Using the Web and social media to sell real estate

I have been working and experimenting with social media for some time now. It is not a full time occupation for me therefore I have to merge it with my other activities in a “controlled” fashion.

I have talked with several experts, some of which I know very well, and I have tried to gather as much information as possible that could be relevant to running a small business or any kind of activity.

These are the top six mistakes that I have been committing from time to time and that I have seen other people commit.

1. Being impersonal. My long journalistic background keeps coming up and I tend to write in the detached, neutral fashion that is often required by traditional media. Business owners that come from traditional fields often do the same. This absolutely doesn’t work in social media. It doesn’t mean that you should be talking only about petty personal issues, but it is much easier to connect and relate with others if you are just yourself, telling your story.

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In our modern age we use a lot of technology tools to create networking opportunities with other people and then we find out that when we go to a meeting or event very few people carry a business card with them.

I am actually one who sometimes forgets about them completely, so this tip is very good for me too as a reminder. The business card is a powerful networking tool because allows you to create a fast and direct connection with the person who is in front of you. But it is even more important to collect the business cards of the people you meet so that you can then remember them better and you can also establish a connection on social media. If they don’t give it to you, ask for it. And if they don’t have it use one of your own to have them write down their personal contact information.

How to properly use a business card. A section of an event held in Atlanta with my partner Daniele Bogiatto.

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The first action when you collect a business card is to write immediately on the back of it some information that will help you remember the person who gave it to you. You should write down your sensations and impressions so that you will remember very well the person you have talked with, including the date and the place where you have met these people. When you have hundreds and hundreds of business card you cannot remember the person unless you have written down your sensations and impressions. If you don’t remember who she is you will not even call her or contact her.

The first think to do when you join a network.

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Online marketing has really become a necessity and an obsession for many American entrepreneurs. Everywhere I go, to every meeting I participate, there is some slant toward promoting your business on the web, with a lot of tools and a lot of cool tricks. Yet one needs to adapt it to the classic activities that are performed offline that remain very important for many segments.

A short video section of the presentation given by me and Daniele to the agents of Century 21 Grant Realty.
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