Here’s one for the Loan Originators…
Quick…
Which of the following Social Media Networks do you think you would most likely find a not too technical, 47 yr old Real Estate Agent? You know, that long time Agent who is never in the office, works from home, sends out seasonal recipe cards, and is closing one deal every other month?
The one without a real website (or blog)? Yeah, that one!
Would it be…
- MySpace?
- Facebook?
- Twitter?
- LinkedIn?
You’re right! You did say LinkedIn right? (ok, maybe the title gave it away)
That “Old School Agent ” signed up for LinkedIn three years ago.
At the time, they had no idea what social media was - they still don’t.
They probably signed up and forgot about it. They haven’t logged in in years and they’ll have to reset their password to get back in…
But if you find them and ask to connect to them, the LinkedIn system will send them a message letting them know.
Do we really want to make meaningful connections with someone like that? One of the 80% doing 20% of the business?
I say, “Why not?”
It’s simple to do, it’s not time consuming, and it’s free. Oh and one more thought, nobody else is reaching out to them, NOBODY !
I like competing against nobody.
Ready to start searching? Here’s three easy ways to find them.
1. Type their name in the search box. That’s all. Yeah, that was a gimmee.
2. Let LinkedIn search your address book for matching emails and names. Give LinkedIn access to your online address book (as in Yahoo, Gmail, AOL, Hotmail) or upload a comma separated value file from your ACT, Outlook, or other database.
3. Find them using the Advanced Search Function . Just set the following two parameters.
- Location: Located in or near (your zip code)
- Industry: Real Estate
That little search found 3,036 local real estate agents!
Out of that 3,036 I’ll guess that very few are actually using social media, very few are in the office, and very few are being contacted by anyone (you or your competition).
Yet these agents are closing deals, not heavy hitter kind of numbers, but deals none the less. And guess what? By making the effort to genuinely connect with them they’ll be sending you their deals. Does that make sense?
Want to sweeten the pot? You can now show them how to tap into LinkedIn to find new business.
Go to LinkedIn and start making meaningful connections today!
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This post brought to you courtesy of Mike Mueller.
Feel free to ReBlog or ReTweet as you like as long as you credit the source (him).
Did you know? He's for hire! He builds Blogs, Graphic Images and Widgets and Facebook Pages and besides… He knows lots of really cool stuff.
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Mike - I'm not old enough to be connected to you via LinkedIn. Shame. I was going to send you some business. Oh well, maybe in 11 years. Haha. Great post though, I'm trying to find new ways to bring people into the social media world. Agents that are scared of it all. Its frustrating because what they don't realize is that I am trying to help and I'm not afraid to share what I have learned. I'll keep trying though, anything to better our industry as a whole and help the consumer is a good idea to me.
Are you talking about me?
Matt - Wow! Do I feel old! Snaaaaap ; )
This is one of those super secrets. Connecting with the old school. It’s strange but true, so many of those that you think would never have a SocMed presence have a profile up on LinkedIn. It was all the rage a couple of years ago. Nowadays,they hardly come into the office, their loan officer has left the biz, and all you have to do as an loan originator is reach out to them.
Here’s a Loan Officer Business Plan for 2009: Better, faster and easier than blogging. Every Tuesday reach out to just 10 Agents. Start the conversation. That conversation will lead to an offline conversation pretty quickly. That becomes a real relationship and in Real Estate it’s the relationships that become deals.
For Agents like yourself, adapt the same as above to look for Investors.
Virginia - Matt was - not me. LOL
You don't resemble any of the above. Young, Tech Savvy... I can go on and on... : )
Mike - just did a quick advanced search and we have 2792 results for real estate within 10 miles from our zip code. Wow, didn't think it was that much. ~Rita
Hi Mike, great post. Linked has grown with leaps and bounds and yes Im following and Linked. Here's to a Happy New Year to you and your family! Cheers!
Mike
It would be unheard of these days for people in a people business not to social network
Tom
Thanks, Mike. Matt is so mean.
I don't know why exactly - but giving LinkedIn my address book scared me. Maybe I am old.
Mike - WONDERFUL point. Early in my career I listened to some top producing "experts" advising to only work with a handful of top producing agents instead of spreading out to 30+ agents. My career has suffered based on that advice as I put too much stock in agents that didn't "pull me through" the hard times. Now I target new agents and "1-a-month'ers". In the journey I've found most of them FAR more personable, humble, trusting, a JOY to work with, and undeniably grateful for the hard work the I do. FOOEY to those stupid experts! :-P Thanks again for the grat advice Mike.
Hi Mike I have been Twittering with you this week and I too went to Linkedin and upgraded my profile. Not sure why, Just did it. Watching the 30 sometings blaze a trail inspired me. Look forward to tweets from you.
Hi Mike I have been Twittering with you this week and I too went to Linkedin and upgraded my profile. Not sure why, Just did it. Watching the 30 sometings blaze a trail inspired me. Look forward to tweets from you.
Mike, great tips to try.
Mike, even better..the 50 something technodude who told me about Linkedin 3 years ago didn't reven respond to my offer to link...duh!
Mike - this is a great idea for loan originators. Got any ideas for realtors? LOL
The more I learn about social media and the more I reach out, the more I see from it. Just like most things; makes sense, doesn't it?
Mike: As a 40 year old Realtor, I still haven't figured that one out.. :)
Mike,
I like your idea of connecting on LI and didn't even know about the advanced search feature until reading this. My problem with LI is that I find it hard to develop meaningful connections, it is not like AR where you can read and comment on each other's blogs. In fact, if you ever read the end user agreement, the purpose of the site is not to build new connections but to maintain connections with those you already know.
There are plenty of people who are willing to connect just for the sake of increasing their numbers of connections, but how do you develop a meaningful relationship after that?
Michelle
Great Article,
Just signed up for Linked In so glad to hear this. Thanks for the detailed instructions.
The Boulder Real Estate market has many great veterans...
Steve Higgins
Boulder Homes and Real Estate
www.BoulderLoanRanger.com
Very nice blog and goes along with the webinar yesterday by Brian Brady and Jim Cronin on Social Media.
I signed up for it a couple of months ago---guess it can't hurt in this crazy environment.
I love LinkedIN its like your resume permanent online, I had many job offers on there and met alot of new connections on there. Great tip Mike
Mike: I use Linkedin but probably not to the extent you do. Thanks for the tips. Social networking is an interesting game. Does it replace the value of face-to-face networking? No. Does it add to it? I believe so. Good luck to you!
Hi Mike - for some reason I keep avoiding LI. Now today after reading your post on a snowy day I am heading to LI. Thanks
Hi Mike - I think I am on every social network out there that exists - I'll have to friend you on at least one of them!!!
Great post - happy new year!
I hate when us old people get picked on. Pick on somebody younger eh!!!!
Never got a warm and fuzzy feeling about linkedin
I DO like facebook, as it tends to draw in the non professionals too....
I can’t reply to everyone but I do want to make a few points…
Tom - ”It would be unheard of these days for people in a people business not to social network” You would be surprised. As easy as it is to blog (especially here in ActiveRain) there are few Agents who make it part of their normal biz plan. That’s OK, blogging isn’t for everyone and some certainly shouldn’t blog.
Shannon – LinkedIn tips for Realtors? It’s a post that’s already in draft. Coming soon to a blog near you!
Michelle - “how do you develop a meaningful relationship after that?” I’m glad you asked. Here’s one of the most missed points in all social media.
It’s just the start of the conversation.
That’s all. Be it blogging, LinkedIn, Facebook or Twitter. For that conversation to become a meaningful relationship, (to become an actual deal), something has to happen. That something is up to you but it generally needs to go offline. The easiest thing is to pick up the phone. That could lead to meeting for lunch.
We don’t sell homes over the internet, we sell homes face to face. Somehow you need to move the initial conversation from online to face to face.
Colleen – I couldn’t make that webinar. Those two are some of the smartest people I know. I’ll bet it was good! Brian Brady has always been a proponent of taking the conversation offline.
I am just about social media'd out these days...I'm on Twitter, Linked In, Active Rain, Facebook, Moms Like Me, Smaller Indiana, and other local groups near me; I'm submitting to the Carnival, DIGG, getting pinged by Technorati, and holding my eyes open with tooth picks every night as a result. But, I have learned so much and met so many great people...I plan to keep on at it.
Do it, Do it, Do it....
Did you know you're quoted on the front page of today's Wall Street Journal? Great article on your haiku series.
Mike, great idea ! Have done that to a certain extent already but need to spend more time doing so ! Will be looking foward to those future blog posts !