One of my favorite social networks is Facebook. If you haven’t joined yet, consider visiting www.facebook.com today and be sure to add me as a friend. You might also want to check out helpful Facebook etiquette tips from Facebook expert Mari Smith. You’ll find her there too.

Technorati Tags: Rich Rogala, Mari Smith, Facebook, real estate marketing

Read More: How do you measure success and who do you remember?

Let’s see how you do on this one.

• List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
• Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
• Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
• Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special.
• Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.
• Name half a dozen heroes whose stories have inspired you.

This was a little easier than the last quiz wasn’t it? Isn’t it an interesting lesson to learn the people who make or made a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials, the most money, or the most awards? They are the ones that care or cared most.

What are you doing to show your clients you care?

Technorati Tags: Rich Rogala, being remembered in real estate, showing your real estate clients you care

Take this quick quiz to discover how well you remember others:

• Can you name the five wealthiest people in the world?
• Who were the last five Heisman Trophy winners?
• List the last five winners of the Miss America contest.
• Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer prize.
• Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for the best actor and actress.
• Who were the World Series winners of the last decade?

How did you do? Did you remember anyone?

These are no second-rate achievers. They’re top in their field – the best of the best. Interesting how the applause dies. Awards tarnish. Achievements are forgotten. Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners. The point is that very few of us remember the headliners of yesterday.

What are you doing to be remembered today? Do your clients know how valued they are? Will they remember you? Share your thoughts here.

Technorati Tags: Rich Rogala, measuring success, Consistent Clients, valuing clients

But I haven’t really mentioned Google. They’ve never really been part of the “social” web scene. Until now. There’s a great post over at Chris Lang’s blog -

Google Reader Adds Friends List, Sharing, Bookmarking and Blog Recommendation Engine  -

Google Reader adds a friends list, many social features like bookmarking, RSS feed item sharing, comments on blog posts and a blog recommendation engine based on your friends feeds and what you have in Google Reader

He gets really in-depth on many of the features of Google’s new engine. Google has just launched a new version of Google Reader that lets you connect with “friends”, and will also recommend new blogs to you based on your interests, and the interests of your friends. It will also recommend your blog to other readers that might be interested in it.

There are a lot of current and potential features, so take a look. I think it really has the potential to make your social networking and social bookmarking more accurate and efficient. And it may help you promote your site and connect with people in ways you never thought of.

And, if you currently use Google Reader, I’d love to hear your thoughts on the new look.

Technorati Tags: Rich Rogala, Chris Lang, Google Reader, Google social bookmarking,   social marketing

Read more: Get Creative to Connect with Clients: Weekend Web 2.0 Wrap-Up for 8/10

Most agents that blog cover topics that provide information to their clients; new listings, mortgages, buying or selling tips, etc. This is very important, and something that your readers need. But I came across two great blog posts that might get you thinking about other ways to use your blog to get potential clients to want you, not just your info.

Example A:   A post over at the Duct Tape Marketing blog this past week talked about a custom sign company that has begun to chronicle the making of a customers custom sign through their blog. They use their posts “to sell the EXPERIENCE of getting a custom sign”.  What better way to give your clients a feel for how you as an agent will treat them then to “experience” it for themselves through your blog!

Example B:  Teresa Boardman, a St. Paul Realtor® and guest blogger at the Real Estate Tomato wrote a great post a while back about blogging every Saturday about a local church. She’s developed quite a following for this weekly post, and even has other agents reading it and wanting to advertise their For Sale churches on her blog. Talk about finding a specialty subject, and targeting it!

These are just two examples of taking a standard blog, and really putting your true self into it. Hopefully these can be jumping off points for YOU to take your blog to the next level, and connect with your clients. After all, that’s what Web 2.0 is all about.

Technorati Tags: Rich Rogala, Real Estate Tomato, Teresa Boardman, Duct Tape Marketing, connecting with clients, real estate blogging

Do your clients look forward to hearing from you? Are your messages personal and relevant to what’s happening in their lives?

If you want to retain clients you must pay close attention to your clients before, during and after your initial transaction.

Here’s a quick idea to promote great customer care and potential referrals. Send your clients a gift after the deal has closed. Give them some time to adjust to their new digs and mail them a surprise.

One idea is to send them movie tickets with a note suggesting they get some rest and relaxation after the big move. Include some business cards and ask your clients to pass them on if they know of anyone who needs your services.

Are you staying in touch with your clients after the deal closes? If so, what kind of referral/follow up program do you have in place?

Technorati Tags: Rich Rogala, real estate marketing, marketing message, client follow up, thank you gifts

The 21st century answer is, “It’s who you know… and who they know!”

This is truer than ever before. Let’s really think about this for a minute. Who do you trust when asking for references or referrals for products and services? The trusted people in your inner circle, right?

So, as a Realtor® it’s important to provide and maintain exceptional customer care even after your initial transaction has closed. The better care you take of your clients before and after the transaction, the more likely they are to share your contact information with others.

What are you doing to maintain client relations?

Technorati Tags: Rich Rogala, client relations, real estate marketing, referrals

We’ve talked about using social networks to make connections and gain clients. Keeping the “social” in social networks, and avoiding the hard sell, is the way to success with these networks. But sometimes it can take a while to develop these relationships and have business come of it.

So, get creative! The beauty of these sites is that most other business people there are interested in promoting themselves, as well. Take the time to search out past clients on Facebook that you know have their own business. Contact them to ask if they’d be interested in posting a testimonial from you for their business (an honest one, of course, if you’ve never been there, this won’t work!) on their Facebook profile or Facebook page if they have one. You may find they offer to write one for you.

The same goes for sites like Yahoo! Local and Google Local. Offer up a business review for past or current clients, and you may find they do the same.

Take it a step further - if you focus on relocations or 2nd home purchases, here’s a statistic: “Over 90% of luxury consumers used the Internet in support of their travel planning”. I imagine that most people interested in purchasing a second home, or relocating to the area, start their search with travel sites to learn about the area. So take the time to write reviews or comment on blogs for other businesses as well. Something simple like “As a Realtor® in _____, I often take my clients to _____ restaurant, and they always love the selection.” Or, “I often pick up the house warming gifts for my clients at ____ after they close on their new home.” You’ve established yourself as an area expert that is attentive to your clients, and there was no hard sale at all.

You may already have videos on YouTube for home tours, or client testimonials. Keeping with the idea above, try videos that target those new to the area, by offering a walk-through of popular areas of town. Or, for those that deal with first-time buyers, a video guide on different styles of homes, using your listings as examples. Or a “welcome video” from people you feel are important to know (you could get really creative here!). The principal of the local school, a great banker, someone from city hall, the owner at your favorite coffee house!

Be sure to use your keywords as tags on the video, and brand it very simply with your name and website.

These ideas not only give you other ways to introduce yourself to potential clients, but as you promote others, you’re fostering goodwill in your community. Many of these business owners will appreciate that you mentioned them, and may mention you the next time someone says they’re getting ready to buy or sell!

Technorati Tags: Rich Rogala, get creative to get clients, creative real estate marketing, referalls

Marketing’s main focus is on retaining clients not generating clients.

This may seem contradictory to anything you’ve read or been taught in the past. I challenge you to really think about it and let the message sink in.

How many Realtor® do you know who scramble to get clients? What are they doing differently than their more successful counterparts? When you observe the most successful Realtors® you’ll find they attract and maintain ideal clients.

Clients don’t need more information they need more relevant information. When you effectively market to clients it’s a relationship building and sustaining tool not a full on prospecting tool.

It’s a proven fact that the most successful people have their money work hard for them. The least successful people work hard for their money.

How are you approaching your real estate career?

Technorati Tags: Rich Rogala, real estate marketing, referrals

The Tipping Point

What’s interesting about this book is that it was written 8 years ago and speaks directly to how social human beings are.

Inherently we need contact and influence from other humans. The focus on social interaction and need for it reinforces the big ideas of social networking and makes me think about Web 2.0 applications that are connecting people every day. Do you have a big idea? Is it nearing a “tipping point”?

Technorati Tags: Rich Rogala, Tipping Point, real estate marketing, social interaction