Over the last ten years, the Internet has fundamentally changed the way people do business. Businesses of all sizes and types have turned to the Internet, leveraging it to find new customers, increase sales and build loyalty. While building a website or starting a blog is a good part of any business plan, one of the most popular ways to connect with consumers is through Twitter.
Twitter is one of the most commonly used social media networking sites. Although most people think about Facebook when it comes to social media, Twitter is actually growing in popularity and has many distinctive advantages when it comes to privacy, brevity and interaction. Because of this, Twitter can work especially well for businesses, and real estate agents in particular can benefit from using the network in 2014.
For those who feel overwhelmed at the prospect of navigating social media for the first time or for those who do not know how to turn a casual pastime into a veritable business opportunity, consider this guide as reference.
1. Be an expert. Anyone can get an account and start posting information. However, when it comes to business, people are only going to follow an account if the person posting is worth following. As a real estate agent, you have to be an expert in the field or no one will see the point in adding you to their following list. Therefore, you have to know the market, and you have to know your clients. You have to do your job well in order to gain enough credibility to be successful on social media.
2. Be relevant. To start using your account, put together posts about real estate news in your community. Posts need to be important or interesting to your clients. This means tweets should have a local flair or maybe an international tie-in. To do this, you should be on top of the news, sorting through the information about real estate to pick the tidbits that will be most popular for your followers. You can post this type of information two to five times a day.
3. Stay connected. Twitter has an excellent retweeting tool, which allows users to repost information shared by other users. Retweeting is a great way to share more information with clients. However, be sure to use this option sparingly. Do not retweet more than twice a day. Posting in this manner too much will not only be a turnoff to clients but it may raise flags from Twitter that the account is nothing more than spam.
4. Get engaged. Like all social media, Twitter is about community. Therefore, do not just post your own information; be sure to follow and check other accounts in the industry as well. You should know what other real estate agents are posting. Better still, you should respond to other real estate agents and relevant parties once or twice a day.
5. Make it personal. Twitter is not merely a business tool; it is a social platform. While you may leverage it for business purposes, do not be afraid to be a little personal from time to time. Clients like to engage with their real estate agent as a person. Sharing a little information about yourself can help build a relationship. However, keep such posts limited to once a day.
6. Leverage the platform. As a real estate agent, it is entirely appropriate to share some of your listings. Go big and tweet pictures of your most expensive listing. Go small and pick a nice, budget-friendly home to share as well. Post pictures of rentals, relocation services and more. Use the platform to share your business.
7. Be active. You should know what other people are saying and doing on Twitter, especially if your name comes up. Always respond when you are mentioned in other posts, and do your best to engage such references in a meaningful and friendly manner. For more information on this, look at this convenient link.
8. Be creative. Think outside the box with your posts. Remember who your clients are and what they are interested in. Post about mortgages, financing, gardening, kitchen renovations and more. Always end your tweets by asking for feedback.
9. Offer your services. Social media is a marketing tool, so do not be afraid to use it that way. Offer your real estate services explicitly, inviting people who are buying or selling to contact you for more help and support with real estate needs.
10. Focus on engagement. The real advantage of Twitter is that it goes beyond traditional marketing. You not only get your name out there, but you have the chance to actually interact with clients. This can lead to more clients and more profits. To learn more about how to engage on Twitter, check out this helpful reference.
11. Define your brand. Although Twitter can be used as a marketing tool, it is not actually about selling yourself. It is about creating your brand. With an active account, you can create a professional persona. This persona should be memorable, and over time, it will define how people perceive you. This can lead to more sales, but it is ultimately about your image. To read more about how to brand yourself, check out this informative link.
12. Be part of the community. One of the dangers with Twitter is that you make it all about you. Yes, you can use the platform to help people get to know you and your business, but you should spend just as much time trying to learn more about them. Tweet with other real estate agents; do not be afraid to agree with them. Offer personalized advice to clients. Become part of the community, and clients will think of you as one of them.
Twitter is really that easy. Before you get started, just remember the following insider tips:
- Tweeting can build notoriety. Having a social media presence can build a local following and turn it into a much wider one, even reaching the world.
– - You do not have to do it alone. Many people delegate the task of tweeting to assistants or interns. There are even third party companies that can help get a social media account up and running.
– - You can have more than one account. You can have an account for your blog, your website, your personal life and more. Managing multiple accounts is actually pretty easy and can dramatically improve your ability to garner a following and establish your brand. Learn more here.
– - It is about quality, not quantity. Twitter is addictive. However, do not tweet everything. No one likes spam. Just tweet what matters to you, and play well with others.
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Leverage the hashtag. The hashtag is quintessential to Twitter. The hashtag works as a searching tool, linking all posts labeled with the same tag. You can use the hashtag to interact with a larger community, linking your post to other relevant trends on Twitter. Or you can use the hashtag to track users, asking them to respond to your post using your chosen hashtag. You should always use hashtags, but be sure to use the right ones. When creating your own, try to reuse the same ones to build your following.
- Tweet within reason. If you have good, relevant posts, it is hard to tweet too much. However, people usually do not tolerate tweets from businesses as much as they do from individuals. Therefore, try to keep your posts to less than 10 a day.
– - Pre-schedule your tweets. With certain applications, it is possible to plan out your tweets up to two months in advance. In this way, you could plan several tweets a day for that time while supplementing daily with relevant retweets.
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It may sound overwhelming, but the benefits of using this social media platform can be dramatic. If you have never used Twitter before, you likely do not understand the potential. The only way to fully realize what is possible with Twitter is to start using it. For those who have trouble starting with new platforms, there is plenty of help available. Try consultants like the Bionic Sisters Productions. These experts can help you get established and start tweeting. With their help, anyone can start using their Twitter account to make connections, expand business and earn more money.
Overall, this article should serve as your introduction to Twitter. Our hope is that the information is relatable and easy to implement no matter what your goals as a real estate agent may be. Not only is Twitter a viable marketing option but it is also a great way to establish your unique brand in the real estate industry. Best of all, Twitter gets easier to leverage the more you use it. Many users, even novices, often find that Twitter is not only useful but fun. Once you start, it is usually pretty hard to stop. Therefore, do not be afraid. Create your account and start tweeting your way to success today.
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