Lately I have been reading more posts about automating the process of social networking and blogging. The time crunch is starting to feed a mentality of an I ROBOT process online. Automation seems to be the only answer to a harried business professional looking for the key to slow this online pace down. Fear is fed to those who haven't engaged in blogging, "It's just not for everyone", some say.
I say Beware of Automation. Conversations Are For Everyone.
Allow me to bend your ear. Have a Listen,
Are you willing to let down your hair and reach out? Consumers are willing to climb out from their Hummers and reach back.
Oh Rapunzel let down your hair and find a genuine way to have conversations with people.
Microblogging on Twitter- 140 words or less for 30 minutes a day. You CAN do that.
Video blogs of your listings, your town, or local events- You CAN do that.
All these three methods can be used as a standalone, in tandem would be better, to have conversations with consumers. All three can be syndicated to blogging platforms. All three can be part of your social media marketing strategy.
Microblogging, video blogs, podcasts are all conversation starters and they are all effective.
The time is now. Online it's personal and it's your brand. When you hear that you can't and that you have to automate or you have to find someone to do it for you.
That's just crap.
Conversations are for everyone. Come on and engage there's a big wide borderless world ready to receive you.
What method of communication is best for your business? Real Skillz can answer that question and in no time you will be having conversations regularly, fluently, and comfortably...conversations that create relationships that lead to community building business. Call #262-203-5231 or email rebecca@realestateskillz.com.
Automation eventually turns people off, remember when the first automated phone systems came into play, it was a great novelty. Now people hate them and do everything they can to avoid them.
Hi Rebecca-Automation has it's place in the world but nothing can replace the human touch and voice. Great post. Thank you for sharing your wisdom. Have a blessed day :-)
Rebecca- I truly feel automation can get you to be too repeatative and in trouble with the consumer. If I google something and come up with several blogs, I expect each one to be different. What happens if suddenly, the top five or ten are the exact same blog word for word by the same person. Makes me wonder what they are doing. As a consumer, it would really frustrate me.
Great blog and topic.
Walter- Good analogy. We don't want the consumer to be trying desperately to zero out. In our case they will just walk out and on to the next.
Sharon- Thank you. I agree that there needs to be some automation, but not as a replacement and not to where we sacrifice the customer experience and making relationships. There is nothing automated about good relationships.
What would happen if the consumer picked up the phone just to realize in conversation that you are not who they thought you were because someone had been blogging for you. It's crazy. I know if I had been doing that I wouldn't have the wonderful clients I have had the pleasure of working with.
The r.e. industry doesn't need any more loss of credibility with consumers and neither do marketers.
I have seen the Odigo tool and tested it. It has it's place. I like podcasting because I don't write what I have said exactly and I don't say what I have written. It gives my posts a different dynamic and I hope that engages more conversation in some cases.
Rebecca, automation is not a bad thing when it is used right. In each and every social network or media, there is an alert function that will allow for the conversation to continue.
Larry- Awesome. I have a flip and a smaller video camera. I have my eyes open for a better system though.
Danny- Those reminders aren't bad, it's not syndication, or drip email, or recorded webinars that concern me. It is the robotic type functions that remove all personal delivery from the equation.
It is those that do not have a social media marketing strategy that will be left behind. I try to use all the mediums of communication to better my business.
Yeppers, you are right, blogging just doesn't feel as warm as a voice. It may tell someone they are interested in what you have to say but certainly doesn't replace the voice inflections.
Hi Rebecca, I agree that conversations are important as well. Automatic blogging is a crock. But I think Twittering can consume a lot of our time too. We are not robots. We want real people to talk to.
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Well written post. I like the way you reduced your thoughts into words. Keep up the good work.
Bonner