I have been wanting to talk about NARPM.org for a while. I have a few friendly suggestions.
I think if NARPM would let me have control over their site for 90 days I could make that site into what it needs to be - a community. Am I the only one who thinks they are missing an opportunity with their web site?
Here is what they need to do to bring the site to the next level and really offer value for property managers.
- Create a blog: How about a blog from each of their leaders on a weekly basis telling me the current state of the market.
- Instead of newsletters that contain mostly ads (mostly from my competitors), place all that content on the web site for free for everyone to see. I’m guessing with the increased traffic, NARPM won’t have to beg people to write articles for each addition. People will want to do it because of the huge increase in exposure. Count me in. I will be the first to write an article.
- Create a community blog like ActiveRain.com. For those property managers that have something to say or want to share experiences create a place where they can easily set up a blog and run with it. Give them points so they can compete with each other. The points on ActiveRain.com give you no benefit at all except for pride.
- I have joined many audio organizations and I have never seen the Official Sponsored link on every page like on the NARPM site. Of course I am totally biased on this issue because my main competitor is listed there. Did you know that all of the property managers get absolutely no search-engine benefit from their listing on the NARPM site because of the way the site is structured? Only RentClicks gets the link juice, and I am sure it is a powerful link because they are pretty much only linking to RentClicks and no one else. Property managers, try this search on MSN which quickly shows you who NARPM links to and see if your company is listed. Let me also ask the question, when is the last time you got a client and they said they found you on the NARPM site?
- Create a forum. This is so easy to add to the site today.
- Create online classes. NAR and CAR do this, why not NARPM?
- Create a podcast show. If one guy working three days a week can do it out of his basement, surely NARPM can - right? I am sure fellow property managers want to hear other people’s success and failure stories so they can all learn together.
I think NARPM is doing a lot of great things. I just offer some food for thought.
I am going to shoot an email to Sylvia Hill the President of NARPM to see if she wants to come on my podcast show to discuss my ideas.
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I think this would be a wonderful asset and a great knowlege base for all NARPM members. They could Share. Learn. Connect.
Taken directly from the NARPM web site - “Our Mission is to support the professional and ethical practices of rental home management through networking, education and certification.”
I know I would love to network with NARPM members online from all over the U.S., not just at local chapter meetings. I know I get great information when I network on RealTalk, e-PROTalk, and BlogTalk put together by Internet Crusade.
Also, sharing information with not just our fellow NARPM members, but those that are thinking about using a NARPM member to manage their property shows why using a NARPM member is so important. Owner’s don’t know what they don’t know! Help them learn what they don’t know so they will hire a professional.
Great ideas. I appreciate you sharing this information - just like owners, NARPM members don’t know what they don’t know.
Is it RentClicks that you’re referring to as your competition?
The same RentClicks that has tens of thousands of listings while your site doesn’t have a single listing in Chicago, Dallas, Seattle, San Diego, Los Angeles, New York City, Milwaukee, Portland, Baltimore, Philadelphia, DC, New Orleans, Phoenix, Atlanta, Houston, Salt Lake City, Indinapolis, Cleveland, Detroit, Miami, Cincinnati, Orlando, Minneapolis, San Diego, or San Francisco?
With competition like that, you might as well have a yard sale to compete with ebay and amazon.
Frank are you the famous actor from the Naked Gun movie? I loved that movie!
Yes, you are right “Frank” I don’t have that many listings. I consider myself the small guy in this industry.
I believe I am using that term “competition” correctly. Even if RentClicks and RentalHouses have a huge sales staff and I am just one guy working part time at this, I would say that I am doing OK, not great but OK.
I like to think of myself as a friendly competitor, and I hope RentalHouses and RentClicks don’t take this blog the wrong way.
I have a ton of respect for RentClicks and RentalHouses - they have done a ton a lot of positive things for this industry - in fact I would even say they made the industry.
As an open invitation, I think it would be great if a representative from RentalHouses or RentClicks would like to come on my podcast show. I am sure I could learn a lot from them.
[...] I can just see the people over a NARPM just shaking their heads and asking who is this Dave Dugdale guy and why is he asking us these questions? [...]
[...] thought this was really neat idea, especially since I have given NARPM a hard time before about not building a sense of community [...]
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