As a Realtor®, I, along with many of my peers, am extensively connected. We, of course, have our smartphones, maybe two of them, multiple email accounts, personal blogs (ahem), online scheduling, electronic lock boxes, Facebook “Likes”, we have “tweets”, Instagram, Yelp!, Zillow apps, Trulia apps, Realtor.com apps, in addition to our personal Realtor® apps — and don’t forget #hashtags!
The list is really endless.
We receive information about a listing within seconds of it hitting the MLS, and we immediately send it to our clients. The ever-multiplying tools of technology are here to provide the most immediate and accurate information to everyone involved. But, the one thing that sits atop of all of these tools and technological wizardry is you. Your recommendation. Your opinion.
In my daily life, I have opinions on nearly everything. And I know I’m not alone…
Cheap Mexican food? I’ve got you covered, go to El Pino!
Best place to run some trails? You can follow me, let’s meet tomorrow morning down by the Virginia Outdoor Center!
Where to get your haircut? I don’t have much hair, but Pat at Hair Cuttery has always treated me right.
We might not realize it, but with all of the endless noise we experience day-to-day from advertisers, social media, commercials, television, and online advertising, the human voice remains the most valuable and important form of advertising. No business is relevant without you.
We recommend the bank around the corner because we’ve always gotten great service and want to make sure our friends and family have the same experience. We make sure to send folks into our favorite bar when they need a great atmosphere and don’t mind hanging with a couple Giants fans. If we’ve been blessed by a mechanic’s honesty and expertise, we’ll never go to another and will always refer folks to come see him when their car starts with the noises. The more we like something, the more likely we are to recommend it when the topic comes up in conversation.
No matter how amazing the advertising and no matter how cool the tech tools, businesses cannot survive without you. Those that treat their customers like transactions will never reach their fullest potential — we’re all humans here, and it makes a big difference to us when we’re treated that way. Ultimately, the feeling you have when you leave an establishment or receive a service determines whether or not you’ll want to return or even say nice things about it to other people, and those things you say make a much bigger impact on your family and friends than a piece of advertising ever can.
The businesses that value you more than their marketing budget are the ones that are worth your while.
You have the power.
And seriously, go check out the lunch combo #5 at El Pino. Tell them I sent you!