Realtor Property Resource
After the launch of the Realtor Property Resource (RPR), it was noted in several conversations on and offline that interest from Realtors in general seemed low, so we decided to do an AG Flash Poll on it, and our results seem to fit within our suspicion:
The setup was a simple sidebar poll pushed out to Twitter and Facebook, the two primary social networks Realtors use.
Realtors were asked
How much do you care about the National Association of Realtors’ Realtor Property Resource (aka RPR)?
I don’t care at all - 10%
I care a little bit - 14%
I care a whole lot! - 28%
I’m still on the fence - 24%
Huh? What is RPR? - 24%
At first glance, you’re immediately drawn to those that do not care or care very little which ranges at 24% combined , but what is most telling are the nearly 28% of those polled that do care, while nearly 50% are either still on the fence or have no idea what RPR is which is alarming in that our poll went live nearly 72 hours after RPR’s initial buzzy unveiling.
Communication failure?
Although only 100 were surveyed, and the poll is not scientific, it represents what we’ve seen in reaction to not only the release of the project, but the subsequent articles in relation. There was virtually no online support after the unveiling to really push interest, as if somehow the world takes the weekend off and that eager minds would wait. Some are also speculating that the learning curve and the discussion is maybe too high level. But one would guess that if that were the case, then demand for more would be in play.
Does what seems to be apathy present a problem for the National Association of Realtors? Is HouseLogic DOA (derr on arrival)?
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Consumerism, Geo-mapping columnist
Marketing columnist
Just a point of clarification, RPR and HouseLogic are separate products. I just want to note this since you’re polling about RPR with a screen shot for HouseLogic. We’ll be evaluating our messaging regarding products once both products are presented at the NAR Annual Expo this week. Neither product officially launches until 2010.
Interesting, unscientific poll. I suspect that your results for “Huh? What is RPR?” would actually be more if a larger body were polled. Regardless of initial interest or recognition by real estate agents, the RPR is a BIG deal. Big in terms of dollars spent by NAR. Big in terms of impact on local MLS’s. Big in terms of potential local association revenue dollars lost if local MLS’s go away. Big in terms of information all in one place. Big in terms of NAR’s reputation because if it fails, NAR is probably struggling to stay relevant.
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Tom, we agree.
As much as a post like this can come off as a criticism of the NAR, it actually isn’t.
From the get go this has been a very difficult subject to wrap ones mind around because as Todd points out, it’s two projects in one, with many many layers- it is really big both in concept and in what it means to the association now and in the years to come.
Even for those in the know, it’s difficult to even write about because the communications strategy here isn’t built in bite sizes. There is no catch phrase, there is no grass roots, there are not a whole lot of things that grab agents by the scruff psychologically. On the HouseLogic side, that’s not a good thing, and on the RPR side, it may just be because it’s really early in the game, the ink has barely dried. At the end of the day, what happens after and during the convention this week should be a buzz on the street, as many non-online folks will have seen it at the convention, and I should hear agents next week talking about it in our local starbucks.
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“…RPR’s buzzy unveiling.” I don’t remember a lot of buzz around it. In fact, I would call it kinda stealthy. I’m still not sure exactly what it would do for me and I’ve been trying to ferret out information about it. Maybe I’m just looking in the wrong places.
Ken,
Same here, pretty much.
I’ve always found that the best way to figure it out for yourself is to just go visit the sites in question, poke around a while and see how it hits you.
Sort of like watching sports with the sound off. A third the time the announcers are full of it, a third of the time they are just spouting the obvious, and the last third they are completly missing obviuos key things – like a key player limping off after a play. (they are too busy reading their stat sheets trying to sound overly brilliant)
Not sure any of that applies now that I reread it, so just stick with the ‘visit the sites yourself deal.’
lol
Rob,
I agree. No matter what the “buzz” was, the only way I can tell is to kick the tires and find out for yourself what really is going on. Whenever something as controversial as this is announced, you can be sure that the pitch is going to be what they want you to hear. I’m just sayin’ . . .
I did like Rob Hahn’s “Civil War” post, though.
Lani and Ines