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Tweeting or Blogging or Meeting Face-to-Face? Baltimore,Maryland

Tweeting or Blogging or Meeting Face-to-Face? Baltimore,Maryland

BEA Logo In the last week I've spent a lunch meeting learning about Twitter, I've been online for hours reading and communicating, and I've visited the annual publishing show in New York to find that most of the buzz was about the growth in ebooks and the influence of the Kindle on the world of books. Everywhere you go, people are texting and tweeting and blogging, often all sitting together and not actually talking to each other! Is this the future?

NAWBO Twitter NAWBO Twitter Presentation I don't believe so. Personal connections still make a difference whether you're talking about real estate or any other profession. During that Twitter class, everyone was focused on learning how to make the best use of this 140-character message tool. It was a lunch-and-learn session, but I got so into it that I forgot to eat my lunch.

Sponsored by our local NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners) chapter, there was a good crowd. And because I was there in person, and could talk face-to-face with people, one of them also bought a copy of my book.

Book on Kindle And again a couple of days ago I was in my broker's class and met Anna Privalova. She told me that she had been in one of Anne Hruby's GRI classes and heard me speak. One of my favorite things is talking with new agents.... Speaking, Networking, Making Connections!!

Anna said that she has been following me on Active Rain and knew about the book. When she asked how to get a copy, I mentioned all the usual options – Barnes & Noble, Amazon, my site, the publisher's site, and the Kindle version. Her eyes lit up, and she said that if it's about real estate she owns it, but not all books are available on Kindle.

Right there in class she pulled up the Kindle site and ordered the book. Would she have done that if we hadn't met and talked in person? I doubt it.

The world of communication is changing. We can reach many more people faster than ever before. But for true communication I still believe that we need the human element for our complete message to get through. I love the way technology makes my business work better and smarter, but I will NOT stop answering my phone , making my own appointments Yes, I DO! , showing my properties(when necessary) and meeting appraisers and inspectors.

Because that's where the best communication takes place.

Tweeting or Blogging or Meeting Face-to-Face? Baltimore,Maryland

www.HomeRome.com

410-530-2400

Posted by Margaret Rome-- HomeRome Realty Baltimore, Md. on 06/04/2009 08:43 PM

Comments (68)

Networking With Agents in the ActiveRain Channel

real estate the rome way, nawbo, tweeting, twitter, blogging, kindle, networking, baltimore, md

Originally posted at: Margaret Rome's Blog: Tweeting or Blogging or Meeting Face-to-Face? Baltimore,Maryland

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68 Comments on Tweeting or Blogging or Meeting Face-to-Face? Baltimore,Maryland

JUN

Margaret - How right you are. I attended REBCPHL and learned a whole lot about Twitter. The best part is that I met interesting people with whom I now communicate via Tweets.That has made all the difference to me. Every day is a learning experience!

Like this post. RE is still a face-2-face business. We spend too much time in front of the computer instead of in front of a live and kicking buyer or seller. The top producers still pick up the phone every day and prospect.

Margaret, That's a quick well deserved feature. I was at a power networking meeting today where a title company let each of us share a listing. It was fun and so nice to actually meet some other agents face to face.

Margaret - You are so right, the technology is extremely helpful but nothing beats face to face communication. I even enjoy door knocking.

Yes I don't think you get a complete connection with people until you meet in person.

Margaret, so true, face to face and all avenues are important.

The technology is to get business in. You still have to do business once you get business. :)

Twitter, Facebook, Linked-in - all these new, neat and exciting things are ENHANCEMENTS and ADDITIONS to our business....But not replacements for good old - face to face time.

I agree with the comments too. Face to face is very important. Thanks!

Jenny

Technology is a tool... nothing more. Powered screwdrivers don't replace the old wrist operated units... but they can work a little faster...

The goal of the technology is to foster individual relationships.

I agree. These are some tools but we still need to speak and/or meet face to face.

Hi Margaret, I sure with you on this. But we may be a fast disappearing breed. I can't wait till dental and medical treatments become virtual. " Yes Doctor, I have the pliers and I am pulling but it is not coming coming out, what should I do? " LOL.

I like having the option of both, Margaret. I like speaking with people face-to-face. But, as a virtual assistant, my business life is pretty, well, "virtual". I have met some wonderfully fabulous people as a result. It is nice to talk to nice people in person. But, I have to say that I prefer the "virtual" method for those not-so-nice people. :)

I've been spending a lot of time on Tweeter and Facebook as well. I agree face to face is best! But I also think its a must to keep up on social networking. Its the wave of the future for younger generations as well. Some of my younger clients rarely talk live to me, its all about texting.

The skill to learn is how to gain trust from your tweeter/facebook friends to gain real estate referrals. Of course we'll never give up face to face contact, but we also have to keep up with the times....or so I'm told anyway!

I am starting to use Twitter and Facebook. It is easy to spend quite a bit of time using this new technology. Definitely does not replace face to face networking.

Well stated Margaret! The minute we stop answering the phone and networking in real life is the minute we start working our way out of this business.

Hi Margaret! That's one of the benefits of going to REALTOR events--meeting many agents whom I've met online face-to-face! As for William's comment--a virtual dentist--not THAT would be AWESOME! LOL

YES, it is the future, so you really need to work it in to your machine.

No one is saying that face-to-face is going anywhere, because all of the technology based networking inevitably leads to that, which is the goal.

Embrace technology and find a good balance for it in your career.

Everything in modesty is a good thing.

Margaret - certainly the manner in which communication occurs has taken many diverse roads in recent years. Consider how so many text message with their friends in the midst of a party or lunch. While at first it seems rude, one must also consider how they are also involving others in less than traditional ways who cannt be there in person.

We have so many options, but must also consider the circumstances, the message, and who we are trying to communicate with, since certain modalities may be more suitable than others depending on the circumstances. It certainly makes you think, doesn't it. And despite all this, the F2F interaction remains, IMHO, the richest way to interact with, perhaps, the most rewarding experience.

Jeff

If anyone said that Twitter is replacing face to face then they are mistaken but how people communicate is changing and maybe some day we wont do face to face. I have a few clients right now I have never met in person.

Technology is a great thing indeed but face to face interaction can never be beat. Thanks for posting this!

I love the face to face meetings, and I love the power that social networking gives us to do business over a vast distance.

The key is to find solid balance between the two, and then watch your business explode!!!

Thanks for sharing!

~Harrison Painter

JUN

). .(

At a seminar once the instructor drew the 4 symbols above on the board and said: "This is the way to sales success".

After someone asked what those symbols meant he replied: "One is you and your belly button, the other is a prospects belly button; you just put your belly button in front of enought prospects belly buttons, tell your story, and you can't help but succeed."

Works pretty well; no computer or Blackberry needed. ;-)

(. .)

Jim, That's me on the left a few years ago. Love your belly to belly graphics.

Harrison, Finding some balance is what we are looking for.

Corey, You are welcome and thanks for stopping by.

Shane, I love it when I meet the people living inside my computer.

Jeff, F2F is the richest and most rewarding way to connect but having the technology allows us more opportunity to chose.

William, ..and my comment to your comment.. "OUCH"

Ralph, Such a good point.

Debe, One of the benefits is going to events and seeing so many people you have reached on line. Almost every meeting, class, social event...seems that someone knows me from all the on line activity. And it so much more fun.

kk, It's time for me to pick up the phone and say "hi"...but is a wee bit early.

Kari, So if we just keep our head in our 'puter, we may work our way out of the business.

Paul, Keeping up with times, yes, as long as we don't get buried with the technology.

Heather, A Virtual Assistant is a wonderful way to work. It allows others to have the time to meet face to face. You are a huge asset to our industry.

Lana, We need the tools to help keep us F2F.

Lane, Good analogy. Kind of like knowing how to get someone to sign a contract with a pen before you use your tablet for a digital signature.

Jenny, Thanks for taking time to stop by.

James, Enhancement and additions NOT replacements...well put!

Candace, Getting the business by use of technology..helps us stay in business.

Christine, F2F is still important for most of us.

Russ, That one on one connection is special.

Jennifer, Wow, glad to hear someone is still door knocking.

Marchal, I would love to hear more about how that worked. Did you write a post?

Kathy, Everyday is a learning experience Thanks for being the first to comment..but the last I am answering. lol.

Nothing beats face to face --- But I yet try to check out my social networking sites daily if I can - Thanks!

Margaret,

I have no use for twitter..no benefit to me yet I keep getting notified that people follow me for some reason...I guess if it works for you then use it but for me I still don't know why anyone wants to know what I'm doing...they can see that on FB.

There is almost nothing we can't do these days...in person or "virtually"....the daisies are blooming this week and I think fondly of both my Dad and you...you sent me a virtual bouquet on my blog probably a year ago...it was the beginning of our relationship and I will remember it always.

Margaret, as always, you are on the cutting edge! Twitter is just another TOOL. It doesn't replace face to face. It can just create the opportunity to GET that face to face time! :-) Thanks for another valuable post!

Margaret - Rock on !!! I agree 110 percent. Sites such as Tweeter and Facebook and even here in the Rain provide avenues where one can connect with a consumer but that is just the stepping stone to meet face-to-face ! Once you have your meeting, that is where it begins. So I think social media opens up more doors to potential buyers and sellers (clients) but you still have to close the deal per se face to face. No seller is going to list with an agent just because they are an "expert twitterer" and will sign the listing contract blindly. Although I do have out-of-state sellers I have never met sign listing contracts, but that is after either a referral or in old fashioned "on-the-phone" consultation : ) . Great post ! ~ Chris

Margaret face to face is best, phone is next.

When you meet with online friends face to face it seals the relationship online.It is true when you make a connection with someone who will do all you can to help them. You're right she ordered your book because she connected with you online then heard you speak.

Great post, well deserved feature.

Margaret - Absolutely. What you do online makes the face to face networking so much more effective.

Margaret, as always, you speak the truth and it comes from the heart. Face to face can not and will not be replaced. But learning the "other" keeps us relevant for those younger and younger prospects and clients!

Hi Margaret

So true....all the social media stuff is great and creates a lot but it means squat if one isn't good with people. It really is about relationships and getting to know all the belly buttons out there! ha...now that is a funny way of putting the game.

Congrats of your featured post!

Hey, Margaret -

We in the "over 40" set have to not only tolerate, but firmly embrace the new technologies that seem to be evolving at a break-neck pace. That's where the future is, that is where the young market is.

Last week, I posted on "OLD SCHOOL METHODS - Do Any of Them Work Today?" Comments galore!

As you might predict, the younger among us went on about the fast-turn-around benefit of texting, and Twitter, and email. And the social networking benefit of Plaxo, LinkedIn, and, of course, Facebook.

A couple of oldsters lamented for "The Good Old Days!"

But, young or old, all agreed that personal contact, on a consistent basis, will never go out of style.

Keep Tweeting, but don't forget the touch!

Sorry to say - still haven't bought your book, Margaret. But we will!

Sue and I hope to see you soon! Going to MI next month? Hi to Lee and the family!

DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

Good reminder of how to use tools to reach others.

Social networking is great but nothing will ever replace a face to face meeting.

Margaret, I love communicating on the computer but it's SO nice to meet in person. We have many networking places here that are available to ALL professionals and it's nice to go to them on occasion and meet many new people I may not have met otherwise.

Margaret: Thank you! I'm glad someone said this. Sometimes I wonder if social networking is done because it's easier than having to actually meet someone face-to-face and actually establish rapport. Not that I don't think it's important to have an online presence. It's just that meeting a person face-to-face solidifies the relationship. Thanks again for the post!

Great post. I agree that social networking sites are an added tool to interact with clients. I too have several clients I have not met in person because they are out of state. They have communicated through several different virtual methods. We have a great relationship and they are very happy with my services. These are local listings I would not have had or sold if it weren't for this. I agree when possible you should always meet people F2F. But you can also build a profitable business virtually as well. You need to find the right mix that makes sense for you and your area.

Any online connection should be a prelude to personal contact. It is not unlike postcard mailing to a geographic sphere, we want to be the constant presence that commands attention. I don't actively Twitter but i love the fact that I can set up my www.joepryor.com/blog and my Active Rain blog to automatically go to Twitter, and then automatically update to social sites like Facebook. My online concept is to drive as much traffic to my web site as possible. How you use the internet and social media should be driven by your business plan, and it should be about how to get the personal contacts you want.

AR, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, etc all have their benefits but nothing can take the place of face to face meetings.

Margaret - AMEN! BRAVO! I couldn't agree with you more, so much so, I won't work with someone until I meet them first. On numerous occassions, I have had people just email and/or fax me their documentation in order to pre-approve them. However, by the time we get into escrow, I have made it a point of actually getting together and sitting down with them to discuss the loan process with them as well as their options.

This is why I refuse to be one of those AR loan professionals who promotes themself as someone who can serve clients across the country, in umpteen states. For those that do, great! More power to you. For me though, I just want to serve my local markets here in Los Angeles and Ventura counties. In just focusing on my local markets, I have the luxury of actually meeting my clients and actually establishing a real live relationship with them.

It's probably because of this one particular characteristic of mine that explains why I'm not as good of a blogger as I am an LO. I am so much more competent and confident with the one-on-one, face-to-face relationship than I am with the whole blogging thing.

Without question, face to face is the tried and true way to get to know someone. There is something lost in an email!

Patricia Aulson/Portsmouth NH Real Estate

So true.... Technology is great for communicating, but there is nothing like a face to face communication.

Your way of asking is quite chilling and good. I like face to face at any time

http://www.hindlist.com

Hi Margaret . . . good points! Yes, the "virtual" office, and "social" networking can hinder good old fashioned face-to-face. As a single woman, I have removed myself from the dating scene altogether because I've discovered most people (read:men) don't know HOW to be social anymore. Social networking has eroded this institution, e.g., dating, into a one-dimensional twit.

Do I go to the movie theatre OR stay home with NETFLIX . . . we are becoming a very self-isolated society.

I enjoy company, conversation, social interaction.

Face to Face is best. Phone is next best. Something gets lost in the translation with online and email. My daughter had arranged for movers online to OFFLOAD a truck nd everything was all "confirmed" for 3-5 on the day of at the destination point. Guess what a 3:30 PHONE CALL informed my daughter that somebody had canceled and no movers in Austin and would it be okay to reschedule. My daughter let them know very clearly that it WAS NOT OKAY. My daughter then went recruiting "face-to-face" in the apt. complex for moving assistance and got two takers at $30 each. I learn a lot from my daughter. Face-to-face is best.

Hi Margaret~ All of this virtual stuff serves a purpose, but nothing beats the face to face that solidifies a relationship even more. I am so much better with the face to face contacts than I am with blogging and the social networking. But, this is the future so it has to be done.

Margaret - you are so right! I'm forever grateful because you are the first person to call - I'll never forget that. I love social networking, I answer phones, make appointments, be there for showings, inspections and closings. Face-to-face contact is truly the best connection one can have, it is full-filling.

In the end Margaret whether face to face, phone, or email we have to talk with REAL people. Twitter can only carry one so far.

What a great idea, Margaret. Of course, Kindle. Thank you for that. I'm gonna call my publisher now. :)

Margaret - I would say Tweeting AND Blogging AND Meeting Face-to-Face, actually. I have leveraged my social media efforts into a lot of face-to-face time with friends and clients. Keep up the good work!

Norma, I so agree!

Neal, You have so many ways of communicating and glad we met.

Sally, Thanks for remembering. We do have a connection.

Marney, Sorry I missed your session at GBBR.

Christopher, Well said. Social media is just one of the ways to meet F2F. Our blogging, tweeting, AR and FB just open more doors.

Jackie, You do understand . The real connection came with the F2F meeting.

Connie, They seem to be getting younger and younger...but we are doing our best to keep up.

Anna, Love all the belly button connections.

Dean, Loved your last post for all of us who are "42 much". I will be sure to bring my book to Detroit for you.

Dave, Thank you.

Bill, Would love to meet you one day.

Carol, Wonderful meeting those who live in my computer.

Paul, I think we need both...there is just not enough time to meet everyone.

Wendy, Your really understand ....find the right mix that makes sense for you.

Joe, I need to learn how to set my AR blog to automatically to the other site. Have time to teach me?

Integrity, Thanks for stopping by.

Donna, Like the way you work. Keep it up.

Rebecca, F2F is the best.

Patricia, Again I say..F2F is the best.

Afansad, I repeat, F2F is the best.

Carla, I too, enjoy company, conversation and social interaction.....when there is time.

Beverly, We do learn a lot from our kids.

Vickie, The blogging etc. allows us the opportunity to meet so many more and create relationships.

Petra, Picking up the phone is so rewarding and the next best thing to F2F.

Gary, But I never would have "met" you and enjoyed your wisdom without AR.

Elizabeth, Great idea, I agree! Many people will be using Kindle. Look how many trees will be saved..not to mention postage savings. Lol

Jason, You are a true master .... leveraging your social media into F2F.

Margaret - While all of these new social networking and technology tools are an added benefit to our business, they will never replace getting face to face with people. Agents shouldn't use is as a crutch to hide behind but rather as an opportunity to engage with people that we can hopefully turn into a face to face meeting.

Margaret, I hope this is NOT the future of all communication, but you forgot one little tiny fact: You and I are not the future. Our kids & grandkids are!

Your blog is now featured at http://activerain.com/groups/virtualoffice

JUN

Nothing is EVER going to replace face-to-face. Ever.

Regina, Thanks for the Feature in your group...http://activerain.com/groups/virtualoffice

Donna, You said it so well...an added benefit not a replacement.

Jeff, Absolutely loved your radio interview. You are a star but we all knew that. YEO...really like this term. You always engage others!

I think with textingand twitter the message can get misconstrued sometimes its best to just pick up the phone.

Liz

JUN

Liz,

Texting and Twittering are some great ways to get started in making connections. There is nothing like the actual contact with a phone...hearing the voice...getting to know the person who lives in your computer.

Margaret, YEO is just another way of networking and connecting - it's fun and efficient, but actually meeting people is where the business comes together. I am energized when I meet people. It makes me happy and feel like I've accomplished something.

Sharon

Sharon, I have just been with buyers from out of the country who found me online. We have just met and connected like old friends and they are purchasing one of my properties. This all seemed to happen in one day...but we have been emailing for weeks.

JUN

Meet 20 people face to face and tweet 20 times see what will be the results. We all know the right answer

JUN

Margaret,

The belly to belly graphic is the best comment! "Personal connections still make a difference" AMEN!!

Mike in Tucson

Mike, You are so right about that comment!

Your very thoughtful and yummy gift arrived Thank you for remembering. You are so darn special. Will touch base with you tomorrow. SOC is such a special program...I just never took the time to use it. You are the master!

Carl, But how much time will it take to meet 20 vs tweeting 20? How about if you are in a group of 20 and you are all tweeting 20 more. Thanks for stopping by

JUN

Technology is great. It allows you to keep in touch with a lot of people easily. But some of those old means of communication are also great. Notes, cards, phone calls and seeing someone in person are still effective ways to keep in touch and build your business and relationships. If fact, I feel the more we use technology the more effective "the old ways" are because so many people stop using them and people still appreciate the personal touch.

Oh Margaret, it is so nice to read about the importance of face-to-face not to mention customer service. I have given several referrals out lately to technology pros on AR and in two cases the clients were not happy with their service. It is so important for all of us to remember how to set priorities. There are times when I am so busy that I don't even write regularly on my own blog...my clients simply have to come first! Thanks for letting me vent!

Alan, The best way to stay in touch with others, is whatever way you chose to use whether it be ..." Notes, cards, phone calls and seeing someone in person.." or the use of email, texting, blogging, tweeting. Just remember to "do it".

Diane, My post is open for your kind of venting....anytime. You make a good point. No amount of technology will take the place of good service and old fashioned F2F.

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