Say it Ain’t so- Web 2.0 is Bad?
Benn posted a very thoughtful article on AG about the fallout of being a tech pioneer and posited that people who sell Web 2.0 as THE way are damaging their followers because Web 2.0 is only A way. In the comments, he notes:
“…it stands to reason that if you’ve removed your focus from standard marketing/cut your mailers out, cut out your phone calls, cut out your door knocking then yes, someone will fill that void and take that business- because it does still work.”
Web 2.0 is great for the people online, but my grandparents aren’t online, most people at my church haven’t heard of a blog, even a NAR rep sent to speak at a local conference (who runs their “blog” by the way) hadn’t heard of Agent Genius, Bloodhound Blog or even (gasp) RErevealed, supporting the theory that an internet presence is important but if you put all of your eggs in one basket, you make yourself vulnerable and as mentioned above, someone else who has a balanced marketing plan will take business you could have had.
I think most readers here would agree that flashy Internet marketing is one of many tools you should have in your toolbox, that you should still keep at least a portion of your marketing diversified. Most readers herewould agree that people buy homes because of the qualities of the home and usually because of their invaluable agent’s time negotiating the contract to close process, not because they clicked “buy” on some MLS search. If you think Web2.0 is the only way and that the Internet alone sells homes, don’t they call you a Redfinner?
January 16th, 2008 at 2:22 pm
so true lani. online/offline and old school/new school diversification is where it’s at.
January 16th, 2008 at 6:49 pm
I’ve always been an advocate of “Diversified Marketing.” Truth be told, some of the old-school methods still work! Sure maybe mailers aren’t getting the R.O.I. we’re all looking for but you still gotta diversify a little.
January 17th, 2008 at 7:42 pm
This is your new best post! God love you! A vs. The, and then honoring those wickedly competent 1.0 people that kick our young asses.
January 17th, 2008 at 8:49 pm
Well I can’t take credit for it, it was all Benn, but (1) thank you for the kind words and the great observation and (2) it has to be said; no one else is voicing that Web2.0 isn’t THE way.
January 18th, 2008 at 10:21 am
Nothing has changed, it never will. It’s all about the mix. If you fail to incorporate new ingredients to your recipe, you won’t realize the cake isn’t rising until it’s too late. You don’t need everything in the Web 2.0 recipe book, but you do need to be educated enough to know which elements work and those that are time and money sucking drains on the effort. Is Web 2.0 the answer to everything? No! Should you completely ignore it? Hell No! So, to those that are comfy doing things the way they have always been done and ignoring the new tools and new rules, come back and read this post in 4 to 5 years. I promise you there will be competitors that have figured out how to master the process that are kicking your asses from here to next Sunday.
January 18th, 2008 at 1:44 pm
Mike- can you imagine if those of us “in the know” in the big sea of the RE.net were also the masters of pre-RE.net how incredible business could be?
We still do mailers and traditional marketing, but in a much smaller percent in comparison to the past. That said, we practice in Austin where the median age is somewhere around 30. That’s a no-brainer. If we moved to Oklahoma, we wouldn’t spend much time at all online.
SO, your marketing should be balanced but more importantly, it should be based on your local demographics.
January 18th, 2008 at 2:08 pm
I couldn’t have said it better myself.
January 21st, 2008 at 12:53 pm
There was an Internet before Web 2.0, which depending on how you look at it means something narrowly technical about AJAX or it means everybody just hanging out on Facebook throwing sheep at each other.
Some of us were making a living here before anyone ever heard of Web 2.0, and we’ll continue to be successful at it after the Internet has moved on to The Next Hyped Thing.
A few of the people who are now so yippee-gaga over blogging will also spend the time learning what it takes to be successful here. For the rest, Warren Buffett’s advice that “diversification is for the ignorant” can be taken either as an indictment or a recommendation.
January 21st, 2008 at 12:57 pm
John- fabulous insight. How many “point os” do you think we’ll experience? I’ve already seen “Web 5.0″ referenced….
January 24th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
No idea. Eventually people will get tired of it and start calling it “Internets 2010″ or “Windows Vista”.
March 24th, 2009 at 5:47 pm
Chris Brown is a good person he does not have a history of violence..cant wait til this is over and he is with a new love.