Over the past few years, there has been a definite shift in how businesses market themselves. In the past, print advertising and direct mail were considered the most effective forms of advertising. In today’s world of increased technology, a strong online presence is essential. In addition to a sharp looking website, you need to be present on as many social media forums as possible. Simply being on these sites is not enough. You need to brand yourself in a way that you are instantly recognizable to the contacts in your area. Developing a brand is easier than ever if you know how to do it. It is all about answering a few basic questions before you get started. Here are four questions you should answer to improve your social media presence.
- WHY? Start with the most basic of marketing questions – why are you posting in the first place? Every time you make a post, you should have a clearly defined objective. There should be a clear distinction between your personal posts and those for your business. This doesn’t mean you can’t incorporate some of your personality to your posts, but you need to draw the line. Posting about a sporting or pop cultural event doesn’t do much to enhance your business. The internet – and particularly social media sites – is forever. One post on a bad day when you are in a bad mood can alter your reputation forever. It sounds like a bad cliché, but you really need to think before you hit “post”. As great as social media can be for growing a business, it also works in reverse if you are not careful. Negative word of mouth can travel just as quickly as positive. Before you make any post, you need to answer why you are doing it.
- WHEN? It is not enough to make a handful of post at random times. When you post matters. You want your posts to be seen by as many people as possible. You can post something truly insightful but if you do it at midnight on a Tuesday, it may not make a difference. The ideal time is when you will have the maximum amount of eyeballs. In most cases, this is first thing in the morning. A large majority of people only check social media in the morning, at lunch, or in the evening after the kids go to bed. You should time your posts around these prime hours.
- WHAT? Consistency and content are the two most important factors with your posts. Making random posts about the weather won’t do much to generate interest in your real estate business. Whether you are posting a written or video blog, you need to give some thought to the content. You want to portray yourself as an expert in the industry. This gives you credibility and will increase your local presence. The area of your expertise can be anything you want. There are many investors who carve themselves a great business by investing in a particular niche. You can be the local mobile home investor or the commercial king. You can be the distressed property investor or the short sale guru. It really doesn’t matter as long as you have the credibility to back it up. Your posts should always push your brand and further your image. Writing up a quick post about a deal you went through may be somewhat interesting to you but what about the readers? You need to take a few minutes and think about what the content of your posts says about you. They define you much more than you may think.
- TO WHOM? Who is your target market? Are you making your posts for everyone to see or are you focusing on a specific niche? Are you looking to generate attention from fellow investors or local real estate agents? Before you type a single key, you should have an idea of who your market is. These are the people that will take the time and read your posts. If composed well enough, they will go to your website and find out as much about you as they can. General posts may be interesting but they will be glossed over and usually skipped. You would much rather have one person stop and really read your post than ten people skim it and move on. This targeted approach will lead to more success and the people that do reach out to you will be genuinely interested to work with you.
As strong as your social media presence may be, it won’t do you any good without an equally strong website. Your website doesn’t need to have every bell and whistle but it has to be functional and user friendly. Most of your posts will drive the reader back to your website. If the site is outdated, that is the vibe you give off about yourself whether it is true or not. The internet, and social media in particular, has changed the way we grow our business. If you dedicate yourself to post at the three prime times every day for a month straight, it is not unrealistic to gain 100 or more new followers. These people are all potential buyers, sellers and business partners. A strong social media presence can quickly transform your business virtually overnight.
