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How to use Social Media to market your Business

By
Real Estate Agent with Isaac Real Estate &TriStar Mortgage

 

How to use Social Media to market your Business

 

Think of Social Media as a party happening in a building with a lot of rooms.   Now imagine that you went around from conversation to conversation just talking about real estate and asking if anybody needed any help.  This is a party!  Eventually, people will not want you around and will not even talk with you when you come by, or maybe even quit letting you hear them! Not a good plan of action!!

 Sad guy in the corner

Now imagine if you did just the opposite and went around and wanted to play games with everyone and just be their friend and never even told them that you did real estate.  You would probably make a lot of friends, but you would never get any business from this.  And if you spend all your times at parties playing around at games (Like Fishville, Farmville, etc) you would not have any time to run your business. What a waste of time!!

Dazed Party People

 

 

Now imagine a more balanced approach.  You can listen in on any conversations in any of the rooms any time you want and only respond when you feel like it.  People slowly learn about who you are as a person, about your family, movies you like, where you like to eat, your interests, dreams, etc.  Eventually, they may contact you if they need help with real estate. Not because you tried to sell them anything, but because they feel like they know and trust you and once in a while you reminded them that you did real estate for a living as well as all the other things they know about you..  Or, you may, while listening to a conversation, hear someone talk about needing help with Real Estate and you offer your services to them. Everybody wins!!

 

Group at a party

What looks better to you????

Christina ONeal
At Home Real Estate Group - Ripon, CA
Realtor - Ripon California

love the middle of the road, balance approach :)  It works, i do it :)  Glad you clarified it, nice post!!!

Apr 18, 2010 06:23 PM
Tom Priester
Paradise Sharks - Jupiter, FL
Paradise Sharks

Great job.

Apr 18, 2010 07:04 PM
Randy Ostrander
Lake and Lodge Realty LLC - Big Rapids, MI
Real Estate Broker, Serving Big Rapids and West Central MI

Balance is everything. Great post Jirius. Gives me something to think on this morning.

Apr 18, 2010 07:12 PM
Catherine Chaudemanche - Edison & Central NJ
Metuchen Keller Williams Elite Realty / Middlesex County, NJ - Edison, NJ
Full Time, Informed and Involved- Results Driven

Yes, good way to explain the more direct engagement strategies.

Apr 18, 2010 10:21 PM
Evelyn Johnston
Friends & Neighbors Real Estate - Elkhart, IN
The People You Know, Like and Trust!

You can't play games ALL the time, but you still need to be social and engage with folks.  This is a people business!

Apr 19, 2010 01:42 AM
Not In Real Estate Any Longer
Autaugaville, AL

Great post Jirius.

It's all about balance and building future business relationships while meeting interesting people and having a good time is what it's all about :)

It's not about the destination, but the journey.

Apr 19, 2010 05:44 AM
Tina Thelen
Keller Williams Realty - Lafayette, IN

I agree 100%  I try to put myself in my prospective "client"'s position.  I know I cringe whenever someone tracks me down and tries to "sell me something".  I prefer to build my business on relationships.  I know this will not happen overnight, but at the end of the day, the long lasting ones are the ones who are most like to refer friends, and family your way.

And I've made a "fan page" on FB; so that my fun time is just that, and not littered with posts about open houses, listings, price reductions,etc.!!  I am hoping it will be a good balance!

 

Thanks for the post.

Tina Thelen, Associate Broker, Prudential Indiana Realty Group

 

Apr 19, 2010 07:18 AM
Connie Wilhelm Zulu
Peak Realty Ltd., Brokerage - Saint Marys, ON

this is very true there needs to be a balance

myself I have not done many of those games

i much rather spend my time doing something that one day may bring me a pay check

Apr 19, 2010 11:26 AM
Tammy Faubion
RE/MAX Town & Country - McKinney, TX

That is a great analogy comparing social media to a party. Great post.

Apr 19, 2010 12:10 PM
Frank D'Angelo
EXIT REALTY NEXUS Minneapolis & St. Paul MN - Coon Rapids, MN
Helping people is my business in Real Estate

Very descriptive and an insightful approach.  Thank you so much for sharing.  Again :)

Best of 2010 to you

Apr 19, 2010 02:20 PM
Pat Kady
Keller Williams Check Realty - Prescott, AZ

Very well thoughtout analogy and so true.

Apr 19, 2010 05:40 PM
Marcus Rice
Equity First Realty - Richmond, VA
Richmond, NOVA, Virginia Beach Area Realtor/Broker

You are right on the money

Apr 21, 2010 04:26 AM
Jirius Isaac
Isaac Real Estate &TriStar Mortgage - Kenmore, WA
Real Estate & loans in Kenmore, WA

I sure appreciate all the support and comments I have received on the analogy I made.  I guess it is not very controversial since no one has said anything to the contrary.  I want to wish all of you a happy year in SMM.  I am in the process of setting up 11 Fan pages.  Only 1 is done so far and it is locted at:

http://www.facebook.com/365ThingsToDoInSeattle

Check it out and become a fan if you like.

Apr 21, 2010 08:13 AM
Lynn Johnson
Coldwell Banker Home Connection - Owatonna, MN
Owatonna, MN Real Estate

Jirius - I might be a little different than most - because I use FB primarily for business purposes.  I make it a practice to reveal very little of my personal life through that media and choose to spend my time on there to promote business related content through my 4 fan pages.  I, too, have a "365 Things to Do" fan page for our area - and it's been great.

Apr 25, 2010 03:17 PM
Lee & Pamela St. Peter
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices YSU Realty: (919) 645-2522 - Raleigh, NC
Making Connections to Success in Real Estate

Jirius, you're right ~ I think finally everyone understands the SN rules...  Good luck on your fan pages.  I'm the opposite of Lynn, I DON'T use FB for business at all.  I don't join fan pages, play games, send hugs, or even know what farmville is about.   Isn't it great how we all use the new media differently?!?

Apr 27, 2010 12:27 AM
Ken Kelly
Benchmark Mortgage - Chesterfield, VA

Great insight and thanks for sharing. Facebook is definitely the way to go now.

Apr 28, 2010 05:29 AM
Brigita McKelvie, Associate Broker
Cindy Stys Equestrian and Country Properties, Ltd. - Lehigh Valley, PA
The Broker with horse sense and no horsing around

Jirius,

It's all about building a relationship.  Once people get to know you, they then feel comfortable dealing with you in business.  Relationship building is the way to go.

Great post!

Brigita

May 04, 2010 01:35 AM
Evelyn Johnston
Friends & Neighbors Real Estate - Elkhart, IN
The People You Know, Like and Trust!

You got me with the name again.  I had to read it and then discovered I already had...Aren't we all happy to have this particular "Social Media" back up and running again?  I know I am...

May 04, 2010 02:42 AM
Jirius Isaac
Isaac Real Estate &TriStar Mortgage - Kenmore, WA
Real Estate & loans in Kenmore, WA

Yes and yes to all.

May 06, 2010 08:55 AM
Sharon Harris
Keller Williams Keystone Realty - Hanover, PA
Realtor

Friends are friends and are not all that interested  in our open houses or reductions or new listing!  They seem to care less. Better to have a facebook page just for Real Estate. And one for fun!

May 17, 2010 03:35 AM