3 Rules for Social Media from Walt Baczkowski

At the National Association of REALTORS® conference in Anaheim, I had the opportunity to sit down with Walt Baczkowski from Point2. During the course of our conversation, we stumbled upon the subject of social media. Walt has an interesting take – and some valid points to make – on this topic. I’ll focus on a few of his key points here.

1) Social media will never replace your website.

“Everyone is talking about social media,” Walt said. “And many are saying that it will eventually replace a traditional website. This is unlikely, in my opinion.” Instead, Walt hypothesizes, social media will continue to feature prominently in online marketing, but will never completely remove the need for a website.

As you can see in the screenshot below, this website has property details you wouldn’t find on social media, and incorporates a lead capture option. “Social media isn’t a great place to get leads because there’s the potential for them to be stolen.”

However, the site, powered by Point2, also includes social sharing options – which are also pictured here.

The concept that seems to make the most sense to me is this: your website should be the hub of all your online marketing activities. Social media should function as a way to drive traffic to your website, where you can then provide more substantive information about your business. Social media can also serve as a research and networking tool, as I’ll discuss next.

2) Research, research, research.
Walt explained, “I knew I was coming to this event, so for the last several months I have been preparing for it. One of the ways I did this was by following my connections activities on social media, as I always do. I too notice if they had a new grandchild or bought a new car. I committed to memory their vacations and other facts. Now that I’m here at NAR, I have information that I can use to start conversations and that show interest in the people I do business with.”

So, for example, I posted on Facebook about getting a puppy. Anyone wanting to begin a conversation with me could bring that up and share their own stories about canine companions.

By beginning a conversation with a personal detail, Walt is showing his connections several important things:

• I care about you.

• We have something in common.

• I listen and I pay attention.

3) Listen more than you talk.
“I hardly ever post anything on social media,” Walt says. “I spend most of my time listening to what other people say.” Walt urges that we exercise extreme caution in the content and wording of everything we post, something that definitely resonates with me. I’ve seen too many people lose friends, clients and job opportunities due to ill-advised posts on social media.

I should note that some people would argue that a strong social media presence requires you to post insights into your own life – personal and professional. Who is right – those who advocate for more activity on social media or those who insist on less (like Walt)? I can’t say. Perhaps the best solution is to give it a try and see which is the best fit for you.

About Walt
Walt Baczkowski is Vice President, Point2 Sales and Marketing. Walt is a veteran of the real estate profession with over 30 years of experience as CEO for local and State REALTOR® Associations.