One of the best things about social media is the opportunity to reconnect with people you know and to reach out to people you don’t know. There are several ways to turn your social networking into a live, face to face networking event.
Tips for a successful event:
- Plan. Plan for more people than you expect
- Freebie. Everyone loves a free gift! Give away a free guide (1st time home buyer guide, guide for getting your house ready to sell, etc)
- Contest. Have a contest or drawing for a gift card to a restaurant
- Food. Don’t underestimate the value of free food!
- Research. Check out the venue 1st – make sure the place has wi-fi.
Places to host could be:
- Local restaurant, pub, or coffee shop
- Local library
- Chamber or downtown facilities
- Your brokerage office
3 easy ways to create an event :
- Create an event on Facebook or LinkedIn. If you have a Facebook page you can easily create an event. Here’s an example of our Real Estate Connect SF 2010 event tab on our fan page. Input all the pertinent info and then you can invite your fans and even upload a list of emails of people to invite. Make sure you follow up and send updates as the even gets closer. I love the discussion board feature on Facebook pages – it really helps to build a “buzz” around your event.
- Tweet-Ups. Tweet-Ups are a networking event that is organized either on Twitter or Facebook. Submit your Tweet-Up to @tweetup to be promoted! Here’s a great example of a Tweet-Up Facebook page in Northern California.
- Plan a Meetup. Meetup.com allows you to join and participate for free. When you decide to become an organizer for events, there is a subscription fee for accessing those tools. You can charge for events through Meetup if you want to. The great thing about Meetup is that it announces your new Meetup Group to the community. You just pick a topic, describe your Meetup, and you’re ready to go. Out of all 3 choice I listed, Meetup is probably one of the best ways to reach outside of your network to invite people to an event.
5 event ideas:
- 1st-Time Home Buyers: Tips, Step-by Step Guide, Q/A and more!
- New to the Area: Coffee and Networking Event
- Facing a Possible Short-Sale? (This would be a great event to team up with a trusted short-sale negotiator or lender)
- Investing in Real Estate 101
- Home Improvement Group: Making the Most of Your Investment (You could team up with a stager or contractor or even landscaper for this one!
The possibilities are unlimited – the only cost is your time! Have any of you organized an event via your social media channels? Please chime in and leave me a comment with your experience! Would love your feedback!
Written by: Katie Lance, Marketing Manager, Inman News
