We all know how difficult it is out there, so we look at easy-to-use and FREE web-based tools for networking and increasing your prospect pool.
These online tools, dubbed Web 2.0 (by the people who keep track of these things), include social networks and blogs and are particularly crucial for building a network of prospects and referral partners. Why? Simply put, they open new opportunities to network with other professionals and find new clients - opportunities that can't be matched by pounding the pavement or working the phones.
To get you started, there are three websites where you should create an account and start using - Facebook (www.facebook.com), LinkedIn (www.linkedin.com) and Active Rain (www.activerain.com), all of which are FREE and very easy to use.
Facebook - www.facebook.com
Facebook members are typically older and more mature than other social networking sites. With over 120 million active members, you are bound to find plenty of people you know, used to know or would like to know.
Start by creating an account and searching for friends and family. You will be surprised to see how many people use Facebook. Once you find someone, ask to join their network by becoming a "friend" which gives you visibility into their account, plus gives you access to all of their "friends".
Once you start adding "friends" to your network, you can post your thoughts and/or whereabouts using "status updates" which are visible to everyone in your network. You can add educational or helpful comments about what is going on in the industry, establishing yourself as someone to turn to when others have questions. You are limited to a sentence of text, so you need to keep it brief. A word of caution, avoid direct "advertising" messages - this will annoy your network - this is really a place for you to talk about what you are doing and thoughts you have. Once you post your message, people in your network can make comments visible to your entire community.
Another key feature to Facebook are "events". It allows you to tell your network about upcoming events and to organize social gatherings. You can even invite your contacts and upload photos or videos. How about adding an Open House or seminar you are conducting?
LinkedIn - www.linkedin.com
LinkedIn is a must for any business professional. This is the place for posting your skills and services and it can be used as your professional website. You can also join groups and network with other colleagues and potential customers. Like Facebook, there is a huge networking component to LinkedIn, but on a more professional scale.
There are professional groups you can join to discuss industry specific topics or increase your network. Plus, LinkedIn Answers is a great place to ask for advice. It allows you to pose questions to your network to get advice from your peers.
ActiveRain - www.activerain.com
Establishing a presence on industry-specific social networking sites is the next step in a solid web based marketing strategy. ActiveRain has 115,000+ members, so there is plenty of knowledge to pull from.
There are a number of ways to use this site to promote your business and get a better sense of local issues or sales trends. ActiveRain focuses on the nuts-and-bolts of the real estate business and provides tips on latest practices. Plus, it gives you a number of smaller groups to join. There is one group for ActiveRain "newbies" - aimed at people unfamiliar with web-based etiquette and technology. Other groups on the site are focused around such topics as marketing, suggestions on networking and how to increase word-of-mouth referrals. There is a group called Lounge, aimed at building relationships - 'We talk about everything except real estate' is the Lounge motto.
Other Industry Specific Networking Sites
Check out RealTown ( www.realtown.com), Real Estate Forum (www.realestateforum.com), and Agents Online ( agentsonline.net) for more real estate connections.
NOTE: When joining any social network website, be sure to read through their Terms of Use to see what is permitted and what is not.
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