TWITTER FOR REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS
“Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies:
Me, Inc.
To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You.”
Tom Peters – Fast Company
Getting Started – Who you are Why use twitter?
What we’ll be covering:
About Twitter Buzzwords Anatomy of Twitter
How to Use it Creating your profile Using the Search Functionality How to build your following
Why Twitter? Twitter is an invaluable tool when trying to create one’s brand. It allows for direct and constant communication with current clients, potential clients, and millions of informed individuals • 360 Million users • 25% earn over $100k per year • 51% have a college degree
Building audiences: • 69% rely on friends suggestions for followers
TWITTER Buzzwords Handle A user’s handle is the username they’ve selected A handle is a @ sign followed directly by the username
Lists Curated groups of other Twitter users. Used to tie specific individuals into a group.
Mentions Mention another user in your Tweet by including the @ sign followed directly by their username
TWITTER Buzzwords Retweet When someone reposts a tweet.
Hashtag Using the # symbol before a phrase will create a link.
Benefits to using hashtags: • Categorizes tweets and conversations • Helps to show topics more easily in
Twitter Search • Clicking on Hashtagged words shows
you all the other tweets marked with that hashtag
Profile:
• Describe yourself and your job in your “About Me” • Link it to your TOWN page by using a link shortener • Add TOWN’s handle @townresidential and mention TOWN in your bio • Use your TOWN headshot
Anatomy of Twitter
Anatomy of Twitter
Feed
Anatomy of Twitter
Follower suggestions
Anatomy of Twitter The Discover tab shows you content you might be interested in following based on your connections, location and recent trending topics. All content in the Discover tab defaults to Tweets.
Anatomy of Twitter
Your Profile: This is a general overview of your account including your Tweets, photos, following count, and bio. You can customize your profile by clicking on the gear in the right hand corner.
Anatomy of Twitter The Connect section contains all Tweets that mention your username so you can easily keep track of conversations people are having with you or about you.
CREATING YOUR PROFILE
1. Navigate to http://twitter.com and fill out the sign up form. 2. Enter your full name, email and password. 3. Click sign up for Twitter.
4. You’ll be taken to another screen to select a username. • When selecting a username try to make it the same name as your
Instagram handle if applicable. • Usernames must be fewer than 15 characters. • Since usernames take up characters in retweets having a shorter name
7-‐10 characters is preferable.
PROFILE: Upload a profile picture, header and background to display your personality.
• 20% Links to your own listings on Townrealestate.com or your own blog if you have one
• 30% Link to other people’s content (News, Press, other interests)
• The remaining 50% should consist of personal interaction, small talk, commenting and networking
Content Mix:
Answer these questions: • Who is your target audience? • What problem can you solve or need can you fulfill? • What unique outlook can you share that positions your business as thought leader within your local market?
• Will you manage your social media or outsource? If it is you, how much time can you commit on a weekly basis?
• What end results are hoping to achieve? Be specific in what outcome you hope for whether it’s to generate new business or gain new recruits.
Getting Started
Choose a handful of personal qualities about yourself that you want to be known for. Ask yourself the following questions: • What interests you most? • What will you have fun executing? • What could you be most consistent with? • What do you want to use social media for?
FINDING YOUR VOICE
Some content you can specialize in: • Home Décor • Sports • Family Life • Fitness • Restaurant Reviews
Make sure you don’t try to focus on too many things – it’ll be harder for someone to remember any of it.
Make sure you’re honest with yourself – pretending to
be something you’re not never works well.
FINDING YOUR VOICE
Staying Consistent
Once you find out what your online voice will be, you have to be accountable! Stay in touch! – Create posting calendars for yourself so people can look forward to seeing your posts Stay relevant – post timely articles or photos that are of interest to you Stay Personal – Post photos of you and your family/friends
PERSONAL VS. PROFESSIONAL
Everything on the Internet is public.. Always be thoughtful when publishing your opinions and personal life on the Internet.
• Personal : • Always maintain a positive demeanor • Be cautious of the photos you share (risque clothing or behavior)
BRIDGING THE GAP BETWEEN YOUR AUDIENCE AND YOU
The number one source for real estate listings is referrals
Social media is your opportunity to engage with your clients on a regular basis • Stay top of mind by becoming the authority (the topic is up to you) • Stay in people’s news feeds by posting to twitter 5-‐7 times a week • Stay consistent on twitter by sharing relevant articles and posting fun and exciting updates more frequently
As long as you stay top of mind, they will remember to refer you to friends and connect with you when the opportunity arises.
Only 14% of consumers trust ads 75 % trust peer recommendations 90% of consumers start their search online!
• Plan a messaging schedule of 80% sharable content, 20% sales/
leasing messages • Set up Google alerts and subscribe to newsletters for good content
you can share regularly • Share content from Around TOWN emails, the corporate Facebook
Page and YouTube • Share your listings, but focus on one interesting aspect • Tweet How-‐To’s. YouTube and design blogs have great articles about
DIY, Home Décor, and even recipes • Geographic info – become the go-‐to in your neighborhood • Ask questions. Ask for opinions. • Share photos • Be Funny/friendly/inspirational – Share great quotes using #qotd
(quote of the day) • Try to use a hashtag in every Tweet to increase your virality, tag
other businesses in your Tweets instead of using names
What to Tweet:
Use the search functionality to find new followers and potential clients
• “Moving to NYC” • Relocating NYC • NYC News • West Village News, East Village, etc.
Grow Your Following
• Follow people that want to follow you (people talking about your topic)
• @reply even people who don’t follow you • Interact with influencers • Take it offline! Tweet from events and follow influencers
that day • Add yourself to twitter directories like
www.wefollow.com, www.twello.com
Grow Your Following
• Send an email blast to your list encouraging subscribers to follow you • Add your link to your signature (Twitter.com/username) • Follow people that want to follow you (people talking about your topic) • @reply even people who don’t follow you • Interact with influencers • Follow all of your vendors and clients and begin having conversations with
them, a lot of them will reciprocate • Begin following the top 100 bloggers on real estate (find via apps like
TRAAKR) • Follow real estate developers/builders • Add yourself to twitter directories like www.wefollow.com, www.twello.com
Grow your following
• Industry Peers and professionals
• Experts (RE, Social Media, Marketing, etc.)
• Client List (private) • Local Competition (private)
Create and Subscribe to Lists
Top Tweeters
Paul Macapagal – Town Residential Paul gained his following by finding people with common interests
and following them! Twitter.com/nyc_real_estate
Top Tweeters
Chris Alston @chris_alston • Chris has a great mix of
commentary and interacts with his followers regularly
• Find 10 Tweeters you should be interacting with.
Exercise
• Follow 5 real estate reporters or editors
Action Items
• Lauren Schuker Blum, WSJ @laurensblum • Candace Jackson, WSJ @candace_jackson • Michelle Higgins, NYTimes @michellehiggins • Vivian Toy, NYTimes @VivianSToy • Matt Chaban, Crains @MC_NYC • Kathy Clarke, The Real Deal @KathyClarkeNYC
• Send an email blast to your list encouraging people to follow you on all social media. Include relevant links
• Post a picture to twitter • See what’s trending and get involved in the convo. You’ll be surprised
how many people pay attention to this feature
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