Glenn Kelman and Celebrity 2.0
Redfin
further brands itself as the geek of brokerages with its Real Estate Scientist program. And Glenn Kelman gets to publicize it on the Today show tomorrow... and I'll be the first to predict that the interview
will tie in Microsoft, Seattle and other icons of geekdom. Talking tech is a good
fit for Redfin.
The thing I find interesting is how Glenn, by virtue of two TV appearances,
has become the national celebrity for consumer real estate. I can't
think of anyone else real estate related who has had similar exposure.
Real estate has had no celebrities with Q Score, tech has Mark Cuban and Steve Jobs, stocks has Peter Lynch and Jim Cramer, retail has Howard Schultz, etc.
Microcelebrity is the phenomenon of being extremely well known not to millions but to a small group — a thousand people, or maybe only a few dozen. As DIY media reach ever deeper into our lives, it's happening to more and more of us. Got a Facebook account? A whackload of pictures on Flickr? Odds are there are complete strangers who know about you — and maybe even talk about you.
Don't you love this new concept for democratization of fame?
Technorati Tags: Glenn Kelman, Redfin, Today Show, celebrity, microcelebrity, new media
You sound jealous!
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LOL... Glenn is Celebrity 1.0... the rest of us are 2.0s out here in Celebrity Hinterland...
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What if all the time spent, in the past year, on Web 2.0, was spent on developing PR relationships with the MSM?
I gotta figure I have over 1000 hours invested in the past 18 months.
What do you think the result would be?
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Chicken and egg Brian... you require the status of the major microcelebrity you've become in real estate via your Web 2.0 efforts before the mainstream media will recognize you...
One prediction I'll make about 2008 is the rise of the microcelebrity... in particular to the RE.net, the development of business alliances amongst the microcelebrities as their credibility becomes recognized.
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Good point. After developing an online brand, should the next step be to pursue the MSM?
What alliances do you see? Group blogs like BHB? E-Associations for mortgage brokers?
I'm searching for suggestions.
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The manifestation of group blogs and the informal referral networks that developed within Active Rain are a part of the new alliance and business building that RE.net facilitates.
I see RE.net as the new water cooler for the development of new ideas and businesses that used to be (and is still) the province of the corridors of innovative companies like Google and Microsoft. In fact, the business Kevin and I have been building was based on a cooler conversation.
Tomorrow, I'm finishing up an article that you will surely understand - the blog community elevates the efficacy and power of "meet up" conferences like Inman. This is where the alliances become more established by hand shakes.
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Donald Trump?
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Yeah, I was thinking Trump but he's known as a reality show celeb than a real estate guy these days...
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Barbara Corcoran has been a regular contributor to the Today show for some time now. She certainly has a level of celbrity status.
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I think our industry has numerous high profile and well respected people that are basically very well known - but probably only in the real estate industry.
Industry celebs I can think of include Dave Liniger, Brad Inman, Stefan Swanepoel, Lennox Scott, John Tuccillo, Steve Morris and Gary Keller.
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My point is the general public doesn't know any of the seven luminaries you mention. I think if I did a survey, most real estate agents wouldn't be able to say they know more than half of the seven above.
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