7 Facebook do's and don'ts
Tips for engaging your friends and potential clients
By Bernice Ross
Inman News®
What kinds of posts do you make to your Facebook page? Are you constantly talking about yourself or are you sharing posts that plenty of Facebook users "Like" and enjoy? The last time that you logged into Facebook, which posts did you read? What was it about these posts that captured your attention? In contrast, which parts of your Facebook feed would you have liked to "hide" or delete? If you want to create engaging Facebook posts, here are seven simple tips to follow. 1. The 95-5 rule When it comes to having your posts read on Facebook, the best approach is to follow the 95-5 Rule. 95 percent of what you share is about helping others or commenting on what they have said. Only 5 percent of your posts should be about you and your needs. 2. Ask and answer engaging questions The number one activity that you want to do on Facebook is to engage with others. While it's nice to push the "Like" button, a much better approach is to comment on other people's posts. A good way to do this is to look through your Facebook feed each day and answer questions that your friends have posed. It's a great way to engage and to have many more people see what you're posting. Another way to do a powerful Facebook post is to ask an engaging question. For example, if there is a new zoning change coming to your area, ask your Facebook friends to post their opinions. You could also ask people's opinions about who makes the best burger in town or anything else that is fun and engaging. 3. Capitalize on the eavesdropping factor Most people are curious and enjoy listening in on other people's conversations. In fact, a key motivation for using the social media is to see what others are doing without having to personally interact with them. Take advantage of this. Here's an example from Krisstina and Garry Wise of the Good Life Team. When Krisstina was away at a conference, Garry posted the following: "Things are good at the Good Life Team. We sold three houses and listed two." Krisstina asked him to take this post down because it was clearly a marketing message. Here's the post that replaced the original post, which also illustrates how to tap into the eavesdropping factor: "Babe, while the cat's away the mice will play. Sold three houses, listed another two-stay in Savannah another week." Instead of a typical real estate marketing message, the second post is playful and leaves you laughing at Garry's request for Krisstina to stay away longer so he can list and sell more property. 4. Share what you love and what makes you unique My husband loves to cook and he really enjoys photography. When he makes a particularly decadent dessert or some other great dish, he will photograph it and post it to Facebook. If it's a chocolate dessert, it normally lights up the comments including moans and complaints about not sending samples to his Facebook friends. Also, he constantly changes his Facebook picture-it has been a cinnamon roll, a chocolate cake, a peach cobbler, a donut, and a chocolate croissant. When he does post about his business, it's usually a picture that he has taken of someone else plus a comment. The other major way he engages his friends is by either asking or answering questions that he believes are relevant to his social graph. 5. Don't be that guy One of the biggest mistakes any agent can make on Facebook is to bombard your friends and followers with too many messages. While it may be tempting to share how well you're doing at various Facebook games, avoid this, especially with any of your business contacts. Also, don't be the person who clogs up your friends' feeds. It's the surest way to lose friends and it certainly doesn't attract any clients. Furthermore, if you send out too many of these types of posts, your recipients may block you and even report you for sending spam. 6. Avoid "BMW" time While it may be tempting to moan and whine on Facebook about things that are causing you to feel stressed out, avoid doing so. While it may be great that you have three listing appointments scheduled in the next 8 hours plus four closings, this doesn't make for interesting reading on your friends' part. On the other hand, if you or a loved one is facing surgery or some other serious event, it is OK to ask for support. Most people will send good wishes your way. Furthermore, people enjoy receiving updates about what is happening to people they care about, especially when the person is undergoing a truly difficult time. 7. Facebook simplified If you had to sum up how to engage your friends and potential clients on Facebook, here's the bottom line: be positive, have fun, be unique, do lifestyle posts, and share great resources. Bernice Ross, CEO of RealEstateCoach.com, is a national speaker, trainer and author of the National Association of REALTORS®' No. 1 best-seller, “Real Estate Dough: Your Recipe for Real Estate Success.” Hear Bernice's five-minute daily real estate show, just named "new and notable" by iTunes, at www.RealEstateCoachRadio.com. You can contact her at Bernice@RealEstateCoach.com or @BRoss on Twitter.
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