LinkedIn; the Separation of Business and Personal
LinkedIn is a social network with a twist, it is strictly business. Many agents out there dream of a profession like it was in the old days; business during business hours and personal life during off hours. With the rise of social media this simply does not exist anymore. In more and more aspects of life we are blurring the line that once divided our careers with our personal lives.
Enter LinkedIn; LinkedIn is the social networking equivalent of this old style business is business and personal is personal. Agents can now write and interact with other professionals on a professional level. It is important for agents to have an understanding of LinkedIn because it can be a great referral source from agents who are looking from outside your market center.
To get started I have included a few ways to make sure you can effectively use LinkedIn for Real Estate.
Do not use it like Facebook.
I often times see agents simply posting properties on LinkedIn without other posts or comments. This is not the place for a broadcast listing. If you have a business page on LinkedIn you may share it there. LinkedIn is still a social network, which means that it is about adding value to the conversation and broadcast messages about listings does not do this.
Join Groups
LinkedIn is a great place for agent to agent communication on a variety of topics. There are several agents on LinkedIn who want to help or showcase their expertise. If you have a problem with a software program ask about it in a group. You will often times get the answer quicker than you think.
Complete your profile
Because of the business nature of LinkedIn, you must complete your profile. Agents who are looking to refer out using LinkedIn want contact information and probably would like a summary of what you have done in the industry. Include job titles too, LinkedIn is often referred to as an online resume so include the jobs that make you unique. If an agent has a client who is an engineer and you have an engineering background, this is a huge advantage. An additional feature of the summary and the job title is that you can add keywords for your specific area and expertise. If you are an expert in short sales, list that. If you work with first time buyers, list that.
Wrapping it up
Be sure to check your LinkedIn profile for people who you know in other markets, this will be a great resource for future referrals. I would also try to give your connections a way to stand out among other agents. When I started connecting on LinkedIn I emailed each accepted connection personally. Remember that LinkedIn is, and always will be a social network. It may still be about business, but never forget that it is about connecting.
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