My way is the ONLY way.....

I find the techie types to be more of "if you don't do it my way you will get left behind." It's even implied a little bit in your post and in some of the comments. I've been selling for 19 years and have heard younger agents say the same thing to the old timers the entire time- many of those newer agents don't last long. The top producers either retired (because they made enough to retire and were retirement age) or are still the top producers.

I personally jumped into technology with both feet- until the Twitter and Facebook "stuff" came along. But I have never ever told another agent what they must do to stay in business.

Think along these lines (maybe the mindset of an extremely experienced agent who has been a top producer for 20 or 30 years)- 20 or 30 years of past clients and the referrals from those clients. Instead of hooking up on Facebook they call them once or twice a year and send birthday cards, Christmas cards etc.

That agent might be involved in his/her church, local big brother/big sister, coaches little league, goes to the same restaurants, involved in the Chamber of Commerce, supplies one or two scholarships each year for local high school graduates, etc.....

That same agent has an assistant(s) so no need for her/his own email or smart phone- their assistant returns emails and the agent follows up with an actual phone call.

Maybe that agent has been farming several subs for the past couple decades and everybody there just automatically calls when they need to sell. Maybe that agent lives on a large lake and networks on the lake during the warm months.

Maybe that agent has her/his assistant send out expired and fsbo letters every day.

Our MLS allows for 25 photos and if you have a simple web site with P2Homes the listings pull from our MLS. The same with Realtor.com. P2Homes sends the listings to Zillow, Trulia, Google, Yahoo....... So that agent is online but didn't really do much or have to learn much to get there.

Just some food for thought on why maybe their way is the only way- for them.

I'm sorry this was so long. I've been reading too many featured posts lately stating that the old timers need to get with it or judging them for not wanting to change. Yours is one of the nicer ones, so I felt it easier to post and hopefully I'm not coming across as bitchy.

Hi Jeanna - Many agents may have just one or two methods that they're comfortable with, but it's those who are open to exploring new ideas that will be the most successful.

I think there are a lot of ways to be successful in real estate, you just have to find the ways that suit and go with them.

First of all I love all your pictures!  I'm with you, Jeanna, it takes several schools of thought to make a creative force!

Jeanna, my biggest fear is getting left behind and not staying in the learning curve.  We must keep our mids open to all the new and exciting ways to increase our business.  Glad you kept your mind open to new things.

I look at it this way - our clients are varied and so should our agents be.   No one's way is the ONLY way, just like you said.   There are clients out there still who do NOT use Facebook and Twitter and they may prefer agents who are like them in that regard.  And there are others who live on it, and may wish their agent to be that way as well. 

Everyone's needs are different and so we're all different. :)    I do wish some of the "ONLY WAY"ers weren't so vocal in discouraging anything else, and yes, some Social Media groupies are Only Way'ers too.

Jeanna ... isn't AR the only way ... ha ha ha

Jeanna - I am amazed at how often I encounter agents who are resistant to new methods or ideas.  I feel sad for them.  :)

Jackie #14 has some valid points, even though I am a fairly new agent and heavily into social media I can see that their previous clients could keep them pretty busy.

Jeanna, this one is easy.  In everything in life, you either grow, or you fall behind.  There is no middle ground.  Unfortunately, these folks who refuse to learn, sooner or later they will pay the price.  And, my cat read the part about there being more than one way to skin a cat... and he wants to have a word with you.

Jeanna,

Well said.  In order to be successful you must be able to adapt to change.  "If it ain't broke, the brake it"

I think the more open-minded we are, the more flexible we are.  We are in an ever-changing business that requires flexible thinking and being open to something new.  Thanks for sharing!

Odd that people who have been in real estate for any length of time would insist that there is only one way to be successful when all they have to do is look at the approach of various successful agents.  There is no one right way.  No one works the same way.  There are common themes for what works and what doesn't but definitely not a single blueprint for success.

Those who think that there is only one way will certainly be left behind in this fast moving society.

Couldn't agree more.  Longevitiy is based on keeping up with the way of the consumer.  And the consumer is online.

Jeanna - I don't think it's any secret which group I fall in or how I feel about listening and sharing.  The one thing I always remember is that all of the different methods work - it just depends on who's working them and how.  I hate hard sell people when I'm trying to buy something, but the fact is, it must work, or they would all starve.  The biggest key to success (in my opinion) in using any "system" or method is to know it, do it, and believe in it.  The trick is to know when it's not working and when to refocus.  That's where everyone else comes in.  Asking questions, listening to others' ideas, reading new thoughts and theories - without these, we'd still be using carbon copy forms.  It takes someone to step outside the circle and say "hey, maybe there's a better way to do things over here."  You, are great at it, and I'm sure your teaching days have a lot to do with that.

Don't worry about me, I'm listening.

I love those who think they know it all.....they will never take my ideas.

I think it's great to meet with a group of people that are at the top of their industry.  There's so much to learn.

It's unfortunate that there are some people who don't want to learn and adapt to change.

Different age groups approach business in different ways.    Some of us that have been in for years, have a few ways to approach business, and social media is definitely one of them!

This is such an excellent post.  It shows how open you are to new ideas and learning.  I wish I had more agents like you!