Our new community

Well, we have been busy putting up the new Property Owl community (the old Juicy Red Apple), social network, real estate network, gathering place, whatever you would like to call it.

We naturally believe this to be a good thing and I have had many positive comments, only one negative comment and one weird comment.   The weird comment reminded me of two recent conversations, one with a software developer (for property) and one with an agent.

The software developer was keen to advertise on this blog and started negotiations with “I don’t really expect too much from this so I want to try it free for three months and then I will committ, but my budget will only be £30 per month”.  As I searched for the ‘electrocute the person at the end of the phone button’ I thought I would not just hang up, but try and understand this person a little.  I tried to engage her in conversation.  Why do you think you won’t get too much from your advert I asked.  ”the decision makers don’t read these things, only the minions in the office” she replied.  I begged to differ and also went on to explain that they were not minions and were often the real driving forces behind any business (I am a minion I pointed out).  I could not believe I was hearing this.  I went on to explain about the community and she almost laughed at me!  She thought such networks were not for the people that mattered and those that would be buying her product.  And this is where I lost it a little,  I could not help it.  I ended the conversation by asking her two key questions:  One, how many clients does she have and can I have a demo of her product so I can review it.  Answer to question one:  ”I am not at liberty to divulge that information, but we have been in business for 12 years”, answer to question two, “no, we don’t have them” .    Needless to say, they didn’t get an advert!!

I should point out the software developer was not one of the well known players.

The second conversation was with an estate agent.  He was old school and didn’t like the phrase ‘real estate’.   I asked him how he would define the industry in which he works and he simply replied “property”.  Whilst he is certainly not the sharpest chisel in the pack, he has been around a while and I thought he may have something interesting to say about the new community.  ”I don’t know why you are bothering with that” he delightfully said.  ”I don’t like other agents and certainly don’t want to share my thoughts with my competitors”.  This went on, back and forth as I tried to educate this guy about …… just common sense business really.  But he wouldn’t even listen and it all ended with me pointing out that he had two failed agency practices behind him already and he was asking me for advice!!

I recommended the above software provided to him and recommended the growing market in outer Mongolia.

This did get me thinking whether I was actually in the right space and doing the right thing, but then I genuinely had a buzz about me today as I watched all our members sign up to the new site and interact with each other – I was a like a child watching his first 3D movie.

Please enjoy the community and please ask your colleagues, friends, associates to sign up.