Many people ask me how I get so much business....and it is a very simple answer but you may not believe it but I have my own Social Network.
Some people use Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace etc - I use the Robert J Russell Social Network
If you would like to join the Robert J Russell Social Network - simply click on this link:
http://robertjrussellsocialnetwork.ning.com/profiles/members/
Come Join us today !!
Robert J Russell - 972-679-9029
Social Media has become an inexpensive way to reach hundreds, thousands, and in some cases, even millions of people in an instant. This is great when you are broadcasting a new blog post to generate traffic to your website or announcing a new listing.
What happens when someone is dissatisfied or has a gripe about a business or service - or worse yet - about your business or service? It too, can spread quickly across the world wide web.
There have been several examples of this recently, including the disgusting Domino's Pizza video on how not to make pizza that was made as a joke by some employees and posted on YouTube and was broadcast across social media sites to a huge audience, causing quite a headache for the pizza franchise.
In social media, it is possible for a single individual to have a greater reach than even a large established news organization as demonstrated by Ashton Kucher in his race to a million followers on Twitter with CNN. In case you missed that story...Ashton won hitting a million Twitter followers before the CNN. One single person can have a big impact on the brand of a business or an individual - good or bad.
Charlene Li and Josh Bernoff's recent book Groundswell points out that in any social media situation 18% of the participants are creative and contributory while 25% are critical (thus, there will be more critics than contributors).*
So, what can you do to protect your brand and image on social media?
1.) Have a Plan and be prepared to respond quickly to criticism if it appears online.
2.) Monitor what is said about your name and your company name on social media sites. You can set up free alerts through Google and Twitter alerts and should monitor blog comments received to your posts on a regular basis.
3.) Be Transparent - if you are genuine it will come across in your social media efforts. No one likes a phony in real life, or in social media.
4.) Build Relationships - Social Media is about relationships and building them helps your business and provides you with credibility if you need support.
5.) Stay on the Battlefield * - If you receive a negative comment on Twitter, respond to it on Twitter.
Guy Kawasaki, a leader in technology recently said that, "Twitter is the best thing to happen to marketing since television, It's cheaper, it's fast and it's free." I believe this statement applies to all of social media, you just also have to be aware that there is another side to that sword.
*Resource: "When Social Media Turns Hostile: A Guide to Brokerage Self Defense" by Jeremy Conaway.
2) It makes you different, and different = better- One of the marketing theories I have been espousing over many years is how important differentiation is to Realtors. Realtors do what Realtors do. Do you? Don't. Create your own marketing that is different than other Realtors and writing your own original blog sets you apart as well. You need to stand out in a crowd. Blogging will help.
3) Blogs get Read by other Realtors- and they comment. This gives you feedback, often valuable constructive feed back on your ideas. It allows you to wash your ideas through others so by the time you give your VALUED opinion to your clients. it is well thought out, and VALUABLE.
4) Traffic is good….for traffic.- A well read blog will bring more traffic to a Realtor than any "business card" type web site. You know the one. This is who I am (or was when the site was written) and this is why I am the greatest. A well written blog will receive traffic from competitors, clients, co-workers, and prospects. Traffic creates Traffic.
5) It PROVES you are an authority- What is a Realtor? An authority on Real Estate. How do I (as a prospect) know you are an authority? Well, pages and pages of posts and comments on the current market and what is going on in my neighborhood certainly helps show you are an authority.. A canned listing presentation that is pretty much the same as other Realtors? Not so much.
6) It provides third party validation- Prospects are constantly faced with Realtors telling them how good THEY are. But how often does a prospect hear from a third-party how good you are as a Realtor? I well thought out, well written blog post will receive positive comments. These comments give your prospect the "right" to decide you are a great Realtor and he/she should choose you…. because others before him have agreed.
7) It is INSTANT, when your Prospects need it- Real Estate Buyers and Sellers (read: prospects) Love up to the minute information. This type of information is not available on most Realtor (business card) type websites. A blog allows them to subscribe and receive your up to the minute, valuable information. This makes you a valuable resource to your prospects and clients.
