Facebook for Real Estate Agents

by Jim Newell

Catching up on some reading, I recently ran across an old article about how real estate agents can use Facebook to create value for their “friends.” It’s relatively dated (yeah – articles about Facebook from 2009 are dated), but there are several points that remain valid and valuable.

It’s called Facebook for Real Estate Agents, created by LGM3 llc.

Here are some of the more interesting points I noticed as I re-read it during a particularly boring hotel conference room presentation. Things for real estate agents to remember as they use this still-new tool in building their real estate career. Maybe for any sales professional.

1. Facebook isn’t about selling. It’s about maintaining old relationships and building new networks. Instead of “selling” yourself or your listings on Facebook, simply build a network and offer some value to the discussions within that network. This isn’t door-knocking and cold-calling. This is about creating a valuable relationship to make them like you and want to work with you … in the future.

2. Understand that others are doing the same thing you are. Simply posting your listings is selling. Interesting status updates give your friends a reason to read yours and comment on them. Comments on their updates makes them feel validated and liked. Advice on real estate and home sales gives you expert status. Sales pitches get turned off.

3. Reconnect. There are a ton of ways that Facebook enables you to locate past clients, friends, classmates, etc. Pull out your old files. Search within your high school and college classes. You’ll find a ton of names with whom you’ll want to reconnect. Then, join groups with similar interests as yours and meet new people.

4. With the ability to create Friend Lists in Facebook, you can separate your drinking buddies from your clients. There are things you want to share with certain groups that ain’t gonna support your career and sell a house. Learning how to create those lists and how to share messages with only certain groups will help avoid the embarrassment of potential clients seeing your drunken tailgate party photos.

5. Link Facebook to your website. Carpenter real estate agents have a fully-functioning website that offers great value to their visitors, with complete homes for sale search options and all the great tools at callcarpenter.com . Give your Facebook friends a chance to get to know you better with that link.

6. Create tabs to showcase your listings and interests.

7. Facebook is a resource, not a silver bullet. Don’t Facebook to the detriment of your current clients and other marketing efforts. It’s only a part of your overall plan.

The report highlights four keys to having a successful Facebook presence: Reciprocity, Expert Status, Likeability and Social Validation. These four keys are important to every aspect of an agent’s self-promotion and personal brand, and should be applied to every Facebook plan as well.

Posted by: Jim Newell