Do you remember when internet dating sites first started out? Didn’t it seem a bit odd then that people would first meet online before they ever met in person? Now it’s so commonplace though that most of us know quite a few people using sites like this, or have friends who met a spouse online.

Just as people connect on dating sites these days, things have changed for business too since we have the opportunity to build relationships with others through vehicles such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter (and so many others). I don’t think we need to put our whole focus on spending all day online, because we definitely need to get some “Facetime” with people (and get work done too). But building an online presence and being where people are at is really important for business.

Let me highlight Twitter for just a minute. I’ve been using Twitter for over a year now and I’m really grateful for the relationships I’ve built. Honestly, at first glance I thought Twitter was some sort of platform to post self-focused disconnected “buy from me” type marketing messages, but it can actually be a very relational tool (if used properly). With that being said, meet some people in the Sacramento area that I’m glad to have connected with on Twitter (most in person too after meeting on Twitter).

@GenaRiede I think I found Gena’s blog first and then started following her on Twitter. She has great search engine rankings in the area and is continually cranking out content. Gena has been a real estate blogger since April 2006 and has 174 real estate videos to date. She was a RE blogger before the blogging bandwagon came to town.

@SuzannePhan A multi-media journalist for News 10, she’s constantly connecting with locals and trying to stay on top of current stories. She recently covered a story in my home town, and our paths were able to cross for a brief interview. Check out her website.

@TheBeamGuy This guy knows his stuff when it comes to Mid-Century Modern (MCM) homes in the Sacramento area (He is a licensed contractor). I linked to him on one of my posts on Streng homes. Seriously, he really has a niche speciality. Check out his website. 

@DavidYaffee David is a local Realtor, and I like his resourceful real estate videos. We’re actually shooting a video together this afternoon. I’m glad to have connected with David recently through Sacramento Tube. Check out David’s site / blog.

@RosevilleRockLnVery funny RE marketing gal. Heather is a gifted networker and so good with words. She and her husband make a great RE team and they are hard workers for sure. Check out the Ostrom website.

@BrightFarm Barbara helps people excel in their “elevator pitch”. Last year she and some others joined me in reading through the book “Crush It” for a business book club. Check out Barbara’s website. It’s fun to finally meet people in person after first having met on social media.

@PlumasLaker Gary and I actually connected after he found one of my blog posts on Plumas Lake. After talking back and forth about real estate, we became Twitter and Facebook friends. We share common passions for community building. I filmed him for a Good Neighbor TV post too. Really good guy (and now an elected official too).

@geewhizkid Andy is a solid person. He is a technical writer for VSP and is deeply involved in the community. I suppose technically we met in person for an hour at a meeting before becoming friends on Twitter, but that’s almost close enough to say we met on Twitter, right? We went to Kansas City together for the All-America City awards. We brought home the “All-America City” award for Rancho Cordova of course, but I won’t forget the lamb ribs that Andy and I enjoyed at Jack Stack in KC. 

@JenniferBourn Jennifer’s forte is branding and internet marketing. She actually did a post sort of like this on her blog a number of months ago, so I definitely want to credit her with the inspiration for this post. That’s what creative people do – they inspire. Seriously, Jennifer has some great content.

I like Twitter, but it’s not tweeting my stuff that gets me going, but rather the opportunity to connect with real people. I know this post might seem kind of off-topic for an appraisal blog, but business is all about relationships, and these are things I am constantly thinking about throughout the week.

Where do you build relationships with people online and in the real world?

Let me know if you have questions, insight, or any real estate appraisal or valuation consulting needs. Contact me at 916.595.3735, on my company website, or on Twitter or Facebook.