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Build your referral network thru social networking and posting your new listings on Twitter

By RealSupport, Inc.

Services for Real Estate Pros with RealSupport Inc.

May 03, 2009 02:03 PM

Many of you have already jumped on the social networking bandwagon. Facebook, LinkedIn, Myspace, Digg, Twitter and more. Social networking is the newest and hottest marketing phenomenon and it will certainly give you more public exposure and can potentially take your business to a new level!

If you haven't already heard of Twitter, you need to check it out. Twitter.com (along with many other social networking sites) has taken the country by storm as the latest networking technique!

This website allows you to connect with colleagues, clients and even friends and family by keeping them informed of your wherabouts and activities through simple status updates on a daily, weekly, hourly or moment to moment basis. The status updates have to be 140 charachters or less. Plenty of space to tell your referral network about your new listing on ____ street in ____ neighborhood. If they have a buyer they'll be sure to contact you.

Hosting an open house? Did you just read a great article that you want to share? Just posted to your blog?

Twitter is perfect for getting the word out!

Don't have time to setup and manage your Twitter or other social networking websites? Have your Real Estate Virtual Assistant educate you on the best ways to use these social networking websites. Your Real Estate Virtual Assistant can setup and manage these sites for you. Our team knows them inside and out and we can educate you on the best way to use them to benefit YOUR business!

Here's to a great week!

Warmest regards,

Erica Parpan
Operations Manager

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Dean Moss

Dean's Team - Keller Williams Realty Partners Chicago IL - Chicago, IL

Dean's Team Chicago IL Real Estate Team

Hey, Erica -

You know, I thought about this, and might have you folks schedule weekly posts of our listings on Twitter. Shouldn't be that time consuming - similar to Craigslist updates.

Make sense?

Will discuss with you this week.

Good share/post!

DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO

May 03, 2009 02:09 PM

Jenny Kotulak

RE/MAX Real Estate Centre Inc., Brokerage - Oakville, ON

Broker - Oakville Ontario Real Estate

Hi Erica,

I have my tweets being forwarded to my Facebook profile, and on my website. I also have my AR posts (the public ones) forwarded also. Those people are interested. I find that people that are following me on Twitter are my local competitors, marketing people and other local business people who I guess are looking for business.

I guess it takes time to build that part of it up.

May 03, 2009 02:17 PM

Nick Bastian

Realty Executives - Tempe, AZ

Real Estate Agent - Tempe

Twitter is more about building community, making contacts and allowing people to get to know YOU. Having a service push listings and post things for you might kind of defeat the purpose. (imo)

May 03, 2009 02:57 PM

Dena Stevens

Rocky Mountain Realty - Canon City, CO

Putting The Real Into Realtor Since 2004

Twitter got me to this post tonight - point made. However, like Nick, I wonder if it's to much of a good thing? Can we overwhelm the world with all of our listings and opinions? Will folks just stop careing?

May 03, 2009 03:03 PM

Gary Coles (International Referrals)

Venture Realty International - Las Vegas, NV

Latin America Real Estate

I am still relatively new to Twitter. My goals with Twitter are two-fold. First, I enjoy the information and contacts. I have people that I follow and that are following me from all over the world and in 4 or 5 different languages. It is fascinating to see their viewpoints and some of the unique ideas that are bounced around. Many of the people are from vastly different backgrounds, even those in the same city and state where I live. The news on Twitter is fantastic.

Next, is the networking function. I have always been very active in referrals across the country - both giving and receiving. I have recently expanded this to include all of Latin America. In fact, the emphasis of my business right now is concentrated on Latin America. Twitter has been a fantastic resource to find other agents and start building relationships. Plus, I already have a referral ( in less than 2 weeks).

What surprises me the most is the fact that many agents only see Twitter as a place to post listings or to talk about what they had for lunch. I am amazed at the number of agents who try to build large counts of followers from their websites, so that they can post listings but never have the courtesy to follow back. If your client has enough interest in you to follow what you are doing, shouldn't you be interested in following what they are doing.

it isn't that hard to follow a lot of people and keep your finger on the pulse of the action. I have over 2,000 people that I follow, so I use a program (free) called Tweetdeck. I have formed groups: everyone, VIP, News, real estate, direct messages and family. Some individuals are in more than one group. I can glance at family and VIP and see anything urgent at any time. I check real estate and news less often. And the everybody category I skim as I have a chance. It's easy when you are on hold on the phone and often you see something really interesting, but if you miss some it really is not that crucial.

Twitter can be good business and it can also be fun. Plus it was Twitter that got me here tonight.

May 03, 2009 05:12 PM

RealSupport, Inc.

RealSupport Inc. - Schaumburg, IL

- Virtual Real Estate Marketing

Hi Dean - Absolutely. Makes perfect sense and we'd be happy to handle this for you! You are correct, it would not be very time consuming. Let me know when would be a good time to call you this week so we can discuss your preferences and get the reoccuring tasks setup. Thanks so much for your continued business!!

Hi Jenny - I'm glad to hear you've got your tweets forwarding to your Facebook profile and your website. Good for you! It does take time to build up the online relationships and your referral network. I took a look at your Twitter profile (I'm following you now) and I noticed that you aren't following very many people (7) so I would reccomend searching for and following many more people. Twitter etiquette is to follow those that follow you. So your first step would be to login and follow, follow, follow! You'll also need to communicate with those that you're folliowing and those that are following you. Reply to (RT) their posts and get the communication rolling. You'll build mutually beneficial relationships and I'm sure you'll appreciate reading all of the interesting information that is shared on Twitter. Good luck!

Hi Nick - Thanks for sharing your thoughts! While I do agree with what you're saying, I don't think there is anything wrong with posting your new listings on Twitter. Someone in your community or network may have a buyer! You mentioned that having a service push listings and post things for you might kind of defeat the purpose - As a Real Estate Virtual Assistant Team, we make it our number one goal to make things easier for our clients. We know them, we know their target market and we know their goals. Our clients are Top Producing agents and while they might WANT to utilize the social networking websites, some of them just don't have the time. When they hire us, we ARE a part of their team and we say and do things on their behalf. We always tell our clients... "Do what you do best and hire out the rest!"

Hi Dena - You said it best "Twitter got me to this post tonight - point made." In regards to your question: "Can we overwhelm the world with all of our listings and opinions? Will folks just stop careing?" I personally don't think so. Social networking is HUGE and there are so many opportunities out there. There is always someone ready and willing to listen (or read) what you have to say! People LOVE free information and networking...

Hi Gary - Congratulations on your first Twitter referral! I just started using TweetDeck and so far it seems like a valuable (free) tool. I still need to setup my groups and will definately do so after hearing how easy the groups have made your browsing. Glad Twitter brought you to my post! Thanks so much for sharing what works for you. You have your goals in place and a GREAT system and I commend you for that!

Erica Parpan, Operations Manager
RealSupport Inc.
Phone: 847-705-1655 x201
Email: Erica@RealSupportInc.com
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