Marc Davison of 1000Watt consulting wrote an intriguing article recently where he quoted Mike Hickman, President and General Manager of Seven Gables Real Estate who spoke before Marc was to give a talk recently. Marc was inspired by what Mr. Hickman said:

Marc writes: "This is what Michael said, in a nutshell:"

"If for one more minute you believe you can remain doing what you’ve always done and expect to stay in business, stop your clock now. As a company we are moving forward. All of us. We’ve resisted change for too long and that has not served us well. We will be changing our website. They way we market. The promise we make to our customers and the standards to which we will adhere to deliver on that promise. This is long overdue."

To read the complete article, go to: http://tinyurl.com/kwugdr

In talking to many brokers and agents over the last year, most are shell-shocked. They are trying to stay the course and make a living, but they are frightened. More and more agents are becoming enlightened about the new realities and cognizant that things will not go back to the way they were. We aplaud those who recognize change as opportunity.

Embracing permission marketing, more consumer control, The Internet and the need to differentiate through extraordinary service is the right path. Our economy will recover, but it will recover because we are not only resilient -- we are innovative and willing to behave as life-time learners.

Thanks for sharing, Marc. I hope to meet Michael Hickman someday.

Twitter: @Jeffpref

World of Choices

Would like to truly be in control of your interactions? Demand it. Do you feel overwhelmed by the demand to communicate instantly with everyone in your social network AND to communicate with unwanted interlopers, who get your email address, direct-message you on Twitter about inane offerings, tag you on Facebook in an embarrassing pose?

We all want to communicate with others when WE want to communicate. My 86 year old mother recently figured-out caller ID and now says, "I know when you don't answer you really don't want to talk with me!" Ugh! But sometimes true.

Communication is so rapidly morphing. I no longer leave voicemails for my three adult children. I just let it ring 4 times and hang-up. If they want to chat, they call back. They don't need to be bored with my voicemail. Or I text them so they can just see what I want instantly.

I can do the same thing on Twitter: "I am now getting a cup of coffee at Joe's" But every other follower will see this and, quite frankly, who cares? I get angry when I see a bunch of Twitter posts about coffee. STOP IT ALREADY. I just stop following those folks.

But being in control of when and with whom you commicate is great! Look for "permission marketing sites" that give you the power. Don't allow others to pressure you to communicate when you don't know them.

The world of communication is morphing, and I think for the better.

Jeff Johnston
President
www.BestHomePro
Twitter @jeffpref

Durham, NC Rocks!

I am proud to be a Durhamite. An editorial in The Herald-Sun newspaper today (see article: http://tinyurl.com/lkbw2c) sites Forbes Magazine, Business Week, Bon Apetit Magazine, Black Enterprise Magazine and U.S. News & World Report marking Durham as one of the following:
1. best place for business and careers
2. Third best city to ride out the recession
3. America's foodiest small town
4. Best Place to retire
5. 3rd Best Place to Live

With all this recognition, we now believe Durham is getting the recognition it deserves. From the days when Bullock's was the only unique eaating spot to today when there dozens of wonderful one-of-a-kind restaurants, we are truly a blessed town. The new urban development, two great universities, The Durham Bulls, Duke Blue Devils, the new Durham Performing Arts Center -- Wow!

Recession or not -- this is a terrific place to live

Jeff Johnston, President
www.BestHomePro.com
Twitter: @JeffPref

Afraid of Social Media? The Decision to Jump In

Marc Davison of 100Watt posted an interesting story on Inman News today about real estate agents and the paltry numbers participating in social media. See article: http://tinyurl.com/neyc6a

Marc's comments are no surprise. We see this all the time with our clients. Realtors know are being told every day that they need to embrace the semantic web, but are overwhelmed with all the choices and fearful of technology.18 out of 400 "dabbled in social media." Wow!

But Marc's comments about "the first time someone compliments your blog entry; the first time someone responds to your Tweet; and the first time a Facebook friend asks for advice on real estate" because they are moving to your town and don't know anyone there (except you)-- suddenly agents will get it.

You do need to find your personal voice to blog. You do need to follow smart blogs of others, and comment on those blogs. And you need to Tweet with meaningful comments -- not where you get coffee each day. People will begin to notice you and you may get lucky with a business connection.

Often-times, "getting lucky" means you are just "in the flow" of communication. Get in the flow!

Thanks, Marc. Right on!

www.JeffPref.com

http://www.BestHomePro.com

Twitter @JeffPref

World getting too heavy for us all?

Do you feel that lifting your world everyday is just too much? Is it cement boots on your feet? Technology is designed with the purpose of freeing us from the travails of the mundane, but anyone over 40 is saying, "how can I learn Facebook, respond to others' blogs, post on my own blog, sell at least one house in Durham, NC each month, take care of my aging mother and mow the yard.

I say, take the phone off the hook at least one hour per day. Close your door and focus on just one thing. Or plan to make three phone calls to important contacts. Or read a book that enlightens or delights.

Your preferences and your piece of mind are important to your productivity and your happiness. Technology is wonderful, but once in a while have it take a back seat. We need to be life-time learners and embrace change; but remember that personal time, focus and personal contact get the job done.

Jeff Johnston

President, MyBode, Inc.

http://www.BestHomePro.com

Twitter: @JeffPref

Words versus Graphic Communication

It seems that contemporary thought may suggest that words are evil -- something that only prehistoric creatures use to communicate. I have always thought of myself as a persuasive communicator and that perhaps I would one-day right the great American novel.

But in the world of The Internet, websites, Twitters and blogs we are taught to be brief, succinct, terse. We are taught that zen communication is minimalist in words.

I am reading a lot about this these days as one dinasaur tries to keep from becoming extinct. I have found a new creativity and been energized by the use of images WITH words to communicate ideas. There are so many images out there these days that are so very cool. For instance, our BestHomePro site is attempting to tell consumer they can trust us; that their contact information will never be shared without their permission and that they should have no fear of being badgered.

Now doesn't this image make you smile and remember that we will not badger? Cool.

Image away, but please don't forget the words. Words still have the power to enlighten, engage, enrage...

Jeff Johnston

http://www.besthomepro.com/

Twitter: @JeffPref

Intimacy with User to Serve Their Specific Needs

A second post to SmartMoney article on home search sites. http://tinyurl.com/pn3xyo. Couldn't resist. My first post seemed a little salesy -- and perhaps it was. At BestHomePro we need to do a better job getting the word out. Stories should be written about preference-based search, permission marketing approaches in real estate, creating highly useful content for consumers that is different from the old.

I greatly admire many of the emerging companies that are trying to break the code of "old-think" in real estate. Consumers are much more savvy than they were 5 years ago. Brokers and agents are trying to figure-out how to deal with the world of the semantic web, social networks, web pages and even their new PDAs, but it is overwhelming.

It is up to technologists, savvy marketing people and entrepreneurs with their ears to the consumer marketplace to change the playing field. We are trying to do that, as are others. Only a few will emerge. We intend to be one of them.

Look for enlightened approaches and share your feedback on what you see and what you like.

Twitter @JeffPref
www.BestHomePro.com

Weary of the Mundane

I keep reading that there are all kinds of new home search sites and that 9 out of 10 people start their search on the web. SmartMoney just had an article about Home Search under the Radar. We weren't mentioned. My fault. http://tinyurl.com/pn3xyo. So I commented.

It is true that somewhere between 8 and 9 out of 10 people start looking at homes on the web, but the truth is that virtually all home search tools are the same. Until now.

Zipcode; single family dwelling or rental; bedrooms; price -- BAM! Here are 40 homes that fit your price-range. Boring! Mundane! Some people go to Re/Max, then Coldwell Banker, then Prudential, then Move.com, then Trulia, then Zillow to check out what is available. They won't find anything different on any of them.

Same old search on each and every site. Except that Trulia and Zillow don't even have all the listings (most consumers don't even know that.) But the searches are all the same.

Preference profiling not only asks what is important to you, but it also asks just how important it is. It then takes into consideration what is most important, second most important, etc. and maps that information to the database. WHAM! The user sees a list of homes in priority order: Here is your #1 best fit; #2 best fit; #3 best fit. COOL!

Don't be fooled, you more and more savvy real estate consumer. Don't fall for a new and pretty website. Look at what the website does to help you find your perfect home faster and more precisely. www.BestHomePro.com is just such a site. Currently, it is available directly to consumers in The Research Triangle area of North Carolina; and available through subscribing brokers in Florida, Colorado, Georgia, Nevada and North Carolina.

Lots of new and exciting things happening with BestHomePro. A new "Marketplace" will soon appear throughout The Southeast and a few other states. Any organization or individual with a website will be able to make money through becoming a BestHomePro Affiliate.

Things are shaken', rattling and changes are happening while the economy shifts.

Don't settle for the mundane. There is much, much more out there!

Twitter @JeffPref
www.BestHomePro.com (new website coming soon, but application is really cool!)
919-794-3350

Is this how hot your brain gets when reading my blog entries? Terrific! What other bloggers get the old grey matter racing?

Jeff Johnston, CEOhttp://www.besthomepro.com/

Twitter @JeffPref

How Media Copes with Advertising Changes

I am sitting here attempting to envision how media must change it models in order to survive and thrive, and the answers are not easy to perceive. Reporters, administrators, technologists, photgraphers, etc., etc. etc. must be paid to work. Good content is not easy. Great content is rarified air. How do we as citizens of the world keep informed and determine which sources remain trusted sources? How do we pay for this service? What are we willing to pay for these services?

Even in Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill and surrounding areas, where the economy remains reasonably solid, we all are trying to cut-back. How do we search for robust, thought-provoking content and how do we maintain confidence that the written word is providing for our needs?

Will newspapers find a new way to monetize their offerings? Can television and radio continue to sell conventional advertising? I think not, but what is the alternative? Consumers won't pay to read your website -- there are too many other sources of good, free information.

Perhaps consumers opting-in to service providers that they can recognize, explore and evaluate online and on TV, radio and print newspapers will be the waive of the future. Consumers, no longer passive, will choose who they trust, who they use and who they pay.

What a concept!

Jeff Johnston, CEO
http://www.besthomepro.com/
Twitter @JeffPref