Mathias Bergendahl's Marketing Blog

It’s common nature. No matter how much you know you’ll need assistance, by the time you enter the door to a retail store and a smiling store clerk greets you with a cheerful “Can I help you?” you know your answer will be “I’m just looking.”

A few years ago I entered a furniture store and even though I tried my best to sneak in without gaining the attention of a sales person, it didn’t work. Before the door even had a chance to shut behind me a clerk who eagerly had waited for my arrival asked if she could help. Even though I was there to look at a specific furniture set I had already seen at their website, I found myself saying “I’m just here to look around.” Why? Because as most people I do not like to be sold anything, and certainly not being rushed. As consumers we want to take our time, and then seek help when we’re ready.

Driving home that day I thought about what it is that makes us react that way. Better yet, I thought about what I’d do if I were in the position of a store clerk. I certainly would want to be helpful and I would like to greet those coming in, but at the same time I wouldn’t want to come off as pushy. So, what to do? Here’s my idea: I would make a tennis shirt with the imprint “Ready When You Are” on the front. I would stand inside the door but instead of verbally greeting them I would simply let my clothing welcome them. While my idea hasn’t been tested, I believe some probably would come up to me when in fact they are ready to ask questions, instead of trying to avoid me if I came to greet them at the doorstep.

The Anonymous Online Shopper

As consumers we want to be in charge when we seek out product and service providers. We want to take our time finding the information we need, and then take action when we’re ready. We will not allow ourselves to be rushed and in the event we feel as if we’re being pushed we will walk away. We will probably seek the guidance by others through testimonials and the ones we trust the most will get the call or visit. These days the Internet allows us to do our research anonymously. We can spend our time learning about products, services, and certainly real estate professionals, from the comfort of our homes. In fact, most of us probably even prefer to begin our exploration online before picking up the phone, enter a retail store or stop by a real estate office. Knowing that, what can you do to cater to such preferences? My suggestion: start blogging. It’s a nonintrusive introduction to prospective customers. If you provide valuable information consumers will continue to visit your blog. While they may not need to buy or sell a home by the time they find you, when they do need someone you’re likely to be the one they contact.

Are Your Social Media Platforms Saying “Ready When You Are?”

Think of your FaceBook page, LinkedIn profile and blog as your virtual showrooms. Picture yourself as a consumer, entering your “store” for the first time. Ask yourself whether you would feel as if you were being sold something. Consider whether your messages come off as pushy. Assess whether you’re providing valuable information that would benefit the consumer. Are you giving them enticing reasons to come back? Are you providing something they cannot find at other websites and blogs?

My suggestion is to treat your blog and other social media platforms as if they were a virtual concierge. You’re there to facilitate the information process for your visitors. Rather than immediately display pictures of your listings you’ll want to educate them, provide valuable information and establish your knowledge and credibility without coming off as selling. An important part of your blog should also be to entertain them, such as showcasing local gems and giving them interesting tidbits about the area you serve and they live in. Instead of focusing on your credentials, you want them to spend time reading the information you’re giving them without being perceived as being sold anything. Engage them by asking questions, such as what they want to learn more about. Invite them to discuss the topics you’re blogging about.

If the overall message on your platforms gives them the feeling that you in fact are “Ready When you Are,” by the time they want to find out more, they will come find you.

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Years ago, your first contact with potential clients may have been at social events or by word-of-mouth. While you may still meet most people that way, the number of consumers you connect with for the first time through the Internet has probably increased in recent years.

With an ever-increasing number of available online social networks, consumers may first learn about you and your business through a profile you have posted at FaceBook, Twitter, LinkedIn, or ActiveRain. While we may believe consumers mostly learn about us through our websites, brochures, and certainly at meetings, the likelihood that they instead get a sense of who we are, what we do, and how we do it through those social network profiles as well as through search engines, is quite high.

Have you used google.com to search for information about yourself recently? If you’re on any of the most popular social networks, that’s probably the result that comes up first in searches through Google, Yahoo, or any other search engine. Particularly LinkedIn seems to be the first result when I search for individuals and companies at Google. The result of your search for your name is the same consumers will find when they look up your name as well. The question is: would that first look at your online profile accurately depict who you are?

Today’s blog post aims at highlighting the importance of how we come across online. More specifically, I thought I’d take this opportunity to stress the importance of treating every social network profile as your first handshake with a potential client.

Here are a few examples I’ve used in recent classes I’ve taught to illuminate the subject:

The first thing you say at a fundraising event isn’t likely to be that you subscribe to Playboy magazine. Equally as much, you’re probably not going to share your passion for stock car racing before you’ve properly introduced yourself. Nor would you pull up a photo album and show pictures from your latest pool party at home before even the first word has been exchanged. Most would probably also agree that sharing political views and party affiliation may not be the best opening line when you meet someone for the first time.

Yet as I visit profiles at FaceBook I often come across examples of business professionals who have signed up as fans of Playboy magazine or belong to a virtual fan club of the magazine. I often see pictures and videos from recent parties, not always very flattering and also not always very professional. Finally, I come across several individuals who may belong to various political parties through their online profiles.

The point is that every activity at your FaceBook profile adds to the image you, voluntarily or involuntarily, build. While each of those particular activities may lead to an increased appreciation for you among some groups, it may alienate those who simply don’t have the same interests or opinions as you do. For personal relationships it may be a turn-off; for a business it may simply lead to lost opportunities. My suggestion is simply to keep private profiles for personal use and business profiles accessible to everyone to attract the interest of consumers looking to buy or sell their homes.

The subject of how important it is to make sure to maintain your brand identity online came to mind when I read the article Career Truth #1: Brand or Be Branded (Are YOU Willing to Risk What Shows on the Top Fold? by J.T. O’Donnell.

While the article is about a job applicant and her woes, I think there’s a lot we can learn from her example. While consumers certainly may get to know you through meetings, conversations and any materials you provide them, equally as important is to make sure the perception and image you want to build about your business is carefully displayed on any social network you may choose to join.

Whether it’s for a job search or to attract real estate clients, make sure to treat every social media platform profile as your first handshake with a potential customer.

For more tips on how to make the most of social media marketing, and how to navigate around potential pitfalls, join PRO’s four-step class during the month of April. Click here for more information.

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