5 Ways to Use LinkedIn for Generating Real Estate Leads

Most of us think of LinkedIn as a social network for finding a job. It certainly is a global job recruitment site, but it is an amazing way for real estate professionals to connect with other professionals. It's also a fantastic way to generate leads for your real estate business.

Many businesses say that LinkedIn is a more effective way to generate leads than both Facebook and Twitter. So what are you waiting for? Here are five tips for you to use LinkedIn real estate marketing to your advantage.

Your Profile

Just as you would do on your website or other social media platforms, put some time and effort into creating a great LinkedIn profile. Your audience is comprised of potential buyers and sellers, so keep that in mind when you complete your profile. Fill out as many sections as you can.

You definitely want to showcase your real estate specialty. Potential customers like personal stories, and because home buying is such a personal experience, write about what your customers mean to you and the extra steps you take for them. People love to get a glimpse of what you're really like, beyond the professional resume.

Invest in a professional headshot photo. List your professional affiliations and other stats like how many homes you've sold.

At the top of your profile is the summary section. This is the first thing people see. A compelling summary will make them want to read more. Introduce yourself. Why are you in real estate? The summary is like the 'About Me' section of your website, so use it wisely. Include a call to action for more leads—invite people to contact you!

Once your profile is done, don't abandon it! See who's viewing it from the "Who's Viewed Your Profile" section. This gives you insight as to who is viewing your page. Consistently check this because these are great sources for new leads.

Publish

Now that you have a great profile, use LinkedIn's publishing platform to establish yourself as an authority in real estate.

LinkedIn's rich media section allows you to post images of incredible homes you've sold, or images of the neighborhoods or properties you specialize in. You can also post reports. Consider writing a report about local markets, commercial properties, or amenities in the neighborhood. These can quickly establish you as a go-to agent.

LinkedIn Business

Owners of real estate brokerages should definitely consider a LinkedIn business account, which allows you to have a Company Page. You can highlight all of your agents on the LinkedIn showcase pages.

The business account also means that you have access to LinkedIn's powerful suite of graphics and analytics tools for real estate marketing on LinkedIn. Using these can really set your firm apart as the stand-out firm in the area. A great added bonus is that LinkedIn pages traditionally rank high in search engine results, so it's great exposure for your business.

Expand Your Network

At its core, LinkedIn is a networking site, so use it to your advantage. Make connections! That's what LinkedIn is all about. Use people you already know to connect with people they know. LinkedIn has the "People You May Know" section that shows these connections; they're brought into your list based on your location and interests and from your existing network. Make a point of visiting that list at least once a week to consistently add people to your network.

LinkedIn also features an Advanced Search capability to find people that may not appear in the above list. This search finds connections based on industry and location as well as relevant keywords that you share; it can be very effective for real estate marketing on LinkedIn. Once you identify them, invite them to connect. Craft a great message such as, "I'm glad I came across your profile! I think we should connect because..."

LinkedIn Groups are available to you as well, and you can interact with these groups and anyone who is a member without being connected to them. As such, it is a great way to boost your real estate marketing on LinkedIn by connecting with industry leaders and important people in the community in which you buy and sell.

Reconnect

We all lose touch with friends and colleagues over the years. The thought of calling or emailing all of them is daunting, right? Why not use LinkedIn to reconnect? It's a great way to find previous buyers, sellers and colleagues in the industry. LinkedIn's great search capability makes this a breeze. Reconnecting with a previous client will open up their network to you, so use this great feature of LinkedIn real estate marketing.

Haven't spent much time on LinkedIn lately? It's time to change that so that you can use this powerful tool to boost your real estate marketing leads. Try it, and let us know how it is working for you. We think you'll be surprised.

To view the original article, visit the WolfNet blog.