"The Approachable Expert" ~ Using Social Media to Provide Value
by Dane Findley on March 10, 2010Social media channels — such as Flickr, Facebook, and Twitter — are helping savvy real estate advisors to provide scintillating digital content to their clients between transactions. Okay, well, “scintillating” might be an exaggeration — sometimes the articles, videos and photographs that professionals produce are merely informative and useful (but other times, they’re downright entertaining!).
I like to encourage my talented team of licensed agents to imagine their social media channels as tools in a toolbox, that can help them to brand themselves as approachable experts. I mean, they already are approachable, and they already are experts, so why not showcase it? Years and years of experience have their brains overflowing with knowledge and skills and stories — so why not put all of that “juice” to good use, in service of our neighbors?
Fading are the days when professionals stiffly pose for a photographer for some print ad in a magazine or newspaper, trying to look as officious and stuffy as possible (or worse, trying to look “glamorous”). Instead, I tell my team: just roll up your sleeves, be your authentic self, and share those brilliant parts of your brain that will help us to learn about our communities and enjoy the Southern California lifestyle! In this new era of social media, the way to be relevant now is to be helpful and transparent!
Check out this 58-second video where I try to tell-it-like-it-is:
Am I missing anything? I welcome your feedback and insight in the comments section below.
A line from one of my favorite movies “Harold and Maude” has Maude saying, “Ah, don’t be officious. When you’re officious you’re not yourself!”
Great piece Dane. You are right on the mark and I like where you are heading with your leadership!
John aka OrganizingLA
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Dane, I love the aspect of Social Media that you refer to in this great blog. All of these tools really do allow the public at large to get a “real” sense of who we are, our authentic selves. That to me is not only the best thing since bread was sliced, it’s a lot of fun!
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[...] Social Media Aligns with Real Estate, Helps Consumers (your clients are researching you online) 2. Are you an “Approachable Expert?” (using social media to provide value) 3. How Your Environment Impacts Your Productivity (the [...]
[...] Are you an “Approachable Expert?” (using social media to provide [...]
Jak zbudować silną markę Reklama PR…
Listed below are links to blogs that reference this entry: OMMA Social: Building brands with Social Media….
Transparency is key, nowadays. People can see through a phony online facade so easily now that it’s crucial to be honest when representing yourself on social media networks. Not only that, but when you’re already a successful and trustworthy individual in real life, what’s the harm in just being yourself on Facebook?
Social comments and analytics for this post…
This post was mentioned on Twitter by Lorensan: RT @danenow: Are you an “approachable expert?” 58-second video: http://ow.ly/1gR3T...
I do agree that being helpful and transparent is important. Coming across so many people with fake identities on social media people can now easily identify whether a person on social media is representing the true picture or not. Social media meets the extremes. If people like someone on social media they keep a life time relation and if they dislike the individual they will never give a second thought to it.
Answering your question I would like to say that there is no harm in it. It is just another misconception among people which pulls them away from being their selves.
[...] — this is where your personality, your own unique existence comes into play. And given the transparency of the online community, it’s so important that you embrace and beef up your personal identity as well as your [...]
[...] Are you an “Approachable Expert?” (using social media to provide value) 2. Tend to Clients Like You Would Tend to a Garden (provide [...]
I am immediately put at ease when I see your video Dane for the following reason: I get a clear sense of who you are and the ease in which you conduct yourself. You are inclusive and fun. That could be all I need to pick up the phone and call you to see if you would assist me in finding a house because I get to see you with zero “agenda”. Clean and “approachable”. Great demonstration. Thanks, N
[...] Are you an “Approachable Expert?” (using social media to provide value) 2. Tend to Clients Like You Would Tend to a Garden (provide [...]
cool story.
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[...] “The Approachable Expert” ~ Using Social Media to Provide Value [...]
[...] Are you an “Approachable Expert?” (using social media to provide value) 2. Tend to Clients Like You Would Tend to a Garden (provide [...]
[...] Social Media Aligns with Real Estate, Helps Consumers (your clients are researching you online) 2. Are you an “Approachable Expert?” (using social media to provide value) 3. How Your Environment Impacts Your Productivity (the [...]
[...] — this is where your personality, your own unique existence comes into play. And given the transparency of the online community, it’s so important that you embrace and beef up your personal identity as well as your [...]