1. Presented by Mark Flavin
Social Networking 101
Presented by Mark Flavin

2. Who here uses Social Networks?
According to the Pew Internet Project More than one-third (35 percent) of U.S. adults have a profile on a social networking site According to a 2008 survey by NAR 33% of REALTORS® actively participate in a social network or blog

3. Social Networking in Plain English

4. Which sites do you use?
Facebook – Large number of users centralized grouping
LinkedIn – Focused mainly on business networking, called by some Resume 2.0
Twitter – micro blogging aka stream of life
MySpace – Decentralized grouping, mainly under 20 crowd
Active Rain – Focused on connecting with other Real Estate professionals

5. Consumers are Surrounded
Offline & Online
That is nice but who cares?
Consumers are Surrounded

6. How Social Networks can Help
Campaign and Issue Awareness
Planning a campaign strategy
Unfiltered communication channel
Market intelligence
Generate creative ideas
Create a content trail leading to your website
Present measurable interest to policy makers.

7. What is the Long Tail and why you should chase it.
Long tail marketing simply means FOCUS on developing your online identity around your marketing plan/goals
Which is more valuable
1,000,000,000 people looking for information
25 people who want to ACT today
In the early days it was all about the NUMBERS
Today is about focused results
Consumers know how to use the internet to find what they want.
Can they find you?

8. Three Things to Consider
Where are your friends and associates already?
Talk to your colleagues where do they network
Starting out is easier when you have “friends”
What are your goals?
Do you want to network with colleagues
Make new friends
Educate/Mobilize
Is the network audience your audience?
Large number theory aside it is about quality rather than quantity

9. How to get Started Identify your goals
Find out where your Network currently resides
Create a profile
Set aside a little bit of time each day to manage your social network presence
Encourage local officials, media, neighbors, members, colleagues and allied organizations to connect with you

10. Common Social Network Mistakes
Updating your network 50+ times a day
Personal/Professional balance – it is ok to show you have a life outside out of work within REASON
Social networks are a segment of your business not the focus.
Be selective in making friends
If all you do is post information about policy or requests for support people will stop listening
You don’t have to belong to every site on the internet.
Updating your network 50+ times a day
Overwhelm your channel with noise
When you do say something IMPORTANT no one is listening
Social networks are a segment of your business not the focus.
Build your update schedule around your day not vice versa
Be selective in making friends
The power of social networks is in the hidden network if you have no idea who is in your group you cannot leverage it effectively
Don’t be afraid to make mistakes

11. Some Strategies for Success
Use LinkedIN as a online referral network – pay it forward if someone helped you out publically recognize them. Join Facebook Groups and share strategies with your colleagues Create a Facebook page for your association or a particular cause. Author a blog focused on local policy impact Host a calendar for your region and encourage attendance at meetings.

12. What is next?
Dive in.

13. Questions or comments Mark Flavin - markf@bayeast.org