Massachusetts Real Estate and Social Media

Jazz Up Your ActiveRain & Outside Blog with an Awesome Header!

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Sun, 02 Aug 2009 23:18:09 -0500

Great advice. It always takes me forever to do this- trying your method next time, J.

Via Jeremy Blanton (ActiveRain Corp.):

Have you been on ActiveRain for a while & wished that you could Jazz up your profile with some reall awesome graphics or picture? Several members contact me regularly in complete frustration from trying to add a really great looking header to their profile.

Have visited a blog & come across a header that resembles one similar to this:

As you can see above, the photo I inserted does not even cover the whole bar & is so distorted & blown up that you really can't tell what it was. So, I thought it was time to share with everyone how to design a really great looking header for your outside blog. Granted, there are several ways to design a really awesome header, but for this exercise we are going to use a single photo.

There are so many different photo software programs you could use to create. The key to making the process smooth & successful is using photo editing software you are familiar with. In the past I have used everything from Pro-Grade Adobe Photoshop to a cheap PC program called Microsoft Picture it 10. In fact, my latest header was designed with a free online software program called Picnik.

How To Create an Awesome Header

The first thing you need to do is chose a photograph to work with. You want to make sure that the photo you are working with is at least 960 pixels wide to start. If not, things will become all distorted or not fill up the entire header box. Here is the original picture I chose to create my header. The original size was entirely too large at like 1620 x 880. So the next thing you will want to do is resize the photo to 960 pixels wide.

After choosing a photo & resizing you will then need to make some cropping adjustments to the photograph. The dimensions for your header need to be 960 pixels wide by 134 pixels high. Most pictures are not going to fit these dimensions exactly. In fact, 99% of the photos you chose are going to need to be cropped to fit properly. So, what you need to do is open the photograph up in any photo editing software & find the cropping utility. Enter the correct dimensions & move around the selected area to crop out the section of the photo you would like to use.

Now that you have the photo cropped, you can either use that photo as is for your header. Or if you want, you can add your logo or text onto the header. Make sure if you are adding text that is a descriptive title & NOT Contact information. All Your Contact info is on the side already. If you place your email address or website URL people will become frustrated when they try to click on the header & it doesn't do anything they are expecting.

The Final Result?

This is how it looks on my ActiveRain Blog

Lastly, you can see it on my Outside Blog as well:

I hope this helps all of you that have been frustrated designing your blog header. For those of you who feel daring, you could using multiple photos like Debe Maxwell has on her blog. But process is much more complicated and advanced.

As always, do not feel overwhelmed by designing a Header! This header was designed in less than 10 minutes time. Also, Do Not Get Caught up on Photo Quality. The photo I used was taken with my iPhone one evening while out on a bike ride through my neighborhood. No fancy equipment, or editing software was used to enhance the photo. I simply took the photo, did the simple steps in Picnik & uploaded.

So, now that you know how to jazz up your ActiveRain & Outside Blog, stop making excuses & get to it!

Why join?

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:40:58 -0500

I have been seeing that a lot of people get involved in groups, and say afterward- I don't get it. How is this going to help me?

For instance, the user return rate on twitter is pretty sorry. According to the Nielsen Wire, "more than 60 percent of U.S. Twitter users fail to return the following month, or in other words,... Twitter’s audience retention rate is currently about 40 percent." This just accounts for those that do not return at all- those that bebop in for a couple of tweets are counted as active.

I was speaking with someone who was involved with venture capital and setting up startups. She mentioned that one business women's group had a 20% retention rate over the course of a year. That's a lot of people who are joining something that they apparently think will not be useful a little further down the line.

I guess the first thing to ask yourself is this: Why am I joining a group? Is it for pleasure, for business contacts, to grow a consumer base? And don't think for a moment that these motives are mutually exclusive. If someone respects you for your knowledge base in, say, your hobby, that respect will roll over to your professional personna.

Then match the groups to your goals. This narrows your choices even before you begin so you aren't spread so thin that you can't be a valued member in any of them, and makes the communities a joy rather than a burden to be part of. And really- this is what it is all about: joy! Happiness and a true positive attitude attract people- business contacts, consumers, people who share your interests.

For more information about to get the most out of a group, click here.

Happy Father's Day

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 12:25:06 -0500

It is funny how what you are today is the sum total of your experiences. Your parents, and their parents, built the beginning of the road you are traveling on. You can try to build a better or completely different road if you don't like the scenery that came before you, but most of the time you end up with a road that runs parallel to the original one- or at best perpendicular. That original road is always the touchpoint.

My father has been gone 20 years now- but he is still vividly with me. When I feel that I am at the bottom of my reserves of strength, I hear him telling me what he told me soon after my first daughter was born. She had obviously never heard the expression "sleeping like a baby" and on top of that was plagued with colic. Since I was nursing, I wasn't even able to self-medicate my way through it, and I looked fairly desperate one day when my father came to visit. He took my daughter from my tired arms and sat with her in the other room, saying to me, "Just when you feel like you are at the end of your rope, your trouble always ends."

My baby fell to sleep in his arms. While I was fairly certain that his advice was simplistic at the time, I have come to respect it and apply it more generally to my life as he intended,not just to episodes of infant colic. There are times it has become my mantra- "This will end- this will end- this will end." Horrible times end- or at least scab over- with time; everything is finite. And the really good times end too.

And I guess this is okay- because it has to be. Each of these little good and bad bits make up the cobblestones of the road you are building and there are times when the road is damned bumpy.

This must be what fathers are for- to walk you down that aisle whether they like your choice at the other end or not, to take the baby from you when you are near the end of that rope, to teach you how to hang wallpaper and hang in there.

I miss you, Dad, but I always hear you.

Win a VIP stay with the TwitterQueens in NYC

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 12:23:55 -0500

Anyone who knows me even remotely well knows that I am a card-carrying member of the TwitterQueens. See? I'll prove it:

So there you have it. What are TwitterQueens? Well, it started out being a group of mainly women who chatted online, forming friendships and helping each other out online. It was mostly women, but not all; they were mostly REALTORS, but not all. Later we added the hashtag #twitterqueens so that we could keep track of the conversation in one stream- if you add the hashtag, you can filter out all of the responses with that tag if you use tweetgrid, tweetdeck, seesmic desktop, or twitzap.

Later as the group grew, we had members that were very new to social media, and decided to create a community where they could go and see posts with information (here's one on SEO), share leads, ask questions and get answers, and share video and pictures. We now have nearly 250 members, probably about 15% men.

The "Boys Allowed" issue caused a little stir but we made it through. I think that none of us really was aware of how fiercely people identify themselves and define themselves within a group context, but I guess I do too. I would have to say that- male OR female- most of my best friends are members of this group.

That is why I am really REALLY looking forward to our first tweetup/social media boot camp. This is going to be on June 27 at the Grans Hyatt in NYC, and I am going to get to meet the people that I am so excited about online face-to-face (some for the first time, some again). Bill Lublin , Morriss Partee, Jennifer Shaheen and Rebecca Corliss from HubSpot are among those either speaking or leading sessions, and Lesley, Maya and I will likely throw our hats into that ring too.

So here's the deal: We have decided to offer a free VIP stay with us, which means a hotel room and free pass to the day's event. One lucky person (man OR woman) will be chosen from among the people who tweet the following before Saturday June 20 at 4:00-

#twitterqueens- choose ME for VIP event reg because (then give us a great reason).

Yes, you will have to sign up on twitter.com and at least put out one tweet, but it will be worth it if you win!

See you in NYC!

Get Better Known at a TweetUp!

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 11:49:55 -0500

"I have been on twitter now for a few months. Now what?"

Like anything else- are you REALLY on? Are you consistent?

If you are, and you have used some tools to develop a local following, great. Now let's take the next step. Why not organize a tweet-up?

A tweet-up is a face-to-face meeting, usually held at an informal venue like a bar or restaurant. For a little amount of time and no money this is an invaluable way to meet some of the people that you have chatted with online, and get to know their friends as well.

My friend Maya (@mayaREguru) is helping to organize a Delaware tweet-up. They set up a website (less than $20, including domain name), and Maya has been on a radio show, in an online news report, and has been invited back again for another stint on the radio. The tweet-up is also helping to benefit the local food bank- attendees are encouraged to bring two canned food items with them.

So, in addition to doing a couple of good things, Maya is getting a collateral amount of publicity. She is not in people's faces about what she does for a living- she is a REALTOR®- but it is mentioned each every time she is involved in the publicity. Maya is also a founding member of the TwitterQueens, and that position, together with her contacts, has helped her put together an appearance for that group on the CBS Morning Show. Do you think that they will ask her what she does and where she comes from?

Okay- and this is all BEFORE setting foot inside the tweetup and meeting people face to face!

How can you go about doing this? First, pick a date! Check and make sure it would be okay to bring a group to the location that you choose- that they do not hae an event already planned for that time. Find some way to benefit your local charity, not for publicity, but because it is the right thing to do. Maya's group chose the Food Bank of Delaware (found on twitter as @foodbankofde).

Then get the word out! Radio, local newspaper (both the calendar section and possibly a news report), twitter itself. Check out MeetUp.

Even more ideas can be found here on Mashable's site. You can be as simple or get as complicated as you like. Make sure you bring business cards with your @twitter name on them. I had special ones printed up:

These cards are strictly for social media events. Once you go to twitter, my background lists all of my contact information, so, really, all you have to do is google my name or find me by my twittername.

If you do organize a TweetUp. post it here under comments.

What Blogging and Social Media Can Do For Your Business!

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 17:19:15 -0500

Great, Lesley!

Via Lesley Lambert (413-575-3611) Real Estate Agent,Realtor,Westfield, MA (Park Square Realty serving Western MA):

I started blogging last year and my committment to steady and informative blogging has changed my business completely. I created this funny video to demonstrate the impact in a short time...enjoy!

Five Reasons I Love Twitter

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Wed, 03 Jun 2009 16:13:11 -0500

1. I have gobs of time on my hands

2-5. See #1.

Okay, now that we have THAT out of the way...

None of us have gobs of time. If you are in Real Estate, you are to some degree at least at the beck and call of your clients. If you don't help them buy or sell a house, then the truth of the matter is you will not remain in the business. If you are like most of us, you are juggling family demands, client needs, and the education that an ever-changing market brings.

So where does twitter come in? What is twitter?

Twitter isn't the place in the social media world that most people go so they can meet up with people that they already know. Clint Miller likened it to a cocktail party- you know a few people, but at a good party you are there with a big mix of people for the intention of forming new bonds.

So- #1. I like twitter because I have met new people- smart, funny new people.

How can this help me with business?

#2. I have learned a lot from these smart, funny people. Knowledge will help you save time, and become better at what you do.

#3. You can pick up on "triggers" in the conversations of your new friends.

What is a trigger that relates to the sale or purchase of a new house? Divorce, birth, an impending transfer because of work- these are a few triggers that you might see in conversations. Does that mean that when you see that Judy's husband lost his job that you should chime in with, "Judy, that's too bad! If you ever know of anyone who needs to buy or sell real estate, call me!"

Of course not. Some agents have the word "Realty" or RE right in their name. I know a PhxREGuy, a BeeRealty and a mayaREguru. Everyone knows what they do for a living- every time people see their names they are gently reminded.

#4. Twitter is open-source so there are a lot of tools associated with it.

You can check your rank and find out who is near you with TwitterGrader. You can locate people near you with apps like NearbyTweets or TwellowHood - sites like this are golden for a real estate agent who is interested in a 10 mile radius, let's say. And there are a ton more- see this article for a Top 20 list.

And my personal favorite- #5. It's free.

Convinced...or at least ready to give it a try? Go to twitter.com and follow the steps to sign up for an account. Twitter itself is hard to follow and sort unless you have untreated ADHD, which may be another reason that I like it (Hey- is that a squirrel?). But most people download a client to help sort things out- like Seesmic Desktop or TweetDeck. My personal favorite is TwitZap because it has the look and feel of twitter.

You can see a portion of the filters I have on the right side of my screen. TwitZap tells me when I have any activity in any of those columns. I have my own name in there so I can see if anyone is "talking" to me and I can respond back. I have a column for the TwitterQueens so I can jump in when I see a conversation start up about that.

To find friends to follow, you can post a few conversation starters, or you can keep an eye on the general conversation until you see someone say something interesting. Maybe right now you want to go to one of those local links listed above and start there.

When you want to talk with someone, you type their name with an @ symbol directly in front and touching. Then your comment will be routed to their "stream."

Twitter consists of worlds inside of worlds. If you want to find these worlds, almost like small chatrooms. One of these is the one I mentioned- #twitterqueens. Another is #gno, for Girls Night Out. You can read what has been going on in these by searching the particular abbreviation or hashtag. If you want to answer, you would type your response, followed by the hashtag.

Example:

These two people hashtagged their conversation and I was able to see it and search it through TwitZap.

Wondering how to find out about hashtags? Some are listed in the Hashtag Dictionary, and more are created every day. Start one for your area and keep local twitter traffic coming by adding calendar events.

Can you imagine someone in the area constantly watching this stream for traffic alerts and other pertinent news? What a great way to be established as a local expert- not necessarily by sending out your listings, but by branding yourself as someone informed who cares about the community.

5 Ways to Improve Your Internet Presence

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Tue, 02 Jun 2009 14:19:25 -0500

'It makes me think of a prehistoric fish in a receding inland sea saying to an amphibian "so, what's the business case for legs?"' - Christopher Kenton

This quote refers to people who are reluctant to be involved with creating an online presence. I don't blame them- we all want to get out there and find the best ROI- whether the "I" part of the equation is money or time, neither of which there is enough of.

And the Internet landscape is a hard one to use tracers on. It's easy enough to track a buyer lead (and the conversion rate) from a couple who walks into your open house and tells you they were driving by and saw the sign. It's harder to judge exactly WHAT caused an Internet buyer to pull the trigger if they read your blog, began following you on facebook, and finally decided to go with you because you gave them good information.

But, since you are here, I am assuming you have a blog and a website. So:

#1. Run them through WebsiteGrader and follow the advice. Keep in mind that blogs are seldom freestanding so your blog will likely be part of a larger group of blogs, such as ActiveRain.

#2. Sit down and write out who your ideal client is. Do you work best- convert the most- first time homebuyers? Do you prefer second home purchasers? Then ask yourself, "If I were this person, what information would I be looking for?" THIS HAS TO BE IN THE BACK OF YOUR MIND WHEN YOU ARE ESTABLISHING YOUR PRESENCE- each time you post an article in your blog, every addition that you make to your website: run it through that filter. Did you sell 50 homes last year? That is terrific, but WHAT did you do that makes you different and will make you interesting to your target?

#3. Get signed up on Facebook. Many of the people "friending" you will be other sales agents, which is nice. But honestly? The bulk of your business will not come from them. Use the search bar to look for groups in your state that would attract your demographic, and start being friendly!

#4. Sign up on twitter. You will make a lot of real estate friends- and this is great for education and support, but may not put butter on your bread. A tool for locating people local to you- and I assume this is where you get the most business- are (((drum roll))) localtweeps. TweeplePages is set up to search by interest- but you can add your location and state to "Interests" and that brought up results by search for me.

#5. Most important- set up a schedule! I am as bad about this as anyone- but if you blog on Tuesdays and Thursdays, people will expect to see your blog this Tuesday. Treat this as part of your prospecting- and also part of creating good karma, because you will be giving out helpful information. Get one blog ahead and keep it in your documents in case you get the flu or something.

And remember- have a little fun! People can sense it, and it tells them that you like what you do.

Qualifying Friendship

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Sun, 31 May 2009 14:39:29 -0500

Blind dates. I have not ever gone on one. I honestly would be afraid to: what if I didn't like his taste in music? What if his laugh annoyed me? What if he tried to tell me that he knew more than I did about something that I knew I knew more about?

I know that's all picky stuff, but I have children and a routine, and I honestly would not waste my time investing in a relationship that I knew would go nowhere, or backwards. And relationships, when you get down to it, are about chemistry. Sometimes you just can't explain why you are attracted to whom you are, although having an attraction plan as strong as a good business plan would probably be a smart idea.

So it was leaping without a net when I went down to Philadelphia to see Maya and Lesley. I had met Lesley in person twice- once on an extended trip to California; we had a lot in common. Maya- well, we had spoken online so much that we had felt like sisters, but what does that mean when meeting a person face to face?

I think part of having the chemical equation work is honesty- being genuine, whether in real life or online. Like one of Lesley's clients told her, "You had me at 'WTF,'" and that's Lesley to a T- sassy, smart, knowledgeable about her product, and genuine. If you don't like the way she presents herself online, you won't like her in person- but what a great pre-qualifier!

Same thing with Maya- whom I had never met before, at least not face-to-face. Yet she felt comfortable enough with the two of us to invite us into her home.

It was like a blind-date slumber party- and more, because we needed to affirm that we could work together. We had already planned an event for our Social Media Microculture- the TwitterQueens- and hoped to work out a plan for raising the funds to operate the first event somewhere out of the red.

Anyone who was following #twitterqueens on twitter on Thursday 5/28 knows how well we ended up getting along. I could not have chosen better friends had I sent out job applications and prescreened. So this is what I will say about social media:

Be yourself- be genuine. That way you will attract people whom you want to be around and whom you can wior with. This goes for the lighter stuff like friendship, and the heavier stuff like finding clients. In real estate, so much depends upon whether or not your personalities gel.
Expect a lot. It is a big world- you don't have to work with everyone. Some matches will not be worth the time and effort you give to the equation.
Believe in this kind of interaction enough to give it a chance. If you went to a cocktail party, said hello, then sat down in the corner doing some other kind of work- who would you meet? Who would you get to know?

I have to say that I am grateful for the friendships that I have made through social media avenues. Not quite ready to blind date, though.

Making Connections, Making Memories

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Mon, 25 May 2009 15:51:05 -0500

This is going to be a busy, exciting week- if I can ever get things caught up enough at home to leave. The little one is complaining of a sore throat; the 19 year old accused me of never being home (although she is off at college and is never home herself). The 23 year old and the 19 year old haven't thought to give me grief yet, but give them time.

At any rate- I'm all packed! I am going to Philadelphia to RE BarCamp Philly. Tonight, I will get on the Amtrack train in my town, and travel to Boston. I will take the subway to South Station, get on a Greyhound bus, transfer in NYC and go to Wilmington, DE- where I will meet one of my best friends, Maya, face-to-face for the first time. I plan on seeing many friends whom I have met through twitter, Facebook and the Real Estate events- I don't even want to mention names because I know I will leave some out. Many of these will be first time meetings- and many more will feel like reunions, because that is what these camps feel like.

It's kind of like when you are invited to a wedding, and you are excited for the bride and groom, but what makes you happiest is having the chance to catch up with the people who will be coming. How have they been doing in business; how have their personal lives been going? Even more thrilling is looping into their conversations. It is wonderful to watch the ideas and sparks fly between some of them, and contribute when you can.

So that is exciting, certainly worth a long bus ride. But to add to that, on Thursday we will be speaking before a regional real estate board in Deleware on Social Media.

Heading back on Friday, I should be exhausted, but I will have been doing what I love. Hey- do you recognise that girl blowing a kiss on the right in the recap video? She's making memories.

ActiveRain Visits New Castle County Board of Realtors

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Wed, 20 May 2009 10:00:37 -0500

Be there or be square!

Via Jeremy Blanton (ActiveRain Corp.):

For those of you that live in the Philadelphia/Delaware area, I have some exciting news for you! The New Castle County Board of REALTORS® have planned a great event to help anyone in the real estate industry. On May 28th they will have a lunch & learn session on social media. I will be presenting along with TwitterQueen founders Lesley Lambert, Diane Guercio, & Maya Paveza.

The event is free and seating is limited, so make sure you register immediately.

Here is a brief rundown of what will be discussed:

Blogging 101- How to start blogging and use it for business by me.

Sex, Lies and Videotape- making your blog more attractive to traffic by Lesley Lambert

Social Media and Your Business by Maya Paveza

Building a Social Media Microculture for Hyperlocal Traffic by Diane Guercio

Open Discussion on how Twitter & Facebook can be profitable.

This event will take place on May 28th 11:30-1PM. It will be held at the New Castle County Board of REALTORS office. Seating is limited and will be on a first come first serve basis. The Address is 3615 Miller Road, Wilmington, DE 19802 (302) 762-4800

To register, visit http://www.nccbor.com. If you are a NCCBOR member, click on the blue LOGIN button on the right, enter your login and password, press submit, scroll down to and click on “Register for Events”, click on Soc Networking – Twitter Queens(LL0509), follow the registration prompts and you will receive an email confirmation of registration.

If you are not a member, click on the blue LOGIN button on the right, click on the link titled “Not a member – click here”, complete the new account form (you choose your login ID and password), after pressing submit, you can then follow registration instructions above.

For those of you who are not able to attend this event live, you can follow updates about it on Twitter at #NCCBOR.

Avatars for Social Media Sites

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Sun, 17 May 2009 13:03:17 -0500

Social media sites are great places to contribute to the community both online and off, becoming recogized as a trusted advisor. By doing so both your community and your business prosper- it kind of works like karma. The more you add, the more you will eventually receive.

Easy enough to say- you have some great things to share. What's the first step?

The online world is richly visual. It is almost as if you have to hold up a stop sign to get people's attention initially, and this stop sign is your Avatar- that little picture that identifies you on your social media site.

This is a screenshot of my avatar on twitter. I have had a lot of avatars there, and have noted that when I have made any drastic avatar changes, people complain that they can't "find me." So I try to keep any changes minor- I like this avatar because it uses a photo familiar to my followers.

When I planned this one, I tried to think about the point I was trying to make right off the bat. First I wanted it to "pop"- jump off the page and be noticed. See the difference between the two images below:

The picture on the left is nicer, but the picture on the right makes a better avatar. Its imperfections go unnoticed in smaller scale. I also like it because it brands me as a member of TwitterQueens- the twitterbird and the crown act as pictograms, helping with branding.

So, first- decide what your purpose is. Are you trying to establish yourself as a waterfront property specialist? How would you say that? Do you specialize in city rentals or commercial property? How are you going to get your brand across to people in a non-sales way - this is important in this medium.

Once you have figured out how to stop traffic with a great-looking avatar, you need to make sure the road you bring people down is attractive. Nothing will lose you followers faster than making your stream- the mini-blog posts that you make- into a series of advertisements. If people wanted Craigslist, they would go to Craigslist. Remember the three Es- entertainment, education, engagement- and focus your online posts around this.

For a step-by-step tutorial for making your own avatar, click here.

To link your avatar for use in many common sites, check out Gravatar.com

Have fun!

Room at the Table- Social Media Microcultures/ Group Dynamics

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Sat, 16 May 2009 11:47:09 -0500

For centuries, sages and scholars have been fascinated by groups--by the way they form, change over time, dissipate unexpectedly, achieve great goals, and sometimes commit great wrongs. The tendency to join with others in groups is perhaps the most important single characteristic of humans, and these groups leave an indelible imprint on their members and on society. To understand people, we must understand their groups.-

Group Dynamics Resource Page Donelson R. Forsyth, University of Richmond

* * *

Is there an optimal number for a group?

As Kathy McGraw had commented:

Do you remember AR when it was a relatively small group....now it is too large to manage effectively and we never see even 1/100th of all the posts.

Psychology is important. It doesnt matter how good the services supplied are if each individual does not feel that they are an intrinsic part of the group. Bruce Tuckman describes 5 stages that most groups go through- Forming, Storming, Norming, Performing and Adjourning (or Transforming). I think this is fascinating- while we are individually unique and unpredictable, human dynamics follow a certain pattern! And growing pains are to be expected within the group dynamic.

How does this apply to numbers? I think a balance is at least as important to the functioning of a microculture as it is to the individual on, say, twitter, although parallels can be drawn. In a social media microculture based on mutual assistance and support, assuming that the individuals are joining understanding the group's purpose and also understanding that there will likely be an attrition rate of more than 30%, is there an optimal number? Too few individuals, and the amount of knowledge that can be shared is finite. Too many and, as Kathy points out, access to that knowledge and support is difficult or impossible, and I would guess, smaller subcultures form within the larger microculture.

So, do you put a cap on numbers? Do you make membership at some point dependent upon more stringent standards, so that the individuals do not merely self-select- they actually have to prove their worth to the group.

The answer to the numbers game is probably something like trying to buy at the bottom of the market- you never know the bottom until you are past it. You never know when a group is unwieldy until members start becoming dissatisfied.

Since Kathy's comment was directed specifically at our group I will address that, Right now I would say TwitterQueens is small enough to feel cozy. I think the numbers need to increase for the organization to be viable- a tweetup is more fun when more than the same three people show up, I think. I like to see sparks fly, and find out what new people order to drink! We are gaining members every day- membership is free at this point, and the forum (blogposts, comments, events) is fun and informative.

I think we need to be thinking about how to structure access to group information when we hit 1000 members. Part of dealing with this is staying ahead of the need. I do not want the group to be reactive. I want us to be proactive.

I think we need to attract people outside of the Facebook-twitter realm, since they can add to the knowledge base and will be most thirsty for the information that the group can provide. Only 7% or so of people are actively involved on twitter - of the remaining 93%, not all want to use social media to further their business and, well, social life, but many may.

I think the TwiiterQueens formed like this: we were a group of mainly women who sat down together at a virtual table to help each other with business, especially in relation to social media, and just to be friends. I have no problems with this table being bigger, or for the group being so large that we have to split into a lot of little tables- we can mingle. I know that at that point we will not be able to decide on one type of drink for everyone, but we want to make sure the service is good.

But fellowship means no one feels left out.

Diane is one of the founders of the social media microculture the Twitterqueens and is hoping that the group is invited on Oprah.

Men in the Girl's Club- Growing Pains for a Social Media Microculture

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Sat, 16 May 2009 09:19:11 -0500

Kathy McGraw, Riverside County CA Real Estate (CELLing Realty) commented and asked me concerning yesterday’s post:

Gender diversified....love that term :) I love Twitterqueens tag line...and so now that it is evolving, and not everyone is from AR (thank gawd for diversity) nor are they all REALTORS...is the goal still the same? Do you remember AR when it was a relatively small group....now it is too large to manage effectively and we never even see even 1/100th of all the posts.

Kathy- poser of the tough questions! I think I had noticed early on during the debate about allowing men to be members of TwitterQueens a brief discussion about whether the mission statement would be diluted. At that time, it was "Women empowering women in the understanding and use of emerging social media techniques." Even earlier on, we had assumed that the interest in the group would be mostly generated in the real estate field, and we had tagged the FB fan page "Leading Women in Real Estate and Social Media." I liked that line, because it can be read both ways.

But group membership evolved. We, nearly immediately, had members who were at the periphery of the real estate industry, or outside of it altogether. These women were just so completely an asset- as they would have been to any association- that it would have been wrong to disallow their contributions. I don’t think that it really changed the focus of the group, as we did more than “talk shop”- and we sign in listing our jobs and locations so we can search for, say, a Realtor to refer to in North Carolina.

The second evolution caused more controversy. There were a couple of men who always entered the fray when we were chatting online with the tag #twitterqueens. They joined in with the girltalk- sometimes sharing advice, sometimes sharing recipes, always being supportive. So it didn’t seem like that big a deal when one of them signed up, then the next. Soon we had a small cadre of men signed on as TwitterQueens- right now it appears that one in seven or so of our population is male.

I informally watched the conversation surrounding this- gender diverse membership wasn’t unanimously backed, but the dissent was small, and focused around the mission statement as opposed to the people. We considered that this would likely be a self-selecting group of men- the men who joined, as well the women, would support the goals of the group. They wrote posts on social media tips, reasons for their joining, and shared personal stories - these guys are also on Active Rain and are frequent posters here.

But, yes. Group dynamic is different. Our TwitterDudes have written many of the posts and positioned themselves to help; almost in inverse fashion to the general societal structure, the men contribute quite a bit, almost as if to prove their relevance.

Possibly the only way to find out whether allowing boys into the clubhouse is detrimental would be to set up a control population comprised solely of women, matched for intelligence and talent, and compare the success of one over the other. Frankly, I’m not up for it! I guess the best I can do is say that the addition of any other person is going to affect group dynamic.

Building a Social Media Microculture

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Wed, 13 May 2009 21:40:59 -0500

There are different levels and types of social interaction. If you are in business, you have some idea of the personna you want to project, depending upon how you want to be perceived. In real life, your personality is somewhat compartmentalized- you don't wear a swim suit and bring a six-pack in to work, I don't care how casual your Fridays are, although it's behavior you would feel comfortable with outside of the work environment.

And these different ways of presenting yourself transfer to the social media etherscape. In some arenas you are more formal; in others, you take your virtual shoes off and put your feet on the coffee table.

So why not create structures within your social media landscape for doing just this? These social media microcultures can fill the need you have for relating within smaller subsets of your life- but better than this: you will be creating little worlds to fill other peoples' needs as well.

IDENTIFY YOUR PURPOSE

This is a site that I put together for our group The TwitterQueens. This represents a large subgroup in my life, as it combines business, education and friendship, and I feel like that may be the case for most of the other members. If the truth be told, I just got it up and running, and the members of the group add content in the form of photos, videos, social media and personal blogs, and events for the calendar. It takes some maintenance, but it's not anything that is difficult to do.

I went to ning, and signed up for a free site. No coding required; it is as easy as choosing what types of interaction you want to add to your site. From the page manager site, you can add photos, notes, birthdays, video, a blog feature that all members can add to- check out our site and see what you can do.

LESS INTERACTIVE

If you are interested in something less complex but that still creates connections, consider using Crowdvine. I first saw that used prior to RE Tech South, and it was a nice way to connect with those coming to the event prior to actually arriving- in fact, the creators of the site say that once people meet online, "...it's our job to get out of the way." There is a no-cost option for setting this up as well.

AND IT DOESN'T GET ANY EASIER THAN

...building a Facebook fan page. If you haven't signed up with Facebook, you will have to do that, and build a profile. Then you need to determine your focus- business? educational? a personal interest? Having decided that, click here to begin building your page. People can sign up, post to you, and RSVP to events you plan.

It has never been easier to find like-minded people to share with- whether it be real estate agents sharing leads and tips, vacationers writing reviews of vacation spots, parents supporting each other through the joys and trials of raising children, or singles trying to meet people that they have something in common with. The choice is yours. Decide your focus, and create a social media network of your own.

A Reason To Tweet

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Sat, 18 Apr 2009 20:27:12 -0500

A recent Harvard study details the benefits of social media for business. Businesses that used a consistent approach to social media saw a startling 92.7% increase in business over those that used the mainstay forms of advertising.

Knowing this, are you ready to go over to Blogspot or Wordpress and get cracking? Ready to add a social media superstar to your stable of marketing gurus? Or are you going to start tweeting and posting your status updates yourself?

Well, I'm sorry- there is no magic bullet. The article is fake- I am StatisticsGirl. But listen:

A friend of mine has received 3 real estate referrals from Facebook. I have received 1 from Facebook, and made several business contacts through twitter- and we will eventually benefit each other, businesswise. At REBar Camp NY, I heard anecdote after anecdote from agents who had 40% to 60% of their real estate business come from the Internet.

And this happens incidentally, while doing something you like doing. How could you need a better reason to tweet?

Diane's twittername is HeyAmaretto. You can find her here on Facebook and here on LinkedIn. She is a member of the women's Social Media Group the #twitterqueens. Feel free to bother her.

The Ticket that Never Existed

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Thu, 16 Apr 2009 11:46:18 -0500

Penn Station in NYC is a spread out, kind-of-convoluted place. There are very few places to sit- I assume by design. I was picking up my train at 3:15 in the morning to head back from a social media club meeting that I had gone to, and honestly? I needed to sit down.

I wandered around for a while, then noticed a waiting area for Amtrak ticket holders only. I scrounged around and found my ticket, was screened by the person sitting at the desk, and found my way over to an outlet so I could charge my needy little iPhone. That thing demands to be fed more often than any of my babies ever did.

So I was parked on the floor next to the electrical outlet poking around on twitter when two women came in, obviously in official capacity. One was dressed in a uniform, and the other had a shirt or something emblazoned with the word AMTRAK, in case you were wondering who she worked for. They walked over to a gentleman who was sitting in one of the seats and asked him if he had a train ticket.

Here's where it starts getting theatre-of-the-absurd. The man said that, indeed, he was in possession of a ticket, and was asked to produce it. He began rummaging around in his bag- but he obviously didn't have a ticket, and never had. Had he somehow expected one to materialize at the bottom of his rucksack? He scrambled around for a good five minutes until he was removed- politely, I will add- from the seats area to the standing-room-only section.

Why would someone keep looking for a ticket that never existed?

And maybe generally- why do people keep doing the same unproductive behaviors over and over in hopes of coming across that invisible ticket? I feel like you see this all of the time in Real Estate; just check the classified section of the newspaper under houses for sale. Or they insist on using a hard-sell approach when what is really needed is for the agent to be a trusted advisor. Or they live with an archaic brokerage structure.

Why waste your time looking for that ticket?

Make Sure You Pre-Approve Yourself!

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 16:09:01 -0600

Real estate agents and mortgage brokers can help you only so much when you want to purchase a house. I see many people trying to purchase without significant cash reserves. I sell a lot of bank-owned property, and the homes themselves tell the stories. Some are paused partway through the renovation projects, and some show defered maintenance- the homeowner couldn't keep up with the day-to-day requirements of the property. Then there are some that show nothing at all, indicating that something unusual and sudden may have happened forcing the inhabitants out- a death, a divorce, a job loss.

A little time preparing can go a long way toward circumventing situations that would force the loss of your home. I would suggest, for starters, having enough money set aside- money that you won't touch- to cover two months of mortgage payments. Six would be even better. The best time to buy isn't when mortgage rates are low, and inventory is high. It is when you are ready.

More advice and links on heyamaretto.wordpress.com

Self-Service Real Estate

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Thu, 29 Jan 2009 15:31:00 -0600

Originally posted on http://heyamaretto.wordpress.com/

I am getting a little headache today. Up early, did some paperwork stuff, then went out to one of my bank-owned listings to show it to a possible buyer. Good showing, but the property had no heat or electricity, so I am still feeling a little sluggish from the cold.

Got back to the office, submitted an offer for a buyer, and started wading through the list. Hopefully setting up 2 other deals- it's great being busy.

Then I got a call from another buyer. Woo hoo! As I was speaking with this potential buyer, he had mentioned that he had seen this property already, so there would be no need to view it. He just wanted to make the offer. I said, "Then you are telling me you have an agent?" "No," he said, "we haven't signed any paper with anyone." I wanted to make sure I got this straight. "But you were shown the property already by someone?"

Then he said that he had seen more than 35 properties in the area, and the agent had merely given him the lockbox code so that he could let himself in. "Excuse me?" The agent got the codes to the lockboxes, and the buyers went out by themselves.

So, okay, I can't see how they would have signed an Exclusive Buyer's Agency contract, let alone a MA Mandatory Agency Disclosure form. And handing out my lockbox codes to buyers doesn't exactly constitute representation. Just thinking about the things that could happen made me really upset. Suppose the buyers had slipped on the ice, or had fallen down the cellar stairs, or SAID they had fallen down the cellar stairs? I am just getting over the headache that had started after I was handed this little nugget of information.

It reminds me of when the kids went off to college. When the first one went, I was really upset. REALLY upset. I was complaining with tears in my eyes to a friend who had been through it already. She said, "Look at it this way. Before my daughter went off, she constantly broke curfew and we knew she was drinking and doing god-knows-what-else. Now, 9:00 rolls around, and I can envision her brushing her teeth in the dorm and getting ready for bed because she has early classes. It's a thing of beauty, really."

And those blinders really are a thing of beauty. I knew agents SOMEWHERE were just giving out the combos to lockboxes, but I couldn't imagine that anyone around here REALLY was. I imagined them trudging off through the snow, flashlight in hand, shivering in the cold while their buyers poked around drafty unheated attics and dark cellars, tape-measuring the bedrooms.

Buyers: your buyer's agent should at least walk you through the property, jot down your questions and try to be the best connection that you have for getting the answers. I know you want to get in to see the property quickly, but your agent is being compensated: make sure they represent you!

Agents: what are you thinking?

Toys For Tots, Groton and area

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Tue, 16 Dec 2008 10:52:00 -0600

Our office is collecting for Toys For Tots. There is a great need this year, and any new, unwrapped toys are sure to be appreciated!

Toys can be dropped off during office hours at RE/MAX Colonial, 495 Main St, Suite B, Groton, MA. After hours, call me to arrange a different time. Last day to drop off toys is December 18!

Top Six Reasons for Appreciating an Ice Storm

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Mon, 15 Dec 2008 10:29:59 -0600

I live in Eastern Massachusetts, where we have been hit hard with an ice storm. The exquisite beauty that the storm brought us also tore down trees, and many places have been without power for days, with more of the same to come.

Still, at least as far as I am concerned, it could be worse. Here is my Top Six List. I tried to come up with ten, but apparently the caffeine hasn't kicked in.

1. You have to appreciate the Pilgrims. Can you imagine landing here, looking around, and saying, "We are about the same latitude as England- how bad can winter get?"

2. You burn more calories when you are cold. I'm wearing my "skinny" jeans right now.

3. I have been able to leave my business card at all of the places I've showered. Note on back: "Your bathroom really looks wonderful with the updating! Have you ever thought about listing?"

4. You have no choice but to get at least 8 hours of sleep if you have no contact with anything that will keep you awake.

5. You give thanks for water, light, and the children's ADHD medication.

6. On a serious note, emergencies bring out the best and the worst in people. You really see a lot of the best. Emergency crews have been out around the clock. All manner of people have been extending the hand of friendship to each other.

Just a note: If there are any people in need because of the storm, or if you have people who you need to be checked in the area, please call us at Team House for You at RE/MAX Colonial. We have a network of people who can help.

cell Diane 978-602-6354

Christina 978-877-1473

Following the GPS

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 12:07:04 -0600

I used to set my car clock ahead by 15 minutes. This was to allow for "triangulation" time- the time when I was fairly close to my destination, but I knew it would take me an additional 10 or 15 minutes to hone in on it. For some reason, following maps or directions is difficult for me; I am competent in other areas of my life, but not this one.

When they came out with GPS systems for cars, I was so excited! I asked for a system for Christmas. It was a gift of time, really, and the best gift I think I have ever received.

I usually use it for heading to places that I don't know like the back of my hand. Today, I was on my way back and the GPS was still on, although I felt that I knew the way. ETA to the office was about 14 minutes, and I took the way that I knew best, although that route wasn't indicated by the GPS. To my surprise, I watched the "minutes until arrival" climb to 24!

I wonder how many times in my life I follow my internal GPS at the expense of the results I expect, driving the long way around or missing the destination altogether. I wonder how many times we all do- not adapting to the changing terrain of the economy, for example, or persisting in business practices that, if scrutinized, prove to be non-productive.

For the end of the year, I am looking back and trying a little self-assessment- What did I do right? What would I do differently? In other words, "What worked?"- both personally and professionally, because both are intertwined. That's how I know that I am driving according to my life's GPS, and not heading in circles on a well-traveled dirt road that leads nowhere.

Rate increase?

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 09:53:12 -0500

I was just sent an email from our in-house mortgage person, Tony Cardinali. The word is that Fed. rates may increase in an effort to hold inflation at bay- they just recently skipped another rate cut, choosing to leave things as they are.

For any qualified buyers on the fence, the writing on the wall might be a motivating factor. There is still plenty of inventory out there- the difficult thing is probably narrowing things down enough to make a decision. For investors, now might be the time to climb on the bandwagon.

What do you think?

MASSACHUSETTS FIREWORKS!

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 14:12:08 -0500

These are the fireworks displays that I have found coming to our area. Please feel free to add any more that you know of to the Comments section!

Take a ride in the RE/MAX Balloon! Devens: July 3, 2008 The fireworks start around 9:30 at Rogers Field. Come ride in the RE/MAX balloon! All proceeds benefit Loaves and Fishes.

Also:

•· Ayer, MA: July 5 Pirone Park at dusk

•· Acton, MA: July 4, rain date July 5 Fireworks is at dusk in NARA Park. Park at Nagog Park Drive and take a free shuttle bus to NARA Park beginning at 4:00. Variety of food vendors, U.S. Air Force Band of Liberty

•· Boston, MA: July 4 The spectacular Boston fireworks show is on July 4 at the Hatch Shell, Charles River Esplanade

•· Clinton, MA: July 12 Miss the others? This is one of the latest shows- location: Clinton Middle School. Rain date July 13

Fitchburg, MA: July 3, 2008 Downtown Block Party Main Street: Live entertainment, classic cars, International Food Court, vendors, kids' events and family fun. Fireworks show is at dusk.July 4^th 49^th Annual Fourth of July Parade 10:00 from Bernardian Bowl on Summer St. Bands, floats and more!

•· Harvard, MA: June 28, rain date June 29- Music prior to fireworks July 4^th: parade and events

•· Lancaster, MA: June 29 Fireworks begin at dusk at the Perkins School, 917 Main St.

•· Pepperell, MA: July 5, Town Field, 10 Hollis St

•· Lowell, MA: July 4- fireworks at 9:00 on the Boulevard

Short Sales

Diane Guercio (TQI Consulting MyTQI.com) — Wed, 11 Jun 2008 11:17:52 -0500

Short sales- the term has come into common usage today. When I went with my team leader to the REALTOR on Beacon Hill Day, the subject was referred to several times throughout the day, although one representative claimed that he had never had one call from a constituent about the subject, even as he had heard frequently about the proposed transfer tax.

You hear all sorts of things associated with short sales. I had read online in another agents' forum that some agents have seen 90% of short sales fall apart and revert to foreclosure. I haven't tracked numbers, but it does seem like a large number of these properties have the listings cancelled, and turn up listed as bank-owned- listed for less- later on.

Short sales ARE a difficult sell. Some agents are leery about showing them to buyers, because of the typically long time period between offer and bank acceptance. Deferred maintenance on these properties can be an issue in a buyer's market, when every property needs to be the best quality in its price range to attract buyers.

Our team has had success with these properties, although there is no way that I am aware of to eliminate the lengthy process of bank approval. We work with an attorney who takes care of the legal aspects and makes sure sellers are getting solid legal advice; I have seen other agents who handle the process entirely on their own.

What has worked best for you?