Assured Social Media

Before I started playing with the new Twitter technology I had my doubts about its usefulness. I have had access to my twitter account and have periodically used it to publicize the RedX Real Estate Lead generation system. Because of this, I am just learning to implement the technology. However, now that I understand technology, I can appreciate how REALTORS online should be utilizing this tool to attract leads.

So how do you use Twitter in a promotion campaign? Before we begin you need to understand that Twitter is only a single point of contact for your prospects and that numerous touches are usually desired to convert a lead into a client. Also, understand that Twitter etiquette is that when you follow a person’s tweets, they may in turn monitor you.

With that background, what are the steps? The principal step is to connect your twitter account to any web site where you have an online presence. If you have a site, blog or web presence, add a “Follow me” or Twitter logo with a hyperlink to your twitter site.

To begin utilizing Twitter as a promotion resource, create an auto-responder on your twitter account so that when anybody chooses to follow you, they will automatically receive a thank you response with a call to action. I use TweetLater.Com for my auto-responders. The message should thank the user for following, and incorporate a call to action. Your may choose to make your call to action an offer for a complimentary report, data, or some other offer that allows you to capture more information about your target lead. For example, my call to action is “Thanks for the Follow! Want a discount on listing leads from RedX? Visit me here for more info.”

The next step is to begin tweeting. You should routinely tweet, but additionally be aware that there is a shortcut that you may exploit when you cannot don’t have time to make a post. If you control a blog that you keep posted often, you may post the feed directly to your twitter account using TwitterFeed.

The subsequent step in your twitter promotion should be to attract local followers. You can find followers who reside in your area simply by doing a keyword search on the twitter user directory Twellow. Just search the twellow list for active tweeters that live in your area and follow those that fit the bill.

There are a number of other ways that you can incorporate twitter as part of your promotion, together with mobile messaging and even film. We won’t get into those details here, but may address them later.

Randy also manages the REALTOR Leads social marketing blog and has had many articles published in numerous real estate periodicals.

Many real estate investors don’t understand social media, or how it can help them.

Social media is like “word of mouth” on steroids. It helps build relationships between the consumer and the product or service. In the case of the real estate investor, these consumers can be prospective tenants, buyers or sellers. Social media is not selling, it’s not SPAMMING, and it’s gaining the trust and respect that you need to keep clients coming back. Social media is a two-way conversation. Social media helps your clients find you in many ways.

Social media uses avenues like Facebook, Twitter, blogs and videos to post information and get feedback or questions from prospective or current clients.

In other words, if you are able to place content on the internet and viewers can respond to you, then you are using social media.

Social media can be understood by first viewing how consumers used to do business. I call this “What is old is new again.” Back in the 60’s, dad took you to Bob’s Dealership to purchase your first car. You might have asked, “Why do we have to go to Bob’s? Why can’t we go to Fred’s?” The answer was usually, “Because I bought my car there and grandpa did, too, so you can’t go wrong with Bob.” The trust was established; therefore you went to Bob’s dealership and not Fred’s. More than likely dear old dad played poker with Bob and participated in the same community events.
How does that relate today?

How does the above scenario relate to today’s consumer culture? Today, that same relationship, word of mouth, and trust is built over the internet. Consumers are more connected to the technological world today more than ever. Many phones now even have social media integration. By utilizing social media marketing you can effectively target this audience 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!

Now, why should you care about social media? No matter the industry, you have to compete online for your consumer. Social media gives you the opportunity to build a relationship with either an existing client or a prospect. As the relationship builds, the trust is earned; therefore you will be the one they decide to conduct business with when the time comes.

Social media can provide your business with many tools:
* Building your reputation
* Getting more website views and phone calls
* Reputation management
* Customer service

Real estate investors are taking advantage of social media in a variety of ways. One way is through the publication of a blog. A blog is an online journal where people can post journal entries and allow readers to provide feedback on the content. Some jokingly say that BLOG is an acronym for “Better Listings On Google.” Blogs are used by real estate agents to build credibility. Generation X and Y members provide a great market for first time homeowners or renters. They seek out blogs for information and feel more at ease placing a question on a blog rather than dialing the phone to ask. They view this as using time wisely.

By publishing a blog, you will get noticed on Google and other search engines. Frequent updates inform search engines that the site is authoritative and informational, resulting in higher search-engine rankings. Using popular search keywords in a blog post can also strengthen your results.

An example of how a real estate investor is using their blog to increase traffic is giving tips on what to look for when purchasing or selling a home. Real estate investor, Colman Grant out of Colorado, posted key points on how to protect yourself when hiring contractors to renovate your home. He is viewed as an expert since he does this quite often. From this post, he gained an interested investor.

Join the many realtors who have incorporated Facebook as a great referral system. One way of doing this is connecting with classmates from high school and/or college. Your past friends learn that you are in the real estate business and begin to use you as their trusted agent and the word spreads that you are the best source.

An example of a realtor using Facebook would be Amy Hale of Seattle, Washington. She used this method and gained three clients in one day. She had connected with her classmates from SUT (Texas) and Flour Bluff High School. While connecting with old friends, she had posted an open house on her status and one of her high school friends had happened to move to a town near the open house. Her friend didn’t buy that house but wanted her to sell her house. She did a great job and Amy ended up finding a house for her friend’s sister and best friend. This is an example of many.

Remember, there are many strategies at your disposal. Just find the one that fits your audience. Your strategy may need to evolve and change over a period of time as various industries learn to adapt their methods of communication.

Social media allows you and the consumer to communicate in an open and safe atmosphere that establishes a relationship that will last through the good and the bad.

Learn more about social media. Stop by Sonja Dyess’s site where you can find out all about social networking and what it can do for you.