Do you have someone on your Facebook newsfeed who obsessively updates you and everyone else on the most mundane aspects of their baby’s life?
I do. I call them “baby spammers.” Let me give you an example of some of their updates:
Annoying Mother – “Baby just took a poop! It was so big, we had a wardrobe malfunction.”
One hour later – Annoying Mother – “Baby napping and doorbell rings. Sigh — not a happy mama.
Three hours later – Annoying Mother – “Baby just giggled, then burped. Awww, happy baby = happy mama.”
If you don’t recognize or receive this type of content, count yourself among the lucky few. Don’t get me wrong, I am no baby hater. I love a cute baby pic every now and then. (Baby spammers reading this take note: “Every now and then.”)
This type of communication has become such a widespread annoyance that if you Google “baby status” updates, you’ll see that many people have expressed the desire for a Facebook baby filter!
Now let’s break this down and relate it to real estate. The two two most annoying things about this communication is that firstly, the content is of no interest to me, and secondly, the frequency of the updates far exceeds my level of interest in the subject.
In your business, are you “baby spamming” your clients or leads? If someone indicates that they want to buy a property in a year or so, do you contact them every week or multiple times a week?
If you have clients who are interested in real estate as an investment only, are you sending them e-mails about the joys of buying a home for their family rather than the numbers and statistics in which they are most interested? It’s important to match the frequency and content of your communication with your client’s specific needs.
How do we know whether we are “baby spamming” people, since our perception may be different from theirs? I had a discussion with a friend and we agreed that the the good old-fashioned buddy system has a role to play. My friend said that even though I do not plan to post every little thing on Facebook, when my hormones are raging and I have a newborn, I may fall into that trap. Who knows what any of us might do in a given situation, so we made a promise to keep one another in line. It’s vital to have a friend or colleague who can be candid with you. Voila – it’s that easy!
Although we sometimes get caught up with work, it’s good to take the time to ask a co-worker how often they contact prospective clients and how often they keep in touch with former clients. Make a plan and hold each other accountable. This will also help you to develop follow-up plans if you have not yet set up any.
Just remember, your clients can “unfriend” you as fast as anyone can on Facebook. And as with Facebook, you might not find out until it’s too late!
[Photo courtesy of Microsoft clipart.]
– Sarah Dunlop-Kiraly, YPN Committee Member and OREA YPN Guest Blogger
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