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"Using Trulia for Your Business" - One More Hook in the Water

I love the way that information is shared across various social networks and Web 2.0 apps nowadays!

I just read a post by Matthew Gosselin (market savvy author of "My Blue Goose"), who passed the viral baton through a teaser post to Rudy Bachraty's Trulia blog, who, in turn, highligths a great way that the 'Uncommon Agent' Mike Lefebvre uses Trulia Pro and video.

As you may recall, Mike was the winner of our 2008 Video Contest.

There seems to be some mixed opinions on the value of utilizing sites like Trulia for promoting your listings. According to some blogsites, they've just run off with your wife, or made your daughter pregnant. While for others, they're the best thing since sliced bread.

Regardless of where you stand, I think it's awesome to watch how top agents make the best use of the technologies that are available today, and incorporate them into their business plan.

Posted by Rich Jacobson ~ ActiveRain Community Builder on 07/15/2008 02:17 PM

Comments (15)

trulia pro, rudy bachraty, mike lefebvre

Post is included in group: Active Rain Newbies
Post is included in group: Social Media Marketing
Post is included in group: Web 2.0
Post is included in group: Social Networks
Post is included in group: The Art Of Marketing You

15 Comments on "Using Trulia for Your Business" - One More Hook in the Water

Rich, I have seen this video before. Some excellent stuff using low end technology. Brad had a post a while ago about being comfortable in front of a Video camera. Mike really engages the viewer. AJ

07/15/2008 02:59 PM

by Alan 'AJ' Nisen California Contra Costa Mortgage Officer (A Large Bank in America)

Thanks for a great post Rich, I hadn't seen Mike's video. It is really original!

07/15/2008 03:04 PM

by April Hayden-Munson Realtor, Southeastern Wisconsin (RE/MAX Realty 100)

I know one thing...Mike's videos are priceless! He is at the top of his game when it comes to videos!

07/15/2008 03:20 PM

by Jeremy Blanton- Myrtle Beach Real Estate (Coldwell Banker Chicora Real Estate)

Rich I thought AR was the next best thing to sliced bread......so why use Trulia...... LOL :)

07/15/2008 03:23 PM

by Kathy McGraw ~ Calif Broker (CELLing Realty)

Kathy: The mantra goes "The more hooks you put into the water, the greater your chances of catching the fish!"....with all of these Web 2.0 apps/tools at our disposal, many of them FREE, it doesn't make sense not to take advantage of them....

07/15/2008 03:34 PM

by Rich Jacobson ~ ActiveRain Community Builder (ActiveRain Corporation)

Rich, I'm working with a buyer right now from England who is looking to purchase a vacation home near Disney. He's looking in the 700k range which is very very rare for me. Well actually it's more than rare since my highest sale in 14 years was $470,000!! He contacted me from Trulia!! Not off of a listing but from answering a few questions for others. He read my answers, liked my style and contacted me.

So yes it does work.

07/15/2008 04:28 PM

by Bryant Tutas-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc

Bryant: So what yer tellin' me, is that Trulia isn't the Anti-Christ? And what, prey tell, did you pay Trulia for the privilege of answering a few questions???

07/15/2008 05:12 PM

by Rich Jacobson ~ ActiveRain Community Builder (ActiveRain Corporation)

Nada, zippo, nilch, nutin'. The funny thing Rich is that I've probably answered about 5 questions total since I only answer questions specific to Poinciana. I didn't answer any questions for this particular buyer.

If it were up to me I would prefer trulia didn't exist. But since they do, I'll work it.

07/15/2008 05:53 PM

by Bryant Tutas-Tutas Towne Realty, Inc

Thanks for the kind words Rich.

I heard a rumor about web 2.0 tools and communities, "it's not the size of the tool, it's how you use it" :)

It's great to see the "viral baton" being passed around when good things happen to good people. Mike is awesome. Just loved the creative way he used Trulia Pro and video. Having been in a judge in the AR video contest which he won., I knew right away there was something unique about him. My gut feeling was validated when I met with Mike at our Trulia NYC office the day he met with Seth Godin. We grabbed a late lunch and some cerveza and got to know each other on a more personal level. This would never have happened if it wasn't for the AR contest and for MIke being so proactive with his markleting. I still have a video we shot sitting in the can.....I'll get it live one day.....promise....

Keep on keeping on all!

Rudy

Social Media Guru at Trulia

07/15/2008 07:54 PM

by rudy bachraty (Trulia.com)

I set up a profile and started using Trulia about the same time I started on Active Rain, but I stopped working on it. It is hard to find the time to everything and I liked Active Rain better

07/15/2008 08:00 PM

by Jeff Thornton ABR CRB CRS CSP e-Pro GRI

Just to be perfectly clear with everyone here...

The actual video that Rudy has of us is "sitting in the can", meaning it's still sitting, un-edited, on his camera. He has absolutely no footage whatsoever of the two of us relaxing in the bathroom.

Just needed to clear that up.

Thanks Rich! You guys were big supporters (and instigators) of this video from Day 1. I am thrilled to see that it continues to have legs, and I am STILL getting positive feedback from people who haven't seen it yet. What will I follow this one up with????

Thanks to all ya'll!

07/15/2008 08:18 PM

by Mike Lefebvre (Hallmark Sotheby's International Realty)

I'm having trouble keeping up with all of my hooks in the water.... they all need fresh bait and I don't have the time.

07/16/2008 12:48 AM

by Tom Burris | FHA VA & Conv. Texas Mortgage Loans (DallasLoanGuy.com)

Rich - I loved that video when I saw it (and still do).

I have answered a few Trulia questions, not too many for Mesquite especially, but I get the Las Vegas ones and am qualified to answer a few.

I received an email from a guy looking for a loan - I referred him to Jeff Belonger, and a call from a guy who liked my attitude and wanted me to list his house in Vegas.

Yeah, I am paying attention to Trulia.

07/16/2008 01:14 AM

by Virginia Hepp Mesquite NV REALTOR >> Mesquite Nevada Real Estate Agent (ERA Brokers Consolidated - Mesquite NV Homes)

A couple months ago someone (who I didn't know) answered a Trulia question and in their answer suggested the person should visit such & such site for more information. The site link they gave in their answer was to one of my WP blog's posts. So every couple weeks, I see that Trulia link come in as a referrer link. Go Figure!

07/16/2008 02:02 PM

by Elaine Reese, REALTOR® in central Ohio (Real Living HER, Worthington Ohio)

Thanks for the information!!!! The more we get out there the better! You guys are great with providing useful information!!!!

07/28/2008 12:32 PM

by Bill & Barbara Jo - Florida Realty Professional - AHWD (Charles Rutenberg Realty)

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