Social networking has been the hot topic of real estate marketing for the past few years. Sales associates have flocked to online social networking sites by the thousands to connect with and expand the size of their personal networks and to hopefully capture business from these massive reservoirs of potential customers. Social networks have great potential when you understand how they work, develop a strategy and implement it.
My previous posts have discussed how sales associates can use their online social networks to gain visibility. Today’s post focuses on developing online awareness, important etiquette reminders and protecting your professional reputation.
Here are 8 important things real estate sales associates should consider when sharing and posting content to their online social networking sites
1. Is It Legal?
Your posts, all online content that you share and distribute, and your actions and behavior on all online social networks must comply with all of the applicable federal, state and local statutes, rules and regulations that govern your industry. Including but not limited to the Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice of the National Association of Realtors®, fair housing laws, copyright laws, antitrust laws, and all laws regarding libel and slander.
2. It Could Stay In Cyberspace F-O-R-E-V-E-R!
Online information always has a great potential to become permanent. Don’t post anything online that you don’t want printed on the front page of the local newspaper along with your name and photo.
Advice: Your online personal networks serve as a public forum not a private one. I believe accepting or denying Facebook requests gives the false impression that networks of friends are private and exclusive. They are not. Posts can be saved and reposted or, depending on the site, cached permanently online. A personal network of 100 to 200 people, even when they are all your very closest friends, is the farthest thing from a private network.
3. Check It! Then Check It Again!
When you write a post, check it twice (at least) before sending it to the world. Your grammar and spelling or lack of it, reflects on you personally, particularly when it’s the only thing a new client has to judge you by when finding you online. You never get a second chance to make a first impression. Take a few minutes to spell check a post before sending it, that few minutes could make all the difference for your online professional appearance and may help you win more clients.
4. OMG! TMI!
Too much information! Remember, it’s not what you’re saying, but what you’re saying is saying to your clients. Our clients want to believe that we’re working around the clock for them. Everyone deserves some time off but your clients may not be impressed that you’re golfing again today or just lounging at the pool again this week?
Why did you invite clients to follow you on Facebook if all you’re sharing are posts about Farmville or Mafia Wars? Show them that your main focus is real estate, not online gaming.
5. Should I Post My Listings?
People don’t go to Facebook to search for homes. If you asked a group of people today where they would go to search for homes online, a great majority of them would probably say, RealEstateOne.com, MaxBroock.com, JohnstoneandJohnstone.com, Realtor.com, Zillow or Trulia. It’s unlikely that Facebook or Twitter would be mentioned at all.
It’s ok to occasionally post a special listing that’s unique and interesting to see but if you aren’t socially interacting with your online networks at all and are do nothing but stream your listings on a daily or weekly basis, then there’s could be good chance that you’re driving your network crazy and they may completely and they have the ability to easily block or hide your content permanently.
Don’t forget that the main concept of social networking is to be social. You probably wouldn’t stand up in the middle of a dinner party full of people you don’t know and read off the details of all of your current listings.
6. You’re An Ambassador of Our Company, So Be Diplomatic.
Posting negative comments about your competition is unprofessional. They may also become permanent (we’re talking years!) depending on where it’s posted. Your clients are interested in how you conduct yourself personally in business not what you think of the competition. Win their appreciation based on your skill, expertise, fantastic customer service and by truly helping them get what they want; not by trying to make your competition look bad.
7. It’s Really None of Their Business!
Your online activity should always take into consideration the confidentiality of consumers, clients and your company. Make sure that you are including sources and disclaimers when necessary.
8. It’s Your Opinion and You’re Entitled To It!
Use disclaimers when expressing personal views. For example, include “My personal views do not reflect the views of my individual office or company”.
Online social networks offer amazing opportunities for sales associates to connect with thousands of potential clients easier than ever before. They can help us to create a professional web presence and to build authority and leverage ourselves as our own personal network’s real estate advisor. It’s important to take the time to learn about the individual networks and to watch what others are doing before jumping right in and participating.
Your online social networking profiles display the name of the company that you work for and possibly your company logo and your individual office’s name and location. You also ask or invite your clients to follow you on these sites through direct links from your website or blog and your business cards and marketing materials. Your actions and behavior online are a direct reflection of you, your office, your company and your industry. Are you taking that into consideration every time you post or share content online?
So, the next time you go to send something accross your online social sphere, ask yourself, Do I Really Want to Post This? You owe it to your office, your company, your industry and your own personal business reputation.
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