Social Media Marketing -
Relationship Marketing On Steroids

Combined with traditional real estate marketing methods, social media marketing is in a huge growth position right now. Before you agree or disagree, it may be a good time to define social media marketing and establish some guidelines for its use.

Reviewing the basics of social media may help you visualize the importance and value of this particular venue and include it in your real estate business and marketing plan.

You need to know that shifts are underway in the world of advertising and real estate marketing, both online and offline in general. If you haven't already begun a social media marketing strategy, now is definitely the time to do it.

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Definition:

Essentially, social media marketing is relationship marketing online. It is a dialog and is based on result oriented conversations for your customers/prospects. It is about using the various social networking sites to participate in the conversations wherever they maybe taking place, in an authentic, trusted and human manner while achieving your marketing objectives as well.

The common thinking behind social media marketing is that you do not want to be pitching yourself and services in your conversations, but rather be a helpful knowledgeable participant.

Authentic Personal Branding

It’s important to be your own brand and to become the CEO of your business and life. Everyone has a personal brand but most people are not aware of this and do not manage this strategically, consistently, and effectively. You should take control of your personal branding, the message it sends and how others perceive you.

As in TV shows like American Idol or So You Think You Can Dance, the audiences judge and decide the winners. The social media participants will decide your fate. Do NOT be afraid of putting yourself out there and letting your messages stand on their own. You just may hit a home run.

The social media audience must LIKE your message, and be drawn towards it. It must be something that will get their attention and KEEP IT. It must pull their attention towards your article, blog post, podcast or video and keep them there.

Keep pushing your efforts to a whole new level. Keep getting better. Keep pushing the envelope. Keep trying new things. And make sure that the "audience" continues to "vote" for you by virally marketing your posts and messages, which in turn will drive traffic to your sites and blog or your phone will ring.

What makes a powerful presence in social media?

CONNECTION with the audience! Connect with a message that resonates with them strongly and then start conversations with them. Get personal and make sure that you contribute using the 3 E's: Educate, Enlighten or Entertain. You must move out front and get to know your audience and impact them with your presence without being to 'sale-pitchy'(is this a real word?) in your conversations. Do not be afraid to move closer. It works.

Giving out HOT information for all to use freely is one of the great secrets of social media marketing. Let people know who you are, why they should listen to you, and what you and your services can do for their life, can take viral marketing to a revolutionary new level.

Become KNOWN as the messenger offering practical, powerful, and unique real estate information, that points to your message. For example: Give out great staging tips that will help people stage their homes to sell. You can do this through blog posts, articles, videos, or any other media that works to get your message seen or heard. Give them some "samples" of results they can achieve by listening to you and using your services. You can do this with great, valuable information they can use.

Once you have established yourself as a 'helpful presence' online, take your efforts offline by by inviting people to special conference calls, messages on your real estate hotlines or local meetups. This is where you can expand your message and explode your influence on more personal and face to face terms.

You now have an overview of what social media marketing can do for you and your real estate business. Here's a good starting point:

Get Started with LinkedIn

Social media marketing using LinkedIn is easy. LinkedIn is the perfect site to build your professional networks, keep in touch with connections, discover opportunities, develop relationships, build authority in your industry and also find leads and opportunities for you and your real estate business. So, go to LinkedIn.

   Create your account

  Complete and update your profile

  Create a summary

  Get connected

  Engage with others

You may want to 'lurk' for a while until you are comfortable with how others interact. Be sure to learn the correct etiquette, lest you get tossed out before you get going. LinkedIn is the #1 business networking site that doesn’t cost you a penny to join or use!

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