Digital tools and social media can be a great way to foster relationships, generate leads and secure more business. But you can also wind up empty-handed if you go too hard too soon. Here, The Media Coach Imogen Callister explains how you can use digital platforms to create meaningful conversations and progress them to signing up a new client.
Digital technology and social media are constantly transforming the way we communicate, and it is communication, along with networking, that drives business growth.
Why?
The more people who know about you and your service, the more leads you will generate and the more growth you will sustain.
If you break down the real estate client cycle, in property management and sales, there are clear steps to success.
- Conversation
- Relationship
- Nurture
- Client
- Raving fan and lead source.
This process starts with a conversation and is probably why most successful agents are known as ‘great talkers’.
I am sharing this with you to illustrate the most common mistake agents make in their social media marketing or the technology they use in the real estate cycle.
Many agents try to establish the relationship straight up rather than focusing on their social media presence or digital tools to start a conversation with someone in their marketplace.
So here are the top tips to avoid going in too hard, too soon and to create a meaningful conversation that will develop into a relationship and potential client.
Don’t give away all the info
One of the biggest mistakes I see in social media marketing is posts that give absolutely everything away.
You will commonly see this when an agent promotes a property on social media.
They tell you the full address, price, all the details and specifications on the home and even include a link to find out more.
The problem with this is there is absolutely no reason for someone to start a conversation with you.
One of the most important strategies I use when building better conversions for my clients through social media, is not giving absolutely everything away.
I never give away a complete address and l often hide the street name or the number to drive a conversation.
One thing that is really important here is that when you do hide information to instigate a conversation, it is imperative that you get back to the client quickly.
Use a bot or automatic replies to ensure this happens and they are not waiting for a response.
Don’t ask for their details straight away
“Hi, Can you give me your name, number, email, your address and could I come over and tell you what your property is worth?”
Sound familiar?
No one likes commission breath.
I don’t know if you’ve ever been on a date with someone a bit desperate, but it’s an instant turn off.
It is the same when you communicate digitally or with any form of technology with a potential client.
Ask a question and engage that person in a conversation before you ask them for their direct details.
We are constantly told not to give out our personal information online, so don’t ask for it straight away, form a meaningful conversation and then ask.
Ask more questions
Salespeople don’t hold all of the cards anymore.
With a quick Google search and some browsing, prospects can gather as much information about a product as a salesperson can.
As a result, it’s important you master the art of active listening and using the right questions to form better conversations.
Before you send your next communication, think about what you’re going to say. Avoid making it about you and devise a question or two that will create a conversation and lead to you building a relationship with that person.
For example:
“I’ve just sold this property, and I am basically a genius – take a look.”
Versus
“We have recently seen a huge spike in buyer interest in (your suburb), and this has driven prices to record levels, including the sale of a property close to you (place property here). Would you like to know the final sale price of this home or how much your home has increased in value based on this sale?”
The more conversations you have in your marketplace, the more clients you will have.
Aim for meaningful conversations.
