| OK, so your daughter came back from her first | | | | their home search online. And why wouldn't |
| semester at university and set up a facebook | | | | they? These days, 80% of everything most |
| account for you. But now that you have it | | | | people do is started online. Facebook |
| what are you going to do with it? Well, if | | | | profiles can now be spidered and you can make |
| you're a REALTOR, you could start by | | | | your profile visible to the world if you |
| connecting with your family, friends and | | | | wish. Please do. Allow youself to be found. |
| colleagues that also have profiles. And then | | | | Invite new clients to look you up whenever |
| you might want to try to use it to sell some | | | | you want them to get an idea of who you are. |
| real estate. | | | | When you join a social networking site and |
| | | | present yourself as an ethical professional |
| Social networking isn't just for kids. There | | | | with a good reputation and knowledge of the |
| are more than 60 million active users on | | | | industry, this will naturally build into |
| Facebook alone with the over 25 age group | | | | sales over time. All you have to do is get |
| being the fastest growing demographic this | | | | out there and participate in the online |
| year. Everyone and their mom is on there now, | | | | culture. |
| literally. Not bad for a site built by a | | | | |
| college student less than five years ago. | | | | Leave the hard sell at the login screen |
| Originally designed for university students | | | | |
| at Harvard, the online tool has since | | | | The key to success here is simple. If you |
| expanded to include professionals, | | | | want social networking to work for you, keep |
| corporations and high school students. | | | | it fun, keep it real and stop selling. The |
| Charging ahead in a typical trail blazing | | | | heavy-handed hard sell simply doesn't work on |
| style, REALTORS are learning through trial | | | | the Internet. This is a medium where users |
| and error how to make this social networking | | | | can control the time spent on a site entirely |
| site work for them. | | | | independently of the site itself. It's not |
| | | | like TV where you've got 30 seconds to slam |
| Application: Cocktail Party | | | | them with whatever product or idea you may |
| | | | have. Social networking works on a far more |
| Evidence of the real estate industry's | | | | subtle level. Your internet presence is not a |
| presence on Facebook can be seen in the | | | | brochure either. An active profile is |
| handful of applications that have been | | | | something much greater and potentially more |
| developed strictly for Facebook REALTORS. | | | | powerful. It's a living testimonial that |
| Individuals and groups can use these | | | | places you as a professional in a social |
| mini-programs to advertise events, courses, | | | | context. |
| seminars and invent excuses to throw real | | | | |
| estate-related cocktail parties. Though | | | | What Now? |
| encouraging, applications like these will | | | | |
| never be able to compete with the fun times | | | | With the above in mind, just get started. |
| delivered by the likes of the "Scrabulous" or | | | | Over time, your comfort level and exepertise |
| quiz applications which may explain why | | | | with the medium will increase. Some ideas to |
| their use has not really taken off. A better | | | | get you started: |
| indicator of REALTOR involvement in the | | | | |
| Facebook world might be the 500+ groups that | | | | - Engage your audience by starting a group |
| categorize themselves as a "Business - Real | | | | for "fans" ie: your mom and childhood friends |
| Estate" group. A quick glance down the list | | | | who want to see you succeed. Get people to |
| reveals that it's a real hodge podge with | | | | join you in a real estate related game. |
| everything from a group entitled: | | | | |
| "accountants, real estate & finance peeps" | | | | - Join existing groups that interest you |
| weighing in at 1278 members, to a group | | | | |
| called "I own real estate in BC and all I can | | | | - If you join one of the big real estate |
| afford to eat is mac and cheese." Certainly, | | | | groups, engage your collegues by opening a |
| if you hit on the right topic and make the | | | | discussion. Start at least one fire on the |
| right connections it's not hard to get people | | | | message boards by asking an intelligent real |
| to join your group. Once formed, REALTOR | | | | estate question that people are compelled to |
| groups can hook up with other groups and | | | | answer. |
| members can connect with financial | | | | |
| professionals, buyers sellers, past and | | | | - Don't blow hot air, post notes that clearly |
| future clients. | | | | show your expertise. |
| | | | |
| But does all this virtual networking actually | | | | - Some Realtors offer gift certificates and |
| result in sales? | | | | rebates for referrals that result in a |
| | | | closed sale, you may want to experiment with |
| Yes and no. Just like anything, some virtual | | | | this |
| networking works, and some doesn't. The trick | | | | |
| is to do what works and stay away from what | | | | - Include links to your blog and website |
| doesn't. A quick survey will reveal that most | | | | |
| of the real estate group bulletin boards and | | | | - Check your profile settings and make sure |
| comment walls are overflowing with spam and | | | | your profile can be indexed by search engines |
| self promotion. Is this likely to result in | | | | |
| client conversion? Of course not. It will | | | | - Make sure to tell people you are a REALTOR |
| however, allow you connect with other folks | | | | |
| in the field and that never hurts. | | | | Now go about your business: say hi to your |
| | | | mom, post pictures of your trip to Nunavit, |
| What Works? | | | | share funny stories, shine like the star you |
| | | | really are. |
| It's well known that 80% of homebuyers start | | | | |