Connecting to Clients in New Ways

Blogs and Pods... Last week's Dispatch, Do You Subscribe to Roger's Blog? (Oct 20), raised the issue of blogs and podcasts. How can commercial real estate professionals take advantage of these new technologies?

Todd Clarke, a broker with NM Apartment Advisors in Albuquerque, NM, loves blogs and podcasts. "I put together a group of local CCIMs who do 2 to 5 minute educational/promotional commercial real estate bits on our local talk radio. (My day is Wednesday.) During drive time our traffic hits 140,000 people, and our spots inevitably lead to calls and sales. By also storing it in podcast format, clients can download it from our website. So we add value even when they are on the road."

Clarke also publishes a blog. "I've been heavily invested in the application of technology to real estate. My blog reflects this commitment, and I use it as a resource for students who have taken my technology course in the past as a 'refresher.'" [Check out Clarke's custom engraving on his new iPod nano posted Oct 19.]

Paul Formichelli with Staubach in New York City also likes this new technology. "Taking the train into NYC daily, I download NPR and The Real Deal podcasts weekly to keep up on various topics. It's like subscribing to a magazine or (I suppose) like using Tivo."

But consultant Mark Faust at Echelon Management urges caution. "Blogging is good for Roger, because he has the time to do it, and he has enough of an audience that desires it -- unlike most who may be tempted by your podcasting prognostication. Warning to them: Spend time doing what you know works..."

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