People choose an agent based on who they like, know and trust. Facebook has provided consumers with an opportunity to get a glimpse of who people are and what they are about.
Your posts are either helping or hurting your career. The following are the posts that are killing your career and what you should post instead.
1. The angry post
No matter how bad the service was at the restaurant, resist the temptation to blast it on social media. Losing your cool on Facebook is a red flag for potential clients.
They wonder how you will react if the sale of their home gets complicated. Will your anger negatively affect the sale of their home?
Instead of an all-caps-with-exclamation-points rant, find a business to compliment. Post about the great service you received at your bank. Share how much you love your favorite coffee shop.
Who would you list your home with: the person who posts angry rants or the one who shows appreciation?
2. The political post
According to Gallup, 42 percent of Americans identified with or leaned toward the Republican Party while 41 percent identified with or leaned toward the Democratic Party.
So your Facebook post demeaning the party that you do not identify with is angering half the population, and you have just cut your potential client list in half.
Instead of posting about divisive political issues, find something to post that brings people together. Find a local charity that does great work in your community.
Post updates on upcoming fundraisers or a congratulations post for an award the charity receives. Share stories of hope and encouragement.
Promoting unity will always be rewarded more than divisiveness — both in your career and in life.
3. The ‘people are stupid’ post
You’ll never make yourself look better by tearing other people down. Demeaning other people on social media is a two-way street that will damage your reputation as much as your intended target.
Instead, find someone to compliment. Post about what a great job the lender did in making a transaction go smoothly. Thank the plumber who showed up on time and made the repair to keep the transaction on track.
The decision to choose you over other agents is easy if you are a person who is looking to compliment others rather than tear them down.
4. The party post
Those late-night photos of you and your friends partying will not increase your equity as a trusted professional. Photos of the party can be acceptable. It’s the after-party posts that are so negative.
By hiring you to list their home, your clients now have an association with you. The question they will ask themselves is: Will my relationship with this person lead to pride or embarrassment?
Photos of you enjoying dinner with friends or at a family gathering are much more desirable. These posts show a sense of community and will draw more potential clients to you.
5. The ‘I hate my job’ post
The most harmful post to your career is posting about how much you dislike your job, your coworkers or — worst of all — your clients.
Potential clients know most people don’t change, and they will always worry about being the next victim of your Facebook displeasure.
No matter how tough this business gets, you can always find things to appreciate. Post about being thankful for the opportunity this business gives you to help others.
Post about the joy it brings you to give the house keys to that first-time homebuyer. Share your joy in selling a home for the client that moved on to the next chapter in his life.
When you focus on the good around you, your eyes will be opened to more of it. Remember that you are your brand.
Like it or not, every post we make is building our resume. Read potential posts out loud before posting. Would you be comfortable defending or explaining this post in a listing appointment? It not, press delete.
When it comes to Facebook, less is more. Like Thumper from the movie “Bambi” said, “If you can’t say something nice, don’t say nothing at all.”
Jimmy Burgess helps real estate salespeople take their businesses to the next level so they can increase sales and find balance at his website. He can also be found on Twitter.