There is an Ancient Chinese Proverb that goes something like…”Give a man a fish and you feed him for the day, but teach a man to fish and you feed him for life”. Seems like more & more as I try to “Teach” a Realtor to create content for their website, or utilize one of the many fine Web 2.0 tools available to them, they instead want me (or someone else) to “Give” them the tools, or more to the point, do it for them! I am employed by my Broker to teach, not do.

I sit with Agents for 1/2 hour at a time, once or twice a month each. How could I possibly “Do it” for them anyway? I am an eternal “optimist” I believe that Realtors want to learn how to do these things, they just are fearful, like we all can be, about the “journey”.

I submit to you & them, as FDR said “We have nothing to fear, but fear itself”! More to the point that quote continues…”Nameless, unreasoning, unjustified terror which paralyzes needed efforts to convert retreat and advance.” Today, I spoke before about 75-80 of my 300 Realtors (Northern Offices in 2 weeks) about the Internet, Web 2.0, Blogs, Social Media, etc…while also introducing a package from my Marketing Dept that designed and/or upgraded their existing websites to Flash for a “Dirt Cheap” price of $199. I had 25 orders for the package and 2 Realtors wanted custom content for 10x that. I was “reborn”! Do I know that the price we were offering them was the “real” catalyst? heck ya! but it’s not the whole story, the whole story includes the desire and the understanding that the Internet will bring their careers to another level, and that it is our future.

They showed me commitment today, I was impressed! I spoke of amazing web 2.0 tools like MLBroadcast, which creates a video out of still photos and uploads it to places like iTunes, & hosts of other video portals. ListHub, which broadcasts a listing to all the major listings sites and the Agent only has to set it up 1 time, they do the rest! Cell Signs, that not only acts as a Digital Brochure, but can be marketed as a completely Mobile MLS solution. I saw them jotting (Ha, Jotting, we told them about JOTT.com too!) down notes like it was 8th grade “Sex Ed” class! Today, I felt like I may have actually taught some Agents how to “Fish”. Today I may have fed some Agents for a lifetime. Today was a good day! Agents: “Stop”, “Learn”, “Grow”, & “Prosper” ~ The Coach