The Google's and Yahoo's of the world are incredibly efficient at gathering information that is on the Internet. Sometimes it's amazing how quickly they can crawl and index data.
What is also amazing to me, is how often people display…. let's just call it "poor judgement" when they post on public blogs, message boards and forums.
Point2 Agent provides a message board for their users and prospective users. Some of these threads are "locked" — meaning only active Point2 members can access them. These locked threads are also set to not be crawled and indexed by the search engines.
However, many of the threads are NOT locked, and are publicly accessible and indexable by the search engines.
I am an active participant on the P2 forum. I like to help people, get help and just get to know my fellow P2 members. We've got a great little community.
Last week an agent came on the forum and made his first post. He was seeking advice on a specific clause in the Ohio purchase agreement. He identified himself as a new agent. I responded with what I thought was helpful advice. His response was a flame, by any definition of the word.
Here's the actual question, and subsequent responses:
Hmmmm… Now I get this sort of stuff on occasion. It's happened on this very blog. It used to hurt my feelings, but at some point I just decided to consider the source and move on.
My response to Mr. Nick Strippy was:
Nick - Whatever. I'm not even going to bother replying to your ridiculous attack. I will say this though, and you can take it however you please…
If you respond to clients and prospects with just one tenth of the attitude you displayed to me, then good luck succeeding in this business.
Many of my forum friends also responded (and I thank them for the support). And of course, it's a week later and Mr. Nick Strippy hasn't returned to the message boards, nor offered an apology (not that I was expecting one as people with that type of attitude can rarely admit they made a mistake).
I'm not blogging about this to bring Mr. Strippy before more of his peers, or to see that this gets indexed in Google.
You see, Nick did all that himself. He posted this on a public section of the message board. ANYONE can access it, including Google. And Google, in it's typically impressive fashion, has already visited the thread and indexed it.
In fact, if you Google "Nick Strippy", the link to this entire thread comes up in the #1 spot. Above Nick's own web site.
And this folks, is why you have to be careful what you say on the Internet!
I suspect someone might be saying right now, "So what, no one searches for agents by name." And that may indeed be true for people looking for an agent. But I assure you that many people WILL Google the name of someone that they are considering whether or not to have represent them.
And this is exactly what they are looking for.
Mr. Strippy has immortalized his words on the Internet for all eternity. There is no taking them back.
Be careful what you say on the Internet folks. It never forgets.
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Technorati Tags: internet flaming
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Hi Jay,
I think that your answer to his question was good advice from a veteran to a rookie. His response was unbelievable; discourteous, arrogant, ungrateful. I hope all of his potential customers read his attack and go elsewhere.
I am also a Point2′er.
I am a relative rookie, one year into the business, and I am hopefully building my business by creating good relationships with people; customers, clients and existing real estate professionals.
I have met a few agents who have no manners and are so arrogant that they make me want to turn away, I wonder how they do business with attitudes like that.
I like what you write and have learned a lot from your other blogs. Keep up the good work.
Mike.
Hi Jay,
Well it looks like you and your friends on the P2 board have saved some consumers from an arrogant self-serving imbecile. Good job.
Jay, my ears rang when I finished my post on my blog.
I can’t remember ever seeing an agent commit business suicide before… what a maroon! LOL
Funny how he is under the misperception that any exposure is good exposure… he’s going to be in for a rude awakening.
I’m going to try and rehabilitate Nick.
Nick,
Here’s the deal. As far as undressing yourself as a total ignoramus, well, that horse is out of the barn. We’re in damage control now. Why? Because not only are you a new agent who couldn’t find his butt with two guides, both hands, and a GPS, you’re an ill mannered oaf to boot.
So what you do now is come back to the forum, admit you were totally wrong, blame only yourself, say your response was absolutely indefensible, and apologize without qualification, while begging for forgiveness.
Everyone of us has acted the way you did at one time or another. You have the chance to show everyone how you’ve learned from this, and that indeed, it was not the way you behave normally. (God forbid) If you do this, and do it immediately, all will forgive and gladly accept you into the community. Over time, your childish response will be forgotten, and you will have gained the respect of almost everyone.
I’m begging you please - do it.
Wow! I think you gave him exactly the correct answer. Gotta wonder where that came from.
Good to remember when it’s late at night and we are in a bad mood. Better sleep on it first.
Yes, we’re definately not invisable to the long arms of the google spider! My mother always told me to be on my best behavior at all times.
Sorry to double comment…..
I did a search of Nick strippy, and now he has 3 links in the top 3. You’rs is number 1!
This article should be required reading for every new agent coming in to the business. We’re using forums and blogs more and more. Everything we say leaves a trail behind us. I don’t think we realize how powerful google is! This was a real eye opener.
Never leave a negative wake!
Jay,
That is priceless. I guess this is the Internet’s version of poetic justice, or “prose justice” as the case may be.
Wow! Hard to understand why he was so defensive, your response was professional and well intended.
Great advice Jay and I love the idea of not leaving a “negative wake” from Greg.
I love it!!! Google is a great means of accountability for us all. I have always been a big fan of watching what one says regardless if it is on the internet or not, particularly because I have the tendency to be somewhat impetuous myself from time to time.
Thank You Mr. Nick Strippy for sacrificing yourself on the alter of “object lessons” and being that all-to-perfect example of what NOT to do…
Something similar happened on my blog a week back, though the incident involved merely poor blog etiquette, and nothing remotely mean-spirited. A local stager has started blogging on my blog and is doing a great job. On a recent post, one of her competitors, most likely simply not understanding what’s considered kosher and not, posted her contact details in a comment. A day later — just one day!! — a Google search for the competing stager’s name put my blog above her own web site! Google, in its infinite, but in this case incorrect, wisdom, decided that my blog was a more authoritative source of content on her name than her own blog was.
Yes indeed, a very good lesson. I will bookmark this page to pass along to all those attending the blogging classes Pat Kitano and I are teaching.
Just want to mention Nick Strippy to help the Google Juice.
I wonder if he even has his name set up on Google Alerts - I’m sure the rest of you do.
This is classic…
I was just trying to explain the power of blogging to a client, and the fact that it is a great way to get your name out in the marketplace. This is the ultimate example of how it can backfire on you…
The internet, and more specifically Google, has created a level of transparency that can’t be easily covered up. If at any point you cannot tell a prospective client or referral source to google your name than you have to question your actions in the blogosphere.
Honestly who blogs for fun? Do you people really have nothing better to do with your lives then talk trash about someone you have never met and have no idea of anything about them besides making fun of your friend Jay. Mayb this guy is a vodoo doctor and has put a curse on all that disrespect him, well u never know for sure do ya. People that take blogging serious are about as intellectual as the dingle berries that hang from my grundle hair.
I always find it ironic when someone diminishes the intelligence of others using metaphors you’d hear in Junior High.
Who blogs for fun? Hundreds of thousands of people. I do it for fun, for my business and as a writing outlet. Others blog for a multitude of reasons. But really, what does it matter?
A vodoo (sic) curse? LOL. I’d have to say he disrespected me. Not real sure exactly how I disrespected him.
Whether I take blogging seriously or not isn’t really the point. The point is, if you are going to attach your name to something and put it on the Internet for all to see, you should think about the ramifications. Whether he considers it serious or not, some day Nick Strippy is going to have a difficult conversation with a prospective client…
Now if you want to post anonymously, if you don’t have the courage to back your opinion with some sort of identity, then I guess you have nothing to worry about.
Jay
Thank you very much for the post this really makes us Careful about What we Say on the Internet!
The whole incident is like a “Moral Story” for all Agents in P2.If we can’t comment good about others we should keep quiet instead of writing any thing that could hurt them,
Farooq Mohamed
thanks so much for the link , alot of great informative information.
I find it rather amusing how the guilty attacks you for having “too much time” on your hands. Here you are being kind enough to give him some requested advice and he bites your head off.
Your message regarding “watch what you say on the internet is well taken.” It does live forever.
kk
There was no reason to take your response defensibly. Thank you for sharing this with all of us.
Yes. Isn’t it amazing how we all see people on AR blasting client encounters and otherwise sharing things that I’m sure they would not want their clients being privvy to….
I think they’d be better off screaming at the top of their lungs in a crowded public place.
It is amazing how much good will could be be wiped out instantly. People sometimes forget this very important little fact that what you say can be out there forever.
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