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Social Media – It’s Not Just About Fun & Games

By
Real Estate Agent with Aspen Lane Real Estate Colorful Colorado CRE# 40005863

 

Remember when you first created a profile on Facebook?  You searched to see if anyone you knew was on the platform and starting sending out ‘friend requests’ to build up your group of friends.  It was a great way to see what was going on in the lives of others without actually picking up the telephone.

 

Now, Facebook is a great networking tool and a vehicle by which to share what you do not only socially, but also professionally.

 

Then there is LinkedIn.  This site is geared more for professional use.  It is also a great networking tool and another way to make a presence on the web.

 

And of course, there is ActiveRain.  This is a great platform to share our accomplishments with the world and network with professionals across the nation. 

 

As a Realtor, I have been very lucky to have received many referrals from these three sites.  Yes there are plenty of other social media sites where we can spend time making our presence known, but for me, these three are the most important in my world. 

 

Recently, I closed a listing that was referred to me from a Realtor in the Colorado mountains.  She searched for Realtors in Aurora, Colorado and found my profile on LinkedIn.  She called me and we became fast friends.  I was able to help her client and I was more than happy to send her a referral check the day after closing. 

 

Facebook has generated many real estate deals for me along the way.  Not only past clients who I am now friends with, but also other connections who know someone in need of my real estate expertise.

 

ActiveRain has been a virtual gold mine for me over the years.  I have the opportunity to network with Realtors from just about every state.  I refer my clients to them when they are moving out of state, and they do the same.  In the past 2 years, I have closed about a dozen transactions which were referrals from ActiveRain members.  I am always more than happy to send referral fees to these agents as the transactions successfully close. 

 

Some may think that spending time on these platforms is just a waste of time and that we should be out shaking hands instead of sitting in front of a computer.  The key is balance.  We need to have the right balance with all of the tools available to us in order to have the best SUCCESS rate in our business. 

 

ActiveRain is hosting a fun challenge this month where they are asking us to write about our successes with Social Media.  In case you have missed it, click on the contest link below and share your stories with us. 

 

ActiveRain Challenge for July

 

photo courtesy of freedigitalphotos.net

Comments (44)

Nina Hollander, Broker
Coldwell Banker Realty - Charlotte, NC
Your Greater Charlotte Realtor

Great post, Belinda. To be perfectly honest, I'm on social media primarily for "non-fun" reasons, except to stay in touch with some high school classmates, some college sorority sisters, and to spy on our kids and grandkids.

Jul 07, 2016 09:59 PM
Harry F. D'Elia III
WEDO Real Estate and Beyond, LLC - Phoenix, AZ
Investor , Mentor, GRI, Radio, CIPS, REOs, ABR

It is a full contact sport.

Jul 07, 2016 10:57 PM
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

Occasionally I come across posts on varied subjects while surfing the net from familiar people . All I know is that being online is required today and mandatory tomorrow and will over take just about everything needing to be done

Jul 07, 2016 11:15 PM
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Belinda excellent post about the value of having an online presence for business. It is truly about balance and finding out what works and what doesn't work.

Jul 08, 2016 01:56 AM
Macy Babb ... North Georgia Realtor
Re/Max Around Atlanta Realtor - 404-234-6166 - Cartersville, GA
Realtor, SFR, HUD/REO Certified

The first thing a was taught in Real Estate was to work my Sphere of Influence... and there is no faster way to do that than with FaceBook

Jul 08, 2016 02:08 AM
Susan Laxson CRS
Palm Properties - La Quinta, CA
Realtor in San Diego, CA & Naples, FL

Belinda, love this post about your success on social media and how your ActiveRain account works for your area and your referrals!

Jul 08, 2016 02:34 AM
Belinda Spillman
Aspen Lane Real Estate Colorful Colorado - Aurora, CO
Colorado Living!

Thanks for sharing your insights everyone.  Seems like many of us have the same views on this subject.

Jul 08, 2016 02:49 AM
Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP
DFW FINE PROPERTIES - Flower Mound, TX
Selling Homes Changing Lives

Belinda Spillman - What a great testimonial to the fact that using Social Media the right way and for all the right reasons works to ones benefits. 

Personally, I always thought you were a fine representative here on ActiveRain. I would recommend you to anyone needing to buy or sell Real Estate in Aurora, CO. You have proven to me, without a shadow of a doubt that you are a woman with integrity.  

Jul 08, 2016 03:06 AM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hi Belinda -- wow -- that's an impressive referral number.    Good job!

Jul 08, 2016 03:39 AM
John Marshall - FORE!
LoKation Real Estate - Cherry Hills Village, CO
Specializing in Golf Course Properties

Very Nice Belinda, Social media has been very good to me as well and will have to venture over to the contest to write my favorite socail media post.

I would imagine you get a good number of referrals, you are a great agent, you not only take care of the clients, but the agent that referred them to you, hell I would refer you my business if we weren't neighbors, in fact I still might.

Jul 08, 2016 05:04 AM
Will Nesbitt
Nesbitt Realty at Condo Alexandria - Alexandria, VA
Nesbitt Realty is a family-run brokerage.

(303) 884-2026 Belinda Spillman, Real Estate Broker/Owner with Aspen Lane Real Estate Colorful Colorado.

Jul 08, 2016 05:14 AM
Ed Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally

For me, ActiveRain has been a boon to my business and with the right titles the blog posts give on and on.

Jul 08, 2016 05:37 AM
Rebecca Gaujot, Realtor®
Lewisburg, WV
Lewisburg WV, the go to agent for all real estate

Belinda you are so right about social media helping our business. I need to check out this challenge.

Jul 08, 2016 11:00 AM
Praful Thakkar
LAER Realty Partners - Andover, MA
Andover, MA: Andover Luxury Homes For Sale

Belinda Spillman - I have received some referrals from all these platforms - and needless to say, one from ActiveRain is the best.

Jul 08, 2016 03:31 PM
Gita Bantwal
RE/MAX Centre Realtors - Warwick, PA
REALTOR,ABR,CRS,SRES,GRI - Bucks County & Philadel

I will bookmark this post for later. The only one I use is active rain.

Jul 08, 2016 10:19 PM
Lottie Kendall
Compass - San Francisco, CA
Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

Three good platforms, Belinda. FB and Active Rain have proven the best sources for me of social media buyers and sellers. I post on LinkedIn only rarely, but you've encouraged me to utilize the platform more. Thanks! 

Jul 09, 2016 02:04 AM
Tammy Adams ~ Realtor / Podcaster
Maricopa Real Estate Co - Maricopa, AZ
A Maricopa Agent who Works, Lives & Loves Maricopa

Most folks don't realize that when someone googles our names that our Linkedin profile is usually one of the top 2 things to show up. 

Jul 20, 2016 03:33 PM
Liane Thomas, Top Listing Agent
Professional Realty Services® - Corona, CA
Bringing you Home!

I love referrals from AR. Have been successful giving as well as receiving them.

Aug 12, 2016 08:20 AM
Inna Ivchenko
Barcode Properties - Encino, CA
Realtor® • GRI • HAFA • PSC Calabasas CA

Keep your Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. pages with relevant content. Try laying out a content calendar every week or two to keep yourself on track for posts. Your content should be relevant for those you are trying to attract.

Sep 18, 2016 04:15 PM
Pat Starnes-Front Gate Realty
Front Gate Real Estate - Brandon, MS
601-991-2900 Office; 601-278-4513 Cell

Balance is absolutely the key to a successful SM + face-to-face endeavor.  I'm working on getting it right! 

May 07, 2017 09:06 AM