Get Uncorked at ABoR’s Annual Wine Tasting Fundraiser Don’t get stuck with sour grapes—protect your industry by attending the TREPAC Wine Tasting and Silent Auction on Thursday, Sept. 3 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Uncorked, a wine bar and tasting room located at 900 E. 7th Street. Join your fellow REALTORS® at the city’s hottest new wine bar, where you can enjoy a wide selection of wines from across the world and peruse the fine selection of silent auction items. All proceeds from this event benefit the Texas Real Estate Political Action Committee (TREPAC), which provides legislative representation to private property owners and real estate professionals across Texas. To
learn more about how TREPAC works for you, visit ww.abor.com/gov_affairs/home.cfm. Tickets to the 2009 TREPAC Wine Tasting are $35 each and may be purchased online at https://www.abor.com/events/wine.cfm. For more information on this event, including sponsorship opportunities, contact Emily Chenevert in ABoR’s Government and Community Affairs Department at echenevert@abor.com or 454-7636, ext. 1501. TREPAC, the Texas Real Estate Political Action Committee, is your profession's insurance policy that safeguards your interests. Invest in yourself and your profession—contribute to the PAC. For further information, contact the Government Affairs Department at 454-7636.
Upcoming Events: AUGUST 5 AMBA Monthly Meeting Austin Country Club - 11:30 a.m.
AUGUST 19 CRS Quarterly Meeting Westwood Country Club - 11:30 a.m.
AUGUST 21 WCAoR Tech Tune-up Wingate Conference Center - 9 to 5 p.m. SEPTEMBER 3 HBA Golf Extravaganza Avery Ranch Golf Club - Noon SEPTEMBER 3 ABoR’s Wine Tasting Fundraiser Uncorked in downtown Austin - 6 p.m.
SEPTEMBER 23 RECA Charity Golf Tournament Avery Ranch Golf Club - Noon See page 30 for more details
—Associates In— PROGRESS AUGUST 2009 • VOL. 14 • ISSUE 4
Enjoyable. Entertaining. It’s all About You.
Add Social Media Networking to Your Business Toolbox McVay, general manager and marketing director for Austin City Living. Friend a person with similar CONTRIBUTING WRITER interests and pretty soon they will know someone who needs help finding or buying a home. Social media sites such as facebook, Linkedin and “Social actions are powerful twitter, once thought of primarily as a way to conbecause they act as trusted nect with friends and family, are increasingly attracting an adult audience who want to use it as a means referrals and reinforce the fact to discuss their professions rather than their latest that people influence people,” writes Mark Zuckerberg who crushes. created facebook and promotes So it’s no surprise that real estate professionals are among those taking advantage of the latest network- it for business use. “Advertising is no longer ing trend. More than one third of REALTORS use just about messages that are social and professional networking sites as a vital broadcasted out by companies, business tool to better serve their clients, according to a recent survey by The National Association of but increasingly about informaREALTORS. Even organizations are finding they tion that is shared between need a social media presence on the web in addition friends.” Another reason the sites are to their corporate web sites. The Austin Board of REALTORS, the National Women’s Council of useful is because of the number REALTORS and the Williamson County Association of eyeballs that can be reached of REALTORS as well as industry professionals such quickly. Facebook reaches 275 million users around as mortgage, title and builders have facebook pages. the world, according to research firm comScore. And One of the reasons people use social tools for busi- Linkedin reports it has over 38 million members ness is because it is a great way to get referrals with- worldwide—including one real estate agent in out acting too much like a sales person, says Lee Ann Missouri who, days after getting a Linkedin profile, connected with a client who ended up listing with Presorted Standard the agent twice in three U.S. Postage PAID years, and got $3 million Austin, Texas in referral sales just by Paid Permit #715 having the profile. Chris Jacob of Metro P.O. Box 81366 Living REALTORS says Austin, Texas 78708-1366 he recently got two referrals via networking media. “One while on Google chat at my computer and one using facebook mobile apps because the client knew I checked Don’t forget: You can visit us online 24/7 at www.realtylineonline.com it from my BlackBerry,” he
By Linda McNabb
said. Those new to social networking can find a multitude of tips on the web as well as a variety of training classes such as the one being offered on August 17 by ABoR and during Tech Tune Up August 21 offered by WCAoR. Individual training is available through consultants such as Will Staney of WJ Bradley Mortgage Capital, who recently was a guest speaker at Amelia Bullock REALTORS. “Social media sites increase your Google juice,” he says. “Include good, rich information on your site so that it shows you as an expert so when it is time to make a real estate transaction, they will choose you.” A quick perusal of a directory of “tweeple” in Austin using twitter shows many REALTORS are using the site to post links to interesting real estate stories and/or listings and comment on real estate happenings, while mixing in comments about what they are up to at the moment such as “eating sausage biscuits and then doing yard work, yard work.” Some find they still want to draw a line between business and pleasure and not share every detail with past and potential clients. Laurie Nunnallee of First American Title says she solves this dilemma by creating a business page that is separate from her friends and family page. In the end, social networks provide real estate professionals with new ways to do what they have always done: make connections, establish themselves as experts, follow leads, develop clients and in the end, close transactions. “Just be careful to shut your phone and computer off at some point,” cautions Jacob. “Otherwise, real estate can become a 24hour a day job.”