This April, one among Inman’s hottest recurring theme months returns: Back to Basics. All month, actual property professionals from throughout the nation share what’s working for them, how they’ve advanced their techniques and instruments, and the place they’re investing personally and professionally to drive development in 2022. It’s all the time sensible to go Back to Basics with Inman.
In an age through which social media guidelines every part, from our cultural developments and politics to what we eat and the place we journey, its rising affect on the place we reside has turn out to be evident, forcing us to rethink our relationship to those platforms.
As with any relationship, it requires work, tenacity and quite a lot of coronary heart.
I began my actual property social media journey over a decade in the past, in a course of that has confirmed to be enjoyable and rewarding. Here are 5 ideas to remember, whether or not you’re simply beginning your social media journey or seeking to elevate your presence on present platforms.
1. It’s about you
It could be very straightforward to take a look at what others are doing on social media and examine ourselves to their projected success. But as with every part in actual property, our success is dependent upon our potential to genuinely join with our viewers and construct long-term relationships.
I’ve but to discover a extra environment friendly and cost-effective approach to talk our worth propositions and model id than by social media channels.
Of course, it’s good to be impressed by others, however be sure that to inform your story in your individual manner; it’s not nearly being genuine, but additionally being actual. Your viewers desires to get to know you and is curious about a behind-the-scenes have a look at the way you do issues. It’s crucial to not solely talk your success but additionally the method of how you bought there.
Most of the time, we’re excellent at exhibiting solely the optimistic issues or finish outcomes, however we fail to present a clear have a look at how we obtain these milestones. Social media offers us with an unimaginable instrument to inform the entire story.
In my expertise, the extra you articulate what you do and the way you do it, the extra alternatives you create on your viewers to fall in love with you and what you are promoting.
2. Bigger just isn’t all the time higher
We can’t all be TV stars and have tens of millions of followers. And guess what? That’s completely OK. It just isn’t about what number of followers you’ve. In my expertise, it’s about who your viewers is and the way you enable them to connect with what you are promoting.
Real property is extraordinary within the sense that it offers alternatives for everybody who desires to dive into the sphere. However, to capitalize on this chance and see outcomes, connecting along with your consumer base is a should.
To put this into perspective, deal with your social media channels like a storefront; make it a spot the place your potential purchasers can see who you’re, what you do and how one can serve their wants.
Personally, my curiosity has all the time been in natural development for my viewers. It could be taking me longer to develop my follower base, however I’m able to genuinely join with those that do.
In my opinion, a deeply engaged viewers far surpasses the amount of your viewers. Knowing that my followers are genuinely curious about what I’m doing and that they’re able to help what occurs with my enterprise, really makes all of the distinction.
3. Location, social media location
With a lot social media exercise taking place round us, typically it’s arduous to determine what the very best method for us individually is. It will be complicated. Should I do dance movies on TikTook? What about my YouTube channel or my (*5*) tales? Where do I begin, the place do I finish?
My expertise has taught me that none of this actually issues, so long as you’re the place your purchasers are. Even although it’s my story, relating to the precise social media instruments, I’m solely within the platforms the place my purchasers are most lively.
For occasion, my crew has tried a wide range of platforms, however about three to 4 years in the past, I began to see higher responses by (*5*) and LinkedIn. I found that’s the place my viewers is most responsive and the place they spend most of their time, in order that’s the place I put most of my efforts.
I’m conscious of how profitable some brokers are in different companies or social media platforms, however I’ve discovered to determine those that work finest for me and my enterprise. I finished seeing social media as a recognition contest and commenced to determine how, throughout the context of my very own enterprise, I might create a pipeline for lead era.
I really feel strongly that every one you want is proficiency and excellence in a single, however guarantee that no matter it’s, it’s the place your viewers lives.
4. You are drenched in content material
Do you’re taking photographs on your listings? Most seemingly, sure. Well, that’s infinite content material, and that very same set of photographs will be repurposed for a number of posts. For instance, a brand new itemizing announcement will be adopted a couple of days later by themed posts with captions like “kitchen goals” or “toilet targets” — you get the purpose. In addition, those self same itemizing photographs can turn out to be a collection of movies by utilizing the correct app and even your swanky smartphone digicam.
As actual property professionals, we’re already producing content material day by day that can be utilized on social media. You don’t need to have a crew following you round taking photographs of you or taking pictures mind-blowing movies. Every dwelling you go to along with your patrons, each stroll within the park, each wet day by your favourite avenue is a chance for content material creation. It takes minutes. You simply need to do it. Practice creates mastery.
My day by day postings are actually a part of my day by day routine, and similar to going to the health club, I struggled with it however acquired used to it over time. Those who know me could have chortle; I really like to speak, however I by no means appreciated speaking on digicam. Guess what? I needed to recover from it and do it. Now, I’m ready for my Oscar or a Daytime Emmy.
Don’t let the noise flip you off from getting began or from persevering with to develop your social media advertising technique. Start someplace comfy for you and construct from there.
5. Get it achieved
If you’ve been within the enterprise lengthy sufficient, you would possibly bear in mind the times of not having your individual agent web site. I truly didn’t have one till 5 – 6 years into my profession. I assumed it wasn’t essential; I had postcards as a substitute. I disagree with my youthful self. I want I had the foresight to get that web site achieved ASAP. It is the very first thing our potential purchasers search for. They google us, and so they discover it.
Social media is the modern equal. After they Google you, they search for you on (*5*) or another platform. They discover you, what you are promoting and your follow. And that’s not going to vary.
Regardless of the way it makes you are feeling, social media is a strong instrument. It tells your story, it promotes what you are promoting, it could actually create a pipeline, and it’s a powerful lead era instrument.
To incorporate it into what you are promoting technique, it takes an open mindset to embrace it, and you are able to do so in your consolation stage and by yourself phrases. If one factor is for certain, its worth and advertising relevance will solely proceed to develop. Make positive what you are promoting grows with it.
Ricardo Rodriguez is the principal of Ricardo Rodriguez and Associates at Coldwell Banker Realty, Boston. Follow him on (*5*) and LinkedIn.
https://www.inman.com/2022/04/14/bigger-is-not-always-better-5-tips-to-elevate-your-social-media/
