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The Fatal Flaw with Social Media Marketing

By
Real Estate Agent with Real Estate Advocate

I want to alert you to the fatal flaw in your real estate social marketing strategy.

It's a fatal flaw that isn't picked up by many real estate professionals but is the first rule of Internet Marketing 101.

The problem is that you can only communicate with your friends and group members through the internal communication system provided by the social network.

What happens if the social network decides to shut down your account (happens all the time), change the rules to limit or eliminate mass emailing or just plain make it difficult for you to use the mass email feature?

The fatal flaw is that you don't have the contact details and email address of your friends or group members. All your hard work building your network will be lost.

The last and most important step of your social media growth plan is to get the contact details and email address of every friend and group member.

You need to convert "friends" into "contacts".

The way to do this is to drive your friends and group members out of the social network and to your website, blog or squeeze page. You need to move your connections into your environment.

To entice your connections to your website you need to offer them something that makes it worth their while to follow your link. I like to give away quality free information (like this tip). It's pretty fair swap - I give away great information and my connection provides me with their contact details.

Now I have a great database of prospects to market products to at my own time and convenience. I don't need to worry about getting shut down by the social network.

Comments (6)

Robert Havana
Park and Protect- Alberta Real Estate License Parking - Calgary, AB
Alberta Real Estate License Parking

This is very true and can be expanded to a lot of things beyond just social media sites.  I know some people who have all their contact numbers locked up in a cell phone, all their email contacts in a single email account, or all their client details on their brokerages system, etc.   It is really important to have a back up plan in place.  A lesson I learned the hard way when switching ISP's many years ago.

 

ps. I have a friend who has a business named 'realty advocate'

Aug 10, 2009 06:58 AM
Ross Hair
Real Estate Advocate - Niwot, CO

Great point Robert,

You need a back up for your contact lists.

You also need a system that converts online "friends" into "contacts".

Please say hello to the Realty Advocate from the Real Estate Advocate - :)

Aug 10, 2009 07:06 AM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

Good advice. We put all of our important contacts on Top Producer. Your recommendation also holds true for lead generation services such as Growth Leader where a website is provided. Always put those people in your own database.

Aug 10, 2009 07:08 AM
Brian Brumpton
Keller Williams Boise - Boise, ID
Boise Idaho Real Estate

Ross,

Great post!  I have been contemplating this lately and the advice was timely. Thanks.

Aug 10, 2009 07:14 AM
Elizabeth Bolton
RE/MAX Destiny Real Estate Cambridge, MA - Cambridge, MA
Cambridge MA Realtor

Hi Ross ~ You make an excellent point and it's something I'll be sure to keep in mind - thanks!

Liz

Aug 10, 2009 12:34 PM
Naomi Trower
Naomi Trower, Real Estate Broker, Premier Equity Group, Inc. - Santa Clarita, CA

Great advice! The most recent Twitter attack is one example of a social network being down for several days.

Aug 21, 2009 04:45 AM