With over 1.65 BILLION people using Facebook, it is dangerous to ignore or neglect it as part of your client marketing strategy.
Facebook is where so many people go to find out what’s happening in their worlds. And with the average person spending three quarters of an hour scrolling, scanning, and sharing on Facebook, there’s an unbelievably massive audience to connect with… if you know how to find and communicate with them.
But too many of us are uneducated on how to use Facebook to promote our businesses… without coming across as though we’re begging or left feeling uncomfortably cheesy.
In fact, most people who use Facebook for business treat it the same as updating their networks on what’s happening in their lives. However, there’s a huge difference between Facebook as a social platform and Facebook for business. There’s an etiquette for marketing on social media, and if you ignore it, you can severely hurt your reputation.
In this post, you’re going to learn 5 easy steps you can take to start connecting with your customers in an appropriate fashion on Facebook.
We’re also going to explore real campaigns being used to promote real estate personalities and practices… so you can find customers, stay in touch and market your listings.
Step 1: Send Friend Requests to your personal network and all clients (including past clients).
Want Even More?
Download 3 Facebook Campaigns That Every Real Estate Professional Should Be Using
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How to promote a listing not only on my business page, but also on my personal page without appearing
to be too commercial..... What is the best way to drum up interest for a listing on Facebook? And create a Frienzy..........
Debra, I wasn't originally planning on doing this, but I will share our Just Listed FB campaign to get your listings in front of people actually looking for homes in your market.
I have not set up a Facebook account yet. I like my privacy so I would be concerned about privacy and separation of clients vs friends and family when sending information.
Would this kind of advertising require a lot of my time in order to benefit my business?
What works and what does not?
Marie, we've got this down to a system... and it doesn't take time once you get past the initial learning curve. Try doing this: go to facebook.com/pages/create and setup a FB business page before coming to the session. When doing so, make sure you name it and use a URL that you will be happy with (because you can only change that url once and it hard to do so). Then register for our training and we'll give you some simple strategies and effective tactics to make it work.
I would like to know more about how to market internationally on Facebook
I'd like more guidance on self promoting and Facebook page names. I have a name that I use now - Comokaren.com and that's fine. But if I do a canned FB ad to get likes it doesn't show my name. Wondering if I should change my page name to Karen Bataille - Realtor
I am in a learning mode about real estate investing. Digital marketing is becoming very critical to know how to do it effectively.. I am interested in the most critical way.
Michael, you may want to check out our Real Estate Digital Marketer certification. It's like a masters degree in real estate marketing online. The consumer website is http://red.marketing or you can check out the course details here: http://thepaperlessagent.com/redm
I am very inexperienced with Facebook ( I am embarrassed to say ) I jumped on the bandwagon too late.
One main reason is I did not want to mix personal with business exclusively. I haqve both a personal and a business page. I would like to learn to manage my business page effectively so that it would provide me with business opportunities !
Mary, it's not too late... in fact most people are not using FB most powerful tools to cultivating business. The old strategy of posting content on a business page to connect with people is dead. There are new tools FB has made and new features they want us to use to find and connect with customers. And they reward those who use the tools with higher placements and message distribution.
I would like to learn very basic ideas and functions to start out with. I'm somewhat new at this because my 20 something assistant was handling the account. She has moved up in the company so I'm winging it at this point.
Catherine, after the session, my hope is you won't feel like your 'winging it' but rather have a strategy and plan for moving forward. Thanks!
There seem to be a couple different approaches to an agent's Facebook page. It seems some people suggest a non-branded page that really zeros in an a very specific area, for example, NW Springfield Homes and Lifestyle. Other people suggest a page that is more branded, like Realtor Jane Doe. What is your train of thought on this and why? I can see pluses and minuses to both and keep going back and forth on which way to go and I need to decide!!! Help!
Jen, those are two different strategies, and both of them valid. The question is one of priority. Where to start... and when to add to the strategy. I always recommend starting with a branded page for you or your firm. This is because FB is building it's platform to serve as a brand promotional tool. Using it as a community is a secondary strategy, but I think you may find using FB groups for community connections more efficient in getting participation from people in those neighborhoods. In the training, we'll go into using FB pages for personal/business branding... and give tips on how to share local content to still connect with people in specific areas.
I would say how to set up an ad and the best ad content would be my biggest question.
Erica, we'll have you covered.
I don't know where to begin with a marketing plan for my page, or how to set up a website for my business
Barbara, definitely register for the training. We'll have answers and solutions for you.
I have a personal Facebook Page and also a Business page set up. I also have a service provider managing my business page who posts for me and I can also post things. But I have not seen any comments other than likes if they like a posting example of designed rooms and special features in homes etc. How can I get my business page to get people to engage with comments too? Last I have about 350 followers already. I have it set to open to public but people do not find it on their own ...so how do I get this to work for me? Also interested in Advertising ideas on Facebook what works and what does not.
Michele, one of the things I learned early on when using FB was that I had to focus on the right measurements. The measurements that ultimately mattered where clicks and conversions. While engagement (likes, comments, shares) is great for free exposure (especially with shares) there's not a recipe for it's guaranteed success, nor does it lead to leads and sales. We've moved our strategy to use our FB content as a branding vehicle (which means we don't have to post as frequently, but we do it more purposefully) and we now are heavily involved with using FB ad campaigns for lead generation and targeted audience building. I think you'll get some good insights from the training, but if I don't answer your question directly through the presented content, please ask detailed questions during the Q&A portion of the training. Thanks!
I would like to know how to get people to respond to the ads. I get likes and clicks but no calls or messages.
Mary, that's a very common experience... to get feedback but no results. The reason is making sure the right message is being displayed to the right person. At the begining of our training next week, I have planned some examples and methods for evaluating your ads to improve the response. The most common problem is ads that make promises that landing pages don't deliver on. People click on the ad thinking they will get one thing, and then when they get to the landing page, the offer has shifted, or they don't have confidence in the landing page making good on the promise. We'll talk about this next week because it seems to be a common issue people are experiencing. Thanks!
I have a Facebook page and IDX Search. I have a problem getting Seller Listing because the ones I get SOLD very Fast. I need to build up my inventory . I have 45 years experience . Local Papers don't work very well now.
I need help getting Listing in my area, because I am out. I work on Homes, Land, Lots and Ranches . I work with a lot of Estates and Fix Uppers.
Emery, getting listings is priority in our market as well... I'll include some information next week on getting listings through FB.
I've had a successful real estate career in the second home market. I have recently retired but am still doing referrals. Any thoughts on building that business?
Jo, my recommendation is to use FB to stay top of mind with your database of past clients and connections so that you can be in front of the advocates referring you... to catch more of those potential referrals. We'll be talking about how to use FB specifically to market to past customers and your network.
Demographic targeting for Realors and Lenders. Show us the recipe for success!
We will do our best to show you what's working for us so that you can implement it Angelo!
I have to admit I have a Facebook page and had not been using it, do I start over and how to effectively market, find buyer's, seller's and push traffic to my website
John, there's no need to start over... we can pickup where you left off with your business page. I will be sure to include how to find buyers and sellers, as well as bringing those people to your website.
I'd like to know where I can find interesting content to post. Unfortunately, I am not available to attend the training. Hopefully re-plays will be available?
Deb, if you register for the event (and are unable to make it), we'll get in touch with you about getting a copy of the replay. Thanks!
Hi Chris,
I think that exactly what you mentioned in your video is exactly what I need to know to get started connecting with friends and past clients via Facebook and I want to use Facebook as my favorite marketing tool.
Hi You are targetting people who have a listing at least but what about realtor like me who have been helping to buy all the time and has no listings, but wants to get into getting listings..... How should we market to get listings through facebook?
How to get more Facebook contacts to refer friends and family to me without appearing to "advertise" on my personal page.
How to get likes from your old FB business page to your new FB business page, or how to merge the pages?
How to use facebook page to generate visitor to your regular website page, not leading pages..
trying to get new listings from my Facebook posts
trying to get new listings from Facebook
I am reentering the real estate business.
I have never use Facebook and need to get started.
Just get me started.
I'd like to see how to transition between the personal and the professional pages without making it too complicated on the visitors
How us utilize FB to obtain leads and convert them to closings
How to effectively market and grow my Real Estate business on FB and get the results I need?
I look forward to your wedinare
I would like to learn more on posting on my FB business page. What is something that will attract more people to it and do I invite all of my friends on my personal page to my business page even though they do not live in my area. Should I always post stuff that is about my listings and articles that will help people. I also would like to know how often to post.
Getting likes is one of the most frustrating things. I have increased friends in the last 5 months from 15 to 1200 but likes from 3 to 169 means that only 14% of your 1200 friends like your business page. If I post in my business page it only reach the people who liked the page?
How can I divide from personal to business? do you think i need to have a website?
when are you offering the FB seminar again... I missed today's.
Thanks!
Hi Marylin,
Until Monday, you can catch a replay here: http://thepaperlessagent.com/0901-replay
I like to limit my personal page to family and friends. I friended a Realtor who is a personal friend, and now I'm getting a plethora of friend requests from Realtors I've never heard of - this is my personal page. I don't want to appear rude or lose business, but I don't want my personal page to become public. Should I create a new personal page for my family and friends? This is a lot to keep up with. Thanks!
I have been trying to download the Free 3 Facebook Campaigns Guide but the link to enter my email does not work. Has this been taken off?
Thanks,
John