Social Networking for Real Estate Professionals

How LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and Other Tools Can Help You Grow Your Business

Anthony Juliano

Fort Wayne Area Association of REALTORS® August 12, 2009

Hello!

What did you learn last month?

Is anyone already using social networking?

How?

If not, why not?

Social networking isn’t for everyone.

Let’s find out if it’s right for you.

What is Social Networking?

• “Social networking is people having conversations online”

• Social networking is your surrogate when you can’t be with your friends/family/customers/ prospects

• Social networking is a glass against the wall• Social networking gives you permission to speak• Social networking is your online resume

Why Social Networking?

• You’re in the relationship business• Marketing today is more about engagement than

interruption• 84% of home buyers use the web to search for

properties*• Makes you easier to find on Google• Helps build your brand• Your customers may expect to find you there• Your colleagues are doing it

* Source: National Association of REALTORS®

•

Social Networking - Pros

• Keeps your name in front of prospects/customers

• Increases traffic to your website• Helps you build relationships• Allows you to actively promote

services/properties for sale• Makes you “more human” • Gives you insight into

customers’/prospects’ lives

Social Networking - Cons

• Demands time and attention

• Takes time to build a presence

• Risk of “overselling”

• Blends the personal and the professional

• Must be carefully integrated with your larger marketing strategy

• May give your competitors insight into your business

How Social Networking is

Changing Marketing

How is Social Networking Changing Marketing?

• Customers can easily communicate with each other…

How is Social Networking Changing Marketing?

• …and you can listen in

“Social networking allows Scott Gerami, broker-owner of Real Time Realty in Naperville, to find out more information about potential clients before he meets them….Gerami looks for information on that person online so he can get to know the person before the first handshake. It makes the initial one-on-one meeting easier.” 

--“Realtors all a-twitter over social media’s possibilities,”

Chicago Tribune, Feb. 20, 2009

How is Social Networking Changing Marketing?

• Word of mouth travels much faster than ever before

How is Social Networking Changing Marketing?

• “Interruption” advertising is becoming less effective

How is Social Networking Changing Marketing?

• There are an infinite number of messages competing for your audience’s attention

Ten Ways to Use Social Networking

to Grow Your Business

Ten Ways to Use Social Networking to Grow Your Business

1. Post listings and open houses, but…

Ten Ways to Use Social Networking to Grow Your Business

2. Share advice, expertise, and your interests/activities more often than you

actively sell/promote

“Real estate agents are finding… that the best connections are made when they put themselves out there first, rather than just their listings. That makes sense and benefits consumers, who can get a head start on finding an agent whose personality meshes with their own. It’s easier to make the single biggest investment of your lifetime if you like the person helping you make that decision.”

--“Realtors all a-twitter over social media’s possibilities,”

Chicago Tribune, Feb. 20, 2009

Ten Ways to Use Social Networking to Grow Your Business

3. Make your advice more substantive and searchable by starting a blog

Ten Ways to Use Social Networking to Grow Your Business

4. Visit others’ (relevant) blogs and participate frequently

Ten Ways to Use Social Networking to Grow Your Business

5. Consider videoblogging or podcasting

Ten Ways to Use Social Networking to Grow Your Business

6. Join Dwellicious (and Dwellicious Pro)

Ten Ways to Use Social Networking to Grow Your Business

7. Use Twitter to listen to the market

Ten Ways to Use Social Networking to Grow Your Business

8. Connect with other REALTORS® and referral sources

Ten Ways to Use Social Networking to Grow Your Business

9. Thank, congratulate, and reward customers and referral sources (and yes, even your colleagues)

Ten Ways to Use Social Networking to Grow Your Business

10. Integrate your social media efforts with the rest of your marketing

Getting Started

Getting started

Decide whether social networking is right for you

Are you willing to put in the time?Does it interest you?

Do you want more business?Can you handle more business?

Getting started

If you’re new to social networking,

don’t jump in right away—

watch and learn

Getting started

Decide what niche you’ll focus on, which tools you’ll use, and how much time you’ll devote to social networking for business

Getting started

Decide whether you’ll do it yourself or partner with a consultant/vendor

Getting started

Consider establishing personal/organizational policies and protocols

Getting started

Decide how you’ll measure ROI

How to get started

Introduction to Social Media & Social Media for Business

Questions?

Thanks!anthonyj@asheragency.com

(260) 424.3373

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