I recently read a blog discussion about new-fashioned “style” methods of real estate vs old fashioned “substance”. For example, should one do the cool new stylish thing – Twitter, Facebook, texting or the old reliable door-knock to prospect for short sales?

In a time when many people (including realtors like yours truly) are facing the largest financial challenge of their lives, I think it’s more important to be effective, than just efficient. So I would suggest that agents do the thing that makes the most effective use of their time. Door-knocking, for example, is probably the single most inefficient method of prospecting that has ever been invented, but probably the most effective. I can still remember getting five listings one afternoon as a result of handing out bags of corn on the cob to my farm area the day before. It’s highly inefficient to buy a bunch of corn, bag it, and then knock on doors and hand it to people. But what a rewarding smile you can get. And what an effective impact it can make.

If your market has heated up recently, you may find that personally delivering a contract may be less efficient than email or fax, but believe me, begging in person is so much more effective. .

Technology is great at being efficient, but as others have pointed out, most realtors nowadays will find a marriage between the two works best. And sometimes you just have to stop and ask yourself, “Wait, am I being effective right now or just efficient.”