Mike Lyon - Internet Marketing for Home Builders and Real Estate » Online Trends

Don’t Hate the Haters

Mike Lyon — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 21:11:27 +0000

You know who they are. The folks who unsubscribe from the email newsletter, un-follow you on Twitter, de-friend you on Facebook. Or for sales executives, it is the people who say, “Stop following up with me. Leave me alone. No.”

Marketing directors, you might deal with this. Do you have people go on your Facebook page and use that public forum to bash, complain, or say things like, “Why hasn’t the warranty department called me back?”

So we deal with these haters all the time. It used to bother me a lot more than it does now. There were times when I invested so much energy and effort putting together a blog post, combine it into an email newsletter, and send it out to thousands of people. When I got my first report on the analytics, I’d go right to those six people who unsubscribed. I’d look at the names and wonder, “Who are they? Where are they? What’s their email addresses? Why did they unsubscribe? Why don’t they like me?”

I just spent way too much energy worrying about those few unsubscribers instead of focusing on the positive feedback that I got.

I encourage all of you to think differently about that, too. Shift your mindset to the positive side, because worrying about those few haters will get you nowhere but frustrated and it detracts you from making progress. Colin Powell put it brilliantly: “Trying to get everyone to like you is a sign of mediocrity.”

Think about that. If you’re pushing out new content and you’re doing something different or communicating more frequently or maybe creating content that’s a bit more edgy than others, you’re always going to deal with people who don’t like it. They don’t like your message. They unsubscribe, that’s okay. They’re not your audience. They tell you to “Stop calling me. I’m not interested.” That’s okay. They’re not a buyer. Not everyone is. In a way, they’re doing you a favor by excusing themselves from the buyers pool.

And you know, if they’re complaining on Facebook, let’s just face it, there will always be people who are just crazy, cranky, and impossible to please. Don’t waste your time with them. Put that time to better use on converting the true prospects.

So as you start dealing with this, don’t sweat it. I deal with it all the time. So I invite you “haters” to post your comments below. Tell me what I did wrong. For the rest of you, I hope you liked this video and can now focus on creating great content and pushing it out there without worrying about what the haters say.Similar Posts:

BuilderRadio Podcast – New Tools to Communicate with Your Prospects and Buyers

Mike Lyon — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:21:45 +0000

Be sure to stop over and check out the new podcast of an interview I did with my friends at www.builderradio.com

New Tools to Communicate with Your Prospects and Buyers.

Click Here to Listen Now >>

In this interview, we discuss the following strategies for upgrading your sales tools:

1. Lose the ‘Dumb Phone’

A smart phone, such as the iPhone, is like a Swiss Army Knife for communication. It’s always with you, so it’s easy to use to shoot a quick video of a customer or a home, or shoot pictures of a home, and then send them via email. Don’t forget your apps that keep you connected to all the social media outlets. You’ve got to have that ability in your phone to keep in touch and communicate in new ways.

2. Video

Video is the second most powerful form of communication; after face-to-face communication, there’s nothing better than video. Video can share expressions and emotions that you can’t share in an email or even over the phone where you lose that visual communication. Even though it’s still one-way, your buyers can see your excitement, energy and enthusiasm. So it’s very powerful.

3. Video Email

Video can be used to communicate with customers directly. There’s a great tool that I use called Eyejot.com. Video email gives you an opportunity to communicate more and better than your competitors. And the more you communicate, the better your chances are of making the sale. And by the way, a basic Eyejot.com account is free, so it doesn’t cost you anything to communicate on a much better level!

4. Social Networking

Social media is like word of mouth marketing on steroids. The first thing about social media is that it’s very broad; there are so many sites out there. The second thing people tell me is that they don’t have the time to engage in all the different social avenues. When you’re using social media, try to be efficient with it. Use your smart phone in your down time or in the evenings to make quick connections and have valuable conversations, and you’ll see the opportunities present themselves by using these new tools to better connect with Realtors, past customers and future buyers.
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5 Ways to Engage Echo Boomers

Mike Lyon — Thu, 06 May 2010 13:40:14 +0000

Are you ready for the new generation of home buyers? Echo boomers – there are 80 million of them with a total of $200 billion annual spending power. With an average gap of 24 years between those buying or selling real estate and those who represent them, will you be able to speak their tech savvy language when they come to you looking for a home? Let’s face it, there is a huge difference between what they call a “digital native” vs. a “digital immigrant”. How do you know if you are one of these immigrants? If you where born before 1970, there is a good chance you are. You know what it is like to use a typewriter, you remember buying your first Motorola brick phone and there is a good chance you saw the fax machine make its way into the office. You are also a professional communicator and you know you have to stay on top of the latest technology and communication methods used by this new crowd. So here are a few tips to get to know Echo Boomers and what they are looking for when it comes to buying a home.

Be Found
We all know the stats, 9 out of 10 home buyers start their search online. Be found where they are looking! Get your social community set up and treat it like your child. Feed it, dress it up and take it places! Don’t just set up a Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter account and let it set there. Create your social community and the Echo Boomers will notice you. Get your homes online! There are plenty of reputable listing sites ready to take your listing and get it sold! No longer does the rule “if you build it they will come” apply but rather “if you put it online, maintain and tweak it they will come”. The search starts online, will they find you?

Be Smart
With 94% of echo boomers using their cell phones to surf the web and send email a smartphone will keep you in the game! Loose the dumb phone and use your new iPhone to your advantage. You can send emails, text messages, photos, videos and connect with all of these new social networking sites at the touch of a fingertip. If you don’t have a smartphone, stop reading this blog, go get one and then we can talk (or maybe text?)

Be Texty
Get your texting fingers primed and ready. Don’t be surprised if an Echo Boomer asks you to “text” them the details on a home or listing. 80% say their cell phone is their “lifeline” and would rather text than talk. Be ready to respond to a text in a timely manner which means no more chicken pecking! I know that for some of you this really chaps your hide. You might call your pubescent teenager on the phone that you pay for, leave them a message asking them where they are and the text you back “What do you want mom?” Well, this new generation is more responsive and comfortable using their thumbs instead of their mouth. It doesn’t make it right, but it “is what it is”.Their punishment will be oversized thumbs and an early onset of carpel tunnel syndrome. So who has the last laugh?

Be Speedy
Echo Boomers are used to getting responses at the speed of light. When they email you, call you, text you, Facebook you they expect a response and quickly. Don Tapscott says it right in his book Grown up Digital the “Net Gen” has a “need for speed”.They have no idea what it is like to wait around, this is an immediate gratification generation.

Start Listening
A simple Google of “Echo Boomer” will give you a laundry list of what experts, writers, TV personalities and your next door neighbor has to say about the up and coming generation. Know what your buyers are looking for and facilitate their needs. A study done by NAHB and Better Homes and Gardens shows some impressive statistics about what Generation Y is looking for in a home:

65% of new home buyers wanting a porch
91% want an energy efficient home
71% want a home office or media space

Echo Boomers are adults now, not kids, and they want to be taken seriously and given the BEST customer service you have to give! Let’s face it, this generation has high expectations of what this world should be like (i.e. their first home) and who better to make that happen for them than you? No need to be discouraged because they want a trusted adviser, you actually have the competitive edge over your Echo boomer counter parts but you must be able to talk their language.
What are your thoughts?
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Home Buying Process from a Woman’s Perspective (i.e. the decision maker)

Mike Lyon — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 17:26:42 +0000

It is no secret that in most families when it comes to decision making or for better terms – money spending- the woman “wears the pants”. If you are a home builder or real estate agent trying to sell these homes – you need to know the deal breakers in this process. So here is a glimpse inside the female mind when it comes to finding a real estate agent and a home, from the smartest woman I know, my wife Cori:

My loving husband asked me to write this blog- he wanted a blog about my home buying process and experience. I say “my experience”, because I am the one who does the leg work, decides where we want to be, looks at the homes, narrows it down, then has Mike come for final approval so I don’t feel so bossy.

Schools Rule

The first thing I do when home shopping is to decide what schools we want. I use GreatSchools.net to research schools in the area and to find the exact school I want my kids to go to. After narrowing down the schools, the home shopping starts.

Unfortunately, there aren’t websites out there where you can search for a home by a specific school (school district- yes- but not specific school). In order to narrow your search down to a school, you have to use a realtor. I get the zip code for the school I want and go to Realtor.com and I conducted my search there. I also tap into my social media resources- go on Facebook and say, “Anyone buy a home in _____ district? What about ______ school district?”

Give Me the Details…like now!

If I’m looking for a new home, I will search online for home builders, check out their website-focusing on floor plans, price ranges and locations. My husband teases that marketing was created for people like me. I choose services and products based on the website. I have two kids and not much time. If the site is confusing, I won’t stick with it to figure it out. If the information I need isn’t on the site, the chances of me calling to find out the basics are slim to none.

“Do you know who I am?” – Be Professonial and Follow Up

Once the list is narrowed down based on the information I find online, I will call for specifics or make an appointment. Again, I have two kids. If I don’t get a response in the following 24 hours, I will probably forget I ever called and I will mark you off my list. If I make time to contact you, it means I am ready to buy and I will not wait around for a response. Email is wonderful- I can get information while juggling kids, but phone calls are also great.

I once looked at over five homes by calling each listing agent and scheduling an appointment. Not one person was on time, let alone early enough to prepare the home for a walk through. If I am able to be there on time with my kids in tow, I expect the same courtesy. On the sixth home, when I got there the home was open and ready, the agent handed me info on herself and the home, she was able to answer all my questions and right there on the spot she became my agent. Everyone is busy, timeliness is vital.

Another thing that drives me bananas, are agents and sales people who don’t know the answers to my questions or do not get the information to me in a timely manner. Know the basics and if I ask an obscure question, no biggie, but get me the info and soon!

Most importantly- follow up- it really does work. If I contact you, I want to hear from you. AND I will remember you. I will go about my day- think of a question to ask you, forget that question and then I get an email from you and BAM, I remember.

The internet was invented for women like me. I can get more done with my kids. If you are in the places where I am, I will see you. If you have a good website, good follow-up and helpful sales people, I will love you!

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Get Some Raving Fans Talking For You

Mike Lyon — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:11:14 +0000

I had an interesting experience the other day. I had become a fan of a builder’s Facebook page but had not interacted at all on the wall of the page. At the time of this post – the community has 75 fans.

This message below showed up in my Facebook inbox.

This prospective customer is using alternative means to get real world feedback. I think this an awesome example of the use of these miniature digital communities.

This potential buyer is looking for validation through word of mouth. They want to hear what the experience is like straight from a customer, not just the company or sales executive.

The challenge for everyone in the real estate industry, especially those who are building or representing entire communities, is to encourage interaction from past customers and clients. Many are nervous about what customers are going to say. Building and/or purchasing a home is a complicated transaction that can have several points of contention (negotiating price, chinese drywall, warranty issues, delays in closing, financing debacles etc.) not to mention the “crazy” customers (everyone has them!) it is hard to open your business up for comments.

There are always going to be issues, but you still need to find those raving fans and get them participating. I would venture to say this is some of the best “marketing dollars” you could spend.

Do you have any Social Media stories to share (good or bad)? What are your concerns?

If you are looking for a positive example – take a look at this video of actual customers that was shot a while back. Scroll down and check out the comments. Good stuff.
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Social Media Webinar – Link and Re-Cap

Mike Lyon — Fri, 29 May 2009 15:14:28 +0000

I wanted to send out a thank you to all who were on the webinar last week. It was a great turnout and a lot of fun. If you missed it – you can access the stored version from Blue Tangerine Solutions by clicking here >>

Sarah Yaussi from Big Builder posted a great article about the event here: 6 Tips to Help Builders Better Navigate Social Media. I think she did a fabulous job summarizing so I’ll just use her highlights (be sure to read the rest of the article):

Focus on Realtors and referrals. Most builders subscribe to the “one-third” model for sales: one-third of sales come from walk-ins, one-third from Realtors, and one-third from referrals. Lyon says builders are better off trying to use it to target Realtors and referrals rather than just drive traffic to a Web site or sales office. By creating meaningful and sustained dialogue with Realtors and existing home buyers, builders will benefit.
Realize it’s a two-way conversation. The key to leveraging social media is to create engagement. “It’s not another area where you can broadcast the same message,” Lyon warns.
Better to ask forgiveness rather than ask for permission. Lyon encourages sales staffs to go ahead and take a stab at experimenting with social media rather than waiting for corporate management to give the initiative a full embrace. And if there’s push-back from management, suggest the company implement a social media policy to ensure professionalism.
Keep it fresh. Whether you’ve got a community page on Facebook or Twitter or where ever else in the social media sphere, the key to gaining recognition is to keep it constantly updated. Lyon suggests posting announcements related to local news or events or even to welcome new residents into a community.
Show your personality. Lyon says that the ole 80/20 rule applies when using social media for business. You have to be professional, but you have any stickiness if there’s not some personality mixed in to give the business profile a little pizzazz. The caveat: “I’m not saying it [social media] is like a mullet, business in the front and all party in the back.” (Yes, I swear he said that. Hilarious.)
Don’t try to read everything. (I’m totally guilty of this on Twitter.) It’s a sure-fire way to turn social networking into social-not-working. The volume of information is just overwhelming, so don’t try to stay up to the minute. Carefully planned posts or tweets or what-have-you roughly three times a day is sufficient.

In the true spirit of 2 way conversations – leave a comment and tell everyone what you learned on the webinar. Also – right after the webinar I posted the video below on the Facebook event page from the hotel – I love connecting virtually! Thanks again for making the webinar a huge success.

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Predictions from Seth Godin

Mike Lyon — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:30:23 +0000

For those of you who haven’t heard yet – Seth Godin will be presenting at PCBC this year. I am pretty amped about this. It is exciting to see this industry embrace his theory.

On that note – a recent post from Mr. Godin (may I call you Seth) highlights a few predictions:

Prediction: there will be no significant newspapers printed on newsprint in the US by 2012. So, you’ve got two and a half years before the newspaper industry is going to be doing something else with the news and the ads, or not be there at all. Does that change what you do today if you work in this business?

Prediction: 90% of your sales will come from word of mouth or digital promotion by 2011. How do you change what you’re doing today to be ready for that?

Prediction: The effort required to outsource a task involving the manipulation of data of any kind will continue to decrease until it will be faster and cheaper to outsource just about anything than it will be to use in-house talent. What will you do today to ensure your prosperity when that happens?

He makes this statement at the end, “It seems to me that if you know the old world is about to end, you’d run like crazy to master the new one.”

Now – Seth has been predicting for a while now – and so far, has a pretty good track record. In the home building industry, I think we can all learn from these predictions.

As I have been saying for the past year – I think there are builders that are finally in enough pain that changing is actually a better option than remaining the same.

I have a prediction as well, savvy new home building companies will be formed by younger principals that “get” internet marketing and the new consumer. They will find capital and buy up cheap lots becoming a competitive force in new markets – seriously challenging the larger builders. Do you have any predictions of your own?

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Guest Post: How to Use Twitter To Reach A Local Audience For Your Business

Mike Lyon — Fri, 17 Apr 2009 14:18:33 +0000

By Marie O’Brien

It seems that everyone is talking about Twitter these days, and the top two questions seem to be:

1. What exactly is Twitter?
2. Can I really use this to grow my business?

What is Twitter
We’ve addressed the “what is Twitter” in other blog articles, but I must admit that I’ve found an even better definition than ever before. Yes, it’s microblogging. Yes, it’s social networking. However, the best description that I can provide is that it is a lot like CB Radio. (Those of you who are old enough to remember the CB Radio craze of the 1970’s can appreciate that analogy.) With Twitter, you can reach out and follow people and even jump in and out of their conversations. The people can be complete strangers, but once you find them, it’s easy to connect with them and continue conversations.

How to use Twitter to Reach Local Business
So, the next big question is always “how can I use this for my business?” It is a long-term process to build your Twitter following and it takes time and dedication to use the tool properly. It will obviously be more successful if you can find/follow people (Tweeters) who are in your target audience.

For example, if you sell to a particular geographic area — whether you’re a restaurant or a homebuilder — then you want to make sure that you’re reaching the Tweeters who live nearby. The challenge for many people is just how to find those specific target audience members! It’s not as hard as it sounds, thanks to the great Search tools that Twitter offers.

Here’s a tip on how to use the Twitter search to find those people on Twitter who are based in your local area:

1. After you log into Twitter, go to search.twitter.com

2. Click on “About Twitter Search”

3. From this page, select the “Advanced Search Page” link

4. Next, use the “near this place” field to enter in the zip code of your business, so you can find people from your local area.

5. This form also will help you to narrow down your search to find people by particular keywords or hashtags (the category name is preceded by the # sign, such as #homebuilder).

6. Once you see the list of people who meet your criteria, you can manually click on each one and determine if you want to “follow” them. It’s common Twitter-etiquette that they will in turn ‘follow you back’ so this is a smart way to build your following quickly.

The advanced search tool on Twitter is one of the most valuable tools that you will find to cultivate your “follow” list. Keep in mind that for this to be successful, you need to be an active member of the Twitterverse, providing regular tweets of business related, helpful information (with an occasional sprinkle of personality), so that you’ll give your new pals a reason to “come back” (that’s the CB term for ‘follow you.’)

Now you have it, good buddy. The secret to finding out the Tweeters’ ‘twenty.’ Over and out.

Written by Marie O’Brien, VP of Marketing and Client Services for Blue Tangerine Solutions. Blue Tangerine Solutions is a leading Web site development and Internet marketing firm headquartered in Melbourne, Florida specializing in the homebuilding and real estate industries. Marie O’Brien is a self-described Internet junkie and a fan of social networking. She can be reached on Twitter at @BTSMarie and via eMail to Marie.OBrien@BlueTangerineSolutions.com.
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Over 50 and online: Don’t underestimate the Boomers!

Mike Lyon — Tue, 24 Feb 2009 17:27:46 +0000

I continue to get questions from homebuilders about using the Internet to reach buyers over the age of 50. Apparently, there is the belief that Baby Boomers still do their home search the old-fashioned way.

If you think that Baby Boomers haven’t embraced the Internet for home buying research, you’re grossly underestimating the techno-savviness of the demographic segment of people born between 1946 and 1959. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, this group currently numbers about 78.2 million people who are now 50 years or older.

Here’s another statistic for you: The fastest growing market segment on the popular social network Facebook (which, incidentally, started as a community of college kids) is women over 55, with 175.3% growth. The population of men and women between the ages of 45 and 54 on Facebook has grown 165% in the past four months alone. The combined population of men and women on Facebook over the age of 45 is about 3.5 million registered users. You can bet that if they’re using social networking, they recognize the viral value of the Internet for all aspects of their lives.

The Pew Internet & American Life Project reports that 42% of the people who looked online to research a new home were 50 or older in 2005. In 2009, the latest study shows that Baby Boomers comprise 35% of the total adult population using the Internet. They’re wired to the Web and they know how to use it!

When you consider that the Internet has been around for more than a decade, you can see that it was the Boomers who adapted to the technology, if only to keep pace with the up-and-comers chasing them in the workplace — the ones who cut their teeth on the Web. As Boomers have begun to retire, they have both the time and financial means to spend time exploring the wonders of the Web — most specifically for researching their buying choices. And the housing industry has noticed.

It’s time to take notice of the 50+ population of home buyers on the Internet. You can be sure they’ll be taking notice of you, if you have the vision to connect with them there!
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Mobile Websites for Home Builders

Mike Lyon — Tue, 10 Feb 2009 17:46:28 +0000

Are you Third Screen Marketing enabled?

For years, I have been asking “Do You Convert”? Now I have to ask does your website convert for the mobile internet. Internet enabled phones hit today’s market at an astonishing rate, resulting in a mobile internet boom. Hence, third screen marketing. With this trend we must now ask, does my website allow for a positive consumer experience on the mobile web? If not, do not feel alone because less than one percent of today’s websites are optimized for the mobile internet. This is no accident, the mobile internet operates by a different set of standards than the PC internet we all know and love.

While in Las Vegas for the International Builders Show, I had the opportunity to meet with mobiManage and learn more about how they help businesses leverage the mobile internet to reach potential customers. They build certified .mobi websites and are leading the mobile website industry from Tulsa, Oklahoma! Founder & CEO, Jeff Beasley, is committed to helping real estate professionals understand the mobile internet and apply a strategic solution in today’s market. Jeff is one of thirteen individuals who sit on the international .mobi Advisory Group Steering Committee and has been recognized for his achievements in technology. Talk about insight into the world of the mobile internet and how to develop a relevant mobile strategy for your business.

Not sold on why you need to direct attention to the mobile web. Here are a few statistics from a July 2008 Nielsen study:

In Q1 of 2008, 144 million US mobile subscribers were data users.
95 million US mobile subscribers paid for access to the mobile internet.
Internet users: Ages 25-34 made up 27.4% overall usage while ages 35-54 made up 37% of overall mobile internet usage. Do any of these age groups represent your home buyers?
The U.S. leads the world in mobile internet usage penetration.

Bottom line, today we are challenged to find cost effective ways to reach buyers. Oftentimes, all we need to do is seek a different solution to our dilemmas. Yogi Berra said it best when asked about a hitting strategy, “You have to hit it where they ain’t.” So try marketing where your competition “ain’t?”
You can learn more about mobiManage by visiting them on your mobile phone at www.mobimanage.mobi or on your PC at www.mobimanage.com

Check out this example for Coldwell Banker Select in Oklahoma. Their mobile site is cboklahoma.mobi

I welcome your feedback on what you are doing to leverage the mobile web in your business.
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