6 ways to gain referrals with social media

6 ways to gain referrals with social media
An excerpt from REBAC's Monthly Newsletter, The Today's Buyer's Rep.

Social media makes it easier to stay connected with hundreds of people. But that doesn’t mean that all social media activities are created equal. Focus on these six goals, and you will travel further and faster down a path of building meaningful referral business through your online activities.




1. EXPAND YOUR CONNECTIONS
Your sphere of influence grows with each new connection. To find more people you may know, look at your Facebook friends’ friends (or your LinkedIn contacts’ contacts; or who is following who on Twitter). Meet new people by joining groups that share your interests. Use software applications to find out where people “live” online so you can reach out and connect with them. For example, Xobni runs in tandem with your Outlook Inbox and identifies online profiles linked to any e-mail you receive.



2. SHARE MEANINGFUL CONTENT
The best way to prevent others from hitting the ignore button is to make sure everything you post online is interesting to at least some of your friends and acquaintances. This can be even more tricky on Twitter, where character limitations add to the challenge of making content both short and meaningful. Learn how to strike the right balance between the frequency and value of your posts.



3. DEMONSTRATE INTEREST
Everyone likes to be acknowledged, so take time to read and comment upon other peoples’ content. On Facebook, the Like button makes it especially fast and easy to say “I hear you.”



4. BE HELPFUL
One of the best ways to be helpful is to answer questions. Do this on real estate-oriented sites like Zillow and Trulia and you’ll be showcasing your knowledge and expertise to prospective buyers. Do the same on professional networks like LinkedIn, the ABR® Network, and Active Rain, and you’ll gain credibility with other professionals.



5. BUILD SOCIAL CAPITAL
Random acts of kindness, like posting positive feedback on a Facebook business page, or writing an unsolicited referral on LinkedIn, can generate powerful good will with others. In addition to gaining the personal sense of satisfaction that comes from helping others, it’s very likely that such acts may later be reciprocated with new referral business.



6. BECOME A LOCAL AUTHORITY
If all real estate is local, use social networking to build your reputation as a local expert. Create a Facebook group promoting local events (365 Things to Do in Your Town) or a consortium of local businesses, perhaps working in partnership with other professionals focused on real estate related services (attorneys, lenders, tax experts, home improvement specialists, etc.).

If you don't remotely know how or where to begin with implementing any of these, come work with us. We already have a system that does it all for you!

The best in their field, even professional athletes take advantage of coaching. If you would like the benefit of working with a full time coach, absolutely free to you, please call me directly or email to set up an interview.

(313) 516-6644
suzanneo@realestateone.com