Doug Devitre

Social media tech expert Doug Devitre

Are you on Facebook? Do you Twitter? Is your LinkedIn profile complete?

It’s hard to have time for all the social media, but tech expert Doug Devitre says it’s important to choose one or two to get started and learn how to do them very well. Set aside 15 minutes a day to learn more about it and use the small downtime you have waiting in line at the grocery story to post updates. Bottom line, it’s about sharing and building community.

In his session “Social Media: Power Prospecting and Renewing Referrals” held today at the IAR Convention, Doug shared many tips for effective social networking including these:

  • To friend or not to befriend? Whether it’s Facebook or LinkedIn, Doug says ask yourself: “Do you like the person, trust them or can they refer you business?” If not, don’t befriend them. You should build quality not quantity in your connections.
  • Take the time to comment on Facebook posts. Comments show you care.
  • When you ask someone to connect with you on LinkedIn, make sure you take the time to include a personal note. It makes the connection more meaningful than simply “I’d like to add you….”
  • Doug says LinkedIn is the best venue for professional networking. It’s like your online resume. But instead of paragraph descriptions of your work history and accomplishments use a bulleted list. It’s easier to read at-a-glance. And make it keyword heavy. Think of the top 20 words you want to be known for and weave them into your profile.
  • It’s OK to automate your social networks so your blog feeds to your LinkedIn and Twitter, for example. But extreme automation is death to relationships. You can’t lose touch of the personal connection and being real online.

Check out photos Doug uploaded to Flickr.com today from convention:

Home work assignments he discussed:
Revise your email signature
Social media excel spreadsheet
Handout

Check out Doug’s PowerPoint from today’s program:

Doug helps real estate professionals save money, time and create value using affordable technology solutions, http://DougDevitre.com.