Moore for Your Money: How Social Media Sold a Home in Less than a Week.

This is another post I shared on my company’s blog. I really like the story though, so I thought I would share it here as well.

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Many of my clients and contacts are interested in learning how Social Media can assist with home sales. It’s a question that comes with a lot of preconceived notions about social technologies—i.e. that they are only used to update friends with what you had for breakfast—as well as some deep-seated fears of transparency and the potential for negative feedback.

However, if you take the plunge and trust in the power of social networks, community and honest sales, then these new methods of sales and customer service can have an immediate and positive effect on your business. Be it small, large or even for a one-time exchange, Social Media is a powerful tool.

Need an example? Tim Moore, digital solutions specialist for the New York Times Company, recently tried a cool sales experiment that shows the kind of impact that social technologies can have. Moore set out to sell his home in 72 hours or less using only social tools—no realtors, only connections. And how did it go?

His home did not sell within 72 hours—it sold within 50.

The ShowShow – FANtastic New Developments!

ShowShow is now on Facebook! Yeah, I have no idea why it took us so long to make this happen – it’s what I get paid for even! Shame.

Anyway, now you and all your friends can become fans of the ShowShow podcast and stay updated on all the latest and greatest news and such. It’s also a place for you to leave us feedback, tell us what you’d like to hear us talk about on the show, ask us questions and whatever else!

Find us at Facebook.com/TheShowShow

Jane Austen’s Guide to “Social Media”

[This is a post I wrote for my company’s blog site. I thought I would share it here as well since some of you are also Austen fans and might find something in here to scoff at.]

The what? Yes, you read that correctly. Jane Austen was more than just a supremely divine author (I’m a diehard fan, can you tell?), she was also the source of some very accurate observations that can be applied to the new social media realm.

Silly things do cease to be silly if they are done by sensible people in an impudent way. ~ Emma

Many people consider things like Twitter and Facebook to be “silly” wastes of time. However, put a knowledgeable person behind a keyboard on one of these forums and watch what happens. You’ll notice that a steady stream of comments about sandwiches and celebrities will quickly transform into an invaluable information feed.

Everybody likes to go their own way–to choose their own time and manner of devotion. ~ Mansfield Park

Check that out – the brilliant Austen, in all her glory, predicted the demise of “push marketing” before anyone else! No one wants to be told what to do and when to do it, and this is directly connected to our current obsession with social forums. People would much rather turn to review sites like Yelp or TripAdvisor than take their cues from more traditional marketing efforts (i.e. print advertisements). That’s not to say that those aren’t important. It’s just that now most people want to hear from other folks about their real-life experiences, and then make decisions based on the candid opinions and feelings that they share. Jane was on to something big.

Web 2.0 Expo in NYC: Katie Geeks Out On Social Media

This year my company hooked me up with an amazing opportunity and sent me to the Web 2.0 Expo in New York. It was a 3-day geekathon that covered all aspects of social media and the digital future. In short, it was incredible and I am very thankful that I was given the chance to go and see some really wonderful speakers.

You F*cking Twat: Katie’s Mad at Social Media

Social Media,

YOU BASTARD! You know it’s because of you that for a whole 20 minutes I was convinced that the great Jeff Goldblum had died. DIED. That’s insane. You have NO RIGHT to go and snowball totally unfounded rumors into maybe truths that cause semi-reputable publications (semi-reputable is being used very liberally here) to speculate their validity. GOSH DANG YOU.

Furthermore, who the hell are you to come into MY HOUSE and KILL everything that I love? Huh? Honestly, I’m absolutely shocked by your behavior yesterday. Despite the tragic loses that filled the morning with mourning, you – in your infinite unabashed awfulness – go and spread these grotesque lies. I mean, who does that!?

You know, while I have you here – because you were obviously so intrigued by my utter disgust that you have chosen to read on – let me tell you something else.