You could be missing out – big time.
You see, real estate isn’t a career. It’s a business. And the best social media platform for building your business is LinkedIn.
So, do you have a LinkedIn profile? I mean one that’s current and engaging, or better yet, irresistible.
More importantly, is LinkedIn working for you? If not, this post will change all that!
Here’s how to get LinkedIn to build your real estate business. (Click to Tweet)
Complete Your Profile
Make sure your profile is complete. Be sure you have an image of yourself, and that it’s a headshot (as outlined in the LinkedIn Guidelines).
Use the correctly sized image (check Sprout Social’s Always Up to Date Guide to Social Media to be sure). And if you’re choosing between images, try using Snappa’s free photo analyzer tool or Photofeeler to assess how confident, likable and influential you seem in your images.
Complete your name and here’s where you can ‘cheat’ a little. You can put both your first name and surname in the first name box, and then insert the title you want to be known as in the second box.
Here’s an example from Adam Houlahan, a LinkedIn expert.
See how Adam has put “Adam Houlahan” as his first name, and “♠Social Media for Business♠” as his surname? It gets attention.
Grab Some Attention
Add a headline to your profile and don’t be limited by your job title – you want to stand out from the crowd.
You have limited characters and you need to use them to get noticed so try using ticks or stars between the different things you do, or use an outcome you create.
Here are a couple of examples.
This is how listings look when people are searching, and you can see how attention-grabbing these headlines can be.
Try using your niche, in your headline. Something like, “Realtor helping Vancouver families find forever homes” or “Real Estate agent helping young Professionals find the right pad”.
Speak to Your Audience
The summary section can make or break your profile. Don’t commit the common sin many people do here and put in something you’d find in a ho-hum résumé.
Instead, imagine you’re speaking to your ideal client and write those words. Please don’t use third person. Why? Because it’s Boring!
Look how LinkedIn expert Andy Foote uses his summary section. He weaves his results into a short story-like section that ends with a call to action.
Appear Uber-Professional
Of course, you ARE professional, but you also must APPEAR professional. As you know, looks are everything.
So, fill out the rest of your profile, being sure to list your current position and at least two others. In the “Featured skills & Endorsements” section, list at least ten relevant skills.
Work on getting – and giving – endorsements and recommendations. When you endorse or recommend someone, they’re likely to return the favour (of course, it pays to be authentic and ethical when you do this).
Hot tip: to look uber-professional be sure you personalise your LinkedIn URL. You want it to be something like https://www.linkedin.com/in/YourName/.
Harness the Power
Groups are the powerhouse of LinkedIn. Think of them like the local chamber of commerce – they’re great places for networking! Here are a few groups you may be interested in joining:
- Real Estate Property & Development in Vancouver
- Calgary Business Network
- Toronto Real Estate 101
- Real Estate Productivity Tools
- Social Media for Real Estate
- Overseas Property Investment Network for International Real Estate & Referral group
- Inman – Smart About Real Estate
The key to getting the most out of groups is to get in there and get social. Interact with other members, be supportive and help each other out.
Get Social and Build Your Business
So, don’t wait. Get out there and give your profile a polish today.
Explore the groups available, and join the ones that are most likely to work for you.
Get into the habit of going into LinkedIn for a few minutes each day and networking. Remember, winning is a habit!
Soon you’ll have more leads rolling in than you’ll be able to handle.
