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1000 fans in 36 hours! Thanks Active Rain!

Services for Real Estate Pros with Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Ambassador

April 02, 2010 06:30 AM

Omaha Skyline Taking advice from several Active Rain blogs, I decided to launch a facebook fan page "365 Things to do in Omaha, NE" a couple of days ago.

I've been watching a couple of other sites: 365 Things to do in Austin, TX and 365 Things to do in Vancouver, WA for some insight. Both have thousands of fans and are nicely done.

Imagine my surprise when the fans started rolling in, I launched at about 10pm in the evening, by the next morning, the page had about 200 fans, then just one day later, we are well over 1000 fans and multiplying!

I have yet to post even ONE thing to do but I have allowed fans to post (for now) on the wall. I've noticed that fan posts aren't allowed on both the Austin and Vancouver pages, although comments on 'Things to do' are certainly encouraged. When I start posting 'things to do' next week, I believe it would be best to disable fan wall posts, as the other sites have done.

Thanks ActiveRain and BIG thanks to webinar instructors Jason Crouch and Mike Mueller for sharing your great insight and instruction as well.

Bill Swanson is an agent with CBSHome Real Estate in Omaha NE, an affiliate of Berkshire Hathaway.

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John Novak

Keller Williams Realty The Marketplace - Las Vegas, NV

Henderson, Las Vegas and Summerlin Real Estate

That's an impressive rate of growth Bill. Good luck with the page.

Apr 02, 2010 11:41 AM

Bill Swanson

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services Ambassador - Omaha, NE

Thanks all for reading! In watching the page throughout the day today, I'm very excited to see we've now topped the 1700 fan mark! I've also been watching the posts by fans throughout today and for the most part, they've all been tasteful and encouraging. Reading RealBirds post today helped a ton. Thanks Tamara also for the insight. I think I'll keep the fans engaged.

Kathy, I still can't find the posts! Aaaarggggh! I must be searching with the wrong keywords. I'll keep on it!

Apr 02, 2010 11:46 AM

Sara Bonert

Zillow - Atlanta, GA

Real Estate Internet Marketing

That is great! Congratulations! These 365 pages seem like fun thing to get involved with, if you are willing to put in the time investiment. Good luck.

Apr 02, 2010 12:32 PM

Gary Swanson

Century 21 Harris & Taylor - Grants Pass, OR

Thanks for the great tips. I've got your post bookmarked so I can look into doing this for myself.

Apr 02, 2010 05:11 PM

Joetta Fort

The DiGiorgio Group - Arvada, CO

Independent Broker, Homes Denver to Boulder

You may already know this, but if you click on the 'Bookmark' below a post you want to return to, then it will be easy to find from your home page. Just FYI.

Apr 02, 2010 05:33 PM

Gene Riemenschneider

Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA

Turning Houses into Homes

Great Idea a Fan Page your clients build for you. This is fantastic.

Apr 03, 2010 04:07 AM

Joetta, I just found that yesterday! Thanks, Bill

Apr 03, 2010 04:26 AM

Bob Willis

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices California Properties - Orange, CA

Orange County & L.A. County Real Estate Agent

I created 365 Things to do in Whittier, CA yesterday. So far, I am the only fan. OK, now, how do you promote it so you start getting fans?

Apr 03, 2010 04:40 AM

Gary Pike

Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers - Powder Springs, GA

Great idea, I am going to give it a try. Thanks for this and best of luck to you.

Apr 03, 2010 04:44 AM

Bob, have you recommended the page to all your personal friends? that's a great first step.

Apr 04, 2010 09:32 AM

Sanna K. Thomas

Sellstate Next Generation Realty - Ocala, FL

PA GRI, E-Pro, SFR, AHWD, LH Ocala Florida Luxury

Sounds like fun and a very clever way to grow your biz!!

Apr 05, 2010 01:03 AM

Bill, Thanks for the tip on recommending to personal friends. Yesterday I did that in Facebook, and now I have one fan. Today, I will send an email to people not in my Facebook "friends".

Apr 05, 2010 02:54 AM

Sonja Adams

Keller Williams Realty - Purcellville, VA

what a great idea! I would love to see the post where you got your information from as well...thank you for sharing!

Apr 05, 2010 05:02 AM

Joel Jadofsky

Keller Williams - homes for sale - Florida - Gulf - Beach - Panama City Beach, FL

One of the Top Realtors in Panama City Beach Area

Ive try to start a facebook page like this how do you get the name on it. it keeps telling me I have to many words in my name when I try to sign up? panamacityrealtor@gmail.com thanks for any help

Apr 07, 2010 12:32 PM

I must be doing something wrong. I have invited all of my personal friends through email, as well as Facebook "friends". I have a total of 5 fans after 5 days, and 2 of them are me. I am doing it basically the same way as the Vancouver page, where I am the only one allowed to post.

I have not yet secured a domain that links to it. I thought I would wait a few days to see how it goes without it.

365 Things to do in Whittier, CA

Apr 07, 2010 01:10 PM

Joel, make sure you are a facebook user yourself, it will ask you for your personal account as you attempt to set up your fan page.

Bob, invite your personal friends via the 'suggest to friends' link on your fanpage. If that doesn't work, find a few close friends of yours who have several hundred friends and wouldn't mind suggesting the page to their group of friends.

Bill

Apr 08, 2010 02:56 AM

Anonymous

Shelly Field

Joel,

Thaks for the post and need to do this!

Apr 19, 2010 06:24 AM

#39

Wayne B. Pruner

Oregon First - Tigard, OR

Tigard Oregon Homes for Sale, Realtor, GRI

Good for you Bill! It's a big success and you did so little.

May 12, 2010 05:53 PM

Matt Robinson

Professional Investors Guild - Pensacola, FL

www.professionalinvestorsguild.com

Very cool idea. I started a fan page for my city a while back, and posted links to my localism blog for a while. It's been slow going on getting fans. I think the title "365 things to do" is definitely the hook. Great job!

Sep 06, 2010 05:54 AM

1000 fans in 36 hours! Thanks Active Rain!

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