Leigh Brown is the first to admit that she sounds like a character on "The Beverly Hillbillies," but she points out that her southern accent is part of what makes her authentic—the kind of real estate agent that people like to buy homes from. Being "real," she says, is the secret to her success.
 
Brown is the broker/owner of Leigh Brown and Associates RE/MAX Executive Realty and a top-producing REALTOR® in Charlotte, N.C. Last year her brokerage had 300 transactions worth $75 million in sales. It's that kind of record that launched her career as an international motivational speaker, earned her a position in the RE/MAX International Hall of Fame & Circle of Legends, and helped her win a RE/MAX Lifetime Achievement award. She attributes her success, among other things, to Facebook. Discover her tips and tricks from the March 2017 Secrets of Top Selling Agents webinar to create a more effective Facebook presence.
 
You Can't Ignore Facebook
Social media is important, and Facebook is the biggest social media force in the world. Yes, there's Twitter, Snapchat and a dozen other social media sites you can use, but even if you're a Snapchat enthusiast, you have to acknowledge Facebook. Brown pointed out that "as of December 2016, Facebook had 1.86 billion users. For comparison, China has 1.35 billion people." With so many people on Facebook, it's important to stand out in some way. "You can't just go on Facebook and say, 'I'm a REALTOR®,' and expect people to want to contact you," she said. You have to know who you are, why you're in real estate, and why people should contact you.
 
The Big Why
"Think about why you're in real estate. Be honest—you may have started out thinking you would get into real estate because you 'liked people' and you thought selling houses would be fun, but things changed," Brown said. "So why are you really in real estate now?" Maybe you like solving problems or dealing with a challenge. Maybe you enjoy the social aspect or the freedom of the job. "Figure it out," Brown said. A lot of agents spend hours of their time on social media but because they don't know why they're in the business, they don't stand out and they don't make any money. Knowing why you're in real estate and what your passion is will help you define your brand, your social media personality, and the kind of agent you are.
 
Maximizing Your Facebook Presence
Facebook ads are crucial to making your Facebook page work, and since you can't run Facebook ads on personal pages, you need a business page. When designing your ads, make sure your ads reflect your personality. Don't use your canned agency videos or ads. The thing that makes social media, especially Facebook, work is that it is a relationship-building tool, not a business tool or one big advertisement.
 
People want to get to know you on your pages, not be sold something. This means you've got to go back to why you're in real estate. You can connect with buyers and sellers and set yourself apart from other real estate agents by sharing personal photos, insights, etc. showing your "why." It's things like that which make people want to do business with you. After all, they want to connect with a person, not a company.
 
Use Video on Your Site
If you want to continue to not use video, that's your choice—but it's a very powerful tool. It allows you to send a personal message and often elicits a more personal response. You don't need a fancy camera to create videos; all you need is your cell phone. Hold it sideways, not vertical so the end video doesn't have black bars on either side of the video. Remember to relax, be yourself, and don't worry about how you look or sound.
 
Don't Be Wonder Bread
Agents are often told by their first broker to never discuss politics, religion, or anything controversial. You're told to "be Wonder Bread;" in other words, be neutral. However, Brown asserted that Wonder Bread "is nasty." Don't be afraid to have an opinion about things. If you're bland, you're irrelevant. You don't need to pick fights, take sides, or be in people's faces about controversial issues, but don't be afraid to be personal about and open to things you're interested in. Don't shy away from having an opinion if that's who you really are. Remember, Facebook is not a place people go to for business. They go to Facebook to share their lives.
 
For more details on using Facebook effectively, watch the Facebook for Sellers with Leigh Brown webinar.
 
If keeping up with your social strategy is too much for you, let us help! Homes.com Social Fuel takes care of your social strategy by providing you with everything from account setup, post creation, engagement, and Facebook ad management. We will even manage your online reputation and monitor how your business ranks in search results so you can focus on selling real estate.
 
For more information, please visit connect.homes.com.