Using LinkedIn To Generate Real Estate Investing Leads

As a real estate investor you know that the most important element of your business is constant contact. You must cultivate relationships on a constant basis, and of course you need to find homes that would make for quality investments, whether you are seeking to fix-up-and-flip or rent out those properties.

An amazing 21st century tool for keeping you ahead of your competitors is LinkedIn. LinkedIn is known to many of us already as a way of re-connecting with friends and family and existing work colleagues, but many of us don’t realize what a powerful business networking tool this website can be for us if we just use it right. As a real estate investor, you need to know real estate agents, loan officers, contractors, and title agents in various areas. And–you also need to stay in touch with all those people who may want to sell their houses, or buy houses. You need relationships with all of these people, and LinkedIn is an incredible hub that works to that end.

*Once you have created your free profile, immediately import all of your e-mail contacts. You’ll be told which ones are using LinkedIn and you can send them invitations to view your profile and link up with you. Also, add in all of your networking contacts. Take every business card you have and add those people in, too. When they receive your invitation to link up, they will better remember you and discover an easier, faster way to contact you.

*Your second step is to begin joining (or creating) groups, recommending other businesses, and answering questions. The last thing that you want to do onLinkedIn is sell yourself. Never do this–as a matter of fact, any overly aggressive contact can be viewed as spam and could result in you getting your account terminated. LinkedIn is all about passive contact.

*You can build your own group as just mentioned. To do this the right way, choose some broad theme that includes real estate investing under its umbrella. Lead the group in topical discussions about your theme. Be creative in how you get people to join your group. Invite your relevant contacts; place your group on your website; create a group blog; advertise your group or create widget for it to include in your autoresponder e-mails; even invited other real estate investment experts to join (it’s best, of course, to invite those who work in geographical locations where they are not competing with you).

*If you give teleseminars or do trade shows, invite your leads and audience member contacts to join your LinkedIn Group. Then you can notify all group members about your forthcoming seminars or other events in the future, so that they come back and visit you again.

*You can try LinkedIn’s Direct Ads.These work in a similar way to Google AdWords campaigns. You can have targeted ads going out only to relevant LinkedIn members. (They are not sent as spam, don’t worry.) LikedIn already contains 49 million professionals who have average household incomes over $100,000–meaning that you will be reaching out to people who can afford to do business with you.

*Ask questions and give answers in the “Answers” section. This works very similarly to Yahoo Answers. This is a great way of building your credibility as someone who can be trusted and someone who is knowledgeable. Just as with Yahoo Answers, you gain expertise points if you get a “Best Answer” selection for one of your answers. The people onLinkedIn are very keen on contacting those who have expertise points in a field that they are concerned about. When they contact you for help, that’s when you are allowed to strut your stuff and try to get them to work with you. Also, in the Answers section you can provide information about other businesses. Think how much a loan officer or a real estate agent is going to love you for giving her some free advertising! She will respond in kind and give you free referrals, too.

So, follow this set of techniques and you’re sure to get yourself a growing, thriving network. But always remember the rule about not soliciting business! The people in LinkedIn do not want to be solicited. They are interested in learning and in having enjoyable, intelligent conversations with people of similar minds. Yes, there are plenty of other people there like you who hope to get some new business, too, but the relationship element is everything. You should never attempt to try to get a new business venture going with anyone onLinkedIn until you have exchanged communications with them at least half a dozen times. You never want to be reported for spamming or be seen as breaking thewebsite’s rules about spamming, even if it’s purely by accident.

The way to have a successful real estate investment business in the 21st century is to network online. selling. The Internet provides you with an unprecedented platform to get more done in less time

————————
Duncan Wierman is an Ex Software company CEO turned Real Estate Investor and Marketer. Discover how you can use creative online marketing methods to do more deals online. For more details setting up an automated internet marketing system, please visit Duncan Wierman’s website and get is free 14 day e-course. http://www.DuncanWierman.com