Takeaways:
- In 2014, approximately 75 percent of my business was generated using Facebook.
- Instead of door knocking, think of it as window tapping — there is no barrier, just reminders to look through.
- Four quick tips to help you utilize Facebook in a nonpestering manner, including deleting your business page and using your professional headshot as your photo — a gentle reminder.
Channels such as Facebook have made it easy by calling our digital camaraderie “friends,” and LinkedIn suggests we “connect.” But are we connecting? Is there any true engagement?
The transactional approach to real estate is on the polar opposite side of what should be relationship-based.
In 2014, approximately 75 percent of my business was generated using Facebook. Instead of door knocking, think of it as window tapping. There is no barrier, just reminders to look through.
Is it more efficient and cost-effective to knock on 100 doors a day and possibly filter down to three appointments? Or to establish a human personality to broadcast to hundreds or thousands of individuals daily who can share, comment and reach out to you without picking up their phone?
The way to do this is not by posting your listing. No one cares about it but you.
If we met at a party and the first words out of your mouth were, “I have a listing, check it out,” I would think you have issues, and I’d try to find a companion who would at least offer me wine before boring me all night.
The point is, be yourself and forget about your listing. The overwhelming majority of individuals exposed to your nonsense are annoyed and are mentally writing you off when pestered with only your business.
Now hear me out. Here’s the trick — try it for yourself:
1. Delete
If you have a personal Facebook page and a business Facebook page, delete the business one. Why are you representing yourself as two different people?
2. Post
Post frequently and mostly unrelated to real estate. A good rule of thumb is one real estate post for every four non-real estate or personal posts.
People are more interested in knowing what you did over the weekend, seeing photos of your new nephew or answering the question you asked them about whatever (perhaps their favorite ’80s dance song?).
Once you pepper in your real estate jargon tastefully, people will know you are an agent without having to say it.
Christian Delbert / Shutterstock.com
3. Remind
Make sure your default photo is your Realtor or agent headshot. It’s subtle and a constant reminder with every comment, post, photo or share of yours.
4. Resist
Resist the urge to filter. If you think what you are about to post is unprofessional, post it anyway — provided it’s not overly offensive. Why hide who you are? People buy authenticity.
If the rhythm is consistent, you will begin receiving hand-over-fist referral business without bombarding people with phone calls, door knocking or pestering pop-ins.
After all, would those three methods work on you? Then, why would they work on someone else?
People often dog on social media when it comes to real estate because it’s identified as a “relationship-based” business. That statement alone is a fallacy.
To think that social media is not the interface linking and creating personal relationships is an archaic and flawed viewpoint. We are not communicating with robots just because our words are being transmitted via ones and zeroes.
At the other end of that phone or computer is a real person who is being receptive or resistant to the content you are sharing directly with them. Be mindful of what you’re producing and what you’re exposing, so don’t be boring and keep it real.
Jay O’Brien, a Realtor with Re/Max Prestige, is helping agents and consumers alike rethink their real estate reality. Connect with Jay on Facebook.