Twitter Is Like Cheers!
May 12, 2008 | 12 Comments
My wife, Kari, and I were on one of our usual long drives. We like our long drives. It gives us a chance to talk about stuff, and being that we are both REALTORS, you can imagine what some of our favorite subjects are. During the course of this conversation, we were discussing Twitter.
Those of you who know me know that I am a big Twitter fan. I was commenting to Kari that I have a hard time trying to explain Twitter to people. The folks at CommonCraft did a good job, but I can’t always show that video to everyone. There has to be some way to easily explain it.
That is when she said it.
She very simply turned to me and said, “Twitter is like Cheers.”
Twitter IS Like Cheers
You remember Cheers, don’t you? The place “where everybody knows your name, and they’re always glad you came.” The place “where people know people are all the same.” For everyone who watched the show, Cheers represented a place where you knew you could go and be accepted for who you are; the place were you could always find good times, great conversation, and make even better friends.
For those of you who know Twitter, this should sound pretty familiar.
So no matter whether you are Sam or Diane, Norm or Cliff, Woody or Carla, it really doesn’t matter. Everyone has a place, and everyone can enjoy each other’s company.
“Twitter is Like Cheers” Illustrated
Kari’s Twitter metaphor is easy to share and even easier to understand. After our conversation, I couldn’t get it out of my head, and I just had to do something about it. So I wrote this post to share it with you, and then I made this little video I hope you will enjoy:
(And for those of you who are wondering, the ever-popular Cheers theme song was written by Gary Portnoy.)
Latest ZebraTalk Updates REBarCamp ‘08
May 9, 2008 | 2 Comments
Yesterday’s episode of ZebraTalk was a lot of fun (click the link to listen). The show provides a lot of great information for anyone interested in what is going on with REBarCamp ‘08.
Joining me on the show were Andy Kaufman, Brad Coy, Todd Carpenter, and Ricardo Bueno. The fellas gave everyone an update on all of the planning for the event (Brad and Andy were successful in reserving an awesome space). Everyone also shared their expectations for the event, and some ideas about the content and participation.
If you have any interest in what is happening on the leading edge of the real estate profession, you are going to want to listen the show and then keep tabs on REBarCamp ‘08. Hopefully, I’ll get to say hello to you in San Francisco!
Catch the Zebra on Real Estate Radio USA Tomorrow at 4:30 EST
April 30, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Tomorrow is May Day. I don’t think I’ve actually celebrated May Day since the 5th grade. Tomorrow, however I’ll be bringing in the month of May with the Barry’s over on Real Estate Radio USA.
I’ll be on at 4:00 EST, but the show gets rolling at 4:00pm. You can listen in, or if you miss it, there will be an archive version as well.
Oh, and if you were wondering where they got that great bio for me, it is part of the Zebra Manifesto. 
Finally, Someone Making Heads or Tails of the Long Tail
April 30, 2008 | Leave a Comment
Gahlord Dewald over at Union Street Media is one smart dude. I got the chance to meet him at Inman Connect NYC. Since then, I have been reading his blog.
I would try to explain it to you, but Gahlord does a much better job that I ever could, so go read the post.
25 Minutes of Comic Relief for Real Estate Professionals
April 30, 2008 | 3 Comments
If you are in the Real Estate Profession, or know someone who is. . .
just take 25 minutes to watch this episode of King of the Hill. You won’t regret it, I PROMISE!
King of the Hill cracks me up.
Want to Know What Someone Means? Ask!
April 30, 2008 | 11 Comments
You may remember when I introduced the concept of the Listing Conversation, as opposed to the traditional Listing Presentation. I hope that you have been conscientious about trying to engage your potential clients more, and not just talking at them.
You may be wondering, “Well, I want to have more conversation with my clients, but they just won’t talk to me. They won’t tell me what they really mean. If I could only get them to tell me what they really mean, then both our lives would be much better. How do I get them to tell me what they really mean?
I’m glad you asked. . .
Referees are Trained to Be Brief and Meaningful
As a basketball referee, interactions with coaches are entirely unavoidable. I know that, at some point during a game, I am going to have at least one interaction with each coach. Sometimes, these interactions are emotional (go figure).
When it comes to interaction with coaches, referees are trained to always keep two things in mind– Don’t initiate an exchange, and be brief when you do have to have one. As a basketball referee, the LAST thing I want to do is get into some sort of protracted conversation with a coach. The reasons for this are many, but most of them have to do with my own self-preservation.
I can almost hear you thinking, “So if referees are trained not to have conversations, how are you supposed to help me have more conversations with my clients?”
Glad you asked. While, on the one hand, referees are trained to be brief, they are also trained to be very meaningful. When you are forced to be brief, you don’t have time to waste trying to figure things out. You need to know what the coach means so that you can properly address it.
The Question is the Best Weapon in a Conversation
One the most valuable lessons I have ever learned in officiating is to use the question to my advantage. Here’s a very common example that has saved my butt on more than one occasion:
COACH: C’mon ref, the foul count is 6-1 against us. What’s going on?
(This is a very common exchange between referees and coaches. Coaches always notice the foul count when it is not in their favor, especially when the spread is 3 or more fouls. NO ANSWER IN THE WORLD is going to satisfy the coach. In fact, the coach usually doesn’t want a response to this question, he is really just trying to vent frustration. Here is where the question is powerful. . .)
REF: What do you mean, coach?
(The response to THIS question determines how I would handle the situation. Without the answer to this question, I have no idea what the coach is after, so I have no idea how to appropriately respond. The coach might say this:)
COACH: They are killing us on that end, and we aren’t getting any calls.
(Such a response is common, and it is merely a show of frustration at a perceived lack of officiating consistency. No problem, I can just say. . .)
REF: I hear you coach, we’ll make sure we watch that action.
(Short, sweet, and everyone goes on their merry way. He has vented, and I have acknowledged it. End of story. A different answer from the coach would require a different response on my behalf. . .)
COACH: You guys have been missing calls all night! You’re terrible!
(The response to this one is easy. . .)
REF: TWEEEEET! Technical foul.
Without asking the coach for that initial explanation, there is no way to know what his true motives are, so you run the risk of acting inappropriately to the situation. Acting inappropriately can cause a lot of problems that are completely unavoidable. Had I reacted with an immediate technical foul, the coach would have every right to be upset, and so would my supervisor.
The simple act of asking another question can make a world of difference.
Applying the Lessons from Roundball to Real Estate
So now you know how referees use one simple question to get meaning out of their interactions with coaches. Obviously, this same technique can be applied to your interactions with potential clients, buyers or sellers.
I’m going to share with you how I think this technique can be used in another post on Friday. I would like to be able to use your input and suggestions in that post; it would be more beneficial if we could all learn from the experiences of each other.
So let’s all help each other out. Leave a comment on this post on how you might use a question to find out how to better meet the needs of your potential clients. Better yet, if you have a story you can share as to how you have approached these situations, let us know! If you don’t want to leave a comment, you can even email your suggestions or stories to me at Daniel [at] StrongTeamRealtors.com. I would love to be able to share YOUR input and insight.
So. . .what would YOU do? What questions would YOU ask, and WHY?
Updgrade Complete, Let me Know If you See Anything Funny
April 28, 2008 | 2 Comments
I just upgraded to WordPress Version 2.5.1 take it for a spin and let me know if you see anything that appears to be working incorrectly. It all looked pretty good to me.
Interact With the Zebra Through Video Comments!
April 27, 2008 | 5 Comments
UPDATE– There seem to be some technical problems. Comments are being recorded, but not posted. I’ll let everyone know when things are working correctly.
I’ve had a Seesmic account for something like 6 months now. I really haven’t found it all that useful, until now.
Seesmic created a Wordpress plug-in that enables video comments on blog posts. SWEET!
This means that anyone with a webcam can now leave a video comment to any post. You don’t even need a Seesmic account, just a webcam. All you have to do is click on “leave a video comment” under the text comment box. Make sure that you still fill out all of the comment information. When the video window comes up, make sure you check “allow” so that you can record your video. You can even leave text AND video in the same comment.
So, if you have a webcam, and you feel so inclined, leave me a video comment. I love to interact with Zebra readers, and this is just one more way to make that happen.
(if you want to see the plug-in in action, check out the Trulia Blog)
BTW– I also added a comment threading plug-in that will allow you to reply to a specific comment. That will help on posts with multiple people commenting. Try it out!
If You Think Twitter is a Stupid Waste of Time. . .
April 24, 2008 | 4 Comments
. . .read this.
Not on Twitter yet? What are you waiting for?
On Twitter already? Are you following me?
Jeremy shared his Twitter story. How has Twitter helped you?
Wanna Know How You Can do Irrevocable Damage to Your Brand and Your Reputation?
April 22, 2008 | 10 Comments
Read this post by The Phoenix Real Estate Guy addressing a recent Redfin blog post.
Pay very close attention to the comments on the Redfin blog post. Not because of what the other real estate professionals had to say, but because of what “Jon” a real estate consumer had to say:
I am not a real estate agent, as most commenters here appear to be. I’m just a soon to be homeowner interested in real estate in San Diego.
But I do find this post not only childish, but insulting.
“Everyone ends up with a bad taste, longing for a barf bag and mouthwash.”
You’re right. That describes me to a T after reading this drivel.I am considering using Redfin as my agency, but I wouldn’t ever consider using Ms. Hian as my agent.
“Biting back” at Ms. Berg is one thing, but you bit back at everyone that contributed to that food drive. How is that appropriate?
This is just one comment from a consumer who happened to leave a comment. How many more consumers read this post and didn’t leave one? My guess is that it is more than one. Now, how many more will read Jay Thompson’s post? How many more might read this post?
Are you beginning to get the picture?
So for you, dear reader, be reminded that the internet NEVER forgets, and the rate at which information travels is swift, and the depths to which it reaches are almost infinite. Perhaps Carol Hian should have considered that before she sat down at her keyboard. I can only hope that what I hope are the good folks at Redfin will give her a gentle reminder.
UPDATE: Glenn Kelman, President and CEO of Redfin, apologized for the post in the comments section. I would imagine something even more significant might be coming. Now THAT’S reputation management. We await the apology of Ms. Hian. . .
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Disclaimer
My name is Daniel Rothamel. I am a licensed real estate agent in the Commonwealth of Virginia and a member of the National Association of REALTORS. As such, I adhere to a strict code of ethics and all laws with regard to equal housing, which is reflected in the content of this blog. My broker is Strong Team REALTORS, 86 Joshua Lane, Palmyra, VA 22963; (434) 589-5800. My VA Real Estate License number is 0225 077325. All of the opinions in this blog are mine, unless otherwise noted.
