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Value of Facebook & other Social networking ???


Nolan Kienitz

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Many HIs are indicating a good success of booking inspections via their Facebook accounts.

I'm just trying to understand the value of this social networking element and how the ROI pans out? Granted the $$ are not the issue ... it's the 'time' involved.

One Hi said it is his way of keeping his name in front of 'zoids' so they will remember him for referrals. Seeing as how I don't market to that crowd I just don't see the value.

Just like Active Rain is nothing more than an "atta-boy" bunch of folks bragging about how they have PhotoShopped a property's image as it just doesn't look 'good' in reality.

I've not been at the Active Rain site in some time, but when I did surf through it I certainly didn't see very many (if any) non-RE folks there.

I also don't think that hooking up with my 'growing up' friends would do me much good as most are still farmers/ranchers in Montana. [;)]

Anyway ... just looking for input from others as it relates to marketing HI work on the new social networking products.

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IMHO, Facebook is a place that you would want to depend on for much exposure unless you are friends with the world! I much prefer Linkedin, Twitter, Active Rain, Inspection News and The Inspectors Journal.

I had a job last week from a person who found me from my post on The Inspectors Journal and here on IN. I have received more calls from prospective clients that see my post on one of the above discussion boards.

When I post to my blog on AR it repost to Twitter, Linkedin and Facebook. It is then picked up by the various search engines.

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The main value of FaceBook is that everyone on knows you're still living.

Yup, but it's also how a whole lot of those folks know I'm in the business.

I've had a few refferals from friends of friends.

I also saw a post where someone went on a rant about another local HI for not telling them there was radon test equipment left in their home.

That's the scary part. Anyone can say anything they want to at the cyber picket fence.

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I have been on facebook for several years. Good to keep tabs on my nieces and nephews, couple of old friends and my wife. The company has a facebook account that Paula keeps up with and it sure does not hurt.

My problem is that I get 10-20 invites per week from inspectors wanting to be friends. I mostly ignore them. I do have couple of "friends" (inspectors) that post good stuff that is not business related.

Not too much to recommend it for business use.

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The main value of FaceBook is that everyone on knows you're still living.

Or not! My brothers had a friend pass away a year or so ago, every time I log on his page is in my friend suggestions. I find it disturbing, but his page is active because his little brother writes on his wall every day and many of his friends visit it often.

I haven't been on in some time, it seems that I get 6-8 emails from facebook for every log in. I'll have to look into the sites on Scott's list to see if I like them any better.

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A Facebook fan page for your bidness helps with website SEO, and it also provides a stopping point for people who ask for references. I have several "fans" who say nice things on my page, and I've been told the FB page, along with my website, were the reasons I got the nods instead of some other company.

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The main value of FaceBook is that everyone on knows you're still living.

Or not! My brothers had a friend pass away a year or so ago, every time I log on his page is in my friend suggestions. I find it disturbing, but his page is active because his little brother writes on his wall every day and many of his friends visit it often.

I haven't been on in some time, it seems that I get 6-8 emails from facebook for every log in. I'll have to look into the sites on Scott's list to see if I like them any better.

My brother passed away in March of last year after just opening a FaceBook account. He never even got his picture up, and barely filled out any info. It's an cyberspace memorial to him, I suppose.

I too think it helps your business a bit, in this market, simply by keeping you out there - a constant passive reminder of who you are and what you do. I can't attest to any jobs from it, for certain, but I believe it has helped.

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I had a bad experience with business in relation to social networking sites. It was during the presidential campaign. My website address was posted on a site where the person was strongly supporting a particular candidate.

The opposition saw this and assigned labels to me and claimed they would spread the word about the polarizing nature of me and my business.

They used specific words to describe me but I'll steer clear of all that. Since then, I keep my business off of social sites. You never know how the network will spread and where you'll wind up.

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The main value of FaceBook is that everyone on there knows you're still living.

And, when times are slow, like this, and you have multiple ways to passively remind people that you're alive and in the business, they think to contact you when they need your service.

I just booked another hime inpection via FaceBook this morning - probably my tenth or so.

Any form of presence on a social networking front is helpful, unless it's negative presence (I guess we've all seen folks do pretty horrifying things on such sights).

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