"Flattering" Spam Posts

Attracting -- and Deleting -- Spam

"Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery."

Actually, when it comes to blogs and spam posts, it's the other way around: 'flattery is the sincerest form of imitation.'

By that, I mean that the usual m.o. of people posting b.s. responses on blogs to piggyback on their popularity -- and drive traffic to their own Web site and whatever they're hawking there -- is to open with an faux compliment.

So, I have now seen -- and deleted -- innumerable posts on this blog that start out, "loved your post on . . .," then close with the spammer's URL (http://www.buymycrap.com/ or some such).

I do try to delete these whenever I find them, but lately the pace seems to have picked up ("a high quality problem to have," as they say).

"Just the Facts (Fax?), Ma'am"

Presenting Offers

Old-time Realtors -- my definition is anyone in the business before there were faxes -- may not know how to twitter or blog, but there is one skill that they excel at relative to newer Realtors: presenting offers.

Once upon a time, Buyer's agents would actually meet the Seller and their agent to personally present the offer (imagine!).

Then, if the Buyer was available nearby, all the parties could convene and hash out any differences.

Weaker Glue

Now, of course, Facebook has supplanted face-to-face. Offers are electronically submitted with the click of a button or keystroke.

The result?

Often times, deals with less give-and-take, that come together slower and break apart more easily.