Below is a recent Facebook post - and the related comments (names have been crossed out to protect the innocent). Just an example of the power of Social Networking ... and the importance of protecting your personal brand and building a referral-producing, loyal client base.
Social Media is no longer a Kids Activity
We have finally reached the tipping point where most adults in business are acknowledging that Social Media sites like Facebook, and Twitter are no longer for kids. According to the Harris Poll and other surveys released in April 2009, here is what they reveal:
Year over Year Growth Increases
To further detail the popularity of these sites, I used Compete.Com to look at trends associated to the growth of Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, and LinkedIn.
Time flies. It's hard to believe that the end of the year is here! And, what a year it's been. NOW is a critical time to reflect on your 2008. Not the economy of 2008 or the election of 2008, but the role you've played in shaping this past year for yourself and others.
Even without having to think too hard, there is bound to be an assortment of good and not-so-good aspects to the year as a whole, and certain to be some good and useful lessons to be learned. The old saying about those who do not learn from history being condemned to repeat its mistakes applies well here.
So now's a good time to set aside an hour or two, to review and digest, give yourself a clear-headed appraisal of the last twelve months, and leap into the next, armed with a clear and specific plan.
We've all heard that New Year's Resolutions are made to be broken, but forgotten and neglected business goals will only hurt and deprive you in the long run. Look back, consider and learn. Then jump into the new year with a burst of new energy and a well thought-out course.
We're here to help support you, and are looking forward to helping you grow your business through the power of relationships in 2009!
Guest Opinion from the Fierce Inc. Blog:
As the holidays draw near, the stress of finding the perfect gift begins to build. In the past, the perfect gift would be the latest high-tech gadget, that shiny necklace in the window, or the “Tickle Me Elmo” toy. That idea of a perfect gift has changed. As the economy falls into a recession, some may feel it is having a negative impact on the holiday season and some may see it as a blessing in disguise. I see it as a blessing in disguise. People are spending less money and are focusing more on spending time with their family and friends, building stronger relationships, and creating new memories.
Instead of spending money on frivolous items that get lost in the closet or someone only uses once, buy something that provides you with the opportunity to spend more time with those important to you. Buy a ticket to a play or a gift card to a local hotel for a “staycation,” maybe even cooking lessons! This holiday season focus your gift giving on what really matters during the holidays − our relationships.
So, what are you giving for the holidays?
by Pam
I was talking to our marketing director the other day, and she related this story. Jean called her financial advisor, Marcia Cammack, concerned about the AIG meltdown. I'll let her tell it:
"During the conversation, I asked Marcia if she'd received the paper I signed earlier, agreeing to move some money out of AIG. Marcia turned her head and spoke to her assistant, Wendy, this way: 'Wendy, do you have handy that paper Jean Walker signed?' Amazingly, she did.
"Now, this struck me as extraordinary," Jean continues, "for several reasons. For one, Marcia probably handles dozens of clients - most of them with a lot more money invested than I have! For another, she didn't specify for Wendy what 'the signed paper' was about. Yet her assistant knew right away. We joked about what you had to pay to get assistants to read your mind, then Marcia said it was really about her relationships with clients, and that Wendy buys that philosophy 100%. For that reason, Wendy knew that I've been moving a lot of investments around in the last 3 months. (And which ones were most recent.)
'We want our clients to know we're connected to them,' Marcia said. 'That's why we don't greet them with questions like [in an official monotone], What's your social security number? Or, Give me the last three addresses where you lived. Or, What color was your last neighbor's mailbox? You know ...' I laughed with her and said, yes, I sure did, having 'official' conversations with service companies as a regular thing.
"I pointed out to Marcia that when I'd called that morning, she picked up the phone herself (her direct line), and said, 'Hi, Jean. How are ya?' I can't think of the last time THAT happened with an organization providing me a service. Most of them seem to be about trying to impress me with their importance, rather than insisting on mine. 'Well, of course!' Marcia said. 'If we did that around here, I'd be bored to death. I'd have to quit! I don't want to have those kinds of conversations with my clients.'
"We laughed a bit more, took care of business, and signed off. As always with Marcia, I felt an almost physical sense of relief that she is looking after my affairs and actually knows who I am and what my concerns are. And is dedicated to supporting them. How important is that in this kind of economy?!" Jean said.
As I've heard somewhere before, Priceless. So here's a question for you: Do your clients feel the kind of 
confidence in you that Jean has in Marcia? Consistent relationship marketing is key. Interesting coincidence (I swear I didn't notice it) that Marcia's firm has a key in its logo.
Pretty exciting! As we near the end of July, the total donations to the American Cancer Society are approaching the $30,000 mark. And we still have a few months to run. This phase of our Giving Program, now in its ninth month, has triggered great response from our member agents and their customers.
If you're not familiar with it, read a quick explanation of how it works here. The agents do the grass-roots work in the customized campaign we created, and we donate a portion of their membership fee in honor of their most valuable clients. The money goes directly to the American Cancer Society (this campaign's chosen charity) and/or any local 501(c)(3) foundation. The customers so selected are very moved by the gesture. One Florida agent reported that one of her clients literally ran out to thank her when they saw her passing in her morning jog. Almost all of us have been 
touched either directly or indirectly by cancer, and it's great to have a chance to support research for a cure.
We initiated the Reach Out program after the events of 9/11, and have reinstituted many times since for different worthy causes. The enthusiasm is contagious! I've heard more than one agent say this campaign was the tipping point in their decision to join us. It's an amazing way to give back, and reinforce the bonds of loyalty with their most important clients.
Not only is Wendy Francis a great real estate agent, she's a community resource. And we're not the only ones who know that's true!
Because of her commitment to affordable housing in Lincoln, she was recently honored with the Outstanding Real Estate Professional of the Year Award from NIFA (Nebraska Investment Finance Authority). "This award is more meaningful to me than any other award I could win," she said when presented with the honor in Omaha. 
Wendy got involved when she saw the increase in the number of people searching for a home in the $75,000 to $125,000 range. "There are many people in Lincoln who have limited incomes, and want to become a first-time homeowner - to build some equity in the community where they live," Wendy said. So she went to work. "One of the most rewarding things about this," she continues, "is the friendships I make with my clients. I begin to feel withdrawal once they buy a house and don't call me everyday!"
We know for a fact that our friend Wendy gets plenty of calls from people who are looking for a home, not just a house. She knows the difference. Wendy Francis is with the SouthPointe office of Woods Bros 
Realty, and has been a Relationship Master with us since October of 2004. In fact, we feel withdrawal when she doesn't call us!
I'm thrilled to be joined by an old friend for next week's Guest Expert Conference online. Kim Ades, MBA, is founder and president of Opening Doors and Frame of Mind Coaching. Not only is she one of real estate's foremost experts on performance and sales success ... she's also really passionate about it.
We're going to take our Relationship Masters and guests on an interactive journey to explore the seven secrets that top performers incorporate in their careers to attract more sales - even in a weak market. "Two real estate agents can have the same training and skill sets," Kim says, "and yet one succeeds and one doesn't. Some agents are experiencing tremendous success in this downturn market and some are struggling. Why?"
Come find out! Even if you're not a Relationship Master, be my guest for this special PropertySource University Webinar. To register, just use this link. You'll receive all the info you need by return email. There is no charge. That's next Thursday the 5th at 1PM Eastern time. If you've never attended a Webinar, take a look at our guide.
Kim's got some really valuable ideas to share, and I want our Masters to get in on it! To give you a clue, one of the 7 Secrets is Heightened Awareness. As she puts it, "The ability to identify the thoughts and beliefs that stand in the way of the goals people have created for themselves, and to crush them." OK! Another secret is, of course, Relationships. That's part of the reason why Kim's coaching is a natural for participants in our relationship marketing system. Join us! She promises you'll feel "exponentially better" afterwards.
Certainly more fun than reading about "new records" for oil prices every day, isn't it? This is GOOD news!
Member participation in our Realtors Reach Out program has generated $24,500 to date! Those dollars go directly to the American Cancer Society. Here's how it works: PropertySource donates $50 for every new or renewing member in our relationship marketing program who wants to participate. They, in turn, identify their most valuable clients, and let them know through a customized campaign that a donation has been made in their honor.
We initiated this phase of the Realtors Reach Out campaign (the receiving organization differs in each phase) late in October of 2007, and two things have been happening regularly since: First, our members are very happy with this opportunity to give back to the community. And second, their clients are very moved by the gesture. Most individuals have been touched by cancer in one way or another.
It seems to me that, as the real estate market is not as bullish as it has been, these donations mean more now to both parties than they would have earlier. And I believe those clients, as long as our members stay in touch, will remember their agent when the next opportunity comes to refer a friend or family member looking to buy or sell a home. And in the meantime, we all get to do some good.
Dose of Motivation
Posted on Wednesday, August 05, 2009 at 04:34 PM in Commentary and Relationship Marketing Coaching | Permalink | Comments (0)