The Internet has changed everything. The Internet has changed nothing.
The more things change, the more they stay the same. The only constant is change.
A recent discussion at Inman's Real Estate Connect in NYC asked: Real Estate 2.0, High Tech or High Touch? Asked as if there was a difference, and as if they couldn't co-exist.
People buy from people they: 1) Know, 2) Like and 3) Trust.
The question then is: How best to get people to know, like and trust us?
They don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care.
The 3 Rules of Business:
- All things being equal, people would rather buy from their friends.
- All things not being equal, people would still rather buy from their friends.
- Make friends.
In this scenario Location, Location, Location becomes Relationship, Relationship, Relationship.
"It's Not About The House."
If you can become a friend/trusted adviser in Real Estate or any other area of sales; you're more than half way to the sale.
Computers and the Internet are powerful tools. But they are still only tools.
Web 1.0 and Web 2.0 have changed our lives in many ways. We can email, fax and Instant Message. But what separates our messages from Broker/Agent spam?
When I first learned email, I was told all the sterile and impersonal simplifications I could use to be more efficient. I never used them. I stayed personal and professional and true to my message.
When I started my blog, it was suggested I use a flippant, comic, non-serious name and was reminded of the success of Google, Yahoo and Zillow: who all now have to play against type.
Can you: know, like and trust a Website?
When I'm on Google, I feel they thought a lot about me. I like that.
When I use Amazon, I feel they thought a lot about me. I like that.
When I'm on Zillow, I feel they thought a lot about me. I like that.
High Tech is here to stay. High Touch never left. The media has evolved, but our messages of relationship, caring and trusted adviser are must still the same.
The things we do to get people to know us, like us and trust us have just added the new dimension of "Virtual Touch".
Zillow, Google and the other Search Engines can commoditize most of what we have, and much of what we do; but they can only commoditize us if we let them.
Are you a dinosaur?
Adapt Or Die!
GOT NEXT! Happy Searching.
WebHomeUSAblog; The Blog of Real Estate Search Marketing
Clifford
I certainly agree with the points you make about keeping it and making it personal. I was writing something similar over on my Active Rain blog today.
What I find curious is that given your comments, there is no picture of you so a visitor's imagination can make it personal between you and them.
Posted by: John Harper | January 28, 2007 at 10:41 PM
I was told all the sterile and impersonal simplifications I could use to be more efficient
Posted by: home staging toronto | April 20, 2011 at 05:13 PM