According to Zillow’s David Gibbons, blogging is so 2008. This comment created a quite a discussion on line that culminated with this vlog by David explaining in detail what he means. It’s worth the 10 minutes to better understand what it mean to consistently reevaluate your marketing strategics year after year.

Despite the death toll within the newspaper industry, smaller newspaper are persevering according to TechCrunch.

ComScore published this chart naming the top 20 countries for social media engagement. Russia tops the list followed by Brazil and Canada third. Read more on ThisIsHerd.

From Programmable Web this week - How to add GEO data to your blog posts

The prep work actually began on July 24th 2008, the day after we launched publicly at Real Estate Connect in San Francisco.  Anyone who has ever built a web site with a fixed deadline and budget knows lots of features and functions fall off the cart as launch day approaches.  Those features and usability tweaks became the foundation for today’s redesign.  As September (2008) approached, we  felt it was imperative to get some outside consumer perspective, as it is easy to  overlook obvious flaws internally staring at the site for almost 6 straight months.  You can check out some of the findings in a post entitled “Building a consumer site in a vacuum,” I wrote earlier this year.  Lastly, we have been working on growing our editorial strategy from both a written and video perspective so we needed a better delivery/merchandising mechanism.  That’s how any sound web development project should start, with a list of requirements and clearly defined objectives.

Our 4 objectives were:

Reduce branding space and make property search more prominent to drive more traffic to our affiliates

Our old site used too much of the home page real estate for branding so consumers were very confused as to what they should do first on our site.  Our usability study validated this definitively.  We have a very a strict philosophy of delivering the highest percentage of consumer web site traffic to our affiliates in the least amount of clicks possible.  Today there is a clear hierarchy of action when you land on our home page.

Provide flexibility to more easily merchandise video and written content
With some extensive tweaks to our content management system we now have the ability to surface previously buried content from our Live and Learn sections to our home page.  We believe this is one of our key differentiators as a brand- to connect with consumers before, during and after the real estate buying and selling process through written word and moving pictures.

Highlight our new video platform and Premier Selection program
Today our video section houses all of our originally shot video from Stephen Saint-Onge as well as any licensed video from various sources.  In total we have launched with over 40 videos and quickly look to grow our library before the end of the year.  This is all made possible by Brightcove, the top video platform employed by web media companies such as NYTimes.com, AOL.com and WashingtonPost.com.  It was very important to choose a flexible/robust platform as it gives us the freedom in the future to implement a national and local video strategy all controlled centrally by the brand.  Unique playlists can be developed for affiliates, individually highlighting topics appropriate to their local market.  The great part about the video platform is the ease of which our affiliates can implement it locally.  With two clicks they can take our exact video player with all of the associated videos and put it on their site.

Our Premier Selection program makes its way onto our site with a robust landing page which showcases our foray into the luxury real estate market.  This page was also built to be “portable” for our affiliates, as we have made the Flash introduction and the HTML all available so they will be able to implement an identical version locally if they wish to do so.

Provide as much of the assets for the enhancements to our affiliates
At the outset of this project we made it very clear that we wanted to give our affiliates the ability to piggyback off of our investment in world class web design, development and licensed platforms.  That is why we produced supporting assets such as a robust style guide, HTML with CSS, images, icons and flash all with the intent of allowing our affiliates to replicate the new look/layout seamlessly and cost effectively.

I encourage you to take a look and let me know what you think, as I have already begun thinking about the next evolution of our consumer web site.  Don’t be shy as we have already had an overwhelming response via our social media channels.  Below are a few excerpts to get the ball rolling:

Great resume. Skill set seems to match perfectly with the job description. Previous experience is impressive. This is a great candidate. I’m looking forward to the interview.

Interview is going well. There is not anything I can put my finger on that would lead me to believe that this is not the right candidate for the position. Yet, why am I hesitating? What is that nagging feeling I have?

That’s your intuition talking and you should listen.

We have to use all the tools available to us when attracting talent today. Candidates are for the most part better prepared for your interview than ever before. They know how to respond to those behavioral based and probing questions. Basically, the candidate knows what you want to hear and makes sure to say it.

This is why you need to start flexing your intuition muscle. Intuition is your mind using more than what you are consciously aware of to shape your opinions. With record breaking numbers of applicants for most open positions, the importance of making the right hiring decision has become critical. Companies cannot afford the costs involved in putting the wrong person in a position. This adds extraordinary pressure to the people responsible for attracting talent.

As recruiters, we make less than optimal hiring decisions when we become instinctually disconnected. How many times have you heard a recruiter or manager say “I should have listened to my instincts and never hired that person?”

You strengthen your intuition muscle the same way you strengthen your biceps–by using them. Using this muscle means consciously engaging the natural instincts for success we all have. We all know if we want stronger biceps we can lift weights or do pushups. But there is a difference between knowing and doing. The same principle applies to working out your intuition muscle. You have to make the conscious effort every day to call on and listen to your intuition. We need to find a way to make our intuition a more dependable talent attraction resource.

I suggest following this routine for working out your intuition muscle:

Each time you speak with a candidate take a few moments before and after the conversation and flex your intuition muscle. Reflect on what your inner voice is saying. What’s that feeling in the pit of your stomach? What’s your intuition telling you? Then have the courage to follow the message.

When you follow this simple intuition workout routine you’ll be better prepared to listen and trust your intuition as part of your talent attraction tool kit. My intuition tells me, if you do this you’ll make better hiring decisions.

The United States is a wonderfully diverse nation where we enjoy the liberties of freedom and the pursuit of happiness. But to really extract the real meaning of Independence Day, it’s crucial that we take a moment and remind ourselves how it came about and what sacrificial journey was endured so that could get to this place.

From the Battle at Lexington and Concord in 1775 until George Washington bid a final farewell to his troops in 1783, America’s fight for independence from Britain was a long and arduous one. More than 25,000 men and women gave their lives in this battle with more than 25,000 who were wounded.

It’s truly unimaginable to comprehend how deeply these people loved their country and the freedoms for which they laid down their lives. If only they could know what their sacrifices led to that help shape this country and the rest of the world.

On July 4^th, 1776, we claimed our independence from British rule. Since then, we have endured world wars, conflicts and police actions to maintain the freedom we enjoy. The wars, battles and patriots who fought for freedom are depicted in movies and history books and memorialized throughout the country.

We wave the American Flag symbolically and travel to Washington, D.C. to capture snapshots of the history of this great nation we call home, but the journey for freedom is ongoing and we are surrounded by symbols of freedom every day. We have so much for which to remain grateful. To those who began the pursuit of our freedom and to those who continue in the pursuit, let’s say a collective “thank you.”

Happy Birthday, America!

The useful part is that Twitter can be a great way to both learn of news events and survey what people are saying about them. It’s no substitute for firsthand reporting and rigorous editing, of course, but it can be a fascinating supplement. This is according to John J Edwards in his piece published on WSJ here.

Some good tips here (5) on how to improve your website ranking Google published on Homegain Blog.

Jeremiah over at Web Strategy takes Chris Brogan’s 50 ways marketers can use Social Media to Improve Their Marketing and splits them up into categories by the following objectives. Listening. Talking. Energizing. Supporting. Embracing.

In this book, Lisa encourages us to develop 9 very important muscles:

1. Your understanding muscle.
2. Your faith-in-myself muscle.
3. Your take-action muscle.
4. Your I-know-like-I-know muscle.
5. Your honesty muscle.
6. Your say-yes muscle.
7. Your determination muscle.
8. Your forgiveness muscle.
9. Your highest choice muscle.

Through personal stories and examples the reader is encouraged to flex these muscles in order to achieve balance, goals, and happiness.

No Matter What! is a very fitting mantra for our industry right now. Those who are weathering this storm are certainly getting quite a workout. To extend the exercise analogy one step further, let’s hope we are all in better shape at the end of this– No Matter What!

I’d rate this book: 4 sold signs out of 5.

I had the pleasure of dining at Scalini Fedeli in Tribeca, New York last Saturday evening.  The restaurant had been recommended by a friend so I asked around, read reviews and visited their website. Everything I heard and read piqued my interest and raised my level of anticipation for a wonderful dining experience.  As always, the real test is always in the actual experience and everyone at Scalini Fedeli lived up to my expectations and more, delivering one notch above throughout the evening.

From the first glass of champagne to the mascarpone gelato and every course between, the cuisine was the icing on the cake, an accompaniment to the style, elegance and impeccable service.

My standards are simple; I know what I want, I ask for it. If the provider cannot or does not meet my needs, I don’t return.  I’m not mean or obnoxious, I don’t make a scene, I simply take them off my radar.

Is that what happens after a real estate transaction? Do we deliver a less-than-memorable experience that results in buyers taking us off their radar?  I’d venture to say yes.  In 2008 nearly 50% of buyers worked with an agent who was referred to them.  Interestingly, only 11% worked with the same agent in their next transaction.  This very revealing statistic raises two questions.  Where did they go, and why didn’t they come back?  The answer to the first question doesn’t matter - they’re gone.  The answer to the second however, can open the door to more repeat business for real estate agents.

Buyers tells us the most important thing we can do for them is help them find the right home to purchase, which doesn’t sound like a very tall order yet home moving ranks third among the most stressful life experiences according to the Employee Relocation Council and that’s where the service experience, not merely service, comes into play.

Here are five things I would do if I was working with buyers today:

1. I would ask, not tell.  It’s about them, not you.

2.  I would work to uncover their motivation, not just their goal.

3. I would  make certain my standards of business align with their expectations.

4.  I would follow through with checkpoints and make adjustments along the way to be sure I was meeting and exceeding expectations.

5. I would think to myself, what would I do if I were getting paid 10% commission, and then deliver on that no matter what I was paid.

Finding the right home should be the icing on the cake in the service experience for buyers.

Not all newspapers are dead according to Eric Stegemann of Tribus Real Estate Group who discovered last week at Bar Camp Chicago, that some newspapers are changing the way they publish and are thriving among all age demographics.

Rhonda Duffy is disappointed in her fellow Atlanta listing agents and for good reason - they appear to be doing the least amount possible to market their listings - million dollar listings at that. For the price they earn to sell these these homes, Rhonda thinks they could be doing a better job. Once you see her point here on her ActiveRain blog, you’ll understand why.

When planning your Twitter strategy should you come across information like this… run for the hills. This is the very worst advice possible for real estate folks to follow.

Guy Kawasaki posted an interview with Lee Aase who manages syndication and social media for Mayo Clinic. Read as he explains the history of Mayo Clinic’s use of social media and how effective this effort has been.

I was shopping for a new TV over the weekend on Amazon.com, Samsung and Sony LCD TVs to be exact, and I just wasn’t convinced to buy it on the spot as every purchase needs to be considered after buying a house less than 6 months ago.  Let me preface this story by saying that I am an avid shopper of Amazon.com so they have my email address and I have opted in to receive marketing communications.

So on Monday morning I check my email and there is a message from Amazon.com with the subject line “Sony Two-Day Sale in Televisions & Video.”  I obviously opened the message so Amazon NOW knows I am seriously interested in buying a TV.  I was mildly impressed and sort of chalked it up to mere coincidence.  Then this morning I have a NEW email from Amazon with the subject line of “Up to $300 Off Select Samsung HDTVs.”  So now I know it’s not a coincidence as I have received 2 separate promotional emails for both TVs I viewed on the site days earlier.  My conclusion is that Amazon is using browsing behavior to enable micro-targeting in their email marketing program.  This is a concept that has been floating around for almost 10 years, but this is truly the first time I had seen it executed so flawlessly.

Why do I bring this up on a real estate blog?  Because the application for real estate web sites is 100% translatable.  Today a perspective home buyer can sign up for push emails based upon predefined criteria, such as city, beds, baths, price ,etc.  Now that is good but what would be better is if your analytics solution (Omniture, Google Analytics, etc.) that tracks browsing behavior was tied into an email marketing platform.  For example, if you viewed an article on gourmet kitchens on bhgrealestate.com and then ran a property search in Franklin Lakes, NJ we could automate the email system to send you a message when a price drop occurred on a property in Franklin Lakes that has the keywords of gourmet kitchen in the description.  This could obviously be taken to the next level and factor in a relational model to suggest alternatives to the location based upon city attributes similar to Franklin Lakes, for example Ridgewood.  To me this is Pandora Radio meets Real Estate email marketing.

Ultimately this is all enabled by connecting the right email solution, analytics package and data tagging.  The goal being more leads which should result in more transactions.

The only thing left for Amazon to do is figure out how to convince my wife that we need 1080P!

Selling through the current economic “Yin-yang”
(The coherent fabric of nature and mind, exhibited in all existence)

The Yang

It is interesting how there always seem to be two sides to every economic rebound. One recent effect of increased real estate market activity is a gradual increase in long-term mortgage interest rates. After bottoming out this past March in the vicinity of 4.5% for a 30-year fixed loan, the current and still historically low rate of 5.5% seems inflated to increasingly price-sensitive consumers. As a result, homes sales and refinancing are being impacted, albeit only slightly.

The Yin

On the brighter side of the equation, slightly higher home-loan rates are being offset by low real estate prices as well as the $8,000 tax credit available to first time buyers. Perhaps I view things too simplistically, but why can’t the $8,000 tax credit be available to all home buyers. This would certainly spur demand for homes at a time when increasing demand is critical to the health of the real estate marketplace.

The Yang

Dichotomies are the rule in a recovering marketplace such as this one. For example, the Federal Reserve will likely allow interest rates to increase as long as they do not exceed 6% or so. But if the Fed buys more treasury bills to again artificially reduce rates, fears of inflation could begin to foment and that could create a slowing effect on the market. After all, consumers are already concerned over a budget deficit that will exceed 12%, which is the highest in over 60 years.

The Yin

Still, this a great time to refinance, if you are able to navigate the waters and work through everything that banks now seem to require. I successfully refinanced my own primary residence in the past few months and found that the process bore no resemblance whatsoever to the refinancing experience of just a few years ago. The red tape and details required to get the job done were absolutely horrific, but in the final analysis it was well worth the effort.

The key to a full recovery lies in several areas. They include, but are not limited to:

• Improving consumer confidence - Since we are a consumer-based society, any recovery is inherently linked to mobilizing the consumer.
• Increasing demand for homes - Through keeping rates low and offering pervasive tax incentives, such as the example mentioned earlier.
• Restructuring Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac - It stands to reason that in order for recovery to come, it would help for us to at least know who will wind up owning these enormous entities, which together are the primary purchasers of mortgages in the secondary market.
• Returning to monthly job gains - Thankfully, things have been improving overall and monthly losses are down, but we are not quite there yet. Stay tuned. My next blog will have more details.

Despite all of the Yin-yang in the air these days, the signs of a general improvement are clearly emerging. It is my observation that every market, whether bull or bear, is good for some individuals and for certain industries, so let’s focus our attention on where the real opportunities lie. Ask yourself and the people that you work with this question: “who is business good for today”. After everyone calms down and finishes hurling abuses at you (lol), you may be surprised with the answers that surface. All in all, the key for real estate professionals is to seek out opportunity, even while others may allow themselves to be distracted by the Yin and Yang of everyday events.