By: Khalid Bryan

As entrepreneurs in the real estate space, a certain amount of planning is a key component to build a thriving business. You plan out how much money you need to net to cover bills and expenses. You plan for paying taxes (and if you don’t you definitely might want to). You plan out what success looks like for you, and then you build a roadmap to get there.

If you plan for all of these aspects of your business, then why leave social media up to chance? Planning out your social content keeps the guess work to a minimum and helps you build a consistent, on-brand presence.

Build a Content Plan

Social media is content marketing. You don’t want to be 100% sales all the time. Figure out your goals for your social content. Obviously, the main goal is building an audience and bringing attention to yourself and your business. But what else do you want to do? Do you want to educate? Do you want to inform? Do you want to engage?

No matter what you decide your main goals are, remember that you want to entertain your audience while marketing to them so that they keep coming back. How can you get as much attention on your page as possible, and keep the attention so when you share your ads people see them and engage?

You must post entertaining, useful content more than you post ads. If all you ever post is houses for sale, then your audience already knows what your next post will be, and they don’t have much to look forward to. Instead, to attract like-minded individuals and people who need your services, mix up your content. Post your business-related daily activities, your challenges and hurdles, things you’ve learned along your journey, or share something you found interesting. And, remember to be your absolute self so you can build your own audience. You don’t need to put on a façade or act in a certain way to gain an audience. Everyone wants to find like-minded people to motivate them and keep them entertained. Often times, just having the courage to get on camera is the inspiration they needed to see.

With these factors in mind, now it’s time to build a plan. Decide how many times per week you want to post and on what platforms. Remember to keep it reasonable so you don’t get overwhelmed and quit! Once you’ve decided how many times you want to post, decide on the

Build a Follow-Up Plan

As you post and attention grows, there are a couple things to keep in mind. They see your content, they like your content…Now what? You not only need a content plan, but a back-end plan on how to turn your followers into leads and referrals. Expect your social media plan to work, and plan accordingly. You want a back end system that can capture and sort out all the leads before you need it.

First, you’ll want to build a website or landing page. A good website takes all aspects of your business, sorts it out, explains it, and allows for incoming prospects to browse efficiently. There should also be an option for them to leave their contact information in exchange for answers to their inquiries or request. It should then send that information to you for you to follow up.

You can easily setup an IDX enabled website—a website that allows for integration with the MLS—by inquiring with your local REALTOR® board to find IDX providers.

Next you want to develop and start using calls to actions (CTAs). This is where it gets fun! No matter what my content is about, I love to drop a nice call to action, my favorite being “go to theinvestmentpropertygurus.com” I don’t care if it’s a video of me dancing on an ice-cream cake. You like this video? Go to TheInvestmentPropertyGurus.com! I’m sure when they get there, they’ll find something interesting to engage in, like reading my blog posts or searching million-dollar properties on the MLS through my IDX.

Social media is a way to create connection. When we create genuine connection with our audiences, they want to reciprocate, and a CTA is the perfect way to show them exactly how to do that. “Go to my website”. “Share this post.” “Comment ‘Me’” Always ask the audience to do something at the end of your post to increase engagement, otherwise they just scroll away and may not look back.

Plan Your Ads

Now, let’s circle back to Ads on your page. I’m not necessarily talking about paid ads. I’m talking about posts that are specific to making you money—a listing, a workshop signup, a post about an open house. Earlier, I said you don’t want to only post ads, which is true, but you do want to post them. The key here is posting the right balance, like a TV network or free version of a streaming platform. Too many sales posts, and you’ll lose your audience. Too much fun stuff and the people looking for your services might not realize you offer them.

Just the same, if you don’t have anything to post, don’t resort to posting randomness. Remember your plan. Your profile needs order so that when people tap and scan it, they can identify what’s going on and decide whether they want to follow you.

Again, gaining followers and attention is what this is all about. I always say, “Don’t waste the people’s attention. You’ll lose it.”

Khalid N. Bryan is a seasoned real estate broker and trainer based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. As the proud owner and manager of The Investment Property Gurus LLC, a reputable real estate brokerage, he has been helping clients navigate the dynamic real estate market since 2014. With a wealth of experience and a passion for empowering others, he specializes in training aspiring real estate professionals to succeed in their careers. He currently serves as a Governor on the 2023 YPN (Young Professionals Network) Board with the Miami Realtors Association. Keep up with Khalid on Instgram, YouTube, and make sure you check out The Investment Property Gurus’ website.