Sadly, Colleen and I see too much of this, real estate agents abusing social media. This is an email sent to everyone on the real estate agent's email list, and, without hiding the recipients of the list:
I am trying to get at least 25 fans on my [name of real estate business] fanpage so I can add the URL. Who would like to help? If you have a facebook page I would appreciate so much your becoming my fan! I will then add it to my "coming-soon-website" and my new business cards along with my new picture. Its an all new me:) Just go to my facebook page and you should be able to get to it from there. I'm still learning this facebook thing so I hope you can find it, but I am excited about it for my business! Thanks so much!
Perhaps this agent is new and simply does not understand how things work, but common sense should prevail. No wonder the world out there thinks they are being farmed by us real estate agents. For what it is worth, Colleen and I rarely discuss real estate on Facebook and other social media websites. Sure, we have a business page, but we treat our business page like a brick and mortar store. If they walk in we'll offer our help to them, and if they do not walk in we will not go to their home and bother them to stop by the store.
Hi Joe - I have a fan page on facebook, but I don't recruit my friends for it. I merely link to it in my emails, blog posts etc... People don't want to feel like they are walking onto a used car lot when they log in to their "social" accounts.
Of course unless you do something with your fan page it really is useless no matter how many people LIKE it.
Frankly, I'm one to put little effort (just the minimum) into social media marketing and a whole lot of effort into search engine marketing. The lion's share of new customers still comes through Google search, right?
Joe - I mix it up on my FB page, there is enought personal goofiness coming through that my sometimes business-flash isn't overbearing ( I hope!).
Joe - I have both a fan page and my personal page. Over the last 6 months I have used my fan page less and less and my personal page more and more. 85% goofing off, interacting, being fun, and about 15% real estate. I agree 100% that people don't want to feel like they are getting all of our advertising and none of our personality.
I think it is OK to send out an email to the whole group, but it really depends on how you frame it. If you add value then asking for help is oK.