Web 2.0 :: Online Meetings as Next Phase in Agent and Consumer Communications

One interesting thing about Web 2.0 is the enhancement of communication between real estate professional and consumers, establashing transparent dialogue that is also of interest to other potential clients.

When we think of communication such as blogs & email, this communication is asyncronous. This means it's not in real-time and dialogue occurs when you can get to it. In Web 2.0, realtime or syncronous communication is the next unchartered wave of the Web 2.0 ocean.

Chat tools could be effective as real-time communications, but there exists a problem of agents (or their assistants) being tied to a computer to chat in real-time.

WEBINARS & ONLINE MEETINGS
Many of you agents and brokers have attended a webinar to listen in on a new product your thinking of purchasing, or have attended a webinar for training of a product you have purchased.

(a) Use by Agents / Brokers
Given realtime communication, agents / brokers could hold online meetings w/ prospective buyers and sellers in their own marketplace. From a Web 2.0 perspective, online meetings still keep that "buffer" consumers enjoy online of not meeting someone in-person until they are ready to conduct business. These meetings could be "scheduled" during evenings when prospective clients can "sit in" from the comfort of their own home.

(b) What to Discuss
Listing Presentations and knowledge on the current market would play into such online presentations. You'd be surprised that you likely have all materials handy to create, for example, a Powerpoint presentation. You could have a series of online meetings targeted to niche consumers, i.e. "First Time HomeBuyers".

(c) Who'd Attend
Besides the agent and prospective consumers, mortgage brokers and even previous clients who can bring "testimonials" to the table, are ideas of who could attend. Having an assistant on hand to take notes, write down questions of consumers where time outside the meeting is required, is also a smart idea. As with any "meeting", a single person such as the agent or broker, must keep things moving and not let anyone person dominate the dialogue.

(d) Marketing Your Online Meetings
Besides your agent website and blog, direct marketing can be used where it makes sense. Consider holding informational webinars for the niche "First-time Home Buyers". You may want to develop flyers and target apartment complexes in your direct marketing, advertising your online meetings and webinars.

(e) Online Meeting Software
Tools like Yugma and Gotomeeting are great tools to assist in sharing your desktop w/ consumers, but also scheduling and pre-registering invites given different packages from such vendors.

In conclusion, Web 2.0 is about creating a dialogue with your current and prospective clients. Realtime chat is of great challenge. Online Meetings are a "scheduled" chat, can be visually stimulating, and inclusive of many prospects when done properly.