Generation Y, also referred to as the as the Millennials, use communications, media and digital technologies in their everyday life.  They connect with their world online, through social media and they are very aware of what their "friends" are doing.  Marketing to this group obviously means connecting with them through social media outlets such as Facebook, Twitter, etc.

"They are the first generation in human history who regard behaviors like tweeting and texting, along with websites like Facebook, YouTube, Google and Wikipedia, not as astonishing innovations of the digital era, but as everyday parts of their social lives and their search for understanding." said the Pew Research Center.

In an article on The Next Web.com, Ekatarina Walters gives us the statistics of Gen-Y's brand awareness and how they connect to their world through social media:

Facebook:

• 40% visit Facebook more than 10 times a day and 76% spend over an hour a day on it.
• 43% have liked more than 20 brands on Facebook. 71% reported liking a brand just for the free offer.

Twitter:  58% use Twitter "all the time".

Foursquare:  66% would look up a business after learning that their friend checked in there.

Buyers seem to be getting younger and younger!  In 2011, the average age of a first time home buyer was 30, according to the National Association of REALTORS®. The oldest members of the Millennial generation are reaching 32 now.  Make sure that your marketing includes social media to keep in touch with younger potential clients who will soon be looking to invest in the real estate market.

Read the full article at TheNextWeb.com

View the Highlights of the NAR Report.

photo credit: AlvaroArenas

Posted in Internet Marketing, Gen X-Y, Technology And YOU

Slow down and keep it simple advises Senior Writer Julie Rains on Open Forum.

"If you slow down and delve deeply into what seems everyday and ordinary, frequently you can make fresh discoveries and ignite new ideas you can apply to your business." she says.

Take the pressure off and engage in a favorite hobby or pastime, focusing on something different might get those creative juices flowing. "Fixation on one topic can cause frustration, which is counterproductive to creativity. Taking a break allows you to move from laser-like focus to broadened understanding." she says.

Creative thinking is not always instantaneous, writes Rains. "Give yourself time instead of rushing to get results." Contemplate on ways to create new business opportunities and resolve old problems.

Get advice from someone smarter than you.  "I am amazed at how much information smart people are willing to share." says Rains. "Toss out a topic and you can garner insights on historical perspectives, current trends, and predictions for the future. Listen and probe to gather wisdom relevant to your business."

Ask for advice on targeting your customer and how to get your message out.

Integrate new technologies and media.  Embracing new ways of communication can help you reach a new audience.  Reach your customer through the power of video, website blogging, podcasts and Social Media across the web.

Read everything you can on your business to discover what's missing from your business plan.

Learn from your kids.  Kids are not afraid to try anything.  Their endless experimentation is the process by which they learn how actions create reactions, writes Rains.

Experiment with new ideas and find ways to test them.  Try sending out different email campaigns to see which one gets the best result and then refine them.

We need to look differently at the way we do business in order to grow and create new paths to success.

Read the Full Story at OPENForum.

photo credit: ednl

Posted in Headlines, Internet Marketing, Traditional Marketing, Blogging

Blogging brings customers to your website, which in turn generates more leads for your business.  How well is it working for you?

Churning out interesting articles can be a chore sometimes.  What to write about is the biggest blockade but defining WHO you are writing to is the key to having a successful blog.  Sherilynn Macale, the Social Media Editor for The Next Web gives some great tips on how to define your blog's target audience.  

Decide who your audience is and what their interests are.  This sets the tone of your writing and helps you decide on appropriate material.

What is Your Expertise?  Focusing on a specific topic will most likely define your blog and your audience will find you through SEO (searching key words on the web) or through word of mouth

"Gearing all of your content towards that niche or category will give your readers a sense of familiarity." says Macale, "If they are looking for a specific type of content that they know you will provide, they know to come to your blog.

Reach Beyond Your Target Audience

"Having readers outside of your target audience is not always a bad thing." says Macale.   Just make sure that your articles are reader- friendly and don't contain industry jargon that might not be understood by everyone.  For instance, if you are talking about the HECM program, it is necessary to educate the reader that you are talking about the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage, somewhere in your article.

In this way, every reader who comes along should be able to feel like they "belong" to the writing. Instead of feeling left out or not "cool enough" to be a part of our readership, they will instead feel included in our very niche community because we've taken the time to include them as well.

Macale adds that it's important to understand who else your audience is reading.  This sets the level of quality that your readers are used to.

"This doesn't mean that the look and feel of your blog should be identical to the formats of your more popular counterparts," warns Macale, "but it's important to understand why these blogs are successful in order to keep these points in mind when creating your own entries."

Lastly, keep in mind that your target audience might change and your topics might need to change to include this new audience. 

"The goal is ultimately to provide a place where your audience knows they will be getting quality and consistent content." writes Macale.

Read the full story at The Next Web.

photo credit: CameliaTWU

Posted in Internet Marketing, Blogging, Real Estate Industry Trends

Small Business owners wear a lot of hats.  You are the boss and, sometimes, the janitor, and everything in between. You are doing it all.

What's the biggest worry a small business owner has?    Cash flow. Staying afloat.

"Money issues are absolutely the biggest pitfall that entrepreneurs face. If you don't keep it flowing, or can't keep enough of it, your business will suffer." writes Mike Michalowicz, author and entrepreneur.

Michalowicz offers some simple questions to ask yourself to avoid spending money unnecessarily:

1.      Do You Really Need that Expensive Office?  Invest in an office and equipment when you really need to. These can be a big expense on your monthly cash flow.  And that expensive office furniture to "show-off your success"? Better left for when you are too busy to shop for it.

2.      Track Your Miscellaneous Expenses:  There are always more than you planned on and they are more expensive than you think.  Are there areas you can cut back on?

3.      Who is Handling the Books?  Yes, the small business owner wears many hats, but this is one area where it pays to hire a professional.  "Entrepreneurs are often apprehensive to speak with an accountant, for whatever reason." writes Michalowicz. "Truth be told, you must get with an accountant, as it will save you money in the long run."  The accountant is your friend, says Michalowicz, they will keep you on track to keep the business going and avoid tax penalties.

4.      Can You Afford that Employee?  It's tiring doing it all yourself, but avoid hiring someone until there is enough work to keep them busy and the return is that it frees you up to bring in more money.

5.      What is my Marketing Plan?   "You need to be your biggest PR agent, spreading the passion and information about your business whenever possible." advises Michalowicz, "Through networking, talking to others, etc., you need to always focus on getting the word out about your product or service."  Marketing brings in the money.

In real estate we always say it's "location, location, location" but the small business owner knows it's all about "money, money, money". Rethink how you are doing business.  Are there areas you need to streamline to keep the cash flowing?

Read more from Mike Michalowicz at OpenForum.com.

photo credit: eatmorechips

Posted in Internet Marketing, Traditional Marketing, Real Estate Industry Trends, Lead Generation

Focusing on consumers and how they shop for real estate is the key to success for REALTORS® in today's market, according to an article written for Inman News by Andrea Brambila. 

Brambila compares the real estate world to what has happened in the music industry since the Napster sharing craze broke open the music industry forever and eventually led to legitimate direct-to-fan music marketing and distributing platforms.

 "Traditionally, (the way) to be successful as a recording artist was to sign a deal with one of those major record labels, and because they were the gatekeepers, the deals they signed were very favorable to them and not to the artist. Now they can route around those guys," says Mike Masnick, founder of the Techdirt blog.  

The real estate industry has much been the same.  Advances in technology have changed the role of most industries based off of the "gatekeeper model", also known as middlemen.

"What technology and certainly the Internet have created are ways to break down that system in that you don't necessarily need to use the same gatekeepers as you used in the past." states Masnick.

How have REALTORS® roles changed?  The majority of consumers begin their search for a product or service online and with all the information available to them via the internet, the best role for a real estate professional is no longer as the "gatekeeper" but as an enabler of information.

Bernice Ross, Real Estate Coach and author agrees that you need to change your approach, especially along generational lines.  Ross says you need to be a "trusted advisor" to younger buyers who are looking for someone to supply them with the necessary information to make buying and selling decisions.

Much like has happened in the music industry; "providing more value to the customer, rather than being the biggest or the baddest or most well-known in the market, becomes more important." explains Masnick.

Masnick offers the example of Redfin, an online real estate website with offices across the U.S. which offers consumers more in-depth listing data than most brokerage firms. Consumers can get extensive information and shop online and then a Redfin agent can help them close the deal.

"In some ways, a service like Redfin ... (is) about empowering the user to do more directly with the technology," he added.

The real estate industry has to adapt to the new business model of offering better online services.  In today's tough competitive market, REALTORS® must offer tremendous value that people want to pay for.  Ross adds that the "trusted resource approach" works with all generations.

Read the full story at Inman News.

photo credit: oooh.oooh

Posted in Internet Marketing, Gen X-Y, Technology And YOU