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Why You Won't Find This Cowboy On Twitter (Yet)

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty 0575737

No TwitterI am just NOT a Twitterer. I am as Techno Geek as the next red blooded real estate agent out there but with Twitter I still don't get it. All you long time proponents and lovers of Twitter where it is driving mega millions of business your way, please do not throw snowballs my way or call me an idiot or a dinosaur. This is just one man's opinion. I love that it is working for YOU!! With me I have a different take on it.

Twitter, is a 140 character microblog where you send Tweets to your list. To me I look at it as broadcasting a text message. On the receiving end you are receiving these blasts from others.

Where I have a problem with it, is the simple question, what is the point? A common reason for this technology advance is answering the question, "What are you doing?" That's where I really have the problem. A) Who cares about what I am doing, and it is not interesting anyway, and B) Why do I care what you are doing? One on one with your family or significant other, but the sea of humanity? Explain that to me...

My assessment of Twitter when I learned about it early on was WHAT A HUGE FRIGGIN' WASTE OF YOUR TIME. These are irretrievable seconds and minutes of your life that YOU ARE NOT GETTING BACK typing mindless messages and reading and sifting through some messages that are PURE GARBAGE.

Are there some benefits of using Twitter and sending and receiving Tweets?

Well sure. As with anything there was originally a method behind the madness. What good can come from Twitter? How about sharing ideas and asking for help? Notifying others about events as you hear about them. Disseminating information about new tools as you find them. Sharing my blog post when it is released and reading others. Who on Active Rain wouldn't like that?

But the problem is those precious seconds again. You already were on information overload prior to this bit of fun entering your life. Where are you going to find time for THIS??? You already have all those emails you work on reading, answering, and deleting each day. Maybe Twitter will supplant email.

Twitter in essence allows who you broadcast to and receive from to know what you are doing, thinking, seeing, feeling at the moment. It reminds me so much of the AOL Chat rooms if you are old enough. Those rooms were filled with juveniles with innane thoughts and conversation threads. What is the fascination with this? Are we so attention starved? Do we all just need to get a REAL life?

More people have more ways to contact you FAST with quantities of information now but suffer greatly when it comes to quality of communication and depth of relationship. A phone call or face to face meeting is far richer for your life.

I hold out hope for Twitter and that is why I said (Yet) in my title because if there is a positive it is that online social networking leads to offline relationship development. I think the strong proponents would at least agree with me on that. But see that fishing pole up against the wall over there. Pretty low tech. But an invaluable tool to helping you spend some time with a son or daughter or a good friend on a Saturday afternoon on the lake or at the beach. Maybe you may really feel good slinging that Smartphone into the water while you're at it. I so do not want or need to know why you are having a bad day with the long lines at WalMart while you are picking up a can of peas for dinner.

You won't find this Cowboy on Twitter (yet) but I'll invite you out on my boat any day of the week. It's just who I am. And when you catch the big fish of the day you will figure out there's so much more to life than Twitter. Personally, I will bask in looking into your eyes and seeing that big smile of yours.

Comments (65)

Richard Weisser
Richard Weisser Realty - Newnan, GA
Richard Weisser Retired Real Estate Professional

Gary...

I think that there are some interesting notable that Tweet, that makes it interesting for me! I don't spend a lot of time on it, though!

Mar 07, 2009 12:35 PM
Justin Ukaoma
Vizion KC - Kansas City, MO
Kansas City Real Estate Investments

To each his own Gary. Twitter has been great for me.  Infact my company was recently intverviewed by a local paper.  The editor found out about us from twitter.

Mar 07, 2009 12:57 PM
Cathy Lee
CL Design Services Home Staging - Danville, CA
ASP, IAHSP, RESA Danville, CA

I honestly thought I was the only one on this planet that did not tweet!  You truly are my soul mate!

 

Mar 07, 2009 01:28 PM
Charles Buell
Charles Buell Inspections Inc. - Seattle, WA
Seattle Home Inspector

Gary, while I am open to the possbility of Twitter----right now I just don't get it----maybe I will at some point.

Mar 07, 2009 01:42 PM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

Gary, Interesting comments and post.  I finally went on, signed up and realized I don't have the time...right now.  Maybe another time I'll get back to it to see if I like it but right now there are other things I've got to get done.

Mar 07, 2009 01:48 PM
Mary Douglas
United Country Ponderosa Realty, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado - Red Feather Lakes, CO
REALTOR, Red Feather Lakes, Colorado

Hi Gary, Interesting post -- I haven't tried Twitter, I have plenty on my plate already - I appreciate your thoughts on the subject, and yes, I would love to go on the boat.  What kind of tackle do you use in Texas?

Mar 07, 2009 02:04 PM
Kathy McGraw
CELLing Realty - White Water, CA
Riverside County CA Real Estate

Hi Gary- I am on Twitter and do limit my time.  I enjoy it, and have a variety of people I follow, and vice versa.

Mar 07, 2009 03:04 PM
Eileen Hsu
Douglas Elliman Real Estate - Manhattan, NY
LICENSED REAL ESTATE SALESPERSON

Gary! I am so with you on those Twitter seconds, I feel that I am already tied down by this technology that I can't hardly keep up. I don't care about the random junk others are typing in on the Walmart Green pea buying experience or bad traffic, I will take you up on the invite on the boat if I ever venture to your town that is for sure. Yes, moments are precious, this is why ever since I came back from Cancun Mexico (2 days ago) I have been searching on the web for my next get away! :)

Mar 07, 2009 03:52 PM
Jason Crouch
Austin Texas Homes, LLC - Austin, TX
Broker - Austin Texas Real Estate (512-796-7653)

Gary - First, you are correct about the home delivery of the paper - I don't get that anymore.  With regard to Twitter, I won't try to sell you on using it or not using.  Like any other tool, your success with it will only follow (pun intended) if you are comfortable using it in the first place.  I will say that I have had actual closings from it, and I recruited two agents who now work for me whom I met there first.  Also, I met a terrific loan officer that is handling three transactions for us now.  It's not meant to substitute for face-to-face interaction, but it can help you to better leverage your networking time.  NO ONE understands Twitter at first, so you are in good company.  Bruce is actually correct about the "chat room on steroids" comment, but the chatting often has real value.

Mar 07, 2009 04:47 PM
Chuck Carstensen
RE/MAX Results - Elk River, MN
Minnesota/Wisconsin Real Estate Expert

I am still trying to get twitter...okay not trying to hard because I too have a life but its THE PLACE TO BE so I am there.  I do like that my Active Rain posts automatically update on there.

Mar 07, 2009 05:03 PM
Janie Coffey
First Coast Sotheby’s International Realty - Ponte Vedra, FL
Uniting Extraordinary Homes w/ Extraordinary Lives

Hi Gary

Twitter only works if you like it. I don't think it is something which can be forced as part of a busines plan.  I do, however, like it (it works for me) and have made some great offline contacts, the best of which landed me on top of the 6 PM news in MIami when Obama announced his stimulous plan commenting on... real estate... you can read more here...http://activerain.com/blogsview/959788/The-Twitter-Effect-why-you-should-Seriously-Consider-being-on-Twitter-if-you-are-not if you like.  THere are so many options that noone need to pursue business generation ones that don't synch with them.  I am happy to tweet, it's my nature ;-)

Mar 08, 2009 09:29 AM
Stephanie Feinzilberg
Remax Services - Delray Beach, FL

I'm not on twitter yet, but plan on using it as one more marketing tool. You don't have to spend all day on it like some people!!

Mar 08, 2009 10:52 AM
Sally Dunbar
Lyon Real Estate, Fair Oaks CA (Sacramento Area) - Fair Oaks, CA
Fair Oaks Realtor - Fair Oaks Homes for Sale

You start blogging.  Then you hear about people twittering.  AAAHHH... I'm missing the boat.  I need to do it.  EVERYONE's doing it.  But then, come back to earth.  In my office of 60, I am the only one who even blogs. (2 other are on AR, but only blog occasionally.)  So 57 aren't even blogging. No one is twittering.  And these are productive agents, who are selling real estate.  Is it something else to progress toward... sure.  Or maybe regress.  But life will go on with or without it.  And for the record, I still read the paper every morning.... AND go out in our boat!

Mar 08, 2009 04:09 PM
Tony Fantis
Fantis Group Real Estate - Salt Lake City, UT
Realtor,Principal Broker - Salt Lake City

Exactly my thoughts, at least at first.  I hired a PR firm who SWEARS i MUST use Twitter.  Turns out, they were right.  Twitter is one of those things that can be very, very rewarding as you dig deeper beneath the service and find out what it really can do.  I was flabbergasted!

Mar 08, 2009 04:55 PM
Jo-Anne Smith
Oakville, ON

hi Gary,

I'm on Twitter...however not in a big way, yet. I haven't quite had time to learn of all of it's benefits..although I know there are many and you can use it as much or as little as you like.

Jo

Mar 09, 2009 02:42 AM
Russel Ray, San Diego Business & Marketing Consultant & Photographer
Russel Ray - San Diego State University, CA

I wish I had written that, but I'm not brave enough to offend all the Twits Twitterers Tweeters Twitterers Twits here on ActiveRain -- LOL

Mar 09, 2009 06:48 AM
Karen Anne Stone
New Home Hunters of Fort Worth and Tarrant County - Fort Worth, TX
Fort Worth Real Estate

Gary:  I totally agree with you.  No Twitter for me.  In fact... I saw someone on TV yesterday... talking about Twittering... and he was just "gushing" about all the "friends" he had on Twitter.  I felt sad for him.  From the way he was talking, I don't think he had very many "real" friends at all.  Quite sad.  Take care...

Mar 09, 2009 05:41 PM
Sonja Adams
Keller Williams Realty - Purcellville, VA

I like having my blog go there but find that I dont have a lot of time  for Twitter...

Mar 10, 2009 05:29 AM
Carol Culkin
Diamond Partners Inc - Overland Park, KS
Overland Park Residential Real Estate

Gary - Ever since joining facebook several weeks ago I have reconnected with a big portion of my SOI on a daily basis. I think Twitter is along the same concept. However, i am on the fence. How many social networks can one belong to and still have time to do business?  

Mar 12, 2009 05:06 PM
Donne Knudsen
Los Angeles & Ventura Counties in CA - Simi Valley, CA
CalState Realty Services

Gary - Personally, I'm with you on this.  I got three words for anyone who wants to follow my daily activities - GET A LIFE!  For those who proclaim that they use it for business, good for them.  Personally, I don't have enought time to devote to the social networking sites I already belong to (AR & Mortgage Girlfriends) or my website blog.  The last thing I need is to join yet another social website that I don't have time for.

Personally, any free time I get, I would rather spend with family and friends than a bunch of strangers.  In the long run, socializing with family and friends has actually been more beneficial to growing my business than networking with total strangers.

Apr 26, 2009 02:13 PM