Email is So 90s - You Need to Know How to Text!
Sam Chapman
June 25, 2009
Many real estate agents are very resistant to change and many have no clue about some of today´s technology. When I talk with some agents about blogs, their faces go blank. It gets even worse when I talk about Twitter, Facebook and text messaging. I´m not going to bother with any of these subjects but texting right now.
With a younger generation of home buyers and all of the technology out there, agents need to know how to text. I am not suggesting that we text clients – at least not unless they text us first. I have a story to share that is not real estate related, but it drives the point home about future buyers of Austin homes.
I chaired the Relay For Life of Lake Travis, an American Cancer Society event, around three years ago. The Interact Club at Lake Travis High School has sponsored Relay at Lake Travis each year since it started six years ago. As such, many of the people on the planning committee are high school students from the club.
At one of the first meetings I asked the kids what the best way to communicate would be and asked about cell phone or email. One of the kids, Ryan, turned to me with a look of disbelief on his face and said: "Mr. Chapman, email is so 90s! You need to learn how to text!"
Well, an upcoming meeting was the Monday right after spring break. I thought back to what Ryan had said and spent 20 minutes figuring out how to text all the students about the meeting. On Monday evening, every single student on the planning committee showed up. They were sunburned and tired, but they were there. When I complimented them on all being at the meeting, one of the teenagers said that someone had texted them. I just sat back and grinned!
I am an advisor to the Lake Travis H.S. Interact Club and I text officers quite a bit. I have text conversations with my daughter. I text back and forth with a guy who is looking to buy a million dollar home in the Austin area.
My point is that technology has changed the way people communicate. We all need to understand and keep up with these changes so we can effectively communicate with our clients.
Sam Chapman is also an Austin real estate agent who has lived and worked in the Austin area since 1987. He is also very involved in the community.
With a younger generation of home buyers and all of the technology out there, agents need to know how to text. I am not suggesting that we text clients – at least not unless they text us first. I have a story to share that is not real estate related, but it drives the point home about future buyers of Austin homes.
I chaired the Relay For Life of Lake Travis, an American Cancer Society event, around three years ago. The Interact Club at Lake Travis High School has sponsored Relay at Lake Travis each year since it started six years ago. As such, many of the people on the planning committee are high school students from the club.
At one of the first meetings I asked the kids what the best way to communicate would be and asked about cell phone or email. One of the kids, Ryan, turned to me with a look of disbelief on his face and said: "Mr. Chapman, email is so 90s! You need to learn how to text!"
Well, an upcoming meeting was the Monday right after spring break. I thought back to what Ryan had said and spent 20 minutes figuring out how to text all the students about the meeting. On Monday evening, every single student on the planning committee showed up. They were sunburned and tired, but they were there. When I complimented them on all being at the meeting, one of the teenagers said that someone had texted them. I just sat back and grinned!
I am an advisor to the Lake Travis H.S. Interact Club and I text officers quite a bit. I have text conversations with my daughter. I text back and forth with a guy who is looking to buy a million dollar home in the Austin area.
My point is that technology has changed the way people communicate. We all need to understand and keep up with these changes so we can effectively communicate with our clients.
Sam Chapman is also an Austin real estate agent who has lived and worked in the Austin area since 1987. He is also very involved in the community.
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