THE WISEMAN COMPANY USES “SOCIAL MEDIA” TO BUILD OFFICE SPACE COMMUNITY

THE WISEMAN COMPANY USES “SOCIAL MEDIA” TO BUILD OFFICE SPACE COMMUNITY

The full-service, commercial real estate firm utilizes popular online networking tool to provide tenants with community benefits

09.30.2009 – Imagine having a meaningful conversation while waiting for the elevator, closing a business deal with a company five feet outside your door or being privy to enviable discounts on wine, food or services all because well, you are a neighbor. These are the kind of interactions The Wiseman Company, a developer and operator of Class A commercial properties in the Napa, Solano and Sacramento areas, is creating through an innovative community building program. Within and across their properties, they are using LinkedIn, the popular social networking tool, as the catalyst and virtual meeting ground for tenant interaction.

“We wanted to provide the businesses and individuals who work in our buildings with an experience that’s sadly unfamiliar in most office buildings, community. All too often businesses remain secluded in their respective suites, not knowing their neighbors nor of the potential alliances that could be built by engaging them. We thought we could do better,” explains Doyle Wiseman, CEO of The Wiseman Company.

As the most successful social networking tool for professionals, LinkedIn was the first choice to host the project. Businesses in the Wiseman Community register their companies and their personnel on LinkedIn and then join The Wiseman Company group. There they receive updates from the property management team and learn about their neighbors through company profiles and postings. They pro-actively engage in and host discussions about business trends or regional news, as well as posting questions, exclusive discounts and community building ideas.

So, why the departure from a traditional community newsletter?

“Social networking is not just a fun tool for college kids and celebrities anymore. With the ability to communicate across previous gaps in geography, language and access, companies now have a new arena to conduct business. It’s a place that’s relevant, adaptive and facilitates the formation of new profitable relationships,” says Paul Mabray CEO of VinTank, a tenant in one of The Wiseman Company’s buildings who understands first hand the idea of community. A “think tank” for the wine industry, they have hosted events in their Wiseman office in Napa where fellow tenants and outside interested professionals can come to network, taste wine, brainstorm and relax.

“The Wiseman Company has created a unique business community by interconnecting 1,500 professional men and women and over 100 businesses that work and office in Wiseman buildings. Ranging from gourmet cupcake purveyors to regional law firms, these companies are taking advantage of the opportunity to pitch their products and services and to interact with the members of the Wiseman Community,” says Doyle.

“This is just the beginning. As we continue to grow this community, we are focusing on companies that will provide and receive synergistic benefits. Just as two heads are better than one, image an entire community of them. Through this we are dedicated to bolstering the success of our community as a whole.”