Home : Blogs : Keith Gill : Arizona Mortgage Expert

MySpace: Using it effectively for real estate and mortgage marketing ?

O.K. Before I start...If anyone has a MySpace account and it is Real estate or Mortgage related Go head and shoot a friend request my way at my MySpace page http://www.myspace.com/loanofficersuccess

MySpace is a real enigma to me...It seem that there are people trying to use it to market effectively and at least try to get some referrals and ultimately closed deals, but I am curious if anyone has had any first success using Myspace in their Real Estate and / or Mortgage business...

Is there a "Best Practices" when using Myspace?....

It has HUGE potential but I am just wondering if anyone has a real method of harnessing this huge potential in their Real Estate and mortgage marketing efforts?

Anyone have some simple steps to using Myspace effectively?

Does anyone use those "automatic" friend adders like Friendbot or badder adder?

Thanks

Keith Gill

Posted by Keith Gill on 02/17/2007 07:43 PM

Comments (54)

myspace, marketing, advertising

Post is included in group: ETHICS and the REALTOR

54 Comments on MySpace: Using it effectively for real estate and mortgage marketing ?

FEB

2007

I have one, but I am still "tweaking" it.

MySpace URL:
http://www.myspace.com/chicagorealtor1

I use it to stay in touch with my sphere - sending out an occassional bulletin but that is it!

I would like to see some comments on this myself. It seems like most of myspace sites I just randomly look at have a decent google pagerank. That leads me to believe that would help generate me more traffic and pagerank for my main site by creating a myspace page and posting my links.

CARL

FEB

2007

I've gotten a client from myspace. No closed deals yet, but close. She's an investor who contacted me after viewing my page and we're working on a couple of things. Being proactive is important too. Contacting people with your services, how you can benefit them, networking opportunities etc. might increase your business.

If I weren't so technically challenged I would make a page. I can't even figure out how to start a localism page or post a listing by address. My daughter says I should get a facebook page instead of myspace. Has anyone tried that?

Debbie,

In order to set up a facebook profile, you need a college email address (one ending in .edu), as it is a site intended for college students. Myspace is really pretty easy. Give it a shot!

I setup a site.... now I'm getting spammed... I don't know if its worth it.

Carl

I have one at http://myspace.com/c21showcase, it seems very inactive and stagnant. Maybe at 40 I am too old for myspace.

I have a myspace page.But I just put content on it a few weeks ago. I did "friend" all of my grown kids friends .(They all live in different states)

If their parents are like me, they will go look at their kids myspace page if they haven't heard from them in a while.

If nothing else I may get a referral out of it somewhere down the line.:)

And I am certainly growing closer to all my kids friends.

I would love to hear if anyone has gotten a closed deal from having myspace.

I don't have a "closed deal" yet, but I am working on 2 clients that are a direct result of myspace.

1. An old friend that wants to open 4 retail stores in Chicago and needs retail leases. I haven't talked to him in 5 years and he found me on myspace.

2. A friend that I haven't talked to in 8 years that found me on myspace is going to be moving from Michigan back to Chicago and I have started a home search for him.

Nothing closed yet, but 2 strong leads from it.

Haven't started been focusing on my other blog and updating our websites..

FEB

2007

Keith, I jsut check out you my space page. You mention you like Gene Simmons. I was listening to Kiss this morning as I drove my son to school. Great stuff.

My URL
http://www.myspace.com/naomadoriguzzi

I have one and have actually met financial planner and 3 realtors. One realtor even sent me a referral already. So I am all about working it. It seems to be easier than cold calling realtors and clients.

I have a myspace page and have gotten one listing lead from it so far. Not great but worth the cost. =)

I do agree it's a great way to stay in touch with your soi without being intrusive.

I have found two appraisers and am currently working with a few clients right now. I will let you know how things go.

JUL

2007

I thought myspace was more for the kids and kind of cheesy to use for business reasons. After reading this post I am goiong to give it a try. Thanks for the info!

-Callie

haven't heard much about success so I haven't tried it out yet.

Had an account for about a month. Mostly had people contacting me who either looked lilke hookers or drug addicts.

I don't know what will become of it, but I thought I would try making a page for one of my new listings. (It doesn't hurt to try) and my client loves it!! The only way I see it getting viewed is by advertising the page somewhere else. Would you search for Real Estate for Sale on mYspace? Anyway, it was fun making the page.

www.myspace.com/3720homesteadridge

Hope everyone is having a great 4th!!

JUL

2007

I am still trying to tweak mine a bit. I have added several of you as friends..please accept :-)!

I am still trying to get referrals,leads or a sale from mine. I am still working on it though.

I have a myspace page and picked up one buyer clients who was on my friends list that I don't talk to much anymore that saw my profession was a real esate agent. However I don't use that site to attract business. I am thinking about adding and or posting a blog on myspace to try to up my business.

Thanks

I think you have opened my eyes to MySpace. My friends kids all have a page and it never occurred to me to use it as an additional business tool. More hours on the computer, I think I am truly turning into a computer geek.

JUL

2007

The secret to making myspace work is working with someone who knows myspace and how to build a community. You can go it alone, but it may take months to learn the tricks, codes and tips it takes to effectively market yourself on myspace. The majority of successful Realtors don't build their own website, they have a professional do it. My cients have been so successful, that I'm now studying for my own real estate license.

Myspace has some great marketing tools built right in.

Bulletins - enable you to contact all of your friends,
Blog - everyone loves to read what you write.
birthdays - automatically tracks your friend's birthdays and alerts you.
email - mail someone on myspace and WOW! they write back!
comments
Slideshows
videos
photos

I do warn, be careful. If you are not familiar with building a community, you could end up being deleted or worse, your "friends" could turn against you. I administrate several large forums and my first forums and myspace profiles didn't go so good. I have years of experience with online communities and they will turn against you if you are not careful. I suggest you get professional help if you really want to take it seriously.

I use my MySpace primarily for personal use. However, my company sponsored a First-Time Home buyer seminar and to get the word out to everybody on MySpace, I posted a bulletin expecting nobody to respond. You can imagine my surprise when I got two MySpace "friends" saying that they would go, and 1 actually showing up! Now she wants to get prequalified and put an offer in on a house! Not bad for MySpace.

Chris Molina, Realtor®

JUL

2007

I just set up a MySpace account and I had to laugh when I read Scott's comments about most of his contacts being from people who look like hookers or addicts. I have had similar experiences.I really don't know what to make of that, and even though I laughed it is a bit concerning. Who are those people? I don't know what to do with MySpace just yet. I really like your idea Chris about advertising for a First-Time Home Buyer Seminar. BTW, how do you post a "bulletin"?

I use myspace for personal and business at once. If a friend were to post anything that made me look bad in a business sense, I delete (or you can opt to approve comments before they're posted). I don't do heavy marketing on it....most people on myspace aren't there to get your Realtor-spam. I also do not network on it...that's why I come HERE- this place is for blogging/networking, myspace is a place for friends. Right, Tom?

Casual bulletins when I list a property or have an open house and a slideshow of my current listings is all I have business wise. I really look at it as a FREE way of letting people get to know ME and that I'm a Realtor. To me, it's no different than walking into a coffee shop and making some new friends...I've been adding locals for about 3 months and finding folks I went to school with: have a listing, a referral and a buyer in 3 months....just be you and be helpful if needed!

JUL

2007

Great concept of using your myspace page to generate leads. I've only used mine for personal reasons as it has allowed me to connect with old friends. Maybe I'll do some tinkering.

I set up an account because my local Realtor Board suggested it and formed a professional group in myspace. By the next morning I had received three messages from random guys looking for, um..."dates". Over the next few days I was bombarded with messages guys on the prowl. I should mention that my entire profile was all about real estate, nothing personal, and only had my real estate headshot.

At first, it was funny. I even laughingly told my husband that all these guys think I'm hot!! Anyway, to make a long story short, I deleted myself within a week because it got very creepy.

oh, a hot topic. I have collegues who are using MySpace very effectively - I'm sure that it can be used. I think that one can only spend so much energy online. Active Rain is phenominal - seems to me that MySpace just takes away the focus from what's important and basically difuses the situation. Certainly if someone has a strategy that makes sense, share it. For me, I have enough on my place and need to focus on what is important.

I,luckily (?), don't have those problems, Kelly! But it's a shame you did...myspace is a place for friends- not a meat market! I do get spammed, but it's avoidable enough.

We're already friends on myspace...LOL (CandelLife)

There's many ways you can use myspace for your marketing but you honestly get out of it what you put into it, The things is to set your preferences up so that you have to approve any message that goes on your page. Wam, the spammers are stopped dead in your tracks. The problem there is handled as easily as chuckling and hitting the delete button or deny.

There's millions on myspace now from all over the world. I had it for a long time without using it. Then I checked it out to see what my oldest son might be seeing. Was I surprised when a Realtor from right here in Brevard county contacted me!

This reply / comment is going to be long, I meant to write a blog on this but it also was taking forever to write. I considered doing it in installments but didn't get around to it.

Let me just say that the bulletins will take you far, as well as having slide shows on your page of properties you want to showcase. I have just over 15,500 friends on myspace and use it daily. I also use Wanna Network. I can say that the realty business is helped along in a positive way on myspace with free marketing. The customers are there.

Here's a good hint for you... people actually post in the classifieds section when they are looking to buy and sell houses, and it isn't all Realtors advertising, it's people, not knowing what they are doing, advertising there. They need help. I add them to my friends so they realtor's in my friends list see them posting.

Man there's so much more... not going to hog your blog up talking forever.. just to say yes... myspace is a free source you should use.

http://MySpace.com/JamieFL

ADD ME!!!

I use my myspace to post blogs and bullitins to the groups I've joined.

I also post all my listings as classified ads.

it is free and you never know!

I have gotten decent leads, but none have shown me $$$$.

most of my responses were young people who wanted to rent my "century village 55+ condo for rent"

LOL!

http://MySpace.com/JamieFL

ADD ME!!!

http://www.myspace.com/boltonrealty

i think..

I guess myspace can be blamed for my first listing. Old friend from middle school said I could list his home in Houston. I did. Now he moved to Dallas and I can't get a hold of him. So, I'm cancelling the listing.

Second one is a lead from MySpace. A guy emailed me about a foreclosure question, I answered pretty quickly. Today, I get a call from someone in town that wants to list his house who was referred from the guy on myspace.

But I'm bookmarking this to get more ideas from yous guys.

Well, I got my own MySapce.com site (http://www.myspace.com/terrysells) but I still need to work on it. I started it because I was looking to network and hoped to get some customers. Yeah, I still get spammed from all of these people from "China", but I just hit DENY or DELETE. I think the potential is there...I just haven't hit on that "sweet spot" in order to make it more productive.

Terry

Danny is right on! It, like any other farming, isn't going to produce lead after lead just by signing up....I've said it a hundred times and I'll say it again, as Realtors- it's unprofitable to have a myspace friend list of 1,000 other Realtors-----you need to be making "friends" with people in your area of expertise! Drop them happy birthday's on their day, respond to the occasional bulletin, be a "e-friend" so-to-speak.....when the time comes that they have a question- they'll contact you...it's no different than making sure you've got them a magnetic schedule or postcard in the mail every so often. Stick with it and it will pay....just don't become obnoxious with it; remember- they're not there to be SOLD something and unlike mailers in the real world- they can delete you!!!

JUL

2007

Thank you very much for the post, there were some very good comments.

My own myspace.com is still fairly new and I'm still in the process of trying to fine-tune it.

MYSPACE WORKS!!

I have a myspace that is more "personal" rather than "business". All my "friends" are people I knew in high school, from church, etc. I just state at the end of my "about me": I'm a Realtor for Re/Max Classic Homes and I love my job! Oh, by the way,I'm never too busy for your referrals, if you or anyone you know are interested in buying or selling a home please give me a call at 370-7728!

I've closed one transaction from a friend from high school that I would have NEVER spoken to had it not been for myspace. I've got another under contract set to close at the end of August from the same type of client! I just read my friends "about me" and blogs every so often and if they mention something about moving I send them an email to let them know the advantages of using a buyers agent (most of my friends are first time home buyers). I hope this helps:)

JUL

2007

My opinion on my space is that it works for certain demographics. LIke anything in marketing, business or life if you choose to include it as part of your marketing strategy you need an overall plan. How does it fit into your overall strategy? If you choose to set up a MySpace page will it take you away from other forms of prospecting that have already proven to be effective? Do you already have an online presence? If so, how would you use MySpace to drive traffic to that website? I think that you can get the same kind of exposure on active rain using localism. The internet is a tool. Think of MySpace as a local newspaper in your market....would you spend money on it? Remember that your time is money. MySpace is targeted to a younger demographic and my instincts tell me that if this is the demographic you want to reach that you'll reach that market.

Just remember to focus on income producing activities and you'll figure it out!

My space has become overused. Too many people using it as a marketing tool that it has lost it's luster. I think it "Jumped The Shark" when Tila Tequila was on CNBC.

JUL

2007

It all depends on how you market yourself just like any other medium you use, consider your target audience and transform your marketing how you need it.

Mine: myspace.com/CandelLife

I have Realtors, mortgage and loan, appraisers, home showcasers, interior designers, architects, directors, builders, etc etc etc

Almost 18,000 of them, and a good idea is to use both the bulletins and the blog areas. If someone asks you to subscribe to their blog, say yes unless they're really seedy...LOL and then also go there and request they subscribe to yours as well. Not only will your friends be notified when you post a new bulletin, but subscribers will also be notified when you post a new blog.

Oh yea one more thing, you don't have to use a professional if your serious about it... blah blah blah...LOL... you can do it yourself and get helpful free advice from friends.

AUG

2007

I use mine mostly for keeping in touch with friends/family. Maybe I need to tweek mine some, as it is not professional. I had hoped that some friends might know of someone moving to the Houston area--Nothing yet, but you never know.

AUG

2007

Everyone makes for interesting points. Myspace can be used as an amazing prospecting tool if used correctly. The demographic is there, especially for first time home buyers. With over 120 million members most in college or post college, Myspace needs to be in a Real Estate marketing plan. My company, Rollett Marketing focuses on making working myspace pages for real estate firms and agents that capitalize on their target demographics. We make their pages very easy on the eyes, with Web 2.0 capability that makes the users enjoy their experience. If you would like help with your myspace page or are hesitant to start and maintain one, contact us today and we will get you in the right direction! Oh, best of all Myspace maintenance is free! Time management is the best plan for a successful myspace campaign. greg@rollettmarketing.com

AUG

2007

I haven't yet created a MySpace page. Maybe I will look into it soon. Also, someone mention that Facebook is only for college students. That's no longer true. I set up an initial Facebook profile with my company email address.

AUG

2007

In the last week I have started 2 blogs, 1 Myspace account and I am here on AR. I will get my 15 year old daughter to help get Myspace up and running and see where it goes from there. I am starting to think the more fingers you have out there the higher the chance of something happening.

Keith, thanks for bringing up this topic.

Brian - really nice website.

My comment - there is no doubt that more and more Realtors will be on My Space and will use it to their success. At the same time - your marketing tools have to fit your market and your personality. For example, here on SF Peninsula we have very conservative clients. Successful agents are those who sell for a long time. There is a lot of new agents who try to break in, but it will take a while. Today, they can be more successful walking the neighborhood than trying My Space. Saying that, I am using my 18 old son as a consultant on My Space and Face Book and he taught us a lot. As a matter of fact he was instrumental in helping us to make some important decision regarding communicating with younger clients.

I have an account, and have had decent sucess in finding agents. I use the networking search. My daughter kept telling me to use it, but I thought it was only a social site; I didn't think I was going to find professionals there. Man, was I wrong. I sent out some inquiry emails, and had about 10 responses. Haven't found any inspections from it, but good contacts. I would suggest doing a page devoted to your business, rather than using your personal page.

Hi to you all...

I have not gone there yet! There have been too many negative things about myspace in my opinion. I tell my children that they cannot have an account on it, and as a result, I am afraid that my doing so would be a bit hypocritical. It is neat, though, to see how it is and has been benefiting some people. Keep up the good work!!

I set up a Myspace a while back and an old friend managed to track me down just to say Hi. After a long conversation he ended up asking me to help him and his new wife find a house! So, believe it or not Myspace can potentially help you market yourself and produce actual closed business!

I'm still tweaking my Myspace profile too. I think it could be a good tool and I've heard of other people getting results from it. I think that you just have to keep at it, keep adding links and keep wading through all the spam that you get from it.

Sarah- Do not fear the myspace!!

AUG

2007

I've had my myspace profile active for quite a while. I find that mostly spammers are using the system. Honestly, all I get is girls asking me if I think they're hot and if I want to see more of them (wink, wink). Well that's been my experience with myspcae.

JUL

2008

I use MySpace for networking and marketing, and I have to admit that I haven't closed a deal yet directly from MySpace, but it has helped! Sellers often will research their agents, and finding my MySpace page with slideshows of my listings, etc, often is a huge plus. I use it in all my print marketing, and I spend a lot of time adding friends in my market area.

The newest thing I'm trying is taking a link directly from our MLS of listings under $100,000 in individual counties, making it easily accessible to anyone who reads my blog. I then post a bulletin saying "Homes for sale under $100,000 in Kanabec County" and direct them in the bulletin to my blog. I get numerous views every time I do that, and I get emails constantly asking questions, requesting showings, etc.

I know some people mentioned having a MySpace page for personal use. I actually have two - one for personal and one for business. I started using one for both, but it got confusing and cluttered, and when I felt like doing a survey or something I felt like I couldn't because I might be giving out too much information. (Where I live, etc.) I like to share pictures through MySpace, too, so having the two separate profiles has been nice. Facebook you can set up differently, so only certain people can see certain things, but MySpace isn't like that.

Please go add me to your friends if you are on MySpace! www.myspace.com/joslynpanka

Leave a response…

Name:

Email:
(optional)

Comment:

What does the graphic say?