'NAR needs to suck less'
By Jessica Swesey, Friday, February 15, 2008.Bookmarking Sites
Hey, that's a direct quote and we didn't say it so don't shoot the messenger. We bring it up because it was the quote that stood out most from the blogosphere this week and it came from one of NAR's own members, Athol Kay, a real estate agent in Connecticut.
Kay's quote stands out because of the context it comes from. A post this week over at the NAR Wisdom blog pontificates on why the National Association of Realtors needs a social media director. NAR hasn't exactly embraced the real estate blogging community with open arms and some bloggers have been criticizing the organization for not only this, but also for what appears to be a serious misunderstanding of what blogs are and how to use them effectively.
The topic sparked an involved discussion among commenters and even drew NAR's own CEO Dale Stinton to comment:
"I have been reading a lot of blogger comments about social media lately that suggest NAR is late to the blogosphere party. I guess the way I see it, we’ve actually been going to a lot of consumer and communication parties lately – but the bottom line is: most of these folks’ observations about our participation in blogs (no matter how kind or unflattering) are right!
"We need to engage in the real estate conversation everywhere, not so much to convince, but to show we give a hoot."
This feels like a pretty significant development -- NAR's CEO is now engaging directly with the blogging community. (We presume Stinton actually wrote the comments and they didn't come from a handler.)
While many real estate blogs are set up to be consumer-reaching channels and SEO prize-winners, the medium also presents an opportunity for the real estate industry to engage in informal and genuine conversations about serious issues that affect everyone in the business. Formerly more of a back-hallway-type discussion, blogs pull these points of view to the Internet, where agents from all over the world can read and participate.
And now we know that these discussions can get loud enough to reach NAR's upper echelons. Surely, that means something.
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Submitted by Anonymous on February 15, 2008 - 11:38am.
That NAR doesn't understand blogs is the least of NAR's problems.
Submitted by Anonymous on February 15, 2008 - 12:43pm.
I'd take that speculation that someone ghost wrote it for him out. a) it's wrong, b) it sounds kinda childish.
Submitted by Anonymous on February 15, 2008 - 12:52pm.
Nobody -- the post does not speculate that someone ghost wrote Stinton's comments for him. Rather, the post specifically says "We presume Stinton actually wrote the comments and they didn't come from a handler."
If that's not clear -- in other words, we ARE ASSUMING that Stinton wrote the comments and not someone else. Not sure any other way to say that. I included the sentence because readers may have wondered about it. Anyone can say they are someone else on the Internet, so for the sake of this post we assumed this was actually Stinton and didn't do any investigation to be sure.
Submitted by Anonymous on February 15, 2008 - 2:06pm.
I really think organizations which have evolved using the group think dynamic just have a freaking hard time with the individuality and freedom of blogging. You can't blog by committee. It all moves too fast. They're going to have to let go to embrace it.
Submitted by Anonymous on February 15, 2008 - 4:24pm.
Here's a major development of note to NARologists: they seem to have convinced their lawyers that it is possible for them to defend the trademark of the term "Realtor" without requiring their bloggers to write REALTOR® all the time.
http://narblog1.realtors.org/mvtype/president/2008/02/reaching_out_to_co...
A policy change instituted sometime in the last week:
http://narblog1.realtors.org/mvtype/president/2008/02/realtors_lead_the_...
Or a rare transgression, never to be repeated?
Submitted by Anonymous on February 15, 2008 - 6:58pm.
Oh wow, I always sound like I took my angry pills when I get quoted on Inman. :-)
The full quote being...
"I think the turning of RE.net NAR complainers into NAR advocates is pretty simple. NAR needs to suck less. The RE.net is vocal but also pretty honest."
I do stand by that quote though. A little more interaction and I really believe NAR would find huge allys in the RE.net. Some of the best, brightest and most innovative real estate thinkers are out and about on the RE.net. We by no means agree on everything, but at least NAR really should ask "us" about blogging and how it works.
I'm glad to see Dale active in the comments. There is no reason whatsoever to believe that it isn't actually him.
It's actually one of the most hopeful developments I've seen in a long time.
Submitted by Anonymous on February 15, 2008 - 6:58pm.
They have yet to embrace social media, because they can't figure out how to control it. Most of the large organizations that have tried to venture into blogging have failed miserably. Just look at what happened to Wal-mart and DELL.
Blogging is one of the many tools individuals or companies can use to communicate with their target audience. But, I don't think its an appropriate or effective tool for everyone.
Submitted by Anonymous on February 15, 2008 - 7:39pm.
Jessica wrote: "Not sure any other way to say that. I included the sentence because readers may have wondered about it. Anyone can say they are someone else on the Internet..."
Jessica, I got several emails from people asking if I *knew* it was actually Dale Stinton that wrote the comment.
Of course there is no way to be certain. I can say for certain that the IP address belongs to the NAR and I personally believe it's Dale leaving the comments.
Perfect legit IMHO to bring it up.
There are a lot of real estate and industry blogs out there. Obviously I don't read them all (though I do read many). I don't recall ever seeing a NAR executive commenting on a blog "outside" the NAR. I'm with you and Athol, I find it quite a significant and meaningful development.
Submitted by Anonymous on February 15, 2008 - 7:59pm.
John wrote: "That NAR doesn't understand blogs is the least of NAR's problems."
John, I don't think anyone is saying NARs lack of understanding of blogging is it's biggest problem. Of course it isn't.
But, a better understanding of this medium - blogging, social networking, "Web 2.0", whatever term you want to use -- COULD potentially help the NAR improve in a LOT of areas.
Communication is crucial in any organization. The NAR has a huge membership base to communicate with, and not only that, they are attempting to communicate with real estate consumers as well -- a group that numbers in the what, 10's of millions?
"Blogging" is just one aspect of social media. It's not just about blogging. It's about using tools and technology to reach out to all those people.
Submitted by Anonymous on February 16, 2008 - 10:32am.
It's pretty clear the post in the second link to Gaylord's blog was written by someone else, since it's credited to Pat Combs. Either that or the ghostwriter missed the convention.
And the whole rhetoric about community service and awards is very self serving.
People from all professions, income levels and social statra perform community service. Most of them never get any kind of award or reward unless it's the inner glow from knowing they did something nice for someone else.
Submitted by Joe Cline on March 15, 2008 - 3:38pm.
Amen to that. NAR does need to suck less. I'd say it needs to suck a fair amount less.
Joe
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