With more than 300 million members across 200 countries, LinkedIn has helped change how real estate professionals do business. Initially viewed as a site to display your online resume, LinkedIn is now the primary social site for business professionals to network, connect, and engage. LinkedIn’s demographics are geared towards affluent professionals, meaning it’s a great place for real estate agents to connect with a valuable target audience.
Here are a few simple ways to get you on your way to generating business through LinkedIn.
Create a professional profile. It should be simple, compelling, and clear so that potential clients are able to quickly recognize your expertise. Add all of your relevant skills and training and let your personality shine through.
Optimize your profile. You can do this by adding keywords specific to your expertise and location. For example: if you specialize in relocation in St. Louis Missouri, your keywords would be “Relocation Specialist St. Louis Missouri.” These are searchable terms that allow people to quickly find you when they are looking for agents in your area.
Get recommendations. LinkedIn recommendations are equivalent to testimonials. Since a vast majority of real estate’s business comes from referrals, these recommendations are a critical piece to your profile. Reach out to clients and colleagues you’re linked to and have them write a recommendation.
Get on your company page. Make sure the brokers or firms you work for are included in your profile. Also, make sure you appear in the employee list on your employer’s LinkedIn Company Pages.
Share Updates. Publishing on LinkedIn is a great opportunity to strengthen your professional reputation and get discovered for your knowledge. Try writing about your skills, experiences, or trends in your industry. You could even post information on specific properties you have available. Every update you share will appear in your connections’ news feed.
Join a group, or ten. When you join a LinkedIn Group, you can connect with every other member in that group. Look for groups that target your key audiences—it’s a great way to communicate, and may lead to new business. You can search for groups by keywords and location.
Sponsor updates or ads. LinkedIn’s sponsored updates and ads allow you to use text, images, or video to raise awareness, build relationships, and drive leads. They can be targeted by location and a variety of other criteria. Be sure to explore your options to see what LinkedIn paid advertising can do for you.
Are you already using LinkedIn for your Real Estate career? What are some of the best tips and tricks you have?
Recommended: