Make Social Media Your Superpower

By Rachel Adams Lee

When I was a new agent – before I had a listing under my belt – I would host open houses and post about them regularly on social media. “Come to my open house,” the posts would read … always accompanied by a smiling selfie and photos of the home. After several open houses, interested buyers began reaching out to me online. It didn’t matter that the listings weren’t my own. I had piqued their interest, assumed a position of success, and earned their business.

Since then, I’ve turned my passion for connecting with people through social media into my superpower, and it has paid off. In three years, our team has gone from selling 23 homes via Facebook to 108 without spending a dime on leads. This is the POWER of social media.

And, because I believe in a culture of abundance (instilled in me by Keller Williams), I want to help my fellow agents succeed. Here are some of the social media aha’s I’ve gained over the past few years:

The 80/20 Principle works.

After several years of making social media prospecting my ONE Thing, I’ve learned that people work with people they like, and can only like people they know. So, instead of inundating my social media platforms with listings and business content, I’ve adopted the 80/20 Principle – 80 percent of my posts are personal (what I’m reading, where I’m traveling, what I’m eating) and 20 percent are about business (where I’m speaking, awards I’ve won, events I’m hosting, listings).

To do this effectively, I’ve made a list of the five things I am passionate about so my followers can get to know me: marriage, health and fitness, real estate, personal development, and travel.

For example, I love inspirational quotes, which fits in the personal development category. If you’ve taken BOLD seven times, you love a good quote. So, once a week, I post a quote that has resonated with me and ask my followers what it means to them. Everyone wants to be heard.

Don’t post and ghost.

This is my number one rule. Great posts will lead to steady streams of engagement – comments, likes, shares. Don’t let them sit! Set aside time each day (time block) to respond to every person who has commented on and liked your post. Each is an opportunity for business.

On my birthday, I posted a photo of my husband and me with a message about lessons I’ve learned throughout the year. Instead of following up with a blanket “thank you” post to all the people who wished me a happy birthday, I reached out to everyone who commented and liked my post individually. Before messaging them, I visited their Facebook page to see what was going on in their life so I could strike up a meaningful conversation with them.

Here’s an example of a conversation I had: 

Me: Hi, Sam. Thank you for wishing me a happy birthday! I ended up going to Tahoe and it was amazing. I see that Jonathan just graduated. Congratulations! Are you planning on going on vacation this year?

Sam: Thanks, Rachel! Yes, we are planning to go to Mexico this year to celebrate Jonathan. One last hurrah before college. How are you doing?

Me: I’m great! Just finishing an amazing 2018 and prepping for 2019! I can’t believe how fast the year flew by! We just put eight listings under contract. The market is jamming! Would you ever think about downsizing now that you’ll have an empty nest?

When you put others first, the business conversation flows naturally.

Find communities where you can offer value.

At the end of the day, people want to feel that you’re offering them value. Through Facebook groups and communities, you can offer value to (literally) thousands of people.

I’ve done this a couple of ways:

• By hosting ‘Mommy and Mimosa’ events to pamper the women in my sphere. When I got started, I found a local mother’s group on Facebook, which my friend posted the event to (I couldn’t join because I don’t have a child). The event cost me $479 for three hours and I made $2.5 million in production from leads.
• By posting scripts and offering advice in real estate groups. (Every time I provide value in these spaces, I see an uptick in referrals.)

Before posting, always consider the viewer on the other side. They are most likely thinking three things:

1. Can you help me?
2. Do you care about me?
3. Can I trust you?

I guarantee that if you offer value wherever you go (both in person and online), business will follow.

Watch the video below to get an in-depth tutorial of Rachel’s social media prospecting strategy!

About Rachel Adams Lee

Rachel Adams Lee is the CEO and founder of The Rachel Adams Group at Keller Williams Realty Roseville. She is currently ranked in the top 1 percent of all REALTORS® in Placer and Sacramento counties and was on The Wall Street Journal’s Top 1,000 Agents list in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Her team is anticipated to close nearly $70 million in sales this year.

When not actively selling homes, Rachel can be found traveling the country, coaching others on how to build a successful real estate team with a winning mindset. Her joy stems from helping others find the “power within.” She also hosts masterminds focused on women’s empowerment regularly. Rachel lives in El Dorado Hills, California, with her husband Ryan. Together, they own and operate several businesses, including an investment and shampoo company. Other passions include hiking, traveling, cooking and volunteering. She currently serves as an ambassador for a local nonprofit dedicated to ending sex trafficking.