Social networking platforms can be a powerful business building tool if implemented properly. One thing I have found is you need to learn about the platform and its purpose before jumping in.

One platform I like is called LinkedIn.com. LinkedIn.com is built around business connections. Dave Crumby a franchisee from the Phoenix area interviewed a LinkedIn.com expert Raymond Chip Lambert, and was kind enough to share it with us.

You can right click here and click save target as, and save the file to your computer. The interview is in MP3 format. This interview is great and jam packed with info on business, marketing, connections, and more.

Creating connections is a cornerstone to building a business. Think about all the people you can put in your network. Past clients, current clients, lenders, inspectors, contractors, friends, and family.

If you doubt the power of LinkedIn, do a Google search on Raymond Chip Lambert and see what comes up.

Enjoy and a big thanks to Dave. I have listened to this 3 times and it still gets my mind going.

 If the link above doesn't work try this one.

http://209.242.151.8/a2s/GeniusPostMP3Version.mp3

I have been amazed by many of the numbers and statistics that have come out over the last few years about real estate market. Prices declining 18% year over year, foreclosures up 323% over the same time last year, foreclosure filings worst since 1976, and on and on.  The sky is falling, the sky is falling. It's hard not to get sucked into the negative numbers vacuum.

I was taught at an early age, the numbers don't lie. I think we expect the numbers are always accurate and we can take them as gospel.  It most cases this is true, but the raw numbers don't tell the whole story.  

For example, a news story was printed a few months back that foreclosure filings in Washoe County (Reno, NV area) were up over 400% in 2007. This number may be totally accurate but a bit twisted when you look at the big picture. In Reno, as in most parts of the country, we experienced a real estate boom like we had never seen before. Foreclosures were basically non existent in 2003, 2004, 2005, and into the a better part of 2006. So if you take 0 and then have 400 the next year, that is a 400% increase.  The question is, what is a normal number of foreclosures in a normal market in the Reno area?  I don't know the exact numbers but it is most likely in the 200-300 range maybe more.  So if you compare the numbers in 2007 to a normal market they are not nearly as troubling. Also, take a look at the head line above "foreclosure filings" are up. I learn that many of the "filings" never turn into a full foreclosure and many house can have up to 4 filings before foreclosure.

The other number people fair to mention is homeownership is still at all time highs. More Americans own home now than ever before. Isn't fair to assume with more homeowners there will be more foreclosures? 

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying things aren't bad. Any foreclosure or decline in prices is bad. Just make sure you get the whole story on the numbers before you take them as gospel.

Here is an interesting article on the topic.

Home Data Has Its Flaws

We have posted another audio recording about A2STalk.com our exclusive blogging platform for franchisees.    

 "I set up my A2STalk.com account/blog, now what?"    

Dave Crumby, Erin Campbell, and Ryan Elliott discuss taking the next steps in setting up your blog. Topics include, what to write about, what not to write about, places to get good ideas for posts, and much more.  You can also get more information on my blog at  The recording is posted on the franchisee resource center under the "A2S Talk Blog Series"  section about halfway down the homepage on the resource center. The link is called "A2S Talk.com next steps audio."  The audio is in MP3 format and can be downloaded by right clicking on the the link and selecting "save  target as," and chose a location to save the file on your computer.   

 As always, if you need any assistance let me know.

Happy Blogging!  

Ok many have asked me what blogs I follow. So here is a list of my top real estate and business blogs in no particular order.

Future of Real Estate Marketing. http://www.futureofrealestatemarketing.com/

This blog is about technology and its application to the real estate industry. The writer, Joel Burslem, is great and the blog is a great read.

1000 Watt Consulting Blog http://www.1000wattblog.com/

This blog is about web 2.0 and marketing. The focus is on the real estate industry.

Real Estate Tomato Blog. http://www.retomato.typepad.com/

Great blog about a number of topic but mostly about blogging for real estate.

Up 2 Date Real Estate http://www.up2daterealestate.com/

This is written by one of our franchisee Doug Willis in Pasadena, CA. He has done a great job with this blog. This is good example of how to blog effectively.

Blog for Author Seth Godin http://www.sethgodin.typepad.com/

Seth Godin is a great writer with many best selling books on business, marketing and customer service. The blog is great and thought provoking

4 Hour Work Week Blog. www.fourhourworkweek.com/blog

This is the blog for the best selling book The Four Hour Work Week by Timothy Ferris. This blog always has great ideas on time savings and cost cutting as well as great studies.

In addition to the above I follow a news feed/ blog for our local news paper in Reno.

One of the biggest concerns I get from franchisees looking to start a blog is finding good topics to right about. It is a valid concern because you need to write about topics and issues your audience is going to be interested in.

I think the best approach is to put yourself in the shoes of your readers, or soon to be readers. What are their interests and concerns? One way I come up with topics is to pay attention when someone asks you a question about your market. Questions like, Is now the time to buy? Should I sell now or wait? Is the bottom of the market here? Are interest rates going up or down? What price ranges of homes are selling the best? Do you have any deals? What services do you provide at Assist-2-Sell? Why is Assist-2-Sell a better choice? Answering these questions is a great start and will give you plenty to write about.

Another idea is to pick out a neighborhood you are interested in or do a lot of business in and write about it. How many homes are for sale in the area? What makes the neighborhood unique? Highlight new subdivisions in the area including price ranges and features. Find interesting stories about the area. You may actually learn more about the area in the process.

The internet is becoming a powerful tool for real estate sales, but will never replace your experience and expertise. People want to do business with an expert, someone that will watch out for their interests. Blogging gives you the ability to leverage your expertise. The hardest part is getting started. Don't wait start today.
Happy Blogging!