| Some people find that it's most expedient to create | | | | clients with. Attacking someone with your zombie is |
| a new Facebook profile for selling their real estate. | | | | generally not a good way to convey a professional |
| However, if you already have friends and family that | | | | impression. Applications can also work for you if you |
| are also contacts, you might want to just go with | | | | install a few good real estate-related ones, so take |
| the profile they already have friended. In any case, | | | | some time to check them out. |
| setting up a Facebook profile to further your real | | | | Your Wall may best be hidden. Many spammers will |
| estate business is easy, but requires some thought. | | | | use the Wall to place ads or phishing scams. Also, if |
| Unfortunately, Facebook is not yet to the point | | | | your friends are using your Wall, it doesn't make for |
| where you can automatically designate specific posts | | | | a professional impression if they're posting things like |
| or applications as not-to-be shared. If you have your | | | | "U R so hawt! Wanna see U soon, sweetcakez!" Use |
| Wall open to the public or your News Feed, you may | | | | your own discretion. Remember that clients can |
| want to ensure that everything posted is | | | | always use the Message function to send you private |
| client-friendly. This may mean censoring both your | | | | messages into your Inbox. |
| and your friends' contributions to your Facebook | | | | Keep an eye on your photo albums and keep your |
| profile. | | | | personal ones to selected friends lists. The real |
| Setting the Privacy controls on your Facebook | | | | estate albums you will, of course, wish to keep open |
| account will help you make this a dual account for | | | | to the public. Make sure every photo is properly |
| both clients and friends. Depending on the nature of | | | | tagged and given some kind of information. A link to |
| your contacts, you may want to designate certain | | | | the listing your actual website is good, but including as |
| areas as "certain friends only" and similarly restrict | | | | much information as possible can make a photo a |
| who can contact you certain ways. | | | | better tool to get people to your website. |
| Deciding whether or not you want to open your | | | | The Search function can be modified to show as |
| entire profile to the world depends on how accessible | | | | much or as little information as you want. Since you |
| you want to be. You can always request a client as a | | | | are using this profile as a business tool, you will |
| friend or give them your Facebook contact info to | | | | probably want people to be able to contact you. Set |
| request you. However, if you want people to be able | | | | the Search Visibility to Everyone, create a public |
| to access your real estate information on Facebook, | | | | search listing and allow people to find information |
| it could be a good business move to judiciously open | | | | about you and send you messages. |
| up a few key parts of your profile to the public. | | | | Your News Feed and Mini-Feed you should keep |
| Your basic information is probably something you | | | | open. Every time you change something on your |
| should keep to a select group of friends. Your clients | | | | profile, it will be noted and is a great way to let |
| don't need preconceived notions about you based on | | | | people know what you're doing with your real estate |
| what they can read about your sexual preferences, | | | | without actually annoying them with direct messages. |
| your religion, or your political views. Unless you are | | | | This can be modified to show people certain actions |
| aiming to sell real estate only to persons of a certain | | | | and hide certain actions. Play around with the |
| religion, noting that you are a passionate follower of | | | | Facebook Privacy controls to find the best |
| the Flying Spaghetti Monster may cause people to | | | | combination. This is where you can hide updates to |
| pass you by, even if you aren't actively proselytizing | | | | personal information that clients need not see. |
| to them. | | | | Use the Privacy>Applications section to restrict |
| Your profile pictures are a good one to leave open, | | | | views of anything else you don't want people to see. |
| but make sure they are professional and simple. Don't | | | | It's up to you to consider whether they would |
| post pictures of your family or your dog or your | | | | benefit from knowing which groups you belong to or |
| wood tick farm. Your clients like to be able to see a | | | | events you've been invited to. |
| clear photo of you, so they can recognize you. It's | | | | Look at your Facebook profile from a client's view. |
| okay to have a photo or two of your family in a | | | | Block everything that could leave them with a |
| different album (some people like to have a feeling | | | | negative impression, but leave enough that they get |
| of connection with their realtor) but don't overdo it. | | | | a definite idea of your approach to your business. |
| Applications are a hard one. Consider not adding too | | | | Facebook is an incredibly fast-growing social |
| many frivolous ones. If you absolutely must have | | | | networking site which is enhanced by its easy-to-use, |
| some, place them at the very bottom of your | | | | professional-looking layout. It definitely can be a |
| Facebook page, where only the determined ever go. | | | | valuable tool when used to enhance a professional |
| And, whatever you do, don't use them to contact | | | | image. |