If you’re one of the thousands of people who shared my q-and-a with Claudine Ellis earlier this year, or if you became a fan after watching her at Inman Connect San Francisco, you’ll be glad to know that I decided to check in with her as we close out the year.
Claudine Ellis
After all, for many of us this is the time of year when we start thinking ahead to the spring market and rebooting our marketing efforts.
If you know that social media is the key to raising your profile with potential clients, but you never know what to post, Ellis has some great do’s and don’ts to help you manage your platforms with confidence.
Her favorite social media platforms are Facebook and Instagram, and she knows how to work it for both.
Do’s for social media content:
Create a show
Ellis is known for her in-car singalongs, exotic vacations and red carpet appearances, and she shares it all with her followers. She shares everything including a new hairstyle or makeup look and backstage access before her local television appearances.
By sharing the fun and glam part of her days, Ellis creates buzz — and keeps people talking about her business.
Be consistent
Ellis posts every day, whether she’s in the office, on her way to a showing, or even on vacation. That means her fans and followers can count on being entertained, and Ellis can count on being top-of-mind with them.
This doesn’t mean she creates new content every day.
Sometimes she’s sharing a quote card, a photo from an earlier event or a question or comment, but the effect is one of consistent, daily presence.
Don’t have time for this level of consistency? Pre-schedule your posts or hire a social media manager to make sure you’re always on everyone’s radar.
Engage
Social media is about engagement. Ellis regularly posts questions that get people responding, then continues the conversation in the comments.
She is always quick to like or share a post, comment or reply to a comment, and otherwise interact with her friends, fans and followers. It’s not enough to post — social media should be a two-way conversation.
Don’ts for social media
Ellis’s biggest caution is knowing what not to post. Her list includes:
- No politics
- No religion
- No sports
- No cussing
- Nothing provocative
- No drinking
- No partying
As she said, “Social doesn’t mean personal. You are a business.” The idea is to give the illusion of personal interaction while being mindful of the image and brand you are conveying.
A daily plan for social media posts
Want to create a daily plan for your own social media but not sure where to start? Here are Ellis’s four daily musts.
- Inspirational (morning): This can be a motivational quote, a photo with a motivational or inspirational message, a positive thought or other inspiring idea or image.
- Family or dog/pet (mid-day): This type of post reminds people of your personal side and gives them a glimpse of the softer and gentler reason you do what you do. Personal connections create brand loyalty and make you their Realtor for life.
- Facts or what you do at work (any time throughout the day): This could be a glimpse into your professional life: a closing, a meeting, a showing or an open house. Whatever you choose, it’s just a reminder that you are active and out there working with clients and properties each day.
- Something stupid (end of day): This can be a gif request, a joke, a silly question (Which way is right: Over or under toilet paper?). It’s just a fun way to create a conversation and allow you to interact with your followers and friends.
These categories and times are not ironclad, and they can be posted in any order, though the inspirational one is best first thing in the morning.
Social media management has earned Ellis almost $20 million in sales. Your next client is out there,xv and now, thanks to this “Dream Girl,” you know how to reach them.
Let your New Year’s resolution be implementing this plan to keep yourself on track in 2018 with consistent and effective posts that lead to more conversations and more conversions.
Christy Murdock Edgar is a Realtor, freelance writer, coach and consultant with Writing Real Estate in Alexandria, Virginia. Follow Writing Real Estate on Facebook or Twitter.
