TC Lead Gen - Social Media Strategies for TC's

TC Lead Gen - Social Media Strategies for TC's

5 Pillars... Breaking social media content in to categories or "pillars" 

When creating a social media strategy and content calendar, it can be helpful to start with "pillars". 

In other words, if you were to look at all of the content that you will be sharing, how would you categorize them? And although there is NO "magic" number of pillars, we want to choose a number that allows us to cover a reasonable amount of ground, while not allowing us to drift in to any kind of feeling of "overwhelm". So with that said, we are going to choose to break our content categories for TC in to 5 pillars.

Those 5 pillars will include post that we would consider personal, educational, inspirational, celebratory and miscellaneous. 

So now that we have clearly defined our 5 pillars, let's get crazy practical, and begin to break down some examples of what type of content or messaging we may be able to create within each of these pillars. So here are a few examples that you could use as IDEA PROMPTS as you begin to build out a library of content (more on this LIBRARY later): 

1) Personal - The Human Side

• Personal Posts: Share stories about yourself and your team to build a personal connection.
• Humor: Incorporate humor to show personality and make your content more relatable.
• Holiday & Birthday Celebrations: Celebrate special occasions to humanize your brand. This could include birthday's and anniversaries of your team members, clients, vendors, local businesses that you'd like to spotlight and more.
• Supporting Your Chosen Charity: Who do you support? Share your philanthropic efforts to share what you and your team value and your involvement in the community. 

2) Educate - Real Estate Based Tips, Tricks & Educations

• Forms (Educate, Updates, etc.): Provide updates and education on essential real estate forms.
• Tech Reviews (Software, Hardware, Apps, etc.): Offer insights into the latest technology beneficial for real estate agents.
• Time Management Tips and Tricks: Share strategies to help agents efficiently manage their workload.
• Transaction & Listing Tips: Offer advice to streamline the transaction process and enhance listings.
• Free Editable Tools, Graphics, and Resources: Provide valuable resources that agents can use to grow their business. Ensuring that everyone is either USING your services or USING a tools and resource that you have created to help run and grow their business. Become the go-to resource for the community that you hope to serve. Ensuring that your "DNA" is evident in their business. Bringing value to those within your community BEFORE they become customers.
• Book Reviews or Lessons Learned: Share key takeaways from relevant books to encourage professional growth.
• Pain Points for Both an Agent and a TC, and Solutions Around Them: Highlight common challenges and inspire with solutions. 
• Leverage (The Importance and Value of, How to Gain Leverage, etc.): Discuss the concept of leverage in real estate to motivate agents to optimize their operations.
• Events That Agents Would Be Interested In: Inspire agents to continue learning and networking by sharing relevant events.
• Market Stats: Use market statistics to motivate agents by showcasing opportunities or trends in their areas.

3) Inspire - Motivate

• Quotes, sections of books, core concepts and principles that you or your organization stand on, etc.: This can be done by creating a graphic in Canva, or by taking an actual picture of your copy of your book where you have made all of your hearts, underlines, highlights and notes with the book (mark those books up - personalizing and sharing your actual books can be truly impactful), you can make a video short of you reading or talking about a particular quote or section from a book or talk, etc. The point being that there are COUNTLESS ways to just share a simple quote or concept.
• THIS SECTION COULD GO ON FOREVER!! But I hope that including this as a pillar will help to INSPIRE and MOTIVATE you to find fun, unique and amazing ways to INSPIRE and MOTIVATE others.

4) Celebrate - Elevate - Shoutouts

• Share Your Agents' Posts (Share What They Care About): Celebrate your agents' successes and interests by sharing their content.
• Vendor Discounts and Shoutouts to Vendors: Elevate your network by offering discounts and recognizing vendors like lenders, title companies, and attorneys.
• Shoutout for Co-op Agent on the Other Side of a Transaction: Celebrate the professionalism and achievements of co-op agents.
• Testimonials Received (Both Video and Text-Based Graphics): Share testimonials to celebrate your successes and the positive impact on your clients.

5) Misc. - Other

• Compliance-Based Topics: Address important compliance issues, which might not fit neatly into the other categories but are crucial for educational purposes.
• Proven Marketing Tips for Agents: Offer marketing strategies that can help agents grow their business.
• Share Job Postings: Support the community by sharing job postings, especially those relevant to your agents.
• Share Blogs & Videos That You Have Written or Recorded: Distribute your content to provide value and showcase your expertise.
• Share Podcasts or Videos You Have Been Interviewed On: Leverage appearances on other platforms to enhance your credibility.
• Video Shorts & Interviews With Your Agents: Create engaging video content that can cover a variety of topics from the other pillars.

Feedback and Additional Thoughts:

The 5 pillar structure not only helps to categorizes your content ideas efficiently, but it also ensures a diverse and yet predictable social media presence that attracts, engages, and helps your to remain interesting to your target audience or community. Here are a few additional suggestions:

• Interactive Content: Consider adding polls, quizzes, and interactive stories, especially in the 'Personal' and 'Inspire' pillars, to boost engagement.
• Live Q&A Sessions: These can fit into several pillars, allowing real-time engagement and providing valuable insights or advice.
• User-Generated Content: Encourage agents to share their success stories or how your services have benefited them, fitting into the 'Celebrate' pillar.
• Behind-the-Scenes Content: Show what happens behind the scenes in your operations to add depth to the 'Personal' pillar.

By focusing on these pillars and continuously refining your content strategy based on engagement and feedback, you'll build a strong, effective social media presence that resonates with your target audience of real estate agents. 

So quickly, let's define what is meant by "continuously refining your content strategy"... Very specifically we are talking about doing a quarterly audit and planning session to determine how truly EFFECTIVE and purposeful your social media strategy has been over the past 3 months. I'm all for auditing more frequently than this, but in practice I have found that truly auditing and planning on a quarterly or 3 month cycle has been truly effective. Allowing enough time to see how EFFECTIVE the plan has been working, while not allowing an ineffective strategy to go on longer than needed.

Let's Talk About Collaborations - 50 Collaborative Ideas:

Collaboration between Transaction Coordinators (TCs), real estate agents, vendor and local businesses can significantly enhance both parties' visibility, credibility, and value to their respective audiences and community. Here are 50 collaborative ideas designed to achieve these goals, categorized by the type of collaboration... Again, like the 5 pillars, notice that we are breaking these into categories to help us systematize the way we see and think through creating a truly EFFECTIVE social media strategy and system... And one last random fact of why I personally LOVE doing collaborations... Sometime, many times, I'm just sick of hearing myself talk (LOL), and I love hearing from others and/or putting the spotlight on someone other than myself. I LOVE COLLABORATIONS:

Video Collaborations

1. Transaction Process Explained: A step-by-step guide video explaining the transaction process.
2. Day in the Life: Swap roles for a day to show the challenges and successes of each other's roles. And don't allow yourself to say that you "can't" do this... Get creative and ask "HOW" would we do this in a way that is truly informative and entertaining to our audience and community.
3. Market Trends Analysis: Monthly video series analyzing local real estate market trends.
4. Client Testimonials Compilation: Combine testimonials that highlight the successful partnership between the TC and agent.
5. Live Q&A Sessions: Address common questions from buyers, sellers, agents and vendors.
6. Tech Tool Reviews: Review software and apps beneficial for the real estate industry.
7. Home Staging Tips: Share effective staging tips that can help sell homes faster.
8. Legal Compliance Insights: Discuss common legal pitfalls in transactions and how to avoid them.
9. Success Stories: Share stories of particularly challenging or interesting transactions and how they were successfully managed.
10. Transaction Trouble-Shooting Guide: Tips on avoiding common issues in real estate transactions.

Podcast Collaborations

11. Interview Series with Industry Experts: Bring in mortgage brokers, home inspectors, etc., to discuss various aspects of the real estate industry.
12. Weekly Real Estate News Recap: Discuss the latest news in real estate and its implications for buyers, sellers, and agents.
13. Tips for First-Time Homebuyers: Cover everything a first-time buyer needs to know.
14. Real Estate Investment Advice: Share insights on property investment strategies.
15. Navigating the Closing Process: An in-depth look at closing from both the agent's and TC's perspectives.

Classes and Workshops

16. Continuing Education Classes for Agents: Offer classes that count towards continuing education credits.
17. Home Buyer Seminars: Educate potential buyers on the home buying process.
18. Seller Workshops: Share tips on preparing a home for sale to achieve the best market price.
19. Social Media for Real Estate Professionals: Teach agents and TCs how to effectively use social media.
20. Technology Workshops: Introduce new tech solutions for real estate professionals.

Events

21. Networking Mixers: Host events for real estate professionals to network and share leads.
22. Client Appreciation Events: Co-host events to thank past clients and encourage referrals.
23. Open Houses: Collaborate on hosting unique open houses that showcase both the property and your services.
24. Fundraisers for Local Charities: Organize events that support the community while networking.
25. Real Estate Industry Panels: Host panel discussions on topics relevant to the local real estate market.

Collaborative Content Creation

26. Joint Blogs on Industry Insights: Share expertise and perspectives on a shared blog platform.
27. Co-authored E-books: Write e-books on topics like home buying, selling, and investing.
28. Checklists and Guides: Create comprehensive checklists and guides for buyers, sellers, and new agents.
29. Email Newsletters: Collaborate on a newsletter that provides value to both of your networks.
30. Infographics on Market Stats: Design and share infographics that simplify complex market data.

Social Media Collaborations

31. Instagram Takeovers: Swap accounts for a day to showcase each other's daily operations. I have personally been asked to do this, and it was a BLAST!! This might be something fun to do for at least one day each month. Rotating who you are doing it with each month. You and one of your clients agrees to take over the others social media (IG, FB, etc.). This can be sooooo fun and interesting for your community.
32. Facebook Live Home Tours: Collaborate on virtual tours of new listings.
33. LinkedIn Thought Leadership Articles: Publish joint articles on LinkedIn about industry trends.
34. Pinterest Boards for Home Inspiration: Curate boards with home decor, staging tips, and DIY home improvement ideas.
35. TikTok Challenges: Participate in or create real estate-related challenges.

Value-Added Services for Clients

36. Home Maintenance Tips Series: Share ongoing tips for maintaining property value.
37. Local Business Features: Spotlight local businesses and how they contribute to the community.
38. Relocation Guides: Create guides for clients moving to a new area.
39. Financial Planning for Homebuyers: Offer advice on budgeting and financing for a home purchase.
40. Landscape and Curb Appeal Ideas: Share ideas and tips for enhancing a home's first impression.

Professional Development

41. Mentorship Programs: Establish a mentorship program for new agents or TCs.
42. Roundtable Discussions: Host roundtable discussions on challenges and opportunities in the real estate industry.
43. Collaborative Coaching Sessions: Offer coaching sessions focusing on professional growth in real estate.
44. Industry Research Projects: Collaborate on research projects related to market trends, technology, or client behavior.
45. Webinar Series on Niche Markets: Explore different real estate niches, such as luxury homes or eco-friendly properties.

Community Engagement

46. Community Service Projects: Work together on projects that benefit the local community.
47. Homeowner Education Campaigns: Launch campaigns to educate homeowners on important issues like property taxes or home safety.
48. Local Market Snapshot Videos: Create short, informative videos highlighting different neighborhoods or developments.
49. Sustainability in Real Estate: Share tips and strategies for eco-friendly home buying, selling, and maintenance.
50. Disaster Preparedness for Homeowners: Provide valuable information on preparing homes for natural disasters.

These ideas encourage collaboration between TCs and real estate agents, leveraging each other's strengths to provide crazy amounts of value to their clients and the real estate community as a whole. Implementing these collaborative projects can enhance visibility, establish thought leadership, and ultimately contribute to the growth of both parties' businesses.

Goal - Find 3 Role Models & Create a Journal Around What You LOVE About How They Are Showing Up On Social Media:

I'll keep this short and sweet, but I can't overstate how much I appreciate what others do and how they are showing up. And I am very purposeful to be aware of why what they are doing is having an impact on me, how I feel and at times what actions I take. 

My suggestion to you is that you find 3 social media accounts that you just LOVE, and begin a practice of documenting exactly what they are doing that attracts you to them. That could include how often they post, what they post, all of the different formats that they use in their posting . Such as short vs. long form video, graphics, reals, testimonials, LIVES, platforms, how much is personal vs. professional, is everything fairly casual or is it does it all have a "polish" to it, what pillars seem to consistently show themselves, do they run polls or survey's, FAQ's or AMA post, etc. 

Then quarterly, at a minimum, ask yourself "What have I seen or learned from how they are showing up that I could apply to my next 3 month block?" 

And remember, these ROLE MODELS do NOT have to be from your industry. Just APPLY what you LOVE, and continually AUDIT how effective the strategy and your application of that strategy is, and adjust as needed.

Let's Talk About Creating a 3, 6 or 12 Month Content Calendar:

One of our goals is to create strategies, plans and systems that REDUCE or negate any feelings of "overwhelm" that we might have. Many small business owners can and do feel overwhelmed with the idea of needing to consistently come up with new and EFFECTIVE content. So here are a few thoughts and strategies that we hope will allow you to get out of or simply avoid slipping into "the overwhelm".

• Focus on creating a 3 month content calendar, rather than feeling that we have to have some kind of 365 day calendar, and/or a new 365 day calendar each year. 
• Once you feel pretty good about that 3 month content calendar, plan and/or strategy, simply reuse that SAME calendar or plan for the following 3 months. Who say's that you have to create something new for the next 3 months vs. the previous 3 months, when what you did the previous 3 months was incredible AWESOME & EFFECTIVE? 
• Once you have a 3 month plan that is working well based on your 5 pillars (which may take a bit of experimentation), then simply duplicate that for the next 3 month cycle (start thinking in and seeing everything as a 3 month cycle). The only difference is that you are going to look at your plan for the next 3 months, and ask yourself "What if any changes to this quarterly template would make sense for the next 'season' or 3 months?" Such as specific holidays to celebrate, who you will collaborate with during the next season, what events or classes are we promoting this coming season, what testimonials will we swap out, etc. The fact is that the basic template, and even some of the same post can remain from the previous season or 3 month cycle. There is nothing wrong with reposting some that was truly impactful, engaging and EFFECTIVE from last "season" in the coming season.

Now once you have created a truly EFFECTIVE 3 month strategy, then you've edited that for the next 3 month block, you now have a 6 month cycle, plan and/or strategy that could be used the next 6 months with just a few minor tweaks. And with that you could easily see how this could become a 12 month plan. This just gets easier every 3 months, and it only takes 4 of these to create a full year plan. 

So to help you get a start on creating your first 3 month social media block here is a social media calendar template, based on the above 5 pillars, that you could use. Simply open up this link, then click USE TEMPLATE, and an editable version of the this social media calendar tool will open up and allow you to save it in your own Google Drive. 

🔵 LINK - CLICK THIS LINK TO ACCESS THE SOCIAL MEDIA CONTENT CALENDAR TEMPLATE 

*The video tutorial & webinar replay for how to use this Social Media Content Calendar tool can be found in your TC Support Membership - The webinar replay should be posted and added to both the LEAD GEN and WEBINAR REPLAY sections of the membership by the end of business on March 29th

🔵 LINK - Click this LINK to become a member... If you are not already

Final Thoughts & Tips:

Question & Goal: Does my social media (passive marketing) support my ACTIVE marketing strategy?

Assuming that a TC has both a PASSIVE & ACTIVE marketing strategy, the question is... Does one support the other, and if so... HOW?? 

This is another topic that I could write a full post or do a full webinar on, but for those that are wondering what I ask myself about my social media strategy, this would be one of those potentially GAME CHANGING questions.

20/80 vs. 80/20... What exactly are we talking about here?

There are a ton of social media courses out there, and it is going to be very common for each of them to discuss an approach of either having 20% of or your content be personal (1 of your 5 pillars), while the other 80% consist of professional content (4 of your 5 pillars). And then another instructor will promote that you flip these approaches, with 80% personal and 20% business. 

So which is the right mix for you and your business... Getting this mix right for you YOU and your organization may take some experimenting to figure out, and there also can be a lot of value in granting yourself some grace with the fact that this may just change over time... And all of that is ok!!

Know WHY you are posting!! 

Answer to WHY may seem very obvious for any business... Isn't the WHY to "gain market share" or "find new clients" or simply "GENERATE LEADS"? 

Maybe... Maybe for some... But not ALL.

Whether you are able to do a deep dive on this all by yourself, or whether you may be able to dig DEEPER within some kind of trust mastermind or coaching situation, this is a topic that believe could be an absolute GAME CHANGER in how you approach and feel about your social media strategy.

I could do a whole blog and/or webinar on just this topic alone, but asking yourself why you are wanting to be and how you are wanting to show up on social media could truly CHANGE EVERYTHING for you and your mindset. I know that some will want me to go deeper on this topic, but for now I'll just put this seed in your head, heart and pocket for another time.

1,000 True Fans - Do You Know "YOUR NUMBER"... It's most likely less than you're thinking

A HIGHLY RECOMMEND BLOG: "1000 True Fans" - Kevin Kelly - https://kk.org/thetechnium/1000-true-fans/

Read Kevin Kelly's blog, and get serious about figuring out what you truly NEED to create the business you want and achieve your dreams and goals.

We truly hope this blog was helpful, and please feel free to reach out to us directly if there is anything that we can be of help with.