Why Facebook Groups For Real Estate are Your Secret Weapon and How To Use Them

Facebook Groups Help Real Estate Gents Reach Their Ideal Clients

Facebook Groups For Real Estate aren’t lame…anymore!

I’ve found that very few people are EXCITED to be added to a Facebook Group. Like kid on Christmas, or me when Game of Thrones comes on, kind of excited. (Seriously making us wait TWO years until the next episode, Who does that?!) Anyways, as I was saying, if it’s not a very specific group that you’re seeking (work, personal, sports-related, etc) chances are that when you’ve added to a Facebook group the first question you’re wondering is WHY, and the second might be HOW DO I LEAVE?

The reality is that most people have identified that Facebook Groups are a great way to reach their clients and target audience in a new and often private way. There’s something about the exclusivity that makes a girl feel special right? Facebook Groups are in fact a secret weapon for any business, but like any weapon, if used the wrong way they could backfire. So let’s make sure we get you agents pointed in the right direction!

4 Ways To Use Facebook Groups To Grow Your Real Estate Business

1. PERSONAL ENGAGEMENT INSTEAD OF JUST BEING ANOTHER “BUSINESS” PAGE

One of the biggest perks of leading a group is the ability to be an advocate for yourself. And not only your “business” self, but your honest-to-goodness self. Most businesses are so focused on the sale that they miss the opportunity to really engage with their audience. If you read How to be More Social on Social Media, then you know how I feel about engagement!

A business page, profile, or website won’t really allow you to engage with your customers in such an organic and instant way. With a Facebook Group you have real-time access to your audience and can get an immediate gauge of how your business is viewed. You might ask, well CurbCreative, that sounds great and all, but how do I get people into this group so I’m not talking to myself?

?Engagement is King on social media and it all starts with being more social! Here is a quick guide to How to be More Social on Social Media.

3 Reasons Real Estate Agents Need To Build A Brand

2. PROVIDE VALUE – CONSISTENTLY AND WITHOUT EXPECTATION

Anyone who joins your Group, who follows you on social media or actually talks to you online is doing so for a reason. As an agent, you want their reason to be because they can see themselves working with you! This relates to potential buyer/seller clients, other agents, brokers, companies, etc. FACT: We live in a society that likes to TAKE more than they give. (Sad but true) Digitally speaking, (baby steps here folks!) we want you to be the opposite. You want to give value at every opportunity you can within your group. Your Facebook Group is, and will be, a centralized place for people to engage with you in discussions and to be able to receive VALUE. Every single agent has something of value to contribute to the real estate conversation.

Whether it’s an assessment of the housing industry, expertise in a particular niche, neighborhood specialties, or just having such a positive outlook and love for the industry/profession that people interact with you purely because you motivate them. Whatever it may be, the added value you bring should be given freely, consistently, and without expectation. Your target audience will appreciate the genuineness and will love your group and what they can look to get from it as a result. Talk about and advertise your group everywhere that you are digitally and watch them flow in! (Hopefully you’re already using some of the recommended hashtag strategiesso your posts are reaching your target audience.)

3. COMMUNITY/BUSINESS NETWORKING

Your Real Estate Agent Facebook Group will become a community, a place where a variety of people, opinions, and personalities will blend to make the ultimate networking smoothie. One of the biggest benefits of a Facebook Group is the ability to build a diverse community that supports each other towards the ultimate goal of success. Members learn to harness this community for potential deals, leads, tips, support, etc.

At the start, most of this should be what you bring to the group through your added Value, but the true sign of Facebook Group success is when your group starts to add value to each other as well. At that point your group has taken a life of its own, its growing continuously and kicking ass…kind of like a Facebook Groot (for all of my agents who are Marvel fans out there).

4. SPECIAL CALLS TO ACTIONS

Picture this: Wouldn’t it be great if you had a curated audience of people already interested in your business and any services that you have to offer? Even better, what if they were all in the same place and able to start talking with each other about your awesome real estate services? I think you guys can see where this is headed.

If you think about it another way, Facebook Groups are like a highly targeted ad, you’re able to hit the exact target audience because these are people who CHOSE to be targeted by you specifically. This isn’t to say that you flood them with sales pitches daily (remember the value step before!), but this is so that you understand the potential. Take some time to create a free content offer – in other words a lead magnet – so that you can not only serve your group with value but also get their email address.

Remember, you have a very specific group of people, who are engaged, interested, and most importantly invested in you and what you have to offer. Whatever call to action that you develop has a much higher chance of adoption if shared within your Facebook Group.

?If your followers are telling you what they need make sure to create a freebie that solves their problems! Find out the crucial 5 Reasons Why You Must Have An Email List.

Few Things To Consider When Starting Your Real Estate Facebook Group

Create some group rules or guidelines for the group, they can be very detailed or as simple as you’d like. But it’s important to set the expectations for the group so members know how this particular group operates/flows. (It’s much better to have something to point back to, rather than letting it be the Wild Wild West in your group)
Engage regularly – This seems to be a common theme around these blogs. It is VERY VERY Important to engage with your community regularly.
Use the documents section of the group for important or popular items. This helps minimize some of the repetitive “What was that link/document/spreadsheet/picture/carrier pigeon/bat signal again?” posts
Consider the type of group you’re creating. The options are “Open” (public, where anyone can join), “Closed” (people can search for the group, but can’t see any posts) or “Private” (completely hidden from search, only people who created the group and the members in the group can see it)

In Summary

It’s easy to say, “Get on Social Media, because you need to be on there” but without breaking down some of the barriers to getting social it’s hard to know how to move forward.

These are just a few practical ways to reduce the stress of social media, and start to figure out your direction on the variety of social media platforms as a real estate agent. So go out there and Do You Boo, and be sure to tag me as you start to get more social so we can be more social together.

Editor’s note: This article was created by Kary Perry, Agent at eXp Realty. Information deemed reliable but is subject to change.

About Building Better Agents

At Building Better Agents, we are dedicated to helping agents build successful real estate careers. We help agents develop a plan, build a database, and work smarter to uncover the keys to success as a real estate agent. All without cold calling, door knocking, and chasing expired listings. Building Better Agents Leaders Kerry Lucasse and Kary Perry are proud to be agents with eXp Realty.

For more information, please contact us today!