As a commercial real estate professional you don’t need reminding that your daily routine is packed. From listing appointments to sales presentations and due diligence…who has time for anything extra, especially social networking? Well, if you are reading this blog, hopefully that means you have realized the important role social media plays in your overall marketing plan.
Let’s face it, even if you don’t want to “socialize” on digital platforms, being visible on social media is a necessary part of promoting your personal brand, services and products to the external marketplace. In today’s fast-paced, digital world visibility is key and Twitter is a great, and free, platform to get all that is “you” out there for the world to see.
Whether you are new to the social media game, or are currently live tweeting this blog, these tips for getting the most from Twitter will help push your social game to the next level.
Put It Out There, Wisely
Something to always remember with social media – be careful what you put out there. In the age of Google, chances are the first thing a prospect will do is search for you on the internet. So always make sure to follow the “Grandma Rule”: Ensure that what is found on the internet you would be proud to show your grandma.
Second, your Twitter biography matters and should be used to stand out from the crowd and catch people’s attention. It may seem difficult describe yourself in 160 characters, but keep these tips in mind:
- Use keywords that tie to your business, such as, “CRE, Sperry Van Ness, SVN, Broker”.
- Use words and short phrases instead of sentences, such as, “John Doe, CRE Professional, Sperry Van Ness, Atlanta”.
- Keep it current by updating your bio with any special events or marketing tactics, such as, “CRE Advisor, Attending ICSC Western Division, Let’s Network”.
Remember, nothing is set in stone so try different keywords, phrases, etc. and see what gets the most engagement. Trial and error is your friend.
Hashtags: If You Don’t Use, You Lose
First things first, here is the definition of a hashtag: The # symbol, called a hashtag, is used to mark keywords or topics in a Tweet that become searchable. Twitter users created it organically as a way to categorize messages.
So, why are these are important? Beyond the fact that tweets with hashtags receive two times more engagement then those without, using them helps others find you. A hashtag describes to your audience what you are sharing, such as, “Major #CRE news in the #Boston market: #Retail investments plummeted 29%.” In this example, anyone who searches for CRE news in Boston will see your tweet.
You can also be the one searching. Within the Twitter platform, and in most search engines, you can search for specific hashtags to get informed about what is going on in your local market. Do some hunting with relevant keywords and see what you find.
Some useful tips on hashtags:
- More than three is a crowd. You should never use more than three hashtags in a single tweet.
- Never start a tweet with a #.
- For a more in-depth look at hashtags, here is a great article.
It’s Okay To Be A Follower
Using Twitter in your CRE business is solely done to increase your visibility. The more followers you have on Twitter, the more visible you become. In order to increase followers you should be the one following. Do some searching and find those individuals in the commercial real estate market who are sharing great content and who have built a strong following in the Twitter-verse. They will serve as great examples of what works, and what doesn’t, on Twitter.
You actually don’t need to look very far. There are many Twitter superstars in the Sperry Van Ness organization who serve as great examples:
Robert Pliska, Diane Danielson, Catherine House, Jerry Anderson, Natvar Nana, Karen Hurd, Miguel de Arcos, Alex Ruggieri and Reid Bennett.
Sharing Is Caring
Moving a step beyond following someone, make sure to share his or her content. Retweeting, or sharing someone else tweet denoted by “RT”, is a great way to both engage and save time by repurposing relevant content someone else has lovingly already packaged for you!
Another tip is to call out other Twitter users in your tweets by using their handle, denoted by the “@” symbol, such as, “Great news out of #Boston: @DianeDanielson promoted to COO of SVNIC! #CRE”. This is a great way to start a conversation, and increase engagement.
Some useful tips on sharing:
- Make sure to vary your tweets with both original content and retweets.
- Never start a tweet with the @ symbol. If you need to, make sure to put a period before it like, “.@DianeDanielson…”.
- Respond to those who shared your content or referred to your handle. No one likes to have a one-sided conversation.
Always remember the biggest rule in social media: It’s not about you, it’s about them. Engagement is built by providing content that is relevant to your clients, colleagues and the #CRE marketplace.
Happy tweeting!