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Facebook & Twitter: Are you Referable?

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with Classy Inbound

Realtors are busy people. Generally, computer time does not result in a listing contract or a buyer's offer to purchase, those are face-to-face activities. So WHY do you need to clutter up your life with even more, like Facebook & Twitter, and heaven forbid My Space?!!

Here's why: These sites are going to connect you to people you have not seen or heard from in years. Their curiosity is going to get the better of them, and they are going to look at your profile. Guess what? Once they find out you're a Realtor, an entire world of opportunity exists.

This JUST happened to one of my friends on facebook: She reconnected with an old classmate, and both discovered they are Realtors in different towns. Guess who's got a referral coming her way as a result of having her information on Facebook? Yes, that's right. No glossy ads or postcards. No money spent. Referral - for what? For filling in her profile, uploading her photo, and commenting every once in a while on her activities in life that concern her career. Can it get any easier?

There are numerous ways you can use your posts to increase your business, and as I quick guide I've divided these methods into two categories: Silly and Non-Silly. That's right! As a Virtual Assistant, I've 'friended' numerous agents across the country, and I enjoy their posts about real estate very much. But sometimes it borders on the absurd, like don't you do anything all day but sell houses? Do you have friends and family? Are you a human being? Do you have hobbies? If I'm thinking this, then I guarantee those who are watching are thinking that as well. I don't want to refer a friend or family member to a Realtor Robot! I want to refer a friend to a Realtor who posts scenic pictures of the area they service, who have values and a relationship to the community they live and work in. So in the spirit of referrals coming your way, here's your guide to posting on Twitter, Facebook, and yes, occasionally My Space:

SILLY

  • Use Twitter and Facebook to document your every move within your real estate career.
  • Only post photos of houses you have sold and have listed. After all, your neighbor who sells cars at Honda posts photos of the newest cars on the lot, plus those Acura's he just sold, right?
  • Get involved in very serious debates about politics and religion, on a main area of the site so that everyone can read your comments and opinions.
  • Complain in your posts often. About the weather, about your latest sniffle, about your clients, about your tax rate. Everyone loves a complainer!
  • Every time you post a link related to real estate, make sure all 150+ of your friends/sphere is notified. This beats an e-newsletter campaign, right?

NOT SILLY

  • Include personal notes on your wall, relating to hobbies, local events, family & friends, so that you seem human.
  • Toot your horn. Make sure your profile lists ALL of your accomplishments in your career. If someone is poking around your profile, they want to know how great you are! Designations, recent seminars, even books you've read about marketing or real estate, add it!
  • List your education background, even if you don't have a degree in real estate. Some agents are hesitant to post their Bachelor's degree because it's not a business degree. Nonsense! People change careers as often as they change cars these days, it's OK to have a degree in the Social Sciences or a background in customer service.
  • Link your twitter account with your facebook account, so if you are updating regularly, it's faster! I usually update twitter strictly with business info, and then post personal comments/events to facebook.
  • Using Postlets to link your listings to your facebook and twitter account. If you are 'friends' with your sellers, they will be pleased to see you are promoting their listing on your own social networking site.

In closing, these sites are meant to be an extension of yourself. Use common sense, so that you are Referable!  

Comments (3)

J Perrin Cornell
Coldwell Banker Cascade Real Estate - Wenatchee, WA
Broker, ABR, VAMRES

Good ideas...I am just beginning to navigate around...thanks

Mar 17, 2009 02:35 AM
Markelle Harden
Classy Inbound - Charlotte, NC
Digital Marketing Specialist

You're welcome Perrin. Once you've set yourself up on the big networks, you can update them all at once by signing onto Ping.fm - this will allow you to update one main site when you don't have time to log into all the others. Good luck!

Mar 17, 2009 08:19 AM
Rich Rogala
Consistent Clients - Chicago, IL
Real Estate Marketing Coach

Great tips Markelle. It's about you as a person, and as a realtor. I've found that if you keep in mind you are there to develop business relationships, and that anyone that wants can see what you're writing, that generally keeps most people on track.

Mar 19, 2009 08:30 AM