Social networking is allowing real estate professionals to further develop one of the most popular forms of business in real estate: referrals. Referrals are the lifeblood of real estate professionals across the country and with the tools and applications that are now provided online agents can extend their referral network to generate closed transactions monthly.
As you are looking at your new social networking efforts and considering platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X (formerly Twitter), YouTube…remember each one is different. Looking at all of them understand that people are driving business from them and it doesn’t happen overnight. Pick one (maybe a 2nd one too) and focus your energies into it to get the best results.
In order to get these closed transactions from social networking there are many different aspects to consider from which network to join, the features to use on that network, and even the daily activities that will lead to success. Developing a strong network that is rich with referrals takes much more than asking for business because if that is all you do, your network will quickly run away from the sales pitch!
Consider the following methods for generating leads and transactions from your social network.
- Be the Expert – Being the expert doesn’t mean touting your awards or telling people you are an expert, rather it means demonstrating your expertise over a number of posts, reels, videos, etc. Create your social media content in a manner that shows how easy it is you are to talk to and that your approach to real estate is educational vs. sales oriented. When you come off as someone that they feel like they can talk to, then you will find it is easier for people to engage. Provide links in your social media profiles to not only your website, but even consider a detailed real estate marketing report that helps show people the depth of your expertise.
- Add Value…Beyond Real Estate – People want to connect with people who add value to their lives. You have much more than just your real estate skills to offer and sharing those other skills with people in your network will increase their loyalty and bring others into your network. These skills can be anything you’re passionate about from gardening to a hobby. Sharing these other aspects of your personality will help people to realize that besides a real estate professional, you are a person too!
- Be Active – Social networking does not mean you set up a profile and then wait for the business to roll in. Being active with social networking means performing specific activities that add value and grow your network. There are many activities that you can take part in from commenting on status updates, writing direct messages, and even creating events. These activities don’t have to take long; in fact, some of the most powerful networkers online can get their tasks done in just 15 minutes a day.
- Set Goals – It’s certainly hard to get somewhere if you don’t plan a destination! Social networking, like any business activity, requires setting goals if you want to get transactions from your efforts. Your goals in social networking can range from the number of people you add to your network to the number of transactions you would like to achieve. One of the easiest ways to hit your goals is to share what you are trying to do with your network! This means you could let people know “My goal is to help 5 people in the next month achieve their goal of home ownership, how can I help you with your goals?”. It’s important to offer to help people achieve their goals as well, otherwise you are merely using people and that won’t work.
Regardless of which social network you choose to pursue (and you likely will be on a few of them), when you focus on adding value, being active, and reaching for your goals you will be able to consistently generate leads and closed transactions.
