about open houses and their latest listings.

The only blogs have not been dropped who do that sort of "marketing" are the ones IN my market. I like to keep an eye on what realtors are doing in the area.

It seems to me the ones who use social media to promote listings more than make connections don't get how the landscape is changing. And would it be rude to ask if their business card pictures are at least 10 yrs old?

[Jay Thompson]

Great post Todd! I've said it a thousand times, a blog is the single best way to display your personality to the world. People WANT to see and learn who you are.

http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/my-600-cat/305

[Jay Thompson]

"And would it be rude to ask if their business card pictures are at least 10 yrs old?"

Hehe... I like that idea.

I don't even put a picture on my card.

[Kris Berg]

Jim - Thank you for this. As one who has blogged mostly about her dog, cat and dinner menus since day one, I was having a little confidence crisis during that first panel which, coincidentally, I was moderating. I also threw out the question on whether or not it important to write technically well versus write interestingly, because I see too many new bloggers freaking out, too afraid they might misplace a comma to write a post. I was disappointed, too, with the answers. Once again, the biggest message is that there is no right way; everyone will tell you to do it differently. Just do it in a way that works for you.

Now I am going to feed my cat.

[Susan Hilton - Texas Aggie Realtor in College Station Home Sales]

I still want to know more about the cat....
Is this Jim's cat or Todd's cat?

Thank you for the info - It is easy to make the blog posts "like everyone else" and harder to make it personal. Maybe that's why people only have information about their new listings and open houses.

[teresa boardman]

Gee I can't seem to get anything right these days. Thought I at least had a stab at being number one worst speller. . . just want to be number one at something. LOL

[Artur]

It's not easy to get personal for some. Can I post a photo of my dog eating a cat?
It almost seems counter intuitive to be a professional and speak to the world about your cat but real estate is not really about the homes and selling. The fact that Realtors sell homes is almost a side-effect.

[Heather Elias]

TCar...indeed, epic party. Seriously, you are right on. If folks want open house information or listing data there are other places designed for that. My blog is my personal take on the universe, and not everyone will appreciate it. I won't try to be all things to all people. Just being myself is my goal each time I write...
(Perhaps I need a sombrero for inspiration?)

[Ted Mackel]

I think Todd makes some good points. However, I think it needs to be dovetailed with information about what you are doing on the business side of things. I enjoy the Brightkite updates that come through Twitter and the picture.

[Lenore Wilkas]

Listening to the panels at Blogger Connect I was blown away. Reason? As someone who has always kept a strick separation between personal and business I was really amazed to realize that maybe, just maybe, I should get rid of that barrier and open up a little. I guess it has been my journalism training from way back, but it has been something foreign to my thinking.

I will begin to write more about myself and family (hopefully there won't be a revolt) and especially about our two Russian Blue fur babies who run our household. After all, breaking barriers is what it's all about!

[Todd Carpenter]

Ted, I agree with you. I'm all for talking about real estate on a real estate blog. Just saying you don't have to exclusively do so.

Artur, I hear you, and being very personal will not be right for some people. You need only to read that Facebook post of mine to see I had the same reservations.

T, you're still the #1 photo snapper in my book.

Kris, thanks for thanking Jim for this post. ;)

Heather, Altos after, after hours party for life!

[Andy Kaufman]

I love the "I've found that the more personal I become on social networks and blogs, the more business I do." line and it totally rings true with me as well.

I knew early on that Twitter|Microblogging was going to radically change the game.

With Twitter, I was able to connect with people that I was interested in and express myself in a way that didn't fit with traditional long form blogging. When every post is a simple 140 character message, you can share things that you would have otherwise kept to yourself and people build connections over time.

Once we connect and get to know each other on a more personal & granular level on-line, taking that connection offline and turning into a real life relationship is a piece of cake. Just ask the dozens of people who connected for the first time in real life this week.

(I still can't believe that I missed the Altos after after party)

[Ginger Wilcox]

I love what you said " You know who I market to? People who will want to do business with me." Exactly. I guess the key is to do what fits us best. People who are ultra reserved online may attract ultra reserved clients- there is somebody for everyone. That is just not me.

[Lani Anglin-Rosales]

aEFFINGmen. :) if you're running an international print publication that is not parody OR you're a news bureau, you SHOULD capitalize properly, edit for spellin and grammerz, etc but the mere nature of a blog is an informal conversation that makes professionals approachable!!

(oh and I DON'T drink that...)

[Adam]

Giving readers insights into the type of person you are is nothing but a positive. However, there's a fine line between providing personal thoughts and providing personal thoughts that don't belong in the public. There are some things that when discussed will instantly turn away potential customers - some people know not to cross this line, other's dont. Though, that's the beauty of blogs.

[James Bridges]

Ok, I have to say that I have never put up a post about my cat, but maybe at some point I will. I am glad you share this though as I do think people need to let their personalities come through on their blog. I think many come to the tomato because posts by Jim are sometimes over the top, and we dig it!

[Joseph Bridges]

My brother has the cat and I have a dog so do we each have to blog about our animals or will one do?

I agree that you have to let your personality come through. People want to do business with someone they can connect with. They want to do business with people they like and they can get to know people through more personal posts and information.

[Jim Cronin]

The point I get from the post is that the land of Twitter is one of a potentially more personal nature.

The question posed by Twitter is: What are you doing?
If it is sitting in an open house, twittering, or going out for ice cream with your kids... it's something about YOU, and DOING.

It may be seen as a mini-blog, or an opportunity to market oneself... but in its intended format it is all about revealing yourself to the community that cares.
If (the big IF) you can create a Twitter community of potential clients that care, and they appreciate peeking into your life, then it can be leveraged as a marketing tool... sort of 'two birds with one tweet' - so to speak.

Your REAL ESTATE (Business) Blog on the other hand may not fair so well as such a personally revealing platform. Sure, people enjoy your personality, as revealed in your writing, but a constant stream of your personal affairs is not going to establish you as an authority in anything other than your own comings and goings.

Recognize this distinction, it's crucial.

[Judy Peterson]

It looks as though some portion of our market place is on Twitter, etc., Gen Y and under moving into the mainstream where potential clients are communicating. I was walking my Bichon Puppy Daisy (I mention her in my "About" Section) in the park one day and someone stopped me and said, "Oh I saw you on the internet, how's the market?" Proof of the pudding!!

[Keahi Pelayo]

Jim,
I still don't understand Twitter.
Aloha,
Keahi

[Jim Cronin]

Keahi,

I knew this was going to happen.
Maybe a post on Twitter Understood is in order.

[Ben Martin, Va Assn of REALTORS]

Late to the party here, but wanted to chime in. I was one of those on the first Bloggers Connect panel who said grammar and spelling are important, and that I don't like reading about agents' cats. As for your cat, well, I can take it or leave it. Whatever.

But as for spelling? Here's my take: If you won't take the time to proofread a blog post, I will wonder what other things you won't take time to do right for me if I choose you as my Realtor. But hey, maybe I'm the PITA client you don't want.

[Patti Smith]

Maybe the person commenting was just a dog person?!?
I was starting to wonder if I was blogging too much about my dogs, but they are a big part of my life and mean a lot to me. I am sure many of my potential clients can relate to that.
Add me to the list of people who would love more understanding into Twitter. I try, but I just can't see the attraction of it.

[Todd Carpenter]

Patti, nobody sees the attraction of Twitter until they dive in and do it. There's dozens of articles about twitter, but none make sense until you're knee deep.

[daniel martin]

Todd you first paragraph alone is worth 98 whuffies - thanks for staying a flipping wierdo!