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I Think I have Fallen Off the Social Media Wagon....but I CAN Market and Sell Homes!

By Barb Szabo, CRS

Real Estate Agent with RE/MAX Above & Beyond

November 09, 2011 01:35 AM

social media icon There. I said it. Try as I might I cannot keep up with all the social media sites.

I started this journey in 2008 and have enjoyed a significant increase in my business and I do attribute it a great deal to getting a website, blogging, and my visibility on Acitve Rain, Facebook, Linkedin, a little on Twitter and a few other sites. What's more is it's been FUN:)

I have learned more things in the past 3 years than in the ten before and I am not talking only about the social media stuff.

It is through social media sites such as active rain that I have learned:
how to be more productive
how to be more organized
how to go paperless (though I am still working on this one)
how to protect myself while on the job
how to improve my open house efforts
how to do market reports
how to write a great localism post and why I should

This list could go on and on and on but I think you get the picture.

Somewhere along the line though, I think I fell off the top step! LOL

I can't figure out stumble upon
Don't know much about Google+1
Have not scratched the surface with Twitter
I find it impossible to keep up with all the apps for my Ipad and I already have:
evernote
noterize
keynote
penultimate
docusign
dropbox

What I do know how to do, and quite well if I do say so myself is market and succeessfully sell homes for sellers and help buyers find just the right home.

In the end, for me it's all about keeping things in perspective. You can really get sucked into this stuff to the detriment of your business and that just can't be good. So if you find yourself in front of your computer all day and you are NOT:

making appointments to show homes
making appointments to meet with sellers
negotiating an offer or offers
going to a home inspection
asking your escrow agent "Will we close on time?"

then it is time to step back from it all and get back to the activities that are generating leads and that result in income! It is these activities that really help us stay on top of the market with in depth knowledge and that is where I want to be.

Happy Selling Everyone!

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Gayle Barton, Forsyth County Real Estate

BERKSHIRE HATHAWAY Georgia Properties - Cumming, GA

Cumming GA Homes For Sale (404) 710-0204

I feel your Pain Barb. The techonolgy moves so fast that it is difficult to keep us when you are trying to list and sell homes, keep the paperwork in perfect order and provide excellent customer service while all the tme "keeping the family first".

Nov 09, 2011 01:46 AM

Barb Szabo, CRS

RE/MAX Above & Beyond - Cleveland, OH

E-pro Realtor, Cleveland Ohio Homes

Gayle, See how bad it's gotten...I didn't even mention my family!!

Nov 09, 2011 01:48 AM

Anna "Banana" Kruchten

HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ

602-380-4886

Barb I've had this conversation quite a bit lately with several agents and brokers. We can't possible be online all day long and do our 'real job'. And anybody who's online all day -well you know they're not out working with clients! I decided to pick the things I enjoy and work well for my business model - and just back off on some of the other stuff (it's kind of automized anyway). Blogging works so that's staying! The jury is out on some other stuff.

Balance life is the key!! With Balance all things will work out well!

Featured in BananaTude

Nov 09, 2011 02:29 AM

Lisa Heindel

Crescent City Living LLC - New Orleans, LA

New Orleans Real Estate Broker

It's too easy to get caught up in the latest shiny objects and spend all of our waking hours chasing that next great thing that will improve our business...all to the detriment of the business we are supposed to be running. I have a list of 4 things posted on my desk that must be done each morning before I focus any real effort into another site, whether it's Facebook, AR, or some other network. Follow up with prospects, follow up on listings, follow up on closings and work on a blog post. When those things are done, then I can "play" with the ultimate goal of that play turning into future business.

Don't get down on yourself for not keeping up with everything. Focus on the things that bring you success and don't worry about the rest!

p.s. Be sure to test that paperless listing appointment on yourself to work out the bugs before you are in front of a client.

Nov 09, 2011 07:01 AM

Barb Szabo, CRS

RE/MAX Above & Beyond - Cleveland, OH

E-pro Realtor, Cleveland Ohio Homes

Anna, I think I have settled into a nice place with all of this. If nothing else, I look (or research) before I leap to see if I really need it. Thanks for the feature!

Lisa, Words of wisdom from someone who knows what she is talking about. The paperless listing presentation was on evernote?

See, I am still confused LOL

Nov 09, 2011 07:23 AM

Karen Baker

Sunset Beach and Beyond Realty - Sunset Beach, NC

Professional Help with Rapid Responses...

Barbara ~ Three years with ActiveRain and the social know it all you have obtained is something to be very proud of!! The list goes on and on with whatever else is available to us but it's okay being happy where you are. We don't have to do or be everything!!

Nov 09, 2011 09:16 AM

Barb Szabo, CRS

RE/MAX Above & Beyond - Cleveland, OH

E-pro Realtor, Cleveland Ohio Homes

Frank and Karen, that's certainly what I am learning.

Nov 09, 2011 10:00 AM

William Feela

WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN

Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

I only do a couple. But I do them right. Doing a lot but only marginally will hurt you more than not doing them at all.

Nov 09, 2011 11:55 AM

Barb Szabo, CRS

RE/MAX Above & Beyond - Cleveland, OH

E-pro Realtor, Cleveland Ohio Homes

William, Good advice. I don't think I have to know SEO like the back of my hand and I probably never will but I am learning what works and that's a good thing.

Nov 09, 2011 11:59 AM

Christine Gerbehy

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Fox and Roach Northfield - Egg Harbor Township, NJ

Making waves, one home at a time...

Barb, I've come to find that Twitter is worthless, so is LinkedIn. With Facebook, it was too easy to get "sucked in" and spend 4 worthless hours gabbing, lol! Active rain has become my sanity, lol! Intelligent conversation, learning, and alot of "I FEEL YOUR PAIN!!!" comfort, lol!

Nov 10, 2011 01:25 AM

Lisa Heindel

Crescent City Living LLC - New Orleans, LA

New Orleans Real Estate Broker

Barb, my actual "presentation" is on Keynote, but what I meant was to practice calling up and filling out those forms on PDF Expert before you test it on a client. You want to be sure they are all easily accessible so there is no fumbling around in front of a seller.

Nov 10, 2011 04:37 AM

Linda K. Mayer

License # 01767321 - La Verne, CA

Realtor, SRES, SoCAL, A REALTOR YOU CAN TRUST

This is so true, Barb! Some days I find myself just doing all those social things and not gitty back to basics - communicating with buyers and sellers.

Nov 10, 2011 06:45 AM

Barb Szabo, CRS

RE/MAX Above & Beyond - Cleveland, OH

E-pro Realtor, Cleveland Ohio Homes

HI David! I was starting to make myself crazy! I like Bill's comment above. Pick a few and use them well.

Nov 12, 2011 12:49 AM

J. Philip Faranda

Howard Hanna Rand Realty - Yorktown Heights, NY

Associate Broker / Office Manager

Barb, my clients don't care how many followers I have on Twitter. They just want to get their transactyion closed.

Nov 27, 2011 02:38 PM