Rather than offer your usual list of RE.net suspects, my advice on who Twitter newbies should follow is more geared to what “groups” of people newbies should consider following. It’s about having a conversation with your audience. First know who your audience is.

This Isn’t Another “Follow These People” Type of List

Sure, there are tons of awesome real estate thought leaders out there in the Twitterverse to follow. The “Who’s Who” list has already been written. And I’m sure more list will follow. The point of this post is to focus what “groups of people” real estate agents should follow if they have the idea in mind to see their bottom line be impacted by their social media participation. Unless you want to refer out all your clients to other real estate agents, your list should be hyper-local oriented.

10 Groups of People You Should Follow on Twitter

Here are a few ideas who you should consider following on Twitter:

1. Your current clients. If they are on Twitter, set the expectation that you may engage in “light’ banter and not detailed aspects of their transaction. Be mindful to avoid specific and sensitive financial matters in your Tweets (this applies to Facebook updates too). For sensitive conversations, I would even avoid sending direct message (DM) Tweets too. Stick with email and the phone for those conversations.
2. Your past clients are terrific people to follow if they are on Twitter. Of course I’m assuming these were satisfied clients. Having Tweet conversations with past clients keeps you “top of mind” for referrals and future transactions from your past clients. Their “word of mouth” endorsement on Twitter of the quality of your services is a powerful tool in your marketing plan.
3. Potential clients. Another type of hyper-local “Tweople” you follow on Twitter. These are folks you have a goal to meet face to face. The obvious place to meet is at a local Tweetup. So how does one go about finding local people on Twitter who may become a client? Here are a few tools to identify and group local Twitter people: 1) TwitterLocal 2) Place Tweople in groups 3) Find people with Twubble
4. Local news media personalities and news production people are awesome people to follow. Now is a great time to follow the news media crowd especially while their followers list is small. Having Twitter conversations with these peeps allows you to demonstrate your knowledge and expertise as a local area expert and trusted adviser. It may even get you an interview if you play your cards right.
5. Your friends and family members. How many times have you heard a friend used another agent when they should have used you to help buy or sell. With Twitter, it’s another way to stay connected to remain top of mind with friends and family.
6. Local vendor partners. This includes following your mortgage guy or gal, your home inspector, and any other partner you depend on to serve your client’s needs. It’s like using Twitter as your Rolodex.
7. Marketing, technology and social media thought leaders. These individuals will help you stay in the know and keep you abreast of the latest and greatest in technology, social media and real estate marketing.
8. Suppliers and Virtual Assistants. The aforementioned group may go hand in hand with suppliers and virtual assistants. I will say there are many real estate agents who definitely fall into the category above as “real estate thought leaders” and are worthy of following. Learning from their example is a must.
9. Your broker/owner if they are on Twitter. If your broker-in-charge/owner is on Twitter, you should most certainly be following them (you know they will be following you).
10. Other real estate agents. Notice this is last on the list and for good reason. Unless your business model is completely skewed to relocation referrals, connecting with tons of fellow agents to grow your digital SOI doesn’t  make sense to me. Now, if you use Twitter to chat and have fun with your peers, great. Just understand, it’s probably not going to help grow your business to be following every agent who is on Twitter.

Let’s Get Personal

I’ll make this point personal. I could follow every real estate marketing and SEO expert there is on Twitter, chat away and it will never help grow my business. My audience is real estate agents, brokers and broker/owners. I make no bones about it, I’m there to listen, connect, engage, share high-value information with my audience so I can make friends, have fun and help people. Along with friends and family, it’s who I hang with on Twitter.

So who do you follow on Twitter?

Bobby

Rachel Makes a Great Point!

From her perspective, all Rachel sees is Tweople “Tweeting” about what they are doing and news posts. Though not personally directed at Rachel, if that’s all the Tweets we see and we want “more” I would question who we are following. And that “more element” that a person is seeking is that “high value information”, and help we receive as a result of the spirit of giving that is (or at least should be) so prevalent in social communities.

Use Twitter for Fun? Sure, Go For it!

If you would prefer to only use Twitter as your social water cooler, great! Go for it. For some individuals they can have fun (like me) and use it to help grow their business at the same time.

Be Top of Mind!

If your goal is to in fact realize a financial benefit from social media, I suggest we use Twitter (and Facebook) as a tool to obtain “top of mind” status. That way when a friend or follower needs your help, they remember “you”! Not because you use Twitter/Facebook as your megaphone and say “Buy a House from Me“ or “Here is another one of my listings”! It’s all about the fact that you listened, connected, engaged and offered high value content and helped. That will position you to become top of mind. Now that’s leveraging social media to benefit you with the primary mission to help others.

Let me know if you agree or disagree.

Helping you use social media more effectively to the benefit of all!

Bobby

P.S. Note to self! When on Facebook you never know who is reading your comments, so lose the “RE industry speak”.

Helping RE BarCamps Benefit All

While each RE BarCamp is unique, there are some shared commonalities about them all. Those common values include ardent sharers and seekers of information, awesome networking opportunities coupled with pre and post RE BarCamp fun social opportunities. Here’s the thing, based on feedback voiced by attendees and read in our streaming chat room during our streams, there is a growing disappointment over the failure to deliver the kind of environment and experience some attendees were hoping for. It’s not a major problem now but, it seems to be a growing trend. I’ll identify a few of those voiced challenges momentarily.

Why Write this Post You Ask?

It’s not to “stir the pot” or “be controversial”. Frankly, I’m not crazy about controversy. Because I believe so strongly in this movement I wanted to speak out on behalf of many who have been silent to date. These trends, if not recognized, could lead to some challenging issues for the organizers and the attendees alike. The last thing I want to see happen is the RE BarCamp movement lose momentum. Hence the reason for writing this post. It’s written with the hope that each RE BarCamp will be even more beneficial to all who attend and participate. Participation by everyone is key. Offering a nonthreatening environment for learning is another key to unlocking the success of RE BarCamps.

Suggestions for Re BarCamp Organizers

Allow me to begin with the planners of RE Bar Camps. Those who help orchestra these events should be supported, thanked for their monumental efforts and appreciated for their tireless work. If you are in the midst of planning an RE bar Camp, I trust these tips will help make your job a tad bit easier. I sure hope so. Consider these suggestions.

Let’s Get Logistical!

It seems more participation is encouraged when the “main” room is organized with chairs arranged in a circular fashion or with tables and not in a “theater mode”. If tables aren’t available, no big deal. Just begin your BarCamp with your chairs situated in theater mode, then ask attendees to rearrange them in circles conducive for discussion when breakout sessions begin. If you have separate breakout rooms, have the chairs there arranged in this manner as well. It’s amazing how the logistics of a room setup impacts and encourages participation. At least give it a try. For opening and closing statements, don’t forget to secure sound reinforcement.. AKA, a PA system. Even in a small group, often it’s difficult for everyone to hear.

Stop Presenting and Start Facilitating ….

RE BarCamp planners, instead of asking thought leaders and subject matter experts to “present” on a desired topic requested by those in attendance, or prearranged in advance, maybe expectations should be set to encourage presenters to “moderate” and “facilitate” discussion on a topic. I recall with fond memories my first RE Bar Camp in NYC when the breakout sessions were small and didn’t include powerpoint presentations. Our collaborative discussions were exhilarating. From that event, things have changed. Maybe size does matter.

Stop Selling, Start Leading!

In some cases, presenters have seized the opportunity to offer products/services as solutions. Ideally, it is my humble opinion, a breakout session should about guiding thought-provoking discussions. Not to make excuses, but it’s in a vendor’s DNA to demonstrate a product’s features and benefits. I feel there has been a failure on two fronts. Number one, planners must set proper expectations with vendors/thought leaders and ensure that RE BarCamps aren’t the opportunity to demo products and services. Second, just because we sponsor these events doesn’t give us the right to expect to use precious RE BarCamp time to hawk products and services. In keeping with the principals of social media, RE BarCamps aren’t the time to hype products/services. It’s the prime time to show value and share knowledge, period. If you want to discuss your products and services do it at a more appropriate time or after the event is over.

Facilitators, Know Your Audience

If it’s your responsibility to facilitate a breakout, make sure the content being offered fits those who are in attendance. For example, if the topic is “Blogging 101″, advise attendees where they can blog and offer all the different types of blogging platforms and sites (avoid mentioning just one particular website or platform). State reasons why blogging is important. Offer creative content ideas. Gauge the group and help steer the dialog in the right direction. Avoid getting too techie. Remember, the purpose is to guide a group of blogging newbies. Stay on topic as best you can (bunny trails happen) and always solicit questions and comments to the ultimate benefit of all.

Maybe Smaller RE BarCamps & More of Them?

As word of mouth travels through RE.net (the real estate community on the web), these events will grow in popularity. I’m satisfied of that. In fact, it’s already happening. If planners wish to maintain some level of intimacy, common sense would dictate you keep the maximum number of attendees at or below 75.  Why that magic number? The Fredericksburg RE BarCamp had around 65 in attendance and to me, that was a special event. Restricting the attendance should also make the task of finding a suitable venue less difficult. Then the next logical choice would be to schedule more hyper-local events. That’s the way real estate is going anyway, hyper-local. Why not put that concept to work in the RE BarCamp realm?

Speak Out!

In conclusion, if you have organized and planned a past RE BarCamp, I solicit your feedback. If you have attended a RE BarCamp, please leave a comment as well. I’m sure your feedback will be welcomed by those who are currently planning future events. If you are currently planning an event, you chime too.

By the way, if you know me you know I wasn’t motivated to write this post to throw stones but to make observations in hopes future RE BarCamps will be even better. I’m sold on them. Todd Carpenter, Andy Kaufman, Brad Coy, and others who set the RE BarCamp wheels in motion are visionaries in my book. I guess I’m a wee bit melancholy and long for the experience like that of my first RE BarCamp I attended in NYC.

Bobby Carroll – Not an expert, just a passionate believer in RE BarCamps

Do You Hear the Rumble?

Yes, that’s the thundering sound of real estate agents and brokers rushing to social media portals like Facebook , LinkedIn and Twitter. Sadly, many members of RE.net are jumping headfirst in the shallow end of social communities. Many are clueless how to connect and engage in this medium often called the “virtual cocktail party “.

Need to Buy or Sell a Home!

Armed with a pocketful of digital business cards and listings, agents and brokers are engaged in hard-sale tactics in these social portals. It’s enough to make any seasoned chamber of commerce networker cringe with disgust. You know the ones. It’s almost too embarrassing to be around them. You can hear their (well rehearsed elevator speech) battle cry now… “Hi, my name is Bobby De’ Realator and I’m a local agent. Need to buy or sale a home? Here, take one of my business cards and call me when you’re in the market!” Egads!!!!

Your First Act When Approaching Social Media?

Here’s my suggestion! Pretend a speeding train is comin’ and your approaching the railroad crossing. My advice? Stop, look and listen. Yes, I said stop before entering (creating a profile). Checkout (look ) how people in the social community interact. Next, listen to the conversation in the community. By lurking, you get a feel of the community. It’s like sizing up a Business Networking International event or the chamber of commerce meeting. Yes, there are ground rules. It’s called “netiquette”. Lastly, listen to what is being said and slowly connect (create a profile) and begin to engage in the conversation. Notice I didn’t say enter and begin handing out business cards and hyping your listings. Do that and you’ll be labeled a spammer taking your rightful place along side those who offer pills and porn.

Act Like a Party Cracker and Be “Sociable”!

Remember, social media is made up of “people”, so be sociable! Once you have connected and are engaged in the community try:

• showing value
• be a problem solver
• offering assistance
• contributing to the community
• sharing helpful information
• laughing with people
• being a friend when others are sad
• being a human being, not a human doing hard selling yourself

In Social Media – Size Doesn’t Matter!

By the way, social media isn’t about how many people you can “friend or follow”. It’s about the quality of your relationships. People want to relate to other people like them so show your human side and people will remember you. Be a cheerleader for people! Show them you care and you will be rewarded with “friendships” that are deeper and more rewarding especially when they transition from the digital realm to the “in real life” (#IRL) face to face (#f2f) meetings. That’s where it can become very gratifying and rewarding.

Do You Hear the Train?

What mistakes did you make when you first made your grand entrance into social media? My suggestion? Stop, look and listen first!

Bobby Carroll – Dakno Real Estate Marketing
Follow Me on Twitter: @rewebcoach