Over the next weeks as complaints on-board grew and my Internet bill reached over $600.00, I again posted my thoughts and was told by the responder that they would “pass it on”. What does “pass it on” mean?

My suggestions to Holland America are:

1. Don’t monitor the “spheres” unless you are prepared to deal with the good and the bad. It doesn’t ring true and Social Media expects transparency.
2. Provide the best Internet service you can at non-usurious prices. Your clients want to communicate with their families telling them what a good time they are having and sending them the photos they have taken on the way. What would be better advertising for Holland America?  Word of mouth trumps corporate TV ads these days.
3. Even though the demographic of “Cruisers” is tilted toward retirees, look at the growth potential in those who are still working and need good access to the Internet.
4. “Value” cruises are no longer a value if you have more and more add-ons. Think of the market share that “Free Internet” would add.
5. When surveying your customers on the services you provide, make sure you include all services. In the four page survey, Internet was not mentioned at all, nor was there free form space for other comments.
6. Make sure that the person running the Internet Service on-board has “people skills”. However, that being said, the poor guy was dealing with complaints every minute, in a no-win situation.
7. Closed circuit television presentations featuring the benefits of your On-Board Online Services, should be an honest representation of what you can deliver. Better to under-promise and over-perform.

Those are my suggestions for Holland America . Please note that it was a great Cruise in all other respects and the ship was filled with hardworking people. We hit some great destinations.  We’ll see in the future if “I’ll pass it on” has any currency. So far, no word.

If you are considering some travel and Internet, here are some tips from the New York Times.

Seminar leader:
Richard Silver is a Salesperson with Bosley Real Estate Ltd. and an early adopter of technology and the Internet. He presently sits as a Director-at-Large with the Toronto Real Estate Board and is a member of the MLS® and Technology Council at CREA. He has recently been named to the Advisory Council for REBAC at the National Association of REALTORS®. His website is www.RichardSilver.com, Blog is www.Torontoism.com, or you can follow him on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

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Gary Vaynerchuk at Inman Connect NYC 2009

THE UGLY:

The discussion is still on the table in the States about one National MLS…but like “World Peace” it is a great goal..but unattainable. The Politics are increasingly diverse and trying to “Collaborate or Consolidate” is nice a goal that should be put to rest.

THE GOOD:

Online Social Media & Networking is creating the excitement. Expanding your sphere of contacts and referrals by getting an online persona, Branding, using ALL the tools, engaging your tribe, using Video or podcasts, going from awareness to interaction to engagement or activity. Great Stuff! Thanks to Jeff Turner, Dustin Luther, Daniel Rothamel, and of course, my blog coach, Jim Cronin of the Real Estate Tomato.

There was a great Keynote address: Building Your Personal Brand Online by Gary Vaynerchuk, Founder& Director of WineLibrary.tv. Gary is a high energy speaker who has taken his family wine store and created  a multi-level Brand featuring himself as a critic, speaker, Blogger, branding consultant, TV Show Host and, by his own admission, is probably the most unlikely character to have done so. But, as he says, “We are in the midst of a personal brand goldrush. With all of the social media tools at our disposal, anyone can seize the opportunity to make a name for themselves if they are passionate, genuine and willing to work their face off.”

THE BAD:

Now my big decision is coffee number four… a little retail therapy…or some much-needed sleep… Without a doubt however, Monday the diet starts, yet again! Oprah…I feel your pain!

I tried to explain to them that Real Estate was going through many changes and that their $900,000 house was better served by the demographic in the Toronto Globe and Mail or the National Post (sorry Star Readers but even the Globe and Mail suspended the Homes Section for three weeks at the holidays). I also pointed out that although, REALTOR.ca was definitely part of any agent’s marketing plan, most Buyers searched through Google under the top search terms and that it was important that a Realtor’s web site be positioned front and centre. I also tried to explain to them the power of the Realtor to Realtor TorontoMLS system which allows us to set parameters and forward all new listings fitting those parameters to our buyers 24/7.

They then told me that I was all wrong and they did not think that $900,000 Buyers would be searching on the Internet at all. Realtor.org, the web site of the National Association of REALTORS has a 2006 survey that, at that time, showed the use of the Internet to be over 81% at that time, but they were not interested in listening. They had already decided that I was not the person for them - fine for me - but they continued to send me a couple more emails to tell me how wrong I was. Interesting that someone would choose to ask questions and then tell the respondent that all their responses were wrong.

I tried again to explain to them the importance of Search Engine Optimization (the manipulation of the search criteria that puts one on the first or second page when someone searches Toronto Real Estate or another number of searches). I also sent them to my Blog at www.DowntownTorontoBlog.com and told them how important that Social Network Marketing like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter were becoming in Real Estate (They recently demonstrated their abilities in getting amazing political and fundraising support for President-Elect Obama).

Noted Speaker and Coach Barry Lebow says “a Newspaper advertises an abundance of merchandise. It is broad. A person looking for a house today is specific, they go where the houses are promoted the most- the Internet. Niche is important, broad is bad. And what if the Buyer is being transferred or is just moving into the City. They do not have Newspapers but they have the Internet”.

I talked to them about the importance of personal and corporate web sites, professional photos, Virtual Tours, Floor plans to show your property to its best. They did not even give me the chance to tell them how important Staging was in the sale of property today. Sadly, I had lost them when I suggested that “Print Marketing” was not the focus they should have.

Now don’t get me wrong. I do have an ongoing ad in the Globe and Mail, Homes Section but it sends readers to my Web site for full details. I also send out thousands of JUST LISTED with interior and exterior photos within the first few days of listing, I do sponsor by invitation Realtor Open Houses where I serve food, I do strongly believe in public Open Houses, host them and I do advertise those Open Houses in the Saturday Globe and Mail.

What I tried to tell them is that for the benefit of my Sellers, I had to take their properties to where the Buyers are and not where they used to be or where I would hope they would be. The shift began years ago when “I saw your ad in the Newspaper” became “I liked the photos on the “net” so I would like to see that listing” or “I am always on your web site”.

Most Realtors will tell you today that an ad in Print media is a move to keep their Sellers happy and not because they think it will actually bring an offer to the table. Ask yourself the last time you went to get information from a offline dictionary or encyclopedia…and then ask yourself where your Realtor should focus marketing dollars.

Here is a great Blog on what to do when Newspapers disappear by Seth Godin…

A few days ago I contacted someone who I’ve always had a lot of respect for…she has been a REALTOR, Manager and teacher for 30 years (or more???) and like me she relishes in change…it does not get her down but she relishes in a challenge. She has been a very successful coach as well as developing the web site format that I presently use. It is very consumer centric and REALTOR friendly.

Over the years, as REALTORS we have been barraged by many business tools provided for us by non-REALTORS. Gabrielle Jean’s coaching and web site are made with the knowledge of her years in the business.

Recently I asked her her thoughts about Online marketing and what should be important to Buyers and Sellers. She made a very interesting point that has emphasized a strongly held awareness that is seldom taught:

Gabrielle says: “ I have spent 36 years in the real estate business…30 years training real estate professionals. For the past 10 years I have studied Internet marketing. Homeowners today need to be sure that their real estate professional has vast knowledge and expertise handling the Internet buyer.  Since 85% of buyers/sellers today visit the web when searching for a home, no longer is the first inquiry from a buyer/seller usually a sign call or ad call; in fact it is an email inquiry.  Handling an email message is very different than handling a sign/ad caller. Today it is about the real estate professional knowing how to write rather than just knowing how to speak on a phone. ” 

Gabrielle has encouraged REALTORS to move their business online for years and has a recently launched Blog at www.realestategab.com or can be found at E2000 Training or Webtechdezine.