News
LET'S GET SOCIAL
August 29, 2011
 | |
| Beware BlackBerry users. You?ve had a good run, but the iPhone/ iPad/Android hipsters have won, and that's who CRE app developers are serving. Marcus & Millichap chief information officer Rick Peltz (snapped in the firm's Encino, Calif. HQ with database manager Mark Varghese) tells us BB users among M&M?s more than 1,200 agents have dropped to 500 (and falling). The firm's app serves as an extension of its broker bio pages, made more dynamic 18 months ago so they can be updated on the fly by the agents and include closed deals, new listings, news, and contact info—all searchable content. Users can search the app by property type or location (even through the phone?s location—it's all very CSI) and text or call the agent on the spot. By December, nearly 3,000 had downloaded the app. | |
 | |
| Colliers International US investment services prez Warren Dahlstrom (whom we snapped in his DC office) tells us tweeting can build your personal brand. ?At first, I didn't see what value Twitter had other than helping people find out where Tom Cruise eats lunch,? he says. ?But when I left Cushman & Wakefield in 2009 to start my own company, I needed a way to explain my practice and career accomplishments: Social media does that, so I chose Linkedin and Twitter.? Warren (@wdahlstrom) set out to establish himself as a ?thoughtful participant? in the CRE discussion and says he tweets only about real estate or related economic news. ?It's just like what my mom told me when I was a kid,? he says. ?Don't tweet about politics, money, or religion.? (But feel free to tweet about what Tom Cruise has for lunch.) | |
 | |
| Another CRE tweeter to watch is Colliers International's Coy Davidson (based in Houston) whose Twitter feed@CoyDavidsonCRE has more than 8,000 followers. We chatted with Coy about what it takes to run a successful feed. ?I think from a real estate perspective, especially from brokers, there's a natural tendency to blast sell, sell, sell. That doesn't work very well.? Instead, what Twitter does is build personal brand credibility and get exposure to potential clients. And for Coy, it is one part of an overall integrated online strategy, including blogging and comprehensive website. |
