As more work is moving online, establishing a virtual presence is key for real estate professionals
By Myrna Traylor
If anything has become abundantly clear because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s our reliance on the internet to make and maintain connections with friends, family, coworkers and clients. In her RRC course, Technology and Plans for Success, Monica Neubauer, CRS, sets out several principles that will help REALTORS® ensure that their online presence isn’t an afterthought, but an integral part of their client communications strategy.
“Today’s clients and agents are heavy technology users,” Neubauer says. “We are all using online portals for banking, medical care and so forth. The downside is that REALTORS® are often more sophisticated consumers of technology tools than they are providers.”
Cybersecurity is a Must
In your online communications, be sure to protect any client information. “You shouldn’t be getting sensitive data from your clients, but if you do have it, you must protect it,” says Monica Neubauer, CRS. She reminds agents in the RRC class she teaches that phishing scams are so believable. Agents need to watch what is coming to them and what is going out to clients.
Agents’ personal safety and the safety of their business information is important as well. Use caution when using public Wi-Fi. “There could be hackers anywhere,” she says.
Neubauer argues that agents should remember that the tried-and-true ways of sustaining client relationships—phone calls, handwritten notes and other personal touches—will always be critical. There is no need to replace those approaches, but there are excellent tools that will make your business run more smoothly, and using the communications methods that are familiar to prospective clients is a great way to stay top of mind with them.
She recommends that agents think about their online interactions this way: “It’s good to see you online, and someday soon it will be good to see you face-to-face. Our relationships are both face-to-face as well as online—it’s not just one or the other. Our online life is our life.”
Start smart
As a first, critical step to getting your technological house in order, Neubauer recommends a contact management system of some form. She encourages use of a CRM or some combination of Google and Google add-ons. Whatever it is, it needs to be digitized. “CRMs for real estate are such powerful tools,” she adds. This database is your internal pool of contacts. With that foundation, then you can work on your outward-facing messaging.
“You need to be more intentional about your online presence,” Neubauer says. “You are creating an online reputation. What do you want it to be?” She adds that not having a professional photo online these days makes an agent look insecure and out of step with the market. “Many clients will look you up online. Some of the most thorough investigators are retired clients—they have the time! Younger people do a quick Google search. If they don’t see you or think you don’t have online savvy, they will think you won’t be able to market properties in this virtual environment.”
It would be good to start with a written plan that covers all your social media, blogs, emails, YouTube channel and website, even if you don’t stick to it religiously. Establish your brand by having a consistent look, color scheme and photos across all platforms. And remember to use photos that you took yourself or that you have legal permission to use.
Keep up the good work
Newer or less experienced agents need to construct high-quality profiles on LinkedIn, Zillow and Facebook to show you are online and can use online tools. If you are a seasoned or advanced user of these platforms, feel free to add more. “The important thing is to use the platform you feel most comfortable with,” Neubauer explains, “but we don’t use all of them all the time. You don’t want your online presence to look stale. That’s why a good professional profile setup will last you a long time on a less frequently used platform.” In addition, build a schedule to ensure that you circulate through all your profiles to check that they are all attractive and up to date.
Engaging on social media is so important that it is critical to take the time to have a professional presentation. Facebook and Instagram are ideal platforms for connecting with current or past clients. Sending birthday wishes and acknowledging clients’ life events on social media are ways to stay top of mind. As time goes by, you can add ads and/or video—just keep your presence active and growing. If you use social media well, for instance, by posting virtual open houses or listing market stats, clients will be reminded that you are connected in the real estate industry. And if you are interesting or witty, all the better.
Just recognize that consumers are looking for engaging, relevant content that is both honest and sincere. “The days of ‘anything goes’ posts just to be posting are waning,” Neubauer cautions. People like to see interesting, authentic ideas and photos. If you share others’ content, add your thoughts about why you think it is valuable. If what you are doing with your online presence is working for you, that is fine. But you should know that consumers are looking to see agents—especially CRSs—who perform at a high level, and we should always be seeking to improve our business in order to meet that expectation.”
Tackling Your Online Makeover
Even seasoned users should go through all profiles to make sure they “don’t look hodge-podgey,” says Monica Neubauer, CRS. “Even though my LinkedIn profile is quite good, it could be better!” So she is taking a class on ways to improve it.
One bit of advice: Everything counts. Highlight what you do best and what your strengths and competencies are. You want your profile to look professional, but you don’t have to look salesy, she says. Include a good, clear photo of yourself; your banner should have your contact numbers and address; and repeat your profession. Canva is a great app to help you with consistency in your graphics for different platforms.
Meet your Designation Maintenance requirements today! Read this article and “Tour de Force,” take a 10-question quiz and earn 2 credits. Go to CRS.com/trs-quiz to get started.
