What is Bebo, Myspace, Facebook, Twitter, Gotaccess, Youtube,
What is Trademe, allrealestate, voices, ebay, blogs, websites,
What is a hit Report, tracking cookie, opt-ins, forums, alerts, RSS,
What is email, texts, podcasts, webinars,
What is the internet!! What is communication!!
This is just a tiny small fraction of the things the internet in the modern world has to offer. But why do I need to know any of this. Well simple.. Do you want to make and continue to make money. Then you need to be where the public is don’t you. Well it’s just a fact. You need to be on the internet to grow in this modern day world.
Whether you’re a real estate professional, home business user, small or large corporation, entrepreneur, social butterfly if you’re on the internet you will be noticed and if you perceive yourself in a good light then you will grow a following and in turn grow your business. The truth is no matter how you do things on the internet if you do it in volume, are visible to people someone will read your stuff, look at your material and interact with you.
There are 6,676,120,288 internet users around the world who contribute to over US$ 1,000,000,000,000 of transactions per year. Wouldn’t you like to be part of this somehow. Anyway this incredible amount is only growing daily. But how can I benefit from the internet.
Well if you’re doing something you will be noticed. If your noticed and strike a chord with someone they will remember and go back to read more. The average person has only 21 frequent sites they visit at any one period. Those 21 sites may chop and change over time but you want to be one of those 21.
How do you do that. Well if you’re a reader or information gatherer which most people are then you need to be putting up relevant information and/or material for the user to want to come back. With blogs, putting up useful stuff to actually help your reader will guarantee that they come back to you. If you just brag about yourself and don’t give any information that can benefit the reader then there is no point. If you got a website, have incentives with regular contact to keep the reader lured.
To get the return traffic you need to think to yourself WHY. Why will someone read what I am giving out and what benefit will it have to them. We are all influenced by the Y Generation kids. Where “WHY” is the ultimate question. Why Should I read this, Why Do I have to, Why do I need to sell, Why do I need to buy now. Subconsciously nothing now taken at face value. It is all questioned.
When you’re selling something it is more than ever harder. Your treated as a person with a motive. Not trusted and always suspected. We all have had those annoying emails telling us we have won 2 million pounds and all we have to do is supply our details to claim a prize. By the way to make a fake profile on the internet a user only needs your full name address phone number and date of birth and place of birth and a few other minor details. Then your name could be tarnished or you could be frauded and in deep trouble.
Back to the point, there is always the question in the buyers head “Why is he/she telling me this, saying that, doing this?”.This is where trust needs to be built up. And the internet is a great medium to do this and it’s about communication and there are just so many mediums to do that – a small portion is mentioned at the start.
To gain trust you must be seen to lay it all out. Be open and transparent and not mess around. Do what you say you will do. No one will spend their money without trusting who they are buying from. But how does it translate to real estate. Well buyers can read your material and feel trusted. Sellers can read your website, blogs etc in the comfort of their own home and without you knowing which makes them comfortable and not under pressure. The seller then in turn may respond to your information and then call you. Then you have made contact.
The danger always though remember is that they can find all sorts of stuff out about you from the internet before they even meet you. Public profiles such as facebook or myspace can be dangerous to a reputation if you aren’t careful. You need to not worry about your material but also the material of your friends, is it appropriate. You may just find people learn things that you don’t want them to. Even indirectly.
But if done right you can be in a great place to meet the new online consumers. Opportunities will find you. Just deliver good content that people want and appreciate. Utilise the online world. It’s all a tool. One thing doesn’t suit everyone so the more the better. ie not everyone uses facebook so if you’re on myspace as well then you have the upper hand.
There is just so much to take in. Take it bit by bit. There is more and more opportunity out there and people know about it and early adopters are already reaping the rewards and returns. Don’t put it off saying that I never had to use it before. Or say I dont need it. You need it. Do it and watch how you grow.
Couldn’t agree more. Social Networking sites may seem and perhaps are at some level a bit of a pain in the ass but they’re worth perservibng with. Why? Because they are to a whole lot of people more ‘real’ than reality and these guys all buy and sell houses too. Great post Deon.
Pearse
Thanks mate. Your right that they are a apin. sometimes I dont know whether i am arthur or marther. But sticking with it is the key.