This week’s Ask the AM really spurred me into action. I hear moans and groans all the time from agent s who just don’t like social networking. They gripe about how time consuming it is or they were never successful or, it’s too monotonous, or……….whatever else and all I got to say is, SO BAD, SO SAD, AINT YOU GLAD YOUR MOMA AINT YOUR DAD!
As Ned points out in the article, someone is using Social Networking and taking your business. This mysterious agent has become savvy enough to create a LinkedIn profile or Facebook page and is now using it with maximum force.
You see, while your setting back, accepting those listing assignments, this mysterious agent is sharing tweets or swapping emails or learning about your Asset Manager’s terrible weekend because they lost their dog Sparky (thanks Ned). Before you know it, this agent and your Asset Manager are developing a friendship vs. a business relationship. So, when the next assignment get sent out, who do you think is going to get it?
Granted, I know social networks take time to create…..I created REOPro for goodness sake however, I can’t stress to each of you, your lack of involvement is at your own detriment. Now, you may never have a social network of a thousand or more or ever have a goal to reach twenty five thousand but, a well oiled social network of a few hundred and make a huge difference.
Here is the stark cold truth. Asset Managers are loosing their jobs, getting re-assigned or simply dropping out and all this is happening because the business is changing so, what do you think these Asset Managers are doing when they are no longer Asset Managers? Well, let me tell you, they are getting real estate licenses and taking over territories for their friends back at the Bank or Asset Management Companies. My point is, if you aren’t on a first name basis, dirty joke telling, birthday card sending, meet up at the conference having drinks relationship………………..someone else is or is trying to be.
Now, as many of you know, I try to adhere to a high standard of morals and ethics so, don’t misconstrue what I am trying to say. No, you don’t go put in hardwood floors at your Asset Manager’s vacation home or send them a Visa Gift Card worth $5,000.00 to their P.O. Box , hopefully if you did they would refuse it but, you do call them regularly if nothing more to just shoot the breeze or say “Hi”.
Let me put this another way, hopefully it will ring true to you. REOPro currently has over 18,000 invites to join our network that are outstanding. In other words, these are members who downloaded their address books in to our system and REOPro system each person an invite to join. By now, we should have blown though our goal of 25,000 member however, I am still only getting maybe 15-20 new members a day. This is contributable to the fact that many of the people who received an invite never got a follow up saying, “check out this network”. Social networking is a lot like that follow up. If you don’t follow up and say “Hi” or learn about people, then why would anyone want to invest in you?
I will leave you with a quote, who it came from, I have no idea but, here it is…….
“A lead will make you some money, a follow up will make you rich”, I like to change that around a bit and say……
“A lead will make you some money, a active social network will ensure your kids don’t have to work”
Comments
First I would like to give you Kudos for such a wonderful job. Thanks for sharing the FREE Social Networking Site. It is worth the $25.00.
My comment is regarding Realty Plot, I signed up in February, (Must commit for minimum 3 mos) after 4 months I decided to cancel my membership due to lack of assignments. I was under the impression, Realty Plot was going to bring me more business. Is anyone receiving more business with RP? Did I miss something? Was my timing bad?
RealtyPilot is the REOPro platform so, in order to get a REO assignment from REOPro, you must be a member of RealtyPilot network however, we have made a few changes.
1. All of our member are now in RealtyPilot by default so, if we have an assignment in your area and we don't have a preferred agent, the assignment will be broadcasted out and it's a first come first serve thing.
2. We don't have a huge inventory, in fact...everything we have right now is investor based so, it's rather limited and that is why RealtyPilot provides the Altimeter or Activity counter in their system for you.
Query your zip code and make a decision if the amount of business we have in your area is worth your cost. At no time should any agent be paying for something they don't feel is worth it.
As for a forum for meeting Asset Managers........we (REOPro and RealtyPilot) had a Lucky Sevens Party in Dallas a couple months back that we heavily advertised on this network. I point that out because that is exactly how we got our agents in front of Asset Managers. More importantly, the way we set it up was almost an exact 1 to 1 ratio. In other words, for every agent in the room, we had a 1 Asset Manager. I don't know of another way to get our members the connections they want and need.
In fact, if you look at the Main page, you will see I have been asking for donations......why you might ask? Well, I was hoping to get us a booth at FiveStar this year as well as host another huge party but, that takes money and simply put, I don't have that kind of money to just shell out on my own so, I need our members to step up and donate.
Truth be told, this network is free and as far as I am concerned will always be free but, if everyone would donate just 25.00 dollars, we could do so much more....so much more.
Well, I am a bit perplexed by the question. The article I wrote above goes over exactly that. You get listings from Asset Managers by using your networking resources to their fullest. Read over the article for more details.
I bet you have a more specific question you would like to ask?