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Home Insider Blogs Ellen Thompson's Blog 5 Free Tips for Building Your Social Media Fan Base

Apartment Blogs


Feb 26
2010

5 Free Tips for Building Your Social Media Fan Base

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Posted by: Ellen Thompson

Our social media customers often need to build their fan bases from scratch, so we came up with a list of tips to help them. Here are 5 tips you can implement with no out-of-pocket costs.

1. Put Facebook and Twitter links to your property pages on your website. On property specific websites, put the link in the header of every page. On sites with multiple properties, put the link on property-specific pages. Surprisingly, we've met a lot of resistance from client website vendors and in some cases, link requests have been flat out denied. Don’t take no for an answer.

2. Put Facebook and Twitter links in your email signature. If you can put html in your email signature, you can add links to your social media services. My email signature has icons that link to my Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn pages as well as my blog. However, you may also want to consider using text links instead of image links, as some users suppress images in their emails. It's up to you. There is no “right” answer. Need help? Just contact me and I'll send you a sample code.

3. Put Facebook and Twitter names on printed materials. As you replace your business cards, brochures, and other printed materials, consider integrating your social media contact information. You can print your profile names or direct people to links on your website.

4. Get your prospects to fan you. About 1/3 of the folks touring your community will be future residents, but why not also try to engage the other 2/3? Even if they choose not to live with you, by keeping in touch they are more likely to recommend your community to their friends. Ask prospects to fan you. Reinforce this message on any signs in your office and on handouts.

5. Advertise your social media to new and current residents. Add social media information to your move in packet. Inform current residents via email and your community newsletter. Make sure to highlight the benefits of becoming a fan.


Comments (2)Add Comment
235
written by Toni Blake, February 28, 2010
Hi Ellen - great stuff!!I have not added a social networking link to my email signature!!! I am going to do that! Thanks for the reminder.

Here are a couple of my observations about building a successful fan page.
First, I found that your attitude about generating fans makes a difference. I have seen a ton of request to join a fan page that sounds like begging. It included lots of "please" in the copy. I started my fan page with an attitude of "Thanks" and then let my new fans know I was dedicated to keeping it interesting for THEM!!! I believe this changes the request from "Please do something for me" to "Thanks for letting me share with you"! I have had amazing results by focusing my intent on "serving" people on my fan page and then "Thanking" them for joining me.

The fan page should an interesting space when they get there! Don't forget to use the facebook "bookmarklet" to share information that will help your residents. Find a great blog, link or product and use your "bookmarklet" to add it to your fan page! I love retailmenot.com to share great coupons with the residents! This site has over 40,000 online promotional codes to save money when ordering online plus in-store coupons they can print down!!! WHOOP WHOOP!!! I have had fans thank me for saving them REAL money with this link.

Be thankful in your attitude when building your fans and be sure to give them great stuff that they will appreciate. Maybe even "share" with their friends which a great way to generate "buzz" about your community!

Great topic -

Toni
Google Facebook Bookmarklet to learn how to use this great tool.
2272
written by Ellen Thompson, March 01, 2010
I totally agree, Toni. You can get people to fan you, but that's only half the battle. You'll quickly lose your fan base if you don't provide content that's of value to your residents.

I also agree that the best way to ask folks to fan you is with an Attitude of Gratitude.
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