Dissociative identity disorder or split personality disorder is a psychaiatric condition defined as on person having at least two separate personalities that take control of the persons behavior.

You may have created a two headed monster?

I recently asked a real estate professional to join me on FaceBook, he replied that he does not add other Realtors to his Facebook profile but he does have another facebook profile.

I found that interesting and then I found that many people keep both a professional and a personal profile.

I admit, I liked Facebook a lot better when it was just friends and family, but it has been a great resource for networking with other real estate professionals, some clients and many real estate investors.

So if you maintain two identities, one for just friends and the one for just clients; how do you possibly separate the two. Are you pretending to be something your not in your professional profile? How can you possibly separate the two if your friends are also your clients?

I maintain several websites, numerous blogs and dozens of social networking profiles. The last thing I want is to try to remember which ones I can be genuine in and which ones I have to pretend to be someone else.

In this day of technology nearly anyone you meet and intend to do business with will eventually "Google" your name, will they find more than one of you?

Here; let me Google that for you; http://tinyurl.com/ydaslhq

I proudly proclaim my beliefs, my values, my patriotism and sometimes my politics! I am me, not a cleaned up version of me... Just me; and I am proud of who and what I am. If you don't like me then I will not pretend to be someone else to impress you.

If you try to be someone other than who you are, I will probably not be very impressed with either of you!

 

 

 
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29 Comments on Do you have "Split Personality Disorder"? (online)

NOV
08

hi Ben;  I have wondered about this....   How do people keep their personalities straight?

10:28am • #1
172,576 Points 1 Featured Post

I don't have 2 personalities....but I do have privacy. I know I might lose business by keeping my Facebook strictly personal, but it's possible I keep business too. I don't have drunken pictures of me dancing on the table (completely different blog) but I've seen some of these as PROFILE pictures.....are you kidding me? You want your buyers to see you like this? I wouldn't! I have a life separate from Real Estate...and I keep some of it that way. Not everything in my life has to revolve around marketing.

10:29am • #2
171,469 Points 1 Featured Post Outside Blog

Like Karen, I have my private self on some online sites.  Myspace is family only, Facebook somehow got out of hand, but I don't have anything there to be ashamed of either.  On AR the only time I would use "Members only" would be to protect a client.  Whatever I write about here is what I would say in any conversation I may have anywhere. 

I'm shocked at some of the articles I read and quite often the comments I see. 

11:14am • #3

Since Facebook does have a policy regarding using your personal page to solict or advertise business it is a good idea to create a "fan page" and use that for your business activities.

11:58am • #4
NOV
10
110,841 Points

I have both a fan page and a personal page and guess what?  They are both ALL ME.  Great post by the way!

8:34am • #5
158,921 Points 3 Featured Posts Outside Blog

As Pat said, there is an issue with FB. I have my blog going into it so it works for me. I do not seperate my business from personal on sites like FB but I do have my settings set in certain ways as to require my ok for postings etc.

8:49am • #6
1 Featured Post

It is against Facebook's policy to have multiple accounts for one person! Even if it wasn't so, why would someone have to have a personal profile and then a business profile? Don't your "real" friends know you are in real estate? I agree that privacy is nice but if you want privacy for something send it via email or even better call that person and talk about it. It always amazes me that people feel like they have to use something like Facebook to keep in touch with their "real" friends!

PS - I teach classes on this and may be a little hyper-sensative...:)

8:54am • #7
102,670 Points 4 Featured Posts

I am one of those that don't post anything I wouldn't want everyone, including potential clients, to see. I've even not gone out with some "friends of  friends" because they were into the heavy partying with the camera present to record all events!  Didn't want that posted on Facebook and have me "tagged".

What ever you post here will be your personality to potential clients. If you act like a egotistical goof, that's how  your clients will see you.

Great thoughts for today

 

9:04am • #8

Truth be told, it's another world out there from a scant 2 -3 years ago. Social networking was just a buzz-word, and FaceBook was trying to overtake MySpace.com! Now, one can get CE credit for taking social networking classes, and you're considered 'underwhelming' if you can't have conversation about who you 'friended' or 'tweeted' recently. Is it a good thing?? Well---yes it is.  There is little difference (in our lives today) between when REALTORS began using cell phones and computerized MLS/emails, to today's media loving clients and general population. My thoughts are simple--if you wouldn't say it "live" on a cell phone to a client, why in the world would you put it 'live' on the internet? It's the same thing, except everybody is 'allowed' to read it!  IMHO--- <g>

9:04am • #9

I prefer to use LinkedIn & AR for professional networking.  I do have two FB identities that I've ment to consolidate for some time now and just haven't done it.  The first used my main email address and I soon found myself bombarded with friend requests.  I created another account using the unique address "facebook@mydomain.com".  That way everyone that's ever had my email address isn't pestering me to look at pics of their cat!  People that constantly post their boring life on sites like FB & Twitter could get a wakeup call someday when their house is robbed while they are away at some event they've told "the world" they are attending.

9:06am • #10

I have a separate professional FB page, a Fan Page (which people join voluntarily, therefore I am allowed to post important info without being accused of "spamming" them), AND a personal FB page which is just that, personal!  I have photos of my children, husband, dog, family, my home, friends, etc.  Photos that I don't want professional constituents and/or clients to see.  I am not two-faced and act the same in all situations.  I just feel that I deserve privacy, just as everyone does.  I feel the opposite about this issue.... I think everyone should have a personal FB and a professional FB page.  I can easily toggle between the two, post messages on both and respond on both, never getting confused about who I am.

9:20am • #11

I don't think this is anything to do with personality, and I don't think using an actual psychological condition this serious is necessary to have made your point.

I keep "real estate" related contacts in a separate friend list. This allows me to share photographs of family and friends with just my family and friends. I don't want another agent or someone who I really don't know as more than an acquaintance to see pictures of my niece at her 1st birthday party. I don't know what they might do with my pictures and I am not going to entrust certain personal information I might share with family or friends with people I might be doing business with.

Say you are considering making a move to another firm, or even out of the business for some sort of opportunity that doesn't actually pan out. Would you want potential clients knowing about it? You might want to share it with your close friends and family to get their input though right?

It isn't about keeping two identities, it's about keeping information relevant to the appropriate audience.

9:29am • #12

Seems like a statement of fact most successful realtiors are manic or ADD but wil lnever admit it so having mutliple web faces suits the very nature of successful realtors.

Truth i sif people like Tom Ferry can get people to pay thousands for nothing than there is an audience for every market, and the more ADD one has the more markets one can touch

BriefBoy
9:37am • #13
1 Featured Post

I keep my FB pofile private to all but those I approve, I also have a couple of FB business pages.

Turn-Key Properties LLC on Facebook

Bates County Real Estate on Facebook

I don't have many secrets.

9:38am • #14
Outside Blog

I think he just didn't want his contacts to see other Realtors - he wanted to be the only one.

 

Me?  I don't have time to maintain two facebook sites!  I'd never get anything done!!  :)

But seriously, I'm with you.  I am who I am and that doesn't change when I'm being mom, friend, or Realtor.

10:02am • #15

I have found that once the other realtors found my personal facebook page and asked to join that I was not getting what I wanted from my friends and family.  I t00 would rather keep business related contacts seperate.

10:07am • #16
192,861 Points 1 Featured Post Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router

We are who we are.  My friends all know what I do for a living and talking about real estate is naturally without being pushy.  I keep a personal page, which anyone can find, and I am making a Fan Page.

10:13am • #17

Always be true to yourself and present as genuine whether it be personal or business.

10:45am • #18

I also have a personal page and a Facebook fan business page.  Yes, they are separate.  I generally don't become Facebook "Friends" with other realtors, or with clients, unless they are truly real friends.  If they are merely acquaintances or business associates, I do not invite them into my Facebook home, just as I would not invite them into my actual home.  Anybody can become a fan of my Facebook business page, but you really have to be a special friend or family member in order to be a "friend" on my Facebook page.  I don't write a lot about real estate on my Facebook page.  However, my Facebook business page is all real estate and community related.

Simply put, if you are someone I would not invite into my home, you are someone I would not invite to become my Facebook "friend". 

Connections with other real estate agents is better done by making them "Associates" on Active Rain.  Other business connections can be made on LinkedIn.

So, call me "two-faced" if you want.  I do indeed separate personal from business.  I am not going to invite the entire world to my family reunion, and I am not going to invite everyone to become my Facebook "friend".

11:00am • #19
Localism Sponsor

I know there are agents out there who keep multiple websites to market to several "niches".  I've heard that it is a good thing to have both personal and fan page for Facebook, but I agree with some of the other comments... it's so hard to keep up.  We spend all this time connecting with hundreds or thousands of people online and have no time left for face to face connections!

11:21am • #20
106,708 Points 1 Featured Post Localism Sponsor Outside Blog Hit Router

GREAT comments. I don't see the point in having a professional and personal online social networking. If you are "social networking" in the first place, then your personal side must come through to establish a connection. And why would anyone friend just a business profile that sends out spam links?

11:55am • #21
Outside Blog

Someone once said "I AM WHAT I AM" mmmmh , I can see the pros and cons, I for one have only one identity

Ty

12:08pm • #22

Yeah with all the networking now days and the time management issues WHY would anyone want to maintain 2 identities anywhere? Well maybe they shouldn't be useing social networking sites but rather like you metioned LinkedIn and wow Active Rain Maybe!

Barb Christensen
3:13pm • #23
409,277 Points 72 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Ben...

On Google there are millions of lovely wives. Nailing me down would be hard. I like that and I like the idea that perhaps I have an identity crisis. A few idenity problems is just tapping the surface when it comes to me :)

TLW...ROAR!

3:59pm • #24
119,937 Points 4 Featured Posts

Ben, there is going to be so much weeding out over this whole social networking scene in the months and years to come.  Some are going to realize that just like any social scene there are just plain rules of etiquette that come into play.  Those that honestly believe they can hide behind this account or that account are going to be very stunned when they realize it all comes out as you say in google... or bing, or whatever search engine you choose to use.  So I guess the best advise is blog/tweet/friend wisely.

4:07pm • #25

This is a really good question and one that I am still trying to answer personally.

9:47pm • #26
Localism Sponsor Outside Blog

I agree with those who believe that there is a difference between truly personal and business.  A fan page is a good solution.  One need not be two different "people" just different sides of the same person.  To me it is like appropriate attire.  I wear "business clothes" to work.and "casual" outfits when not working.  Does this make me a split personality?  No, just a professional doing her job properly when working and relaxing when "off the clock".  Now I admit that we all work most of the time but for me, casual wear will never be the standard during the work day.  I am most comfortable with this arrangement.

Thanks for the topic.  Good one!

11:14pm • #27
NOV
30

i have DID, or MPD or whatever you guys know it as, and i have one facebook page. why have two? anyway my friends know which alter i am by the language i use, and the way i write. people who pretend to have the disorder are crazy. my ex friend once made fourteen facebook pages and tricked everyone at school she had the disease, she was obviously faking, and when i told her how insulted i was she was like WTF, stop copying my idea, i'm pretending to have the disease. i don't know what to do about her, everysingle time she pretends to have it, i get so annoyed, and she doesn't believe me "because i dont have different fcebk pges 4 my alters" i mean omg she is so infuriating @times. any way yeahhhh. buhbye now

lucyloo
10:23am • #29

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Ben Edsall

Kansas City, MO

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Turn-Key Properties LLC, Kansas City Investment Property

Address: 7312 E 67th St.., Kansas City, MO, 64133

Office Phone: (816) 313-8876

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http://www.turnkeyproperties.org I generally blog about the investment property market. Real estate trends and politics as they affect the market. Rental Property and Kansas City.


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