Round Table Recap

Missouri YPN Round Table educational event turned out to be a success and thank you to everyone who made it happen on October 1, 2009. Although we are kicking ourselves for not having any photos or videos of the event, we have put together a concise recap, just in case you missed it, of each table:

1. Blogging & Twittering
   The benefits of blogging and microblogging (Twitter) were discussed and the general consensus of the groups was that you should be real in your posts and not continually pitch yourself and your business. Just talk about what you love to do. One thing that constantly kept coming up in the conversations was how you post status updates and photos to all of these social networks at the same time. The free account on Posterous was the most popular suggestion for getting this done.
   
   
2. Facebook and Other Social Media
   We found that almost 99.9% of the group had a Facebook profile, however a lot of people seemed to not understand how you can make it work for your business. It was mentioned by some that you really won't "get it" until you "get into it." It was encouraged by all that you jump in and embrace it and play around in Facebook until you find your niche.
   
   
3. YouTube and Property Videos
   You don't have to have a fancy camera and be a fabulous video editor to upload to YouTube. It was encouraged to use your digital camera's video settings or a Flip video camera to show your listings. One agent talked about how he liked to take 20 second video clips of his clients getting the keys to their first home at closing. It showed his personal side and his client's loved seeing their big moment online.
   
   
4. Netbooks/Laptops
   Netbooks are all the rage lately and are super convenient for agents to have as they are small, lightweight and very portable. Our YPN table moderator had both a netbook and laptop out to demonstrate the pros and cons of each. It was nice to have a visual and many people walked away with a whole slew of information on the latest in computer technologies and how it can work for their business.
   
   
5. iPhone, BlackBerry and Smartphones
   The biggest hot button topic is the ability for apps in the iPhone, Palm and BlackBerry. One of the best apps that kept coming up during the discussion was Evernote. With the ability for voice recordings, snapshots and text notes that sync with your laptop back at the office, being in the field showing property and making notes on your phone has never been easier.

It was a fantastic session and we loved getting together with all of our colleagues to discuss what works and what doesn't. Even the experts in the room walked away with new information, which ultimately made this event a true winner!