There’s a whole generation of young real estate professionals who define social networks as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Snapchat etc. But before we hid behind our smart phones, iPads and tablets, the way we met those buyers and sellers was from a different kind of social networking — the face-to-face, toe-to-toe, social or business networking scene. As our society becomes increasingly disconnected from connecting, the spoke you can develop and have a lot of fun with is offline, social networking.
Particularly, if you struggle with over the phone prospecting, fear of rejection and more scripted conversations, social networking can be the spoke that saves your business! The people who tend to enjoy this prospecting method are those with more extroverted personalities, who gravitate towards groups of people and don’t mind engaging in chit-chat and then moving onto the next conversation to meet more new people and engage in more new experiences.
It’s both business and social, so mix and match. Pick up a BNI (Business Networking International) membership one morning a week and then spend another evening in a book club or photography class, and your weekends in a sports league or hiking club. Whatever piques your interest and puts you in the same places with like-minded people that you can develop connections with counts! The social connection, friendship and trust you develop in your groups will open the door for conversations about real estate.
Just like another other method, social networking must be done consistently. The key to being successful at it is to systematize it! You cannot do it once or twice and expect to get a result. This will be especially hard for the Driver personalities who want fast results and tend to think of social networking as a ‘waste of time.’
Why is it so important to learn, then?
- It helps expand your COI/PC painlessly! When you find a group of people you like (social or business) it’s not so much a chore anymore, as it is a chance to connect – and maybe get a lead too?
- It exposes your mindset and business practices to people outside of real estate. Real estate can end up being a bit of a bubble if you’re not careful. Mixing and mingling with other entrepreneurs and those who aren’t, gives you new insights to how people think and helps you think outside the box!
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