Are You Giving Away Your Clients?
Thursday night. I’m home. Relaxing. No video editing, no social media, no wife, she went out with her friends – you GO girl! It was supposed to be a quiet, relaxing night at home with the kids. Notice I said “supposed to”.
That all changed with a message from a client on Linkedin. In the realm of social media, Linkedin is kind of the red headed step-child, at least it is in the real estate space. It seems like most REALTORS navigate more towards Facebook.
Back to that alert. It was a client confirming an appointment for next week. {yes – we are still on Mike}.
So, while I was on Linkedin, a place I admittingly don’t usually “hang my hat” I figured, why not stay a while, why not check out what my connections are up to? I headed over to the “recent updates”.
I can see immediately that many real estate agents STILL DON’T GET IT. SPAM. It is everywhere. “Need to buy a home? Call Me!” “Looking at entering the market? call me” “Call X for all your real estate needs” and so on. #SAD
If there is any place you don’t want to SPAM people with unwanted messages about products or services they are not in the market for, it’s Linkedin. You see, while facebook is for “friends and family” and a place where your “friends” embellish – a lot {a recent study found 1-4 users LIE on Facebook}, LinkedIn is “The OFFICE”. You don’t have “bums” with nothing better to do there – Linkedin is a professional network where hiring managers, CFO’s, COO’s, CEO’s, Human Resources, Head Hunters and more prowl – for talent.
But it wasn’t the “canned” – “for all your real estate needs” updates that were troubling, it was the articles real estate agents were sharing on Linkedin. The articles were educational, even informative, some – enlightening. The problem: they were not the REALTORS articles. They were from REALTOR.com, Zillow, Trulia, Realty Times, NY Times, Fox News and so on.
What’s wrong with that?
Well, if you have been to our Hub Marketing or any of our real estate marketing classes, you would know that by sharing those articles, not just on Linkedin but anywhere: Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, StumbleUpon, Google+, email etc” you are driving traffic {your connections, friends, followers, stumblers) away from you.
Let me explain.
Let’s say you saw an AMAZING and INFORMATIVE article on “why NOW is the right time to buy a home in Phoenix or Atlanta” or wherever. And let’s say that article was written by, ohhhhh, let’s say – REALTOR.com – by sharing that article, your connections, friends, followers, stumblers that click on that article will be directed where? REALTOR.com. They will read the article, and they may even gain some insight into WHY now is a great time to buy, BUT – guess what is waiting for them in the form of paid placement, banner ads, etc? Yep – other real estate agents – YOUR COMPETITION. Let’s say one of your connections, friends, followers, stumblers was in the market for a home in the near future – you just sent them to one of your biggest competitors to do it. #NOBUENO
But it’s bigger than that. By sharing articles from your competitors you are building their BRAND, their CREDIBILITY their AUTHORITY and NOT YOUR OWN. You provided some great information about “why NOW is the right time to buy a home in Phoenix or Atlanta” but at what cost? YOUR BUSINESS. YOUR CLIENTS. YOUR BRAND.
I’m not picking on REALTOR.com, I’m merely using them as an example, one I see WAAAAAAAY too often. Am I telling you NOT to share valuable information with your connections, friends, followers, stumblers? ABSOLUTELY NOT. But there is a better way.
HUB Marketing
The next time you see an EPIC article on a real estate site, or any competing site – anywhere – {unless it’s mine of course} don’t share it. Re-Purpose it. Head over to your WordPress real estate website and write an article about that article. Cite the important facts that make it a great time to buy a home, “According To REALTOR.com . . . . .” and then tell a story. Add a personal experience that agrees or disagrees with what the article was about. Telling a story will help consumers see you as an authority. As a person. Not a SALESPERSON You are still providing that great information but now when your connections, friends, followers, stumblers click on that article you re-purposed on YOUR WordPress real estate website – they will not end up on REALTOR.com, they will end up on YOUR real estate website – where they can now learn more about YOU and your VALUE, watch your VIDEOS and {get this} SEARCH FOR HOMES! Ding Ding Ding
It’s yet another way to drive traffic to your real estate website and it’s so much better for your connections, friends, followers, stumblers and your business. And NOW YOU KNOW, AND KNOWING – IS HALF THE BATTLE. Now all you need is a WordPress real estate website and the knowledge to use it. As luck would have it, we not only provide discounts on WordPress real estate websites – we also, through or real estate marketing classes – teach you HOW to use it. HOW to create content, HOW to be engaging. HOW to tell a story. HOW to grow your real estate business. Contact your favorite Grand Canyon Title marketing representative and start getting your Learn On!
