Mixing Real Estate and Social Media
Transcription
Mixing Real Estate and Social Media
Mixing Real Estate and Social Media “The tools don’t build the skyscraper, the craftsmen do. It’s not about the tools; it’s about how you use the tools. The most important part of your Social Media strategy is you” ...Anonymous Legal notice: This book is not intended for use as a source of specific business advice. Any advice, recommendation, information, assistance or services given by the Author within this eBook is general information, and your individual situation needs to be taken into account before acting on this advice. The information contained with the ebook is given in good faith and is believed to be accurate, appropriate and reliable at the time it is given, but is provided without any warranty of accuracy, appropriateness or reliability. The Author does not accept any liability or responsibility for any loss suffered from the Reader’s use of the advice, recommendation, information, assistance or service, to the extent available by law. You are encouraged to print this book for easy reading. TABLE OF CONTENTS REAL ESTATE & Social Media – The Right Mix 4 Social Media – The BASICS6 THE POWER OF FACEBOOK10 MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU15 GET INTO LINKED IN18 Social Media – AT USE IN REAL ESTATE 20 OVERALL SUMMARY21 BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS23 APPLYING WHAT YOU’VE LEARNT26 Conclusion – Keep it Simple!28 Want more? 29 ABOUT THE AUTHOR31 Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS REAL ESTATE & Social Media – The Right Mix The number one activity on the web is Social Media1 . Did you know that 89% of home buyers start their search for a Real Estate agent FIRST online, and then they give someone a call after?2 Real Estate professionals are increasingly using Social Media for lead generation, sales and branding, with the goal of utilizing Social Media to attract sellers looking to list their homes or buyers looking to purchase homes. Examples of effective Social Media include REIN (Real Estate Investment Network) and using live Twitter at their conferences to sharing podcasts through their Social Media channels to help attract more customers. The goal is to not just create a Social Media presence but to participate in it and promote yourself, your business and your expertise. This E-book was designed for you to work while you read. If you have any additional questions, feel free to contact me. This E-book is a step by step introduction guide that will: You too can use Social Media channels to help attract more customers 1. www.huffingtonpost. com/2008/09/17/study-social-networking-s_n_127122.html 2. www.wikihow.com/Select-a-Realtor 4 1. Provide foundational information/definitions of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn 2. Demonstrate how to use Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to expand your business. 3. Draw customers to your Blog with the help of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn Before we start, take a few minutes and answer the following questions to help create your Social Media strategy: •• What do you want people to know about you? •• How do you want people to perceive you? •• What do you want to share with others? •• Why do you want to have a presence online? Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS REAL ESTATE & Social Media – The Right Mix Your Online Reputation •• Do you know how people view your reputation online? •• It is vital to create and manage your brand online Action item: Do a Google search for your name in quotation marks (i.e. “Vishal Badiani”) •• What kind of results do you get? •• Can you find yourself ? •• Has anyone ever posted a review of you and your services? Trends show that would be employers including Real Estate brokerages use Google search to review a candidates online profile prior to hiring them so be proactive and manage your own reputation. Create a Google alert for your name. You will receive a report from Google anytime your name is mentioned on the Internet; proactively manage your online reputation. Proactively manage your online reputation It is vital to create and manage your brand online 5 Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS Social Media – The BASICS What is Social Media? •• An online communication medium that reaches people widely through two-way communication •• Many Social Media channels are available to suite your needs – this Ebook focuses on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Blogging Here are some examples of Social Media and popular sites/services: Publishing Articles •• blogger.com •• digg.com •• wordpress.com Sharing Photos & Videos •• youtube.com •• flickr.com •• slideshare.net Chat & Instant Messaging Social Networks •• MSN Messenger •• Skype •• Google Talk •• facebook.com •• linkedIn.com •• twitter.com Social Media is not... •• A replacement to offline marketing •• An online classified website where you post listings one after the next •• A get rich quick scheme Sales don’t come directly from Social Media but the relationships you build over Social Media lead to sales. If people know, trust and like you, they will be more inclined to do business with you. Trust is the highest form of motivation and when trust goes up, things happen faster and at a lower cost. The goal is to create one unified and consistent message. 6 Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS Social Media – The BASICS Become a tribal leader or influencer: Identify who the influencers are or BE the influencer – it’s not about trying to connect and please everyone but it’s about getting connected with the right people. Influencers are individuals who will actively encourage others to use your services. Making use of Social Media is all about sharing credible and useful information, whilst also promoting your network and their opinions. The three key ways to create trustworthiness through Social Media: •• Think of the world not as a zero sum game – there is enough for everyone •• Trust people first and they will trust you •• Default to yes, when you interact with someone think about how you can help this person “We are here on Earth to help others, what others are here for, I have no idea” Timing •• Social Media requires speed as it must be relevant and timely information with a need to be shared •• If your information is out of date you will quickly lose credibility •• Plan in advance how much time you want to spend on Social Media, whatever time you decide, make sure it is focused time •• If you start blogging, it’s important to continue blogging, otherwise visitors will see your site is outdated and not return. ...WH Auden 7 Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS Social Media – The BASICS Select your Communication Channel The Internet is brimming with a whole host of different kinds of people. You will even come across markedly different people within your own network. As a general rule, individuals in your network will fall into one or more of the following categories3: •• Inner Circle – these people are primarily devoted to maintaining and developing existing relationships with family and friends, rather than developing new online relationships •• Business Users – specifically use the Internet for work-related purposes, as well as for staying in touch with contacts and associates. They aim to promote their company or enhance their personal careers •• Cautious – such individuals are selective about who they communicate with and type of information they are willing to share online •• Information Seekers – are detail-focused individuals who go online to research and find information. They tend not to be interested in creating new content. Their interest lies in viewing credible sites for feedback for information Information Seekers – are detail-focused individuals who go online to research and find information. 3. www.exacttarget.com 8 Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS Social Media – The BASICS •• Enthusiasts – connect with people with similar hobbies or interests, or seek information that supports their lifestyle •• Deal Seekers – are people with a passion for promotional content. They love exclusive deals, freebies, discounts, coupons and sales notifications •• Shoppers – interested primarily in the topic of shopping, they spend a lot of time researching and preparing for in-store shopping. This group tend to focus on quality above discounts •• News Junkies – simply can’t get enough of real-time breaking news stories and current events. Information is their motivation •• Gamers – can be either a casual or serious console users and they have a strong interest in the latest gaming software and technologies •• Social Butterflies – maintain a lot of online friendships and use a wide variety of social tools to keep in touch •• Adopters – interested in connecting, educating and sharing resources with others •• Open book – individuals who openly express what they like, dislike or experienced with the online world Identify or cluster the individuals to identify your target audience – what type of personas are in your network? Study their motivations and then use the right channel and an appropriate message to communicate with them. What will you say? •• Focus on “you” instead of “I” in your posts •• Think about the top 5 Real Estate topics that you like discussing. Which of these do you feel your audience will care about? •• What Real Estate websites do you enjoy exploring? These may well feature topics that others will want to know about •• Research top Real Estate blog sites, what do they talk about? •• Think about attending a face-to-face networking session, what would you typically discuss? 9 Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS THE POWER OF FACEBOOK What is Facebook? There are more than 17 Million active Canadian Facebook users; or just over 50% of the Canadian population4. 83% of all companies use Facebook5. It is the largest Social Network in the World, with more than 500 million active users. It is also viewed as the ‘default’ social community. If Facebook were a country, it would be the world’s 3rd largest6: •• China •• India •• Facebook (500 million registered users worldwide) •• USA Facebook is often viewed as the ‘default’ social community Number of Users on Facebook by Province [% based on Overall Population] Newfoundland & Labrador Nova Scotia Prince Edward island *Stats Canada, Population by Year by province and territory, 2010 http:www40.statcan.gov.gc.ca/l01/ demo02a-eng.htm *Number of users taken from Facebook.com – Active Users are users who have logged in at least once in the past 30 days 4. www.facebook.com/press/info. php?statistics 5. toprankedwebsite.com.au/social_ media_marketing/ 6. www.techxav.com/2010/03/19/iffacebook-were-a-country/ 10 New Brunswic k Quebec Ontario Manitoba Saskatchewan Alberta British Columbi a 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS THE POWER OF FACEBOOK Think about the Facebook wall as a bulletin board in your office 7. blog.nielsen.com/nielsenwire/ consumer/global-advertising-consumers-trust-real-friends-and-virtualstrangers-the-most/ How do you build relationships and generate leads? •• Create your list of influencers – search through Facebook and add them to your contact list •• Keep things fun and entertaining •• One of the greatest things about Facebook is the surprise element – you never know what to expect when you logon, whereas when you are Googling, for example, you have an idea on what to expect. Use this to your advantage by being creative in the way you engage with your audience •• Every Facebook member has a wall, when you write (post) on your wall; your network will be able to view it. When you post on someone else’s wall, your network will also be able to view it. Think about the Facebook wall as a bulletin board in your office, it’s a central location for information to be stored and shared •• Post information by updating your status and share articles, links and “sharing” and “liking” your network’s information »» You can attach links or paste articles on your wall. This will be shared with your network. Link these to your blog (we will cover this under Blogging later on) »» If you notice a colleague or friend has posted information that your network will enjoy, you can click on the “share” button, add your two cents and share this with your network »» Press the “like” button, this tells your network that you “like” a particular comment or article that someone else has posted »» Research shows that by posting articles over the weekend on Facebook, people are more likely to share this information as individuals consider Facebook more social and is used more during non working hours •• 90% of people trust the recommendations of their Facebook friends7 •• People are less tolerant to irrelevant Facebook messages then to irrelevant emails so be wary of how much and what you communicate with your fans or you will be “unliked” •• @mention – when you want to mention someone in one of your status updates (and you don’t want to write on their wall) try the @mention. In your update, type the @ symbol and type the name of your friend 11 Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS THE POWER OF FACEBOOK Personal Profile vs. Page 12 Personal Profile Business Page What is it? •• People build a personal and professional relationship with you •• Post pictures, videos and write on people’s walls •• Share information: personal (birthday, relationship status, etc) and business (job information, your likes, etc) •• Create a business page that separates personal profile to professional profile •• Include information on your business, website •• Forum to discuss, share business ideas and engage in discussions •• Possible to have multiple administrators (i.e. your assistant) Pros: •• Build personal online relationships •• Stay in touch and be aware of news around the world and engage in the “global village” •• Easier for people to connect with you – simply press “like” on your page •• Post through your Page onto your personal profile page Cons: •• Line between personal and business difficult to manage – know where do you draw the line •• Profile difficult to customize •• Cannot see the pictures of status updates of your fans (unless you are friends with them), becomes one way communication Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS THE POWER OF FACEBOOK Groups vs. Pages Groups Pages •• Can be created by anyone and about any topic, as a space for people to share their opinions and interest in that subject •• Can be closed, open or secret •• Groups are for smaller groups of people that you know personally and have limiting functions in place where group members exceed a certain number •• Create a group: http://on.fb.me/dT7VwH •• Pages intended to communicate publicly •• Created to represent a real organization, business, celebrity or brand •• Allow people to maintain personal vs. professional profile within Facebook •• If you post anything on your Page, it will appear from your Page •• Create a page: http://on.fb.me/6FFg 13 Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS THE POWER OF FACEBOOK How to Get People to “Like” Your Brand or Business Page?|* discounts & Promotions Show Support for Brand/Company Stay informed About Activities Updates on Future Products Fun & Entertainment Access to Exclusive Content Referred to Join by Someone Else Learn More About the Company 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% Action: Create your Facebook account * www.exacttarget.com 14 1. Create and complete your profile (including a profile picture) by going to: http://on.fb.me/e6fKnM 2. Do a search and connect with people that you know (past friends, others in your office). Add 10 friends in your first week 3. Set your privacy settings to only friends and set your email notifications so that you receive an email when someone interacts with you 4. Create a business page (including a business profile picture) and encourage your network to “like” you 5. Get a custom URL for a business page when you have more than 25 fans Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU The site has over 160 million registered users 8. article.wn.com/view/2011/03/21/ Twitter_turns_5_goes_from_0_ to_140_million_tweets_a_day/ 9. socialtimes.com/twitter-userssending-50-million-tweets-eachday_b2821 10. www.avenuesocial.com/blog/social-media-the-buzz-word-of-2010/ What is Twitter? •• Twitter is the tool that allows you to engage a large audience through short messages of upto 140 characters •• Twitter is one of the fastest forms of mass communication •• The site has over 160 million registered users, who, between them, send a massive 90 million tweets a day8 •• Twitter averages 50 million status updates per day9 •• 20% of all Twitter communication contains a reference to a product or service10. References could include an article or breaking news related to Real Estate •• Users can quickly see what people are up to right now, with access to everyone from celebrities and politicians to CEOs and sports personalities •• You can use people’s desire to interact with and get to know these individuals to your advantage •• Some consumers dislike Twitter, and many simply don’t understand it, but the ones who do use it value its potential and are highly influential online consumers •• Individuals are more likely to “follow” you on Twitter then to subscribe to email lists •• Two symbols that you often see are: »» The “@” symbol. This used to refer to a username over Twitter. It is used to send someone a message over Twitter. For example, if I wanted to send Don Campbell a message, I would put “@donrcampbell” in my post and Don would see the message on his profile. This has to be a real user »» The “#” symbol. The hashtag is used to denote similar topics or subjects. For example, if we were talking about the REIN ACRE weekend we could include “#ACRE” in our messages whenever anyone was talking about the conference. The use of #ACRE would ensure that anyone searching Twitter for information on the conference, would receive a list of all tweets, containing the relevant hashtag, in their search results 15 Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU •• People often include links to articles/videos/other pages through Twitter. Since the 140 character rule always applies, use the following website to help shorten your link: http://bit.ly/. Place your URL for your webpage and click “shorten” How do you build relationships and generate leads? •• “Listening on Twitter” - When you first start on Twitter, the best way to get started is by “listening” to get a feel of what people are saying and where you can contribute to the conversation. Use the search in Twitter to see what people are saying about any topic •• You can also find people tweeting in your area through the advanced search option. Go to search.Twitter.com/advanced – many options are available •• “Follow” individuals that you would like to hear from and encourage people to “follow” you •• Look for profiles that you want to interact with, ask the questions before “following” an individual/company: »» What kind of things do they talk about? »» Who interacts with them? »» Do they interact at all or are they just using Twitter to post ads or to spam people? •• Reply to individuals questions and discussions and actively use the “@” and “#” symbols •• Post tweets and retweet articles and stories of interest “Follow” individuals that you would like to hear from and encourage people to “follow” you 16 Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU What motivates people to follow a company, brand or associate on Twitter?* To get Updates on Future Products or Services To Stay informed About the Company’s Activities To Receive discounts & Promotions To get Updates on Upcoming Sales To get Freebies [Samples, Coupons etc. ] For Fun & Entertainment Access to Exclusive Content To Learn More About the Company To Show My Support for the Company to Other s To interact [Share ideas, Feedback etc. ] For Education About Company Topics Someone Recommended it to Me The Company Could Send Me a direct Message 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% ACTION: Create your Twitter Account: 1. Create a complete profile (including your picture and your bio). Visit: https://Twitter.com/signup 2. Search for people using Twitter near you or use keyword search. Twitter.com/advanced. Create a list of influencers and industry experts. Follow 20 people in your first week 3. Post 2 updates and reply to someone’s tweet everyday. It takes just a few minutes each day and is well worth it * www.exacttarget.com 17 Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS GET INTO LINKED IN What is LinkedIn? •• LinkedIn is a large business/professional social network to help you connect with companies, organizations, professional networking groups, peers, old and new colleagues •• Over 75+ million business professionals are on LinkedIn •• LinkedIn is a great place to discover insider connections, when you are looking for business opportunities, and share advice with your network Recommendations are positive comments about you from other individuals in your network 3. www.exacttarget.com 18 How do you build relationships and generate leads? LinkedIn Recommendations •• Recommendations are positive comments about you from other individuals in your network •• On your profile you want to build your recommendations by actively asking for recommendations from people who have used your products or services •• Make it a habit to write unsolicited recommendations for people you know, this may inspire them to do the same for you •• Joining groups is one of the best ways to expand your network »» From the search bar at the top right of the screen, click on people and you will get a drop down menu. Select Groups »» Try searching your city, or other groups you may be interested in »» Actively contribute to these groups. People who join these groups often select to have updates from the group be sent to their email. The email updates always show the names of people who contributed to the group Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS GET INTO LINKED IN LinkedIn answers •• Ask professionals for advice or answer questions for others •• Use the search bar at the top right of the window, click on the drop down box and select Answers •• This can help you learn about your audience and as well as actively network and contribute answers to new clients Applications •• Applications are a great way to add depth to your profile, you can post polls, share a reading list – allows for great interaction with your network •• If you scroll down your profile page, you will see a section called Applications – click the Add Applications link to view a list of applications ACTION: Create your LinkedIn account 1. Create and complete your profile (including your background, website, Twitter account, profile picture) by: http://linkd.in/fy8wEn . This will add you to search engines within LinkedIn to make it easier for people to connect with you 2. Search and add influencers to your network by looking through “People that you may know”. Connect with 10 people in the first week. Remember to only add people that you know or else people may reject your invitation 3. Add relevant groups 4. Send an email from your LinkedIn account to your past clients and ask for recommendations 19 Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS Social Media – AT USE IN REAL ESTATE Here are a few examples of Real Estate organizations or Sales Representatives using Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn: Facebook •• I use the following Facebook page to share articles with my users: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Vishal-Badiani/132246143506315?sk=wall •• Amy Flowers Team Page shares news stories on the Milton market: https://www.facebook.com/amyflowersteam Twitter •• Peter Kinch – Mortgage Broker: http://twitter.com/#!/peterkinch •• Oliver Manalese – Real Estate Sales Representative: http://twitter.com/#!/OliverManalese “How you do anything is how you do everything” LinkedIn •• Royal LePage Meadowtowne: http://www.linkedin.com/company/1004348?trk=NUS_CMPY_FOL-nhre •• Tahani Aburaneh – Broker of Record: http://linkd.in/rex5NE “Not advertising your business is like blinking in the dark” 3. www.exacttarget.com 20 Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS Get Started! Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Post 2-3 times a day Post 8-10 times a day Post once a day What is it? •• Stay in touch and •• Post right away comment, share •• Short posts (140 information with new and characters or less) old friends •• Line between personal •• Share pictures, videos and professional blurred •• Strive to strike a balance •• Goal is to attain between personal and “followers” business (groups and pages) •• Goal to attain “fans” and they help to spread your message Daily Activities •• Post questions, photos and videos •• Reply when people reply to your posts •• Post content that links people to your website – preferably directly to your piece of information (called “deep linking”) •• Post links to websites you visit •• Share articles you like and “like posts” from other members •• Send birthday messages •• Professional network •• Post your online resume and connect with individuals on a professional level •• Add to groups, answer questions •• Receive and give recommendations •• Post questions, share links •• Profile should be up to date •• Reply to individuals •• Reply to individuals in questions and discussions “groups” and “answers” and actively use @ and # symbols •• Retweet articles and stories of interest – “spread the good word” •• Retweet old posts as other individuals may now be online •• Engage professionally with politicians, celebrities, athletes etc 21 Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS Get Started! Weekly Activities Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Post 2-3 times a day Post 8-10 times a day Post once a day •• Encourage friends to •• Encourage friends to •• Encourage friends and connect with you connect with you. If colleagues to connect •• Do searches to connect someone follows you, look with you with other influencers to follow them back •• Add new Groups to your (Be sure you have a profile and post topics connection with them) and contribute •• “Like” other business pages •• Search in Answers and answer questions When should you post? Posting TimeWhy 11:30am – 12:30pmET Many people check their media profiles at lunch 1:30pm – 2:30pmET Slack time, people will take a moment in the afternoon to check their profiles 7:30 – 9:30pmET After dinner, people do a final check on Social Media before they go to bed 22 Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS Blogging •• Consumers communicate freely between Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn. With the help of a blog, you can integrate all media, which allows you to use all three social networking sites. This can be a powerful tool in helping you communicate your message across your network •• Deliver targeted content across a variety of interactive channels, ensures that you reach your diverse customer base regardless of where they are spending their time Use Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter as channels to direct people back to your hub What is a blog? •• The name blog comes from “web log”. This is your personal way to keep in touch directly with your clients. It is essentially an online journal •• Your blog is your home base where you can create dialogue, discussion and to get people interested in you and what you have to say •• Use Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter as channels to direct people back to your hub •• The goal of your blog is to move as many of your followers and friends into your email contact database so you can communicate with them directly 23 Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS What are the keys to attract people? •• It should be regularly updated and provide meaningful content to your audience •• Things to share: market reports, tips for buying and selling, mortgage rate information etc •• Create Video blogs (V blogs) through You Tube – videos need to be short (approx. 2-4 minutes) i.e. www.philipmckernan.com for some great examples •• Do not shower your blog with “classifieds” Tips for communicating with your clients •• Content needs to be relevant to what they signed up for •• Do not send every listing to every client •• Send interesting articles that engage in a discussion •• Do not over email – put yourself in your audience’s shoes, how often would you want an email from a business? •• You must include an “unsubscribe” button at the bottom of every communication. If an individual does unsubscribe, include a comments field for them to tell you why they unsubscribed •• People typically trust larger brands and assume their email addresses are secure, safe and unshared vs. lesser known brands. Therefore, it is important to manage email addresses appropriately, as any failure to do so will quickly spread through the Social Media network and impact upon your subscriber registration 24 Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS Writing your blog You want your blog content to be sticky. This means that people will see value in it, they will share it, post it for others to see and come back to. Here are some tips: •• Keep it simple and to the point, give your reader quick points and intriguing information •• Provide content that entertains and enlightens. Always ask, why would someone read this? •• Deep link – when you include a link for someone to get further information, make the link as “deep” as possible. What this means is don’t give someone just the website address to where the article can be found but direct them to the exact place on the website where the article can be found •• Invite people to post their comments and feedback on the topic •• Include badges on your site for Facebook, Twitter. Badges are applications that you include on your site for individuals to connect to their Facebook, Twitter accounts so they can share your information with their network Always ask, why would someone read this? Action: How to start blogging? 1. Set up a Google Gmail account – www.gmail.com 2. Then use www.blogger.com to create a personal blog 3. Add themes such as Word Press or purchase a Word Press template. These are two of the most popular and easiest to use sites, offering a wide range of templates used by individuals in the industry 4. Use a site that allows you to capture email addresses and to communicate with your clients. I.e. www.feedburner.com 25 Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS APPLYING WHAT YOU’VE LEARNT Tips to get from good to great Be active on Real Estate forums or topic specific forums. These allow you to express your thoughts while the community gets to know you better Examples of good forums: •• Myreinspace – active Real estate community, search through topics, answer questions specific to your expertise •• Quora – this is the next big Social Media. It is a collection of questions and answers created, edited and organized by everyone who wants to know about the question •• Find specific forums related to your geographic region or industry. i.e. Hawthorne Villager is an active forum for the city of Milton. City councillors will regularly post updates and you can interact with community members •• Meetup – Real estate professionals are frequently using this platform to connect with like minded individuals to network and learn more about their business and community. You can create your own Meetup near you i.e. Timetosaygoodbuy organizes meet ups for the Real Estate Cash flow game •• Get paid for recommendations – take a look at www.socialpayout.com – individuals are paid for recommending brands to their network. Be sure you are credible and have verified your recommendations Be active on Real Estate forums or topic specific forums 26 Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS APPLYING WHAT YOU’VE LEARNT Hootsuite and Postling These are two great tools to help you publish posts to multiple Social Media platforms. Features include scheduling posts in advance, staying on top of comments, knowing stats, email summaries and tracking competitors. •• The free version of Hootsuite allows for free social analytics, 5 social profiles and 2 RSS feeds Is email going the way of snail mail? Not in the near future, the amalgamation of Social Media and email will increase but the following reasons explain why email will continue as a communication tool: •• •• •• •• Consumers are familiar with the technology Consumers know what to exactly expect Email is trusted as a safe and secure way for handling private matters Mobile email use continues to be on the rise 27 Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS Conclusion – Keep it Simple! 1. Set your objective to your Social Media – if you don’t have objectives, it’s hard to measure outcomes and celebrate the achievements 2. Sign up for Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn 3. Create a blog and include the Facebook, Twitter badges i.e. “like” and “follow”. Collect email addresses 4. “listen a hundred times. Ponder a thousand times. Speak once”. Add knowledge not just another opinion. Write a blog once a week. Keep it conversational and write like you would write to a friend, seek opinions, ask questions and offer exclusive content to your members 5. Be active on forums(i.e. myreinspace, quora), reply to Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn messages and encourage others, recommend and share good information to your network 6. Focus on your network and fans - authenticity is imperative, keep your information active and up to date. Be transparent and consistent to create trusted relationships. If you make a mistake, be the first to admit your mistakes and right them, thank people who bring attention to your mistakes. Be creative – try new innovative methods to reach your audience “If you do what everyone else is doing then you will get what everyone else will get”... anonymous 28 “Not advertising your business is like blinking in the dark”... Malcolm Gladwell 7. Don’t over advertise – they may love your Social Media information, but they are not dating you, so be smart on how and when you advertise to them. Consumers rely on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to protect them from spam 8. Review your analytics and tweak as required 9. Show gratitude to your network for their business 10.Privacy and credit – if you reuse anyone’s material give credit where it’s due and respect the privacy of others. If a customer doesn’t trust you, they won’t subscribe to your communications. Follow rules and regulations of your Real Estate board and address these two questions for your audience: “Will their email be shared?” and “How difficult is it for them to unsubscribe?” Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS Want more? Take a look at the following LINKS: Blogs: •• Don Campbell – bestselling author and President of the Real Estate Investment Network http://www.donrcampbell.com/ •• Ash Silva – connectologist and blogger: http://www.ashsilva.com/ •• Rentbusters blog - http://www.therentbusters.ca/blog/ •• Seth Godin – world renowned marketer: http://sethgodin.com/sg/ •• Copyblogger –Learn great tips on writing effective blogs: http://www.copyblogger.com/ organization focusing on social change: http://www.facebook.com/InspireTogether •• Inspiring Kids Together – progressive and dynamic community organization: http://on.fb.me/hUA5wk Twitter: •• Peter Kinch – Educator, Author, Speaker, Entrepreneur, Investor: http://twitter.com/#!/peterkinch •• Greg Habstritt – Entrepreneur, teacher and coach: http://twitter.com/#!/greghabstritt •• Steffany Hanlen – Quantum Speed: http://twitter.com/#!/quantumspeed Facebook: •• Investing in Rent to Own – Information on Rent to Own by Mark Loeffler: http://www.facebook.com/renttoownbook LinkedIn: •• Royal LePage Meadowtowne http://linkd.in/fwEjNu •• Tahani Aburaneh – Investor, Realtor, Author and Entrepreneur: http://on.fb.me/dFsgdC •• Toastmasters – District 86 Group: http://linkd.in/fFS0K2 •• Philip McKernan – Mentors people through live intimate experiences: http://www.facebook.com/PhilipMcKernanInc •• Goforthinstitute – Providing Essential Small Business Skills: http://www.LinkedIn.com/company/goforth-institute •• Engaged Investor – DJ/Entrepreneur – turned professional real estate investor: http://www.facebook.com/TheEngagedInvestor •• Inspire Together – Grassroots 29 Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK Social | MAKE MediaTWITTER – The BASICS WORK|FOR THEYOU POWER | GET OF INTO FACEBOOK LINKED|INMAKE | BLOGGING TWITTERFOR WORK BUSINESS FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS Want more? Take a look at the following LINKS: Forums: •• MyREINSpace – Canada’s Online Real Estate Investing Community and Forum http://www.myreinspace.com/ •• Quora – collection of questions and answers created, edited and organized by everyone who uses it http://www.quora.com/ •• Hawthorne Villager – Online Milton community forum : http://www.hawthornevillager.com/phpbb/ Other: •• Socialpayout – Get paid for referrals: http://socialpayout.com/ •• Hootsuite – Social Media dashboard: http://hootsuite.com/ •• Meetup – network of groups, site makes it easier for people to meet: http://www.meetup.com/ Shorten your URL: •• http://bit.ly/ 30 Stories Here are a few examples of businesses and the Good and Ugly on Social Media: Social Media Stories – The Good •• Burger King Facebook campaign: http://on.mash.to/RPrs •• My Starbucks idea: http://sbux.co/EKuT •• Zappos blog: http://blogs.zappos.com/ Social Media Stories – The Ugly •• Nestle Facebook Page: http://bit.ly/ceLJql •• Sony Setting up a Fake Blog: http://bit.ly/4KKQEl •• Molson Pulls plug on Facebook contest: http://bit.ly/b4v9ds Social Media – The BASICS | THE POWER OF FACEBOOK | MAKE TWITTER WORK FOR YOU | GET INTO LINKED IN | BLOGGING FOR BUSINESS ABOUT THE AUTHOR Vishal is a Real Estate Agent in Milton, Ontario. He also is an instructor at Sheridan College teaching Management Information Systems and owns his own business - Motion Capital where he specializes in investing in Real Estate in the Kitchener, Waterloo, and Cambridge area. He utilizes Social Media on a daily basis to interact with his audience; he is live on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and blogs at: www.vishalbadiani.com. Vishal is available to train you or your group of colleagues on Social Media and will take you through a detailed session on the key details of this Ebook plus more! Click on the following icons to find me: 31