A: Ah, Pinterest! (Or as I like to call it, my nightly-wind-down-before-bed-routine). This great service allows users to create virtual "boards" with visual "pins" to gather ideas and inspiration. And this service definitely isn't just for college kids!
According to a February 2012 post on Mashable...
- 67.4% of Pinterest users are 25-54
- 68.2% are female
- 50% have children
- 28.1% have an annual household income of $100K+
Sound like a demographic that you might want to tap into? Not so fast! Pinterest is a social tool, and shouldn't be approached as a quick means to a paycheck. The good news? There are plenty of ways to showcase your knowledge and home prowess without creating a pin like this one:
Without further ado, I give you my 5 tips for Pinterest:
1. Pin your city. One of my favorite things about real estate is that being a good agent is so much more than negotiating a sale. Your clients depend on you for recommendations on the best places to eat, the bars with the best happy hour, the park with the best running trails, the gas station with the cheapest gas... Take that to the next level by creating a board dedicated to your city and the surrounding areas. Bonus points for using your own photos, videos and blogs to highlight why you love where you live! Need an example? Check out my NYC Favorites board.
2. Pin home improvement and DIY adjustments.
Hands down, one of my favorite things to find on Pinterest are unique and clever ways to make a space more organized/kid friendly/efficient. Check out these great pins:
3. Ask clients who are at the very beginning of the home search to create a "Dream Home" board.
That's right, my friend... it's not always about you! Encourage your "just getting started" clients to use Pinterest as a tool to visualize what they want in their next home, even if they venture a little into fantasy land. As you become more familiar with their desires, design style and dreams, you'll be able to preview homes with more accuracy, and maybe even pick out a home that might seem a little unlikely but includes features that they tend to pin. By the way, people are doing this already... you might as well be a part of it!
4. Follow your clients' boards in general.
Pinterest can help you get a feel for someone's personality, sense of humor, likes and dislikes and more, which can only help you with those long periods of togetherness that you'll experience during the real estate process. At the time of this writing, Pinterest is still in invite-only mode, but you can invite your clients if you have an account. Way to be with it, you social/tech genius :)
5. Showcase YOU.
Shared interests and connection points could very well be the reason why a client chooses you over another agent. Whatever your interests - amateur chef, the color pink, fond childhood memories, causes near to your heart - let your freak flag fly! A few of my favorites...
(Don't believe that this is ineffective to the point of counterproductive? Check out some of the comments.)
Without further ado, I give you my 5 tips for Pinterest:
1. Pin your city. One of my favorite things about real estate is that being a good agent is so much more than negotiating a sale. Your clients depend on you for recommendations on the best places to eat, the bars with the best happy hour, the park with the best running trails, the gas station with the cheapest gas... Take that to the next level by creating a board dedicated to your city and the surrounding areas. Bonus points for using your own photos, videos and blogs to highlight why you love where you live! Need an example? Check out my NYC Favorites board.
2. Pin home improvement and DIY adjustments.
Hands down, one of my favorite things to find on Pinterest are unique and clever ways to make a space more organized/kid friendly/efficient. Check out these great pins:
 | 
Source: curbly.com
| 
Source: thebaezablog.blogspot.com
| 
Source: kristanlynn.com
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3. Ask clients who are at the very beginning of the home search to create a "Dream Home" board.
That's right, my friend... it's not always about you! Encourage your "just getting started" clients to use Pinterest as a tool to visualize what they want in their next home, even if they venture a little into fantasy land. As you become more familiar with their desires, design style and dreams, you'll be able to preview homes with more accuracy, and maybe even pick out a home that might seem a little unlikely but includes features that they tend to pin. By the way, people are doing this already... you might as well be a part of it!
4. Follow your clients' boards in general.
Pinterest can help you get a feel for someone's personality, sense of humor, likes and dislikes and more, which can only help you with those long periods of togetherness that you'll experience during the real estate process. At the time of this writing, Pinterest is still in invite-only mode, but you can invite your clients if you have an account. Way to be with it, you social/tech genius :)
5. Showcase YOU.
Shared interests and connection points could very well be the reason why a client chooses you over another agent. Whatever your interests - amateur chef, the color pink, fond childhood memories, causes near to your heart - let your freak flag fly! A few of my favorites...
From Katie Lance's "Owls" Board
 | From Julie Bernardi's "Fun Stuff" Board
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So, my friends, pin away!
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