Event networking used to be the way of business and most sales professionals agree across the board nothing is better than person-to-person contact. I personally have bought tables at shows and found them to be a good way to generate sales. Although networking events are blooming once again from the devastation of the novel coronavirus, certain ways of connecting have changed forever. For this article, we are going to talk about ways to network in the real estate industry with Instagram.
Introduction
Not to go too much into my background and distract you from the point, I have been involved in the marketing industry for the last 10 years and managed several million dollars in advertising budgets as a Director of Global Communications for a PR firm in Boca Raton. I started my digital marketing company, Press Factor LLC in 2015 with a focus on social media marketing. I managed accounts and ran countless ads in Facebook Ads Manager. The reason I am telling you this is a lot has changed since I started. The ad dollars do not go as far as they used to on social and people are bogged down with so many ads, they are fatigued by them. As a real estate photographer and videographer, I connect with homeowners ready to sell and resorts ready to take on new clients to name a few.
Instagram Secret Formula
There are millions of leads for real estate online and there is no question about it. The trick is to focus on a select segment of the population with similar interests who would be your IDEAL CLIENT. Once you have focused on your niche you are now ready to market on Instagram for real estate leads with this secret formula. First, you will want to build out your profile, include professional photos and videos as well as videos and photos of yourself if possible. Add real friends if you do not have a profile already and be sure to keep it a personal profile and not business.
Once you have a credible-looking profile it is time to get on the radar of your ideal clients, sometimes referred to as avatars. If you want to be in front of pilots looking for homes because you have a love for planes you are going to search top hashtags related to aviation. The next step is to like posts, comment, and Follow these people. Once you have done interaction on the avatar pages you can send them direct messages. Direct messages get much more attention than advertisements and should be personalized. Connect and network on this platform in creative ways using its list of people and ability to sort through them with hashtags.
You are going to want to create a message that will make them want to respond for DMing. Include a special offer or free help of some kind. You can create a home guide for the territory you work or focus on a personal touch. Look at their profile for clues to their further interests. Visit links on their profile and find out about their business to strike a meaningful connection. The best part about this type of networking is that you are using Instagram exactly what it is supposed to be used for and it is free. If done correctly this can position you as a real estate professional in a certain niche and be a nonstop cash-cow.
To further your efforts, post on Instagram a lot with a focus on your niche. Marketing guru Russell Brunson recommends posting on the platform 5-7 times a day, documenting your day and sharing useful information. DO NOT MAKE IT ALL ABOUT SALES. Make it personal and about you to attract the right customers.
I shared with you some of the best ways I used to get real estate leads and I hope it works for you as well. If you have anything that works better comment below! As always, thank you for reading.