If you're not on MySpace and other social networking sites, you're not reaching today's Realtors, mortgage brokers and homeowners. MySpace alone receives more than 230,000 new registrations per day. Other appraisers are getting in front of these potential clients instead.

MySpace is an ultra-powerful brand whose users consider belonging to it a "must." Facebook has positioned itself as MySpace's more grown-up cousin. Once limited to college and high school students, it's now open to everybody and professional users are flocking to it. Active Rain is a community site for real estate professionals, mostly agents, but other service providers, too, including hundreds of appraisers. It includes community discussions, blogs and comments, and best of all a Referral Exchange.

Most important to you: These sites' users have opted in to receive communications from you. When you join MySpace or Facebook, you browse for potential homeowners and referral partners in your service area, and ask to be added to their "friends" lists. Once on their list, they can receive bulletins from you. Spamming strangers with e-mails isn't how Internet marketing works. It's building a reputation, gaining trust through visibility, and using a personal touch.

You don't have time for that—we know. That's why we do it. Creating these profiles and using them to their fullest as marketing tools takes some effort. That's where we come in.

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