By: Chris Tellez

I’m thrilled to see so many REALTORS® adopting social media to promote themselves and their services. With over 800 million users sharing on Facebook,  450 million tweeting away on Twitter, and 340 million people reading over 2.5 billion blog pages, it would be ridiculous not to be.

Like with anything there is a right way and a wrong way to do things. Through my various REALTOR® interactions I’ve seen the good, the bad and the downright ugly on social media. Here’s a few key things to consider to help keep you from being the bad or even worse, the ugly.

1. Keep business, business and personal, personal

Your social media presence may be the first impression your potential clients get of you. Make sure that what they see reflects professionalism and a dedication to helping people effectively and quickly buy and sell homes. Posting pictures of crazy parties or sharing links to questionable material is a sure fire way to get people to NOT CALL you or have them begin questioning your service to them.

2. Facebook Profile = Social
Facebook Page = Business
Your Facebook profile should be used to socialize and share in life with others.

Your Facebook page is what you use to advertise your new listings and open houses.
It’s fine to occasionally share that you helped someone find the home of their dreams, or saved a client’s credit score from a foreclosure, but your Facebook friends don’t want to be bombarded by ads.

3. BE YOURSELF!

When people connect with you on social media, they’re assuming that the person they’re reading about is the same person they’re going to be meeting/working with.

Don’t be different than you already are. Don’t promise things that you can’t deliver. Be honest. Be genuine. Be real. It will just further your client’s faith in you and make them feel better about recommending you to others.

4. Avoid NEGATIVITY and BAD NEWS!
The daily newscasts are rife with bad news and tragedies, why extend the depression to social media? Let your clients know what’s right in the real estate world. Share how a family who never thought home ownership was possible found a home they could afford. Spread the word that the housing market is coming back!

5. SHARE! SHARE! SHARE!

Remember how in school that if you shared your candy or toys with others that you’d make more friends? The same holds true with the sweet information you’ve got.

Afraid that you’re giving away some major secret or helping your competition with your information? There is no information that you have that can’t be found with a well-executed Google search. The key is to be the site that someone finds when he or she does that search. Share whatever you know with EVERYONE!

Want to know more about effectively using social media? Curious to hear how other REALTORS® have successfully and profitably implemented social media into their business? Come join me at the Nor Cal Real Estate Expo on May 24^th from 10:00am-10:45am and 4:00pm-4:45pm as I interview Erin Attardi and Tamara Dorris about how they’ve integrated social media into their business. Find out what they’re doing that’s working right and hear as they SHARE their suggestions for implementing it properly into your daily business.