This is a real estate website that I created for my client, Robert Paul, of Prudential Realty in Bedford NY. 

Robert Paul, Bedford Realtor, with Prudential of Westchester County.

BY NICHOLAS SAKELARIS

 

nsakelaris@southlakejournal.com

 

SOUTHLAKE -- The property tax rate would stay the same and city employees would get a cost-of-living increase in the fiscal 2011 budget approved on first reading Tuesday night.

 

The City Council made no changes in the $70 million budget proposed by city staff, adopting it unanimously. The council will have a public hearing and final vote on the budget at its Sept. 21 meeting.

 

The council also voted on first reading to maintain the tax rate at 46.2 cents per $100 of assessed property value. This year would be the eighth without a property tax increase.

 

Fiscal 2011 starts Oct. 1.

Read more: http://www.star-telegram.com/2010/09/08/2454196/budget-with-no-tax-increase-gets.html#ixzz0zWjZjtcJ

 

Southlake Real Estate 

dotJenna’s Famous Facebook Webinar

September Dates: September 8th & September 30th

 

dotJenna’s Famous Facebook Webinar. Everything you need to know about setting up your account, finding friends, uploading and tagging photos, creating profiles, groups and like pages. Learn to grow your business on Facebook.

 

• Learn the secrets for ATTRACTING thousands of friends, fans and clients using Facebook.
• Find out how to TURN your Facebook Friends into money in your pocket by cultivating life-long Clients who send you tons of referrals.
• Get the tricks for RELAXING in your pajamas while prospecting and making connections with key people who are ready to buy.
• Become an EXPERT at Facebook Marketing, impressing your friends and other Agents in your area and in your office.

NEXT WEBINAR: September 8th, 2010 @ 12pm – 1:30pm Central

Famous Facebook Webinar Topics   How to use Facebook to get more business. What parts of Facebook will help you get leads. How to use viral marketing on Facebook to your advantage. How to Deal with Annoying People on Facebook What photos & graphics get the best results. Use Facebook tools that get attention for your business. How writing blogs on Facebook can make you famous. What to post to make people want to buy from you. How to position yourself as an expert for easier sales. How to blow away your competition. How to build a network of your niche target market. Figure out which Facebook pages are best & how to use them.

Reserve Your Virtual Seats!  1 Virtual Seat $95.00      CLICK HERE TO SIGN-UP!!!

Why Should I Attend This Webinar?

My approach for marketing on Facebook is different from your typical technology trainer. I go into more depth, teaching the real estate agents in my class high-level marketing concepts that helps them to dominate their markets using online tools. I discuss branding, social psychology and what makes people take action on the web.

My Famous Facebook Webinar goes BEYOND merely teaching you practical ways to use the tools within Facebook, but also how to brand yourself, your business on the net. (Remember, marketing online is different than marketing in real-life. It takes special skills, different understanding of how people use the web.) I show you how to navigate those differences, based on my 20 years of proven sales experience, along with six years as a search engine optimization expert, web developer and entrepreneur. This Webinar is jam-packed with valuable information that will form the foundation of your social media marketing efforts for many years to come.

All This Training is Getting Expensive, Will it Ever End?

Yes! My program is designed to be the final, conclusive, comprehensive system ever for social media marketing for the sales professional, entrepreneur or small business. This means it teaches EVERYTHING you need to know in one-easy location. dotJenna is a name you can trust not only for your initial social media marketing training, but ongoing as she keeps you updated with the latest in technology marketing techniques.

 

Join me for dotJenna Live on Friday afternoon at 1 PM CST. This show will provide FREE Coaching by dotJenna on "How to Be a Social Media Superstar."

 

RSVP on FACEBOOK!!! 

• Learn my secret techniques for positioning yourself as a SUPERSTAR in your marketplace.
• Learn the secrets of HIGH-VISIBILITY marketing.
• Learn what to share and how to share it for MAXIMUM exposure & buzz generation.
• How to get the ATTENTION you need to generate the leads you deserve.
• How to use Facebook, Twitter & YouTube to create a BIGGER-THAN-LIFE brand image.
• Learn the secrets for being MAGNETIC and irresistible to watch and follow.
• Learn how to use the psychological dynamics of FAME to your advantage for your business.
• Become EMPOWERED to flaunt your best qualities in front of the world, to show 'em what you've got.
• Learn tricks the stars use to gain PUBLICITY and hold the ATTENTION of your target market.
• Learn how being a SUPERSTAR leads to more leads, buzz and business.
• Learn how to get people TALKING & thinking about YOU and your business.
This will be a very FUN show, where you will learn all sorts of neat tips and tricks to make you more interesting, watchable and make you feel more free to SHINE like the SUPERSTAR you already are!!!

I'm here to say it. Social media leads are the very best type of lead there is, yes, even better than referrals. If you understand the core principals for generating leads through social media, the leads you garner from your efforts are way BETTER than any other type of lead on the planet--including leads from search engine optimization (SEO), pay-per-click, word of mouth, print advertising leads, and yes, even REFERRALS. Heck, I'd be as bold to say that leads you get through your social media network are better even than those within your OWN FAMILY. 

I'm a lead generation expert. I love generating leads. I could generate leads for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I've garnered thousands of leads for myself and for my clients on the web and otherwise. I've made cold calls. I've knocked on doors. I've made elaborate sales presentations. Never before have I ever had a better, more mutually satisfying relationships with my clients than today, through social media. Here's why...

People in Your Network Can be Like Family!

What is family? Family is a subset of people who "do life" together. They are related. Social media sites such as Facebook, give us the opportunity to do life with a vast quantity of people, thus creating familial-type bonds with everyone involved. If you're following my 7 Steps to Social Media Sales Success, you have sound techniques for building a community of people in your niche market who are bonded together and committed to helping one another succeed. 

Deeper Bonds are Created Through Social Media Than Face-to-Face

The bond you create is deeper through social media sites such as Facebook, because the prospect is able to see the whole person that you are (if you are following my 25% Rule). This creates a better bond with the prospect, and allows them to see you as a real person. When people can see the real you, they can better relate with you and are more interested in working with you. 

Social Media Engagement Builds Trust

Trust is built between you and those in your network as they see who you are and what you do through your posts on a day-to-day basis. Trust is the foundation of healthy relationships. 

Social Media is Sticky and Causes People to Stay and Return to Your Content

Social media is sticky, and if you know what you're doing, you can keep people in your circle longer and cause them to be addicted to your content. When people are addicted to your content, you've got them right where you want them because you are meeting their needs. 

People Can Get to Know You Before They Contact You

Proper use of social media allows prospects within your network to watch you and get to know you BEFORE contacting you, which leads to a better relationship long term. It's better to have a prospect who knows you well, and can finish your sentences than it is to start from scratch by working with a stranger. 

You Can Share More About Your Product & Services Via Social Media

Someone who is visiting your website usually stays for a very short period of time. More interested people may stay on your site for up-to-six minutes, but most people will be on and off your site in a flash and you will soon be forgotten. When you market through 

Social Media Gives You Control of the Sales Presentation Process

The skilled use of social media is akin to giving a live sales presentation to your target audience on a daily basis. You control the content that you post, and in so doing, you can artfully persuade people to do business with you, without appearing like a cheesy sales person. 

You Can Sell Yourself in Real Time

Unlike leads that come through your website without knowing who you are by pay-per-click or SEO, social media leads are warm leads. These people know what you ate for dinner last night, and if you're doing your job right, they will love you and be interested in your life. There is a huge advantage to working with prospects who "get you," and believe in what you say and do. 

Social Media Allows You to Share Your Values With Your Prospects

This point has to do with trust. Social media gives you a platform for sharing who you really are, which happens to be fabulous. If you know what you're doing, you can share your values and vision with those in your network, which is highly attractive to others. This must be done in a very natural and authentic way in order to be effective. There are things you believe in that need to be shared through your network so as to build strong ties with those in your network.

Social Media Builds Rapport

One of the first goals of any sales presentation is to establish rapport with your prospect. If there is no rapport, there is no sale, period. Social media helps to establish rapport by fostering communication and the exchange of ideas, beliefs and experiences. Using social media helps to connect you to others through small talk, and helps people to relate to you not as a pushy sales person, but as a REAL human being. 

Social Media Allows for Social Proof

When you have throngs of people commenting and engaging with you on your social media profiles, it makes you look good. When people see that others like you, they like you even more. Social media provides your prospects with "social proof," that you're a respectable person, who has valuable things to say. 

Social Media Helps to Nurture Leads Until They're Ready to Buy

Some people are not in the position to make purchasing decisions today, but may be in the future. Using social media, you can "nurture" your prospects, providing them with valuable information along the way, so as to one day be the service provider of choice, when they are ready to make a decision.

Social Media Keeps Prospects Engaged While Your Working With Other Clients

If you have more business than you can handle, social media can help you to keep people interested in what you do, without having to turn them away. This means that your social media efforts gain momentum over time, keeping you from experiencing the ups-and-downs typical of most small businesses. Just keep up your social media profiles using my 7 Steps to Social Media Sales Success, and then when you are free to bring on more business, simply "pluck" a few prospects out of your already interested lead pool network.  

Studies show that people bond faster and more deeply on Facebook than they do in person. I'm not going into all the details of these studies, but you can learn more about it in my article, "Social Disclosure Leads to Social Attraction." The point I'm making is that people bond with you better on Facebook and through social media than they do in person. It is the BOND that we create with others that builds trust, and gives us a fondness for others. This bond is essential to successful sales process. People go out of their way to do business with people they know and like. Social media helps more people know and like you before they meet you. The difference is night and day. 

Social Media Leads Think You're the Schnizzle

It's very interesting how these social media leads work, using my 7 Steps to Social Media Sales Success. The prospects who contact you act as if they already know you, even if you have no idea who they are. It's very similar to Hollywood fame, I would imagine. You know, when you think you know a star because you've seen him in your living room every week for years? It's the same way with social media. This gives a star quality to your interaction, building an even firmer foundation for selling and building long-term client relationships. 

What better base from which to form relationships with prospects, and foster relationships with existing clients?  I can think of no other!

Join me for dotJenna Live on Friday afternoon at 1 PM CST. This show will provide FREE Coaching by dotJenna on "How to Be a Social Media Superstar."

 

RSVP on FACEBOOK!!! 

 

• Learn my secret techniques for positioning yourself as a SUPERSTAR in your marketplace.
• Learn the secrets of HIGH-VISIBILITY marketing.
• Learn what to share and how to share it for MAXIMUM exposure & buzz generation.
• How to get the ATTENTION you need to generate the leads you deserve.
• How to use Facebook, Twitter & YouTube to create a BIGGER-THAN-LIFE brand image.
• Learn the secrets for being MAGNETIC and irresistible to watch and follow.
• Learn how to use the psychological dynamics of FAME to your advantage for your business.
• Become EMPOWERED to flaunt your best qualities in front of the world, to show 'em what you've got.
• Learn tricks the stars use to gain PUBLICITY and hold the ATTENTION of your target market.
• Learn how being a SUPERSTAR leads to more leads, buzz and business.
• Learn how to get people TALKING & thinking about YOU and your business.
This will be a very FUN show, where you will learn all sorts of neat tips and tricks to make you more interesting, watchable and make you feel more free to SHINE like the SUPERSTAR you already are!!!

Would you like to receive FREE Social Media Tips delivered directly to your inbox? This is a great way for you to keep-up with all our wonderful content that helps real estate agents excel with online marketing. We don't send spam, only top-quality, highly-valuable Social Media Tips, Advice and Recommendations. 

 

If you're interested, CLICK HERE! 

Now that you're getting past the steep learning curve, you may be ready for some tools that will help you save time with your social media tasks and maintenance. (I know I am!) In this article, I'm sharing with you the absolute essentials for making the most of your social media marketing strategy. These are my picks, but they are not in order of importance. I worked hard to keep it at just 15--there are so many tools!!! Leave me a comment to let me know what you think.

1. Social Oomph

Social Oomph offers a myriad of tools to help save you time while expanding your reach to the far horizon. This platform has a paid version and a free version. I haven't gotten the paid version, but I assume that I will. This platform allows you to save your tweets and retweet them via a scheduler. The paid version will scramble the words in your tweets so you won't get dinged by Twitter for duplicate posts. There are a number of tools on this system, but I haven't gotten that far yet. I'm still fascinated with the ability to pre-schedule tweets, and then find that they've been retweeted all over the web the very next day. Now THAT'S saving time.

2. Hootsuite

Hootsuite is my favorite app for working on multiple social media accounts at one time. Hootsuite is a free app that lets you add any number of social media accounts, then schedule tweets or posts at different intervals. One thing Hootsuite didn't have last I checked was the ability to schedule one tweet multiple times (SocialOomph offers this on the paid version.) The system is constantly being revamped and very useful for marketing your small business online faster, more easily and more efficiently online.

3. Facebook & Twitter Phone App

I use both my Facebook & Twitter Phone Apps regularly if ever I'm separated from my baby, my Mac computer. (Never long, I assure you.) When I'm out and about, I'm able to easily check messages within all my networks and see who's doing what. I upload pics regularly to stay in front of my peeps, and to be social and friendly. I also get emails from clients and teammembers on Facebook and Twitter, so it's a way of doing work while I'm not at work. Love these apps, recommend them highly if you have the right type of phone.

4. Posterous

Posterous is a miracle app in my view, being one who has paid my staff for years to sit in a chair and post one blog to numerous blogsites all day long. Woooo hoooo!!! No more of that! Thanks for Posterous, we can now add a blog post to one place (Posterous) and shoot it out to an unlimited number of locations. I use this for my clients and it's fabulous! Keeps their sites filled with fresh content, and you can't tell the difference at all. Posterous also lets you email or text blog posts, but I haven't gotten that far with it yet, guess I'm still too astounded at my ability to post once and have it show up a zillion times. Weeeee!!!

5. Facebook App for Twitter

If you want your tweets to show up on Facebook, you want to use this application. The downfall is that this type of post is obviously a tweet and can be annoying to other Facebookers, and can create content that's out-of-touch with the environment of the moment. Thus, it is not always the best way to do social media, but it can be, depending on your target market, your personality and what you're tweeting. I use this technique in some of my budding networks that I don't have time to really dig-into yet. It's better to use this and tweet and get less feedback than it is to not use this and just have a blank page. It's a great time saver to expand your reach in less time under certain instances.

6. Twitter App for Facebook

The Facebook App for Twitter is a very useful tool for me personally. I have all the posts that I do on my Fan Page going to my Twitter account. It works out quite well, actually. The links show up on Twitter already shortened, and it conjoins my two networks, causing us all to be on the same page. Plus, now and again if I do a post that's too long for Twitter, it will cause the person reading my tweets to click on the link and potentially join my fan page. I'm sure I get lots of Fans this way, though I have no accurate count. Again, this method is highly personal, depending on your usage level, network relationships, niche market, how established you are with your social media audience, and a number of other factors. Play around with it a bit to see what is right for you. Personally, I like my Fan page posts going on my Twitter. It rocks!!!

7. Gmail Email Account

There is a lot of email that needs to be sent through social media, and it's important that you are using an email platform that isn't behind a firewall that may block important things you need. Gmail is the best email I have found in that it protects from spam extremely well, yet still gives you control over emails that come in and look like spam, but that you still might want because it is not aren't spam. Also, your gmail email account is used for numerous social media related sites such as YouTube, Google Reader, Google Analytics & Blogger. Having one gmail account is so much more simple and faster than any other email service.

8. Twitpic

I like Twitpic for sharing quick photos with my Twitter posse quickly and easily while on the road, iPhone in tow. It's fun to take a pic of something mundane, send it to an email address and have it automatically posted to my Twitter account for thousands of people to see. I love creating the tagline or title of the photo to see if I can get a lot of views. Then, Twitpic tracks the number of views, which is fun, so you can see if people are digging you or not. Crazy sounding? Maybe, but this stuff works when it comes to marketing yourself online. Why not use every tool at your disposal? I can't think of a reason why not!

9. Flickr

I recently had the brilliant idea of uploading all my business graphics to Flickr, and then just linking to them via URL in my newsletters and on other social media websites. I do a ton of marketing in a ton of different places, and it's uber-convenient to just go to Flickr to get my photos, as opposed to searching my computer, or connecting to my internal network, or even rummaging through Facebook. It's a GREAT way to track photos, PLUS, the images show up in Google's Image search, and can help SEO if you tag them with keywords. Beyond that, you can build slideshows and install them as widgets and plugins to your WordPress site! Flickr goes a long way, and for me, it's here to stay.

10. Google Documents

Once you have your Gmail account, you can check out Google documents, which is much like Word, but it's housed on the web and made for the web. It's fabulous for creating documents that are shared with others in different locations. My company, The Marketing Shop.com, employees people around the world and some just across town. Either way it makes it easier for me to share important, yet private information with my team.

11. Google Calendars

Google Calendars is getting more robust every day. The thing I like about Google Calendars is the ability you have to share them with others, and to display them on your website. You can literally display your appointments online so people can see when you are available. It's clean, and a great visual tool for adding to your site. You can create numerous calendars for different purposes that are color-coded, and share only the ones you want with others. Also great for collaborating schedules among remote teams. Now you can sync up with your phone, which helps save even more time.

12. Mac Laptop

I'm in love with my Mac. Think I want to marry it. I cannot say enough good things about it! It's hard to explain, without owning one, and it's not just branding. The darn machine is better, WAY better than a PC. You just have to own one to understand. The thing I like best about my Mac is that everything is included and integrated. You don't have many moving parts. (Sorta like you can shake it without hearing screws inside.) No, really. It's a superior product with everything you need installed on day one: Word, iTunes, iMovie for editing YouTube iVideos, Garage Band (for creating podcasts) and much more.

13. Pixlr.com

Man, this little tool has been wonderful for me. I use it every day for quick edit jobs on photos and graphics. Whether it's to re-size a photo, or create a quick button, Pixlr is a website, you don't have to login--just go there, create your graphic, save it and leave. Just be careful not to accidentally click away because it's web based and doesn't track you or your projects. It's great for quick-and-easy graphics work.

14. InfusionSoft

InfusionSoft has changed my life! I think I may love it more than my Mac, actually. This software does the work of 10 people, at least. It is a CRM tool that is made for marketing automation, offering seamless solutions for managing your lead forms, leads, administrative emails, newsletters, sales correspondence, clients, client data, billing, staff, tasks and affiliates. The system kicks-butt for only $199-299 per month, it's a steal. My company will make it back in a month with the increase in productivity. Amazing! If you're interested, please contact Cory Snyder and tell him I sent you.

15. iPhone 4

I hear the iPhone 4 offers amazing video editing capabilities that let you capture and edit video on your phone, including cutting the footage, adding music as well as graphics and special effects. If you're a REALTOR, just think how you can impress your listing prospects by whipping up an elaborate video of their casa in 30 minutes. Let me promise you, learning how to effectively use technology pays off quickly in time you save, and ways you impress those you serve. I don't have the iPhone 4 yet, but rest assured, I'll have it soon! What tools do you use to save time with your social media? I'm sure there are many out there I haven't tried yet, many I haven't heard of. Show me your expertise! Leave a comment below telling what I've missed. You rock. Happy Networking. Muah!

Watch my show on Fridays at 1pm CST "dotJenna Live" at dotJenna.tv.

[http://bit.ly/bLc2m7] Lead generation is a numbers game, even today in the social media age. The more people who qualify as your prospects, who also know, like and trust you, the more people will go to your website to see what you offer, and the more that will contact you. The basis of generating leads online is to do the following with those in your target market:

1. Getting people to know you;
2. Getting people to like you;
3. Getting people to trust you;
4. Getting people to contact you.

1. Your website must be Web 2.0 ready.

What is Web 2.0 anyway? Web 2.0 is a quick way of saying "integrated and social." A website that is geared for Web 2.0 is connected with the rest of the web both from a human standpoint, and that of machines. Not only is it optimal for communicating with Google for high search rankings, but it also offers numerous tools for human communication in the form of blog posts and other user-generated content. This not only gives the impression to your site visitors that you are hip-with-the-times, but also gives you more leads through SEO, and gives social proof to others that you are legitimate and trustworthy.

2. Your website must be built with the right code.

Generating leads is about getting exposure online. Exposure on the web is garnered by web content. In order to maximize the reach of your web content, which can also be considered "lead bait," it's vital that you have a content management system CMS that can distribute your work, organize it and provide a showcase for it. Your website's CMS must be built using SEO friendly RSS in the code so it can be automatically syndicated and shared throughout the web.

3. Your website must be visually appealing & easy-to-navigate.

We humans love things that are pretty and are impressed by sleek, classy design. If yu want your website to work for you while you're sleeping, it's crucial that your site be aesthetically pleasing. The good news is this: It no longer costs a fortune to get a website that looks amazing. You can get a theme or template that looks like it was created by top designers, that has all the extras and doodads for way less than just two years ago. Having a good-looking website is now affordable, and your prospect knows it.

4. Your website must be user-friendly and user-focused.

Your website needs to keep the user, or your target customer, in mind throughout the design and content. Everything must be offered in a quick-and-easy way to them or they will leave. Remember, people are going 70mph on the web. They don't have time to figure your site out. They don't have time to guess about mystery-meat links. They are in a hurry, and your site must anticipate this. At the same time, the site must be geared towards a person, not a group because only one person is reading your site at a time.

5. Your website must have relevant, unique & valuable content.

This is nothing new. Most of us know that your site needs great content for SEO and for people. Without great content, your site is just a business card, it won't capture leads. A site that focuses on the end-user by providing excellent content is a site that is "sticky" and will be bookmarked, talked about and returned-to so long as it meets the needs of your visitors. Furthermore, the content on your website is your good-faith generous gift to your prospects, which kicks in the "Law of Reciprocity" of human engagement. Good content on your website will work for you day-and-night, 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Don't skimp on it.

6. Your website needs strong Calls-to-Action.

"If you don't ask, you don't get," is a quote I've heard my whole life in the sales profession. If you don't ASK for business, you'll never get it. Your website shouldn't sell the whole way through, but rather should offer free information, with calls to action throughout. Example: "To learn more about the Law of Attraction, click here to fill out our Contact Form." A call-to-action can request the visitor do anything, from filling out a form to downloading a whitepaper. Whatever you want the visitor to do, you must ask them--or tell them to do it--on the pages of your website.

7. Your website needs to be manned.

Don't think you can build a website today and forget about it tomorrow. No, no, no. Your site needs tender-loving care almost daily to generate all the leads possible. This means you need fresh, updated content, replies to user comments, new features ads and text regularly in order to maintain the "lived-in" appeal. Remember, if you don't love your website, neither will anyone else.

8. Your website should be integrated with social media.

A site that is integrated with social media is a website that has the following elements:

1. Buttons that are linked to your profile on other social sites.
2. RSS Feed capabilities for syndicating content through social networks.
3. Ability to add widgets which show various social media activity.
4. Includes plugins that post content directly to social sites such as Twitter.
5. Branded with a clear social-orientation that is personable yet non-obtrusive.

9. Your website should give social proof of your trustworthiness.

Social proof is when someone is convinced that you are trustworthy based upon the reactions of others. Based on the "herding principal" in sales, social proof is a key component in human persuasion. People believe you are good because they see others believe you are good. if your website is to be trustworthy, it needs to show the following elements:

1. User-generated content such as blog comments or ranking systems to show the opinions of others.
2. Testimonials of others happy with your products and/or services.
3. Icons of important organizations you are associated with.
4. Consistent design, branding throughout the site.
5. Updated design, fresh content, working links and modern tools.
6. Prompt response to comments and lead inquiries.

10. Your website must be promoted.

One way or the other, your website must be promoted throughout the web. You have many options for promoting your website online, such as:

• Social Media - Facebook, Twitter & LinkedIn
• Search Engine Optimization - Keyword content, proper code & Inbound Links
• Pay-Per-Click - Google Adwords
• Paid Social Ads - Facebook
• Personal Promotion - Business Cards, Email, billboard, etc.

Don't worry, it's easier to integrate the above-Top 10 Lead Generating Essentials for Your Website than you might think. Technological advances over the past few years have brought amazing websites into the reach of every person and every budget. My company, The Marketing Shop.com specializes in building these lead-generating websites in WordPress, and my company, dotJenna.com handles social media training for ongoing buzz generation. Please take a moment to let me know your thoughts about website lead generation in the comment section below. Talk to ya soon! @dotJenna

 

Real Estate Websites

McKinney Real Estate 

Social Media for Realtors

I've been doing Search Engine Optimization, Lead Generation and Web Development for Real Estate Agents, Attorneys and Small Businesses since 2004. I've watched as the knowledge level for SEO went from zero to 50%. I've seen the industries adapt to SEO, and I saw the gleam in their eye when they realized that getting to the top of Google would in fact put money in their pockets. I've seen Real Estate Agents go from the point of knowing nothing about SEO, to having them call me up and tell me precisely what they wanted me to do. It's been an interesting ride. Now today we have social media. It's here and everyone is swarming, wondering what to do with it. Lack of knowledge leaves some paralyzed. Many sales people are panicked, doing nothing, or trying a little of this and a little of that, hoping it will some how come together. Still others are a bit more reluctant to even put their big toe in the water. These types stay far away from the world of social media hoping their absence will make it all just go away, if this is you, beware. There are disasters to failing to embrace emerging technology, even for the small business owner. I've taken liberty to write a few scenarios you may have to face if you refuse to open the door and embrace the new abilities at your fingertips.

1. You could become obsolete.

Very few businesses are immune from the use of social media as a communication tool among customers, vendors and clients. Social media will be our main source of communicating within a few short years. Not knowing the rules of the game will make you seem like a dinosaur; someone who is out of touch, still trying to use fax long after email is the de facto standard. Without the ability to communicate, you will be passed over by your more versatile competitors.

2. You may come across as uncaring & lazy.

The essence of social media is communication and connection with your clients. Social media blurs the line between clients and friends. If you are not engaged in a network consisting of the individuals you serve, you may appear to be "too good" or "too lazy" to keep track of your customers and prospects using the tools you have available.

3. You could be left behind.

You probably already know that many things in life are learned by trial and error. If you fail to embrace the world of social media, you're failing to try, to make the mistakes, to experience the victories, to live and to learn. Refusing to learn the new skills needed to understand social media can leave you fumbling for answers in a few years when the whole world has gone social.

4. You won't get the benefit of having a head start.

Many people are afraid right now, in terror and dread of incorporating social media tasks and strategies into their daily business practices. This is a great time for the risk-taking entrepreneur and small business owner, who can rush in and experience success in the medium early-on, and be ahead of the pack on down the road.

5. You may be overlooked by consumers in the future.

People are looking for service providers who are hip, savvy and up-with-the-times. They are put-off by those who seem antiquated and low-tech. Even if you are a superior provider, with many credentials, you may be dismissed by many in your target market in lieu of hipper, more in-touch competitors. Not good.

6. You could lose business to lesser competitors in the future.

Even if your competitor is less of a Realtor than you, or Lawyer or other type of small business, he or she could win the business away from you in the future due to perception of appeal through the power of social proof through networks such as Facebook and Twitter. The ability to engage, interact and "show-off" to the marketplace on such sites is astounding. Social media leverages the playing field, giving newcomers more power than ever to appear to be much more adept and influential. Don't let the newbies of the future beat you out just because you did not embrace the tools that you had available.

7. Things are going to get more complex, not more simple.

We want to believe that things to do with technology will become simpler in the future, as opposed to more complex. While it's true that it will be easier to do things in the future due to the ease of technology, the skills needed to manage what's to come will require a greater degree of expertise and skill. You might as well jump in now and learn the ropes, rather than let a year or two go by and try to learn what you should have been learning all along. It's like being a high-school drop-out or skipping a few years of grade school. Catching up later will be near impossible, and if it happens that you do succeed by jumping in late, your success will come at the hard price of having to double learn what you missed, plus all that is new to know.

Conclusion

Social media is changing everything. Let's face it, it's here to stay. Learning to properly use social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, failing to fully develop your personal brand and amass your target audience will keep you from important business opportunities in the future. Don't be a statistic. Roll-up-your-sleeves and get down to business. Tackle the giant before it tackles you. Talk to ya soon!