According to studies, LinkedIn is the best social media site for real estate and has the most potential for generating leads. However, you have to use it right to actually benefit from all of that potential. Most people associate LinkedIn with professionalism. They use it to scope out professionals in various fields when they need them, and trust the site to provide them with access to credible individuals. If you assert your authority and trustworthiness using the following tips, LinkedIn could become one of your most valuable means of lead generation.
1. Make Friends in and out of Your Industry
Know that there are degrees of connections on LinkedIn so you cannot just follow or be friends with anyone like you can on Facebook. This makes growing your list of connections on LinkedIn all the more important, but also takes a bit of work. You need to connect with as many people as you know directly and then you can connect with people they know, and grow your network that way. If you really want to talk to more distant connections to grow your network, you can add that service by paying for a LinkedIn upgrade. Your network is your audience, and the larger your audience, the more potential there is for you to get leads and grow your business.
2. Establish Yourself as an Authority
One unique and powerful feature of LinkedIn is the ability to add skills and experience to your profile, which your connections can then endorse. It’s like having a public resume with built in credibility checks, and therefore free marketing. You can also have your connections recommend you. By having plenty of skills and experiences endorsed by your connections, anyone who researches you by looking at your profile will be assured of your professionalism. People always want to work with someone they trust, and by staying on top of the content and making sure that your LinkedIn profile is full of quality details, you will stand out as an authority in your industry.
3. Have an Updated Profile
It might sound basic, but having an updated profile picture and updated information is essential to using LinkedIn to its full advantage. People want to know what you look like and are drawn to aesthetically pleasing profiles, it helps add to your trustworthiness and makes you seem more like a real person and less like a webpage. Get a professional headshot and spend some time cropping and choosing a good header photo that is relevant to your personal brand. Another important profile tip is to make sure that all of your information is updated continuously. You do not want someone trying to click on an outdated link to your website or calling a phone number that you changed. Technology is all about remaining updated, so keep on top of everything to ensure that your page is current.
4. Comment and Post Regularly
Post interesting articles that are informative and relevant to your field. Don’t be afraid to share interesting articles that you read or write. People want to know that you are actively engaged in your field, and posting regularly will help to further establish your authority. Make checking it a part of your daily business management. Also, read and comment on other posts from members of your network. This will add to your reputation as someone involved in the community, and also keep you at the forefront of their mind. It is especially important to remember that people are much more likely to want to do business with someone who they trust and feel like they know well. LinkedIn is an important business tool, but it is also a social media site. Use it socially, but not causally, in order to grow your business naturally.
5. Be Memorable
The ultimate goal in using social media sites for business is to be memorable. Make people remember you so that you’re the first person they think of when they need a Realtor. Don’t just post articles about the real estate market in your town, post about fun events and things to do around the city. Don’t just be friends with other realtors, expand your network and connect with as many people as possible, then communicate regularly with them so they can’t forget you. Also, remember to use the tagline under your name on your profile to distinguish yourself. Instead of just putting Realtor, be creative and specific about what kind of Realtor you are, where you are, or what you specialize in.
Distinguish yourself from the crowd of other Realtors on LinkedIn by putting time, care, and attention into your profile, your network, and your activity on the site. While it might seem like extra work, the benefits have huge potential to help grow your business. If you can present yourself on LinkedIn as the authority in your real estate market, you can expect at least three leads per month from utilizing the site to its fullest potential.
