Are You Networking Properly?

I am moving! True, packing, hauling, sorting, and paying 1st Month's Rent is not at all enjoyable, but a new place to live in is like taking a new lease on life. Sadly, I have to be out of my current residence by the end of this week, and I haven't even started packing...Hello Procrastination, my old friend.

No matter. What I'm missing in terms of packing/sorting joy, I'm more than making up for in terms of networking. On Wednesday I set up an appointment to take a walk-through of a condo up in the South Hills of Missoula. Slightly off the beaten path, a bit of a struggle for my little Nissan to get to, but a great place nonetheless. What surprised me when I got there was the real estate agent standing expectantly in the front lawn, clipboard hugged to her chest and her eyes scanning the entrance to the one-way cul-de-sac. You see, I had responded to a Craig's List Advertisement for this condo, and therefore wasn't expecting it to be an agent- listed property. As I opened the door and stepped into the street, I was thinking to myself that this agent must realize the marketing value inherent in a good online presence, a trait exclusive to tech-savvy agents. This was my 'in'.

We took a quick run-through of the single-floor rental and got right to business talking about fees and utilities and whether or not my 4-foot red-tailed boa Susie could claim a corner of the condo. Business was over as quickly as it began, and soon a lull in the conversation proffered me my shot at the door. Taking my opportunity, I stood up and threw my shades back on, reached for my wallet, and asked her, "How's business for ya? We've noticed a bit of an uptick in the market lately..."

This was it, the moment of truth. At this point I had let her know that I am somehow connected with real estate through some sort of official capacity. Now it was on me to make or break the connection; I slowly extended my hand, offering her a crisp, clean new business card.

"That's for you," I suavely grinned.

I could see her breath catch in her throat, a slight hand tremble, a lean against the counter as she took the card, flipped it over a few times, and ultimately tucked it safely into the clipboard. As she accepted the card and glanced at its modest black lettering, a wave of accomplishment washed over me: I had just handed out my first business card in a professional setting.

So I may have embellished a bit on her reaction, but it was still an exciting moment in my week. Until last Wednesday, I had not had any face-to-face networking on a business level. Sure, I've handed out biz cards here and there, but my mom and my roommates are not viable business contacts. The interaction I had with the agent at the condo was the first time I've met with somebody under the Goomzee banner, the first time I talked shop with an agent in the field, and the first time I unloaded a biz card to someone who will actually read it (hopefully).

So now I know what it's all about: F2F (face2face). I trudge through my daily blog rounds, sift through the Twitter noise, and take pains to keep my company's Facebook page updated, and now I know why: so I can convert my online interactions into living, breathing, face-to-face relationships.

I hope everyone had a great time networking at NAR's Midyear; don't forget to keep it up when you get back home! Happy Selling!!