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She’s back! Your Dream Girl, Claudine Ellis, is marketing like a boss and she’s here to help you.
If you’re one of the thousands of people who shared my Q&A with Claudine Ellis from earlier this year, or if you became a fan from watching her at Inman Connect, you’ll be glad to know that I decided to check in with her as we close out the year. After all, for many of us this is the time of year when we start thinking ahead to the spring market and rebooting our marketing efforts.
If you know that social media is the key to raising your profile with potential clients, but you never know what to post, Claudine has some great Do’s and Don’ts to help you manage your platforms with confidence.
Claudine’s Favorite Platforms: Facebook and Instagram
Do’s for social media content:
1. Create a Show.
Claudine is known for her in-car singalongs, exotic vacations, and red carpet appearances and she shares it all with her followers, from a new hairstyle or makeup look to backstage access before her local television appearances. By sharing the fun and glam part of her days, Claudine creates buzz--and keeps people talking about her business.
2. Be Consistent.
Claudine posts every day, whether she’s in the office, on her way to a showing, or even on vacation. That means her fans and followers can count on being entertained and Claudine can count on being top of mind with them. This doesn’t mean she creates new content every day. Sometimes she’s sharing a quote card, a photo from an earlier event, or a question or comment, but the effect is one of consistent, daily presence. Don’t have time for this level of consistency? Pre-schedule your posts or hire a social media manager to make sure you’re always on everyone’s radar.
3. Engage.
Social media is about engagement. Claudine regularly posts questions that get people responding, then continues the conversation in the comments. She is always quick to like or share a post, comment or reply to a comment, and otherwise interact with her friends, fans, and followers. It’s not enough to post--social media should be a two-way conversation.
Don’ts for Social Media
Claudine’s biggest caution is knowing what NOT to post. Her list includes:
No Politics
No Religion
No Sports
No Cussing
Nothing Provocative
No Drinking
No Partying
As she says, “Social doesn’t mean personal. You are a business.” The idea is to give the illusion of personal interaction while being mindful of the image and brand you are conveying.
A Daily Plan for Social Media Posts
Want to create a daily plan for your own social media but not sure where to start? Here are Claudine’s Four Daily Musts.
Inspirational (Morning) This can be a motivational quote, a photo with a motivational or inspirational message, a positive thought, or other inspiring idea or image.
Family or Dog/Pet (Mid-day): This type of post reminds people of your personal side and gives them a glimpse of the softer and gentler reason you do what you do. Personal connections create brand loyalty and make you their Realtor for life.
Facts or What You Do At Work (any time throughout the day): This could be a glimpse into your professional life: a closing, a meeting, a showing, or an Open House. Whatever you choose, it’s just a reminder that you are active and out there working with clients and properties each day.
Something Stupid (End of Day): This can be a gif request, a joke, a silly question (e.g. Which is correct: Over or under toilet paper?) It’s just a fun way to create a conversation and allow you to interact with your followers and friends.
These categories and times are not ironclad and they can be posted in any order, though the inspirational one is best first thing in the morning.
Social Media management has earned Claudine almost $20 million in sales. Your next client is out there and now, thanks to this Dream Girl, you know how to reach them. Let your New Year’s resolution be implementing this plan to keep yourself on track in 2018 with consistent and effective posts that lead to more conversations and more conversions.