Like it or not social media is here and you can either embrace it or ignore it. But before you make a decision think about a few things that have changed in marketing it seems within just a few short years.
Consumers have the ability to research a business or a business category and get instant access to a company's history including reviews and recommendations. They have the ability to ask others for recommendations and opinions in a matter of moments. Sites like the Better Business Bureau, Angieslist.com, and even Facebook have made the need for the big yellow books obsolete.
With almost instant updates using sites like Facebook and Twitter we are able to keep up with happenings across the country and around the globe. Merge that with services like Netflix and Yahoo News, you almost never have to watch another commercial on local TV.
With MP3 players, satellite radio and companies offering online books like amazon and audible you almost never have to listen another commercial on your local radio station.
As a Real Estate Investor, I initially struggled with marketing. I wanted to humanize my real estate business and set myself apart from what others were doing. Newspapers readership has declined sharply in the last few years. So newspaper ads were not going to top my list of ways to acquire business. I enlisted the help of social media experts from around the world like Mari Smith, Amy Porterfield, Jo Barnes, and Bryan Moran.
First thing I learned was that Social Media is NOT a popularity contests and "likes" don't put food on the table. Since Google is now crawling and indexing your social media it is more important than ever to engage your audience. Always keep your message relevant and include social media links in all your marketing and SEO endeavors. By keeping your message relevant you will find that less of your fans will drop off and you will have more engagement. Don't ask for equity partners on a site that you market to tenant buyers on.
With that being said, if you can outsource your FB marketing I suggest separate fanpages for buying selling and wholesaling properties. Create a plan and processes around your SMM that a Virtual Assistant can follow. You should start to include a portion of your marketing budget to SMM since most of the free services and organic ways to build your audience are being replaced with pay as you go services. But in the long run creating a strong foundation will help create brand recognition and increase your chances of being found through organic searches.
I will continue to send out updates that dive deeper into SMM and help you to create that foundation for Your Real Estate Investing marketing. If you have any questions or would you like me to answer your questions on my next blog post feel free to reach out to me directly at Steven@AskStevenHale.com
Steven A. Hale is a Real Estate Investor in Atlanta Georgia and Operates Georgia House Buyers INC.
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