If I were a realtor looking to use social media for my business:
I probably wouldn’t put pictures of me in a tie (or a dress) and write about the rates. I probably wouldn’t pitch you dozens of times in a row. I probably wouldn’t just rehash links to listings.
But that’s just me.
You?








Chris Brogan is President of New Marketing Labs, a new media marketing agency. He works with large and mid-sized companies to improve online business communications like marketing and PR.
Great post. Putting it in the hands of my 100+ agents.
Wow Chris!
You hit the nail on the head. My friend send me an email titled, “Chris Brogan thinks you are a rock star!! ” Of course, I opened the email!
I am a Realtor in Tampa, Fl and have implemented all these techniques in my online marketing. I use Blogging, Facebook, Twitter and many other blog directories.
I can attribute 85% of my business comes from my online presence.
Little did I know that what I am already doing is exactly what I SHOULD be doing!
Thanks for all your advice and hard work:)
Rae Catanese
Enjoyed the information! Thank you for sharing it.
http://www.nationwidehomelocator.com/
I work in commercial real estate, which tends to be more stuffy and corporate. So it's a little harder to avoid the “bland” factor than residential agents, who can show more personality in their marketing.
I'm finding SM can be tailored for any business – just started experimenting with it and so far have received good responses from clients. Thought it would take weeks and weeks before any of them even noticed.
Now I've seen first-hand that it can work. I think the key for busy brokers is to invest in a good marketing person who can keep the content as original and fresh as possible. The biggest drawback is that I find myself either spending too much time creating content or falling back on quick posts of links to other sources. (One of my goals for 2010 is to hire someone to help me with this).
Also, I'm betting that over the long run I'll achieve a bigger pay-off by making my blog, tweets, etc. about what would interest a client… versus promoting myself. I figure if they like the content enough, then they'll want to know who the source is… and will look for my contact info way down at the bottom.
Any advice?
I've suggested this to a realtor client of mine a month ago and she fell in love with the idea pronto as it was just so obvious. What do people really want to know about? Not 4 walls and a view, but their community!
Happy xmas to all and have a safe holiday!
Alex
;)
rad! thanks for the shout out – my FLIP has been shipped, when it arrives i'll be a videotaping nut
I love this … even though I am late. Selling a rural property in outback Australia is what started my journey into Social Media. I didn't even know I was doing “social media”.
A few tips in addition to Chris':
Put yourself in the visitors (potential buyers) shoes.
Take the tours (with your video camera)
Dig up history (remember the library? You can search them online)
Dig up fiction/non-fiction (search Amazon or Google Books for references to your town)
Chris … Now I have to write a full post about this … You always inspire me, but few inspire me to act outside my own agenda. It is Christmas Day and thank you. I am very grateful for the iron that sharpens iron. ;-)
Hi Chris. Love this real-world example of using social media for social purposes. Sometimes the subject can be a little esoteric, but you've nailed the subject here with this analogy. Thanks.
I was just going to say that I'd do exactly what real estate people like you do…you know people who have managed to use social media to build real estate networks in Arizona (Arizona!) after a giant bubble crash…have managed to do.
Beautiful timing… I just had two friends ask how social media can help them. Great ideas, above and beyond what I had suggested. (hyperlocal news site! brilliant) I'm forwarding your blog to them now.
wow. thanks for the confidence boost. This mirrors my recommendations to a client in a related field. as I explain in this recent post, he is still pushing an approach that is closer to his comfort zone. http://btrandolph.com/2009/12/social-marketing-.... Hopefully seeing your post will help get things back on track! I hope you and your family had a great holiday and I look forward to seeing you at some Boston events in the new year.
SM is more than ready for Prime Time. I'm a commercial Realtor and people are always surprised to hear how well SM works for me.
The old guard constantly talks about how us “young realtors” put too much emphasis on tech. Well I have news for the old guard: Progressive technology has continually advanced real estate and there are ALWAYs objectors. MLS, email, cell phones etc.
Ii was told I was wasting time with SM. I should be using snail mail and email campaigns, national print ads, metro papers etc. 6 months into campaign I put a 2.4 mil deal together from Facebook and a 1.4 because the out of town buyer found more info on me than competitors so he thought I must be the expert.
I could be wrong and some might think this is a “stupid” question but couldn't some of this be considered “Leading” to certain neighborhoods??? Or is it OK because you are not the one actually talk up a certain area???
Kristal, http://bit.ly/16Xh5J
Is your company involved with the local community, maybe hosting a breakfast for the homeless, supporting a baseball team or basketball tournament. I think this will help you brake the ice “corporate wise” so people can contact your company in a more “human” way.
This can create some much needed buzz with social media outlets if you know to target them.
Best regards and hope this might shine some light.
Chris – another great post, NOT because these are great ideas to get folks buzzing about a home for sale. The gold in these ideas are in the boost the property gets in Google & Bing! When everyone is else is fighting over top search results you would cut through the search clutter to get found by those folks already searching for similar properties in that area!
Creating tours, making listings share-able online and otherwise creating a social media footprint for a product should be a “no brainer” but the fact is that in order to do so you need to learn the tools and create a plan that makes the workflow manageable.
START NOW! Create your own social media marketing system! The tools are available, the results are measureable and there are plenty of folks ready to help you get that ball rolling!
Thanks for the post!
@richardbouchez
http://www.InovediaMarketing.com
Hi Chris- seems like a lot of RE people are starting to understand ways of harnessing SM. I wonder if anyone is hearing the freight train coming up behind them? The google train- Google RE will change the rules of standard value chain metrics in the RE brokerage model- ie. the points we will pay for listings and as buyers in the near future. The high touch, low reach dynamics of service personalization are now replicable with online tools which add the high touch ultra-high reach dynamic. Discount services and new hybrids of FSBO will take off this year and onward. I hope the larger nationwide brokerages have a plan to embrace and extend SM right now.
Any insights or comments on this aspect of SM arbitrage on RE?
How To Make money with affiliate programs Today. Affiliate marketing is the easier and probably the most effective method to make money from the internet. It is basically, a kind of selling technique where potential buyers from your website are directed to the websites of sellers. For every click, the website owner gets a small commission.
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Well put. Many times people just keep doing what they are already doing, but expect different results. As a company, we are going to review your suggestions and create an action plan. Thanks!
Hi Chris,
love it. I am going to use it and give you the full credit for showing me the way…Here I come 2010 in my farm area
Dear Friend,
It’s a fact: if you want your website to make you money, generate leads or get subscribers you have to advertise in order to drive traffic to it. Of course this is true for any business, but it is absolutely essential for online business.
http://www.onlineuniversalwork.com
Chris,
I talk about this article all the time. I think that even in it's simplicity it is truly profound. I've read it, and re-read it and sent it to others and everytime I feel like “duh” that's so obvious. But that's what's so great about this article. You write a list of things you'd do that would really provide value and yet so few companies using social media “get” that.
This short blog post has been really an inspiration for me in 2010. Whenever I find myself getting lost in why I do social media, this post is my roadmap.
Great stuff. Thanks for contributing so much.
Jeff
Most of what you said. First video: German deli/restaurant during Oktoberfest. They went out of bsns the next week.
If I were a Realtor I would also be a singer. I would sing about the community and all its unique qualities. If I were a Realtor I would be a poet, spotlighting my community in haikus to be posted in the Times. If I were I Realtor I would market to the world, not just my neighbors. If I were a Realtor I would be famous.
I'm a little late finding this article, but I loved it.
These are great ideas. I'm glad I came across your blog. I'm a Remax Realtor and love the walking tour idea. I also like the idea of interviewing people of the community. Wish me luck.
I am working with a realtor right now to establish a social media presence and we are doing things you just mentioned. Chris Brogan before I ever thought something would claim to know but I'm just glad we feel the same way. Meetups with my client we are by the drive in question and many other fun things at home, focus!
Well put. Many times people just keep doing what they are already doing, but expect different results. As a company, we are going to review your suggestions and create an action plan. Thanks!
Sorry for the huge review, but I’m really loving the articles, and hope this, as well as the excellent reviews some other people have written, will help you decide if it’s the right choice for you.
It is really a good post, i like it very much!