I have been using Social Media since about 2009.  I am active on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and within reason Google Plus with the addition of You Tube.

While I have had articles written about my use of Social Media-there are some thoughts and idea that are important to share.

I also spent a great deal of money to update my website at the end of last year. Over the course of my career I have spent more than you can imagine to create the Branding that I use today.

First, I started on Social Media to “see” what the kids were doing on Facebook.  In 2009 not many Real Estate professionals had caught on.  In the first six months of using Facebook-I sold 7 properties.

I am currently connected to 5000 people on Facebook. I have a page and a closed group as well.  Today Facebook is used to promote everything from a political stance to the food that you have for lunch! I find that I do not log into Facebook like I used to for these reasons.

Twitter started when my Step Daughter, who was about 8 or 9 came to me and said that I needed to have a Twitter account. In the spirit of encouragement, I told her to make one for me.  Hence, I am ccimcutie.  I did not use Twitter a lot for a long time.  Now I use this all the time.

You Tube is used all over my website and I love the platform not only to educate my Clients but to share videos with Clients that helps with marketing.

LinkedIn is the platform that I recommend. As of this morning I am connected to almost 12,000 people.

Here is the secret to social media (and there are NO secrets in marketing) – consistency!  I spend approximately at the minimum 1-2 hours a day. I have most of my social media accounts linked together so that I can work on one platform and it will populate all of them.

BEFORE you dive into Social Media spend a GREAT deal of time to develop your profiles.  For heaven’s sake get a current professional photo!

I do not hire my Social Media to be done by someone else-they never sound or feel like me.

Remember that when someone connects with you-send a thank you to them and tell them about yourself.

STATISTACALLY, you have 7 seconds to make an impression-don’t use this to tell someone what you had for lunch-no one cares!

When someone endorses you on LinkedIn-say thanks and Endorse them back.  ASK for Recommendations and know the difference between Endorsements and Recommendations. Be sure on LinkedIn to list all 50 of your items that You want to be endorsed for!  Change the order as the top three is the order that these items are seen.  Change them as you evolve in your business.

Block anyone that either annoys you or certainly harasses you! On all Social Media Platforms.

Remember that no matter what your business is – if you don’t tell anyone they will not know who you are or what you do!

In future blogs, I will take each platform and break it down completely what works for me and what does not.