Facebook is becoming quite a force, with more and more people joining up. I’ve been on it for a few months, and I’ve just set up a Facebook Page for my business – have a look at Highshots Photography on Facebook.
Anyway, there’s a lot of talk around about how business people, including real estate agents, should start using Facebook as a business-generating tool. Some people say it’s a waste of time, but I think it’s worth doing. Why? Firstly, you should be there because that’s where your clients are (“Why your company needs to be on Facebook?“). Secondly, some very useful business applications are being developed that can really help (“Business Applications for Facebook“).
You might have also noticed that realestate.com.au now offers the ability to display your listings on your Facebook page.
“It is simple to make this happen. Conduct a normal search on www.realestate.com.au, when you find a place you are intereted in, click on the Share on Facebook link at the top right and then enter your facebook userid and password. It is that simple.”
– realestate.com.au Meets Facebook
And when you add a new listing to your Facebook profile, all of your Facebook friends will be told about it, which could be a pretty handy promotional tool. An article titled “The new Facebook of Real Estate” gives some helpful suggestions on making the most of your Facebook profile:
- Engage your audience by starting a page for “fans”
- Join existing groups that interest you, and start up some interesting discussions
- Some agents offer gift certificates and rebates for referrals that result in a closed sale
- Include links to your blog and website
- Make sure to tell people you are a real estate agent
When it comes to promoting yourself on Facebook, do you go with a personal profile (the standard Facebook profile for ordinary people), or a business Page? If you opt to use a personal profile, then there are a few things to keep in mind with regard to your privacy. How much do you want to reveal about yourself, and your friends, to your buyers and sellers?
Going with a business Page is a good idea, then, because it offers a bit more separation between you and those photos of your family, and your business clients. However, you can’t add as much content with a Facebook business Page, so it’s a bit of a tough call. I contacted Facebook about this, and they said that they’ll be looking to add more functions to the Facebook Pages in the future.