5 Things Every Property Professional Should Know About LinkedIn

April 17, 2015

As in any other trade or business, any property development professional should be using the tools social media has to offer. Maybe Facebook doesn’t “float your boat” in terms of connecting with like-minded professionals, but LinkedIn tools for business can exponentially grow your network.

When was the last time you checked your LinkedIn company profile? Is it practically growing its own cobwebs?

Many property developers neglected their LinkedIn company profiles in favour of other forms of social media, but if you are not using your company profile to its fullest extent, then you could be missing out on some great opportunities for lead generation.

Need some pointers for getting the most out of LinkedIn’s tools for business?

Here are five great tips that every property developer should know about LinkedIn.

 

1. Create a LinkedIn Company Page for your Property Development Company

A LinkedIn Company Page is like a CV for your company as it focuses solely on your business.

Visitors can learn more about your company’s history, where your office is located and what recent updates you have posted.

LinkedIn company profiles are slightly less extensive than LinkedIn’s personal profiles, but you should nevertheless complete your profile.

Many property developers tend to fill out 40 or even 60 percent, but they leave out a lot of important information. LinkedIn tools for business will guide you through each section and will suggest other places you can add to your profile.

Company profiles are not only used by consumers. Working professionals looking for new job opportunities use them as well. If you are looking to expand your property development company, your business profile is a great place to tell the world you are recruiting. What’s best,  help prospective employees visualise themselves working for your company!

Optimising your profile is as important as building a presence. Sprinkle in relevant keywords and key phrases you use on your website as well as other social media profiles. This will help strengthen your ranking on Google, Bing and other search engines while creating brand recognition.

2. Become an Industry Leader

In a way, you should be treating LinkedIn like Facebook, only with fewer cat photos and more professional posts. You should be posting your own blog articles as well as other industry-related new stories.

Think creatively and find the opportunities to reach out to your audience and A-listers in your industry. What are the latest trends in the property development market? Who are the next leaders in the sector?

Give updates on what your company is doing and any accomplishments you achieve. Include your opinion and ask others to comment. Posting your own content will not only help you build more backlinks for your blog, but it will also encourage others to see you as an industry leader.

You should also routinely check your feed to see what other people in your network are talking about. Leave your polite opinion in their comments or simply thank them for sharing this useful information with you. Your presence on LinkedIn will help your connections keep you on their radars, and they may be more inclined to come to you with property development questions and concerns.

Encourage your employees to participate in discussions as well. If clients see employees having fun and participating, they will have more positive views of your company. After all, if the employees are happy with their work environment, they might be more enjoyable and personable to work with.

If your employees celebrate any major accomplishments, such as landing a big sale or winning an award, be sure to brag about it. Companies that celebrate their employees’ achievements usually project happier work environments. Your employees will also feel appreciated.

 

3. Take advantage of LinkedIn Ads

Like many other social media sites, LinkedIn has its own type of advertising that customers can use to attract new sales and retarget customers. Using your company’s connections, you can go after new sales and help them find their way into the sales funnel.

LinkedIn Advertising hosts some great lead generation features, including:

• Lead Builder: This feature allows you to perform an advanced search, especially customising the criteria to put together a stand-out sales lead. Search for people by their job titles, location or university.
• Lead Recommendations: LinkedIn gives you a leg up and will make recommendations about who you should target. These are connections that are influential or considered big decision makers.
• TeamLink: This feature goes after your company’s connections, another reason why having a great business page is a must. TeamLink will show you which of your prospects are potential “warm prospects.”
• Extended Network Access: With Extended Network, you can reach as far as third-degree connections for lead generation.

4. Participate in LinkedIn groups

One of the most important aspects of LinkedIn is definitely LinkedIn groups. These are small, targeted groups focus on certain industries and topics and allow professionals to openly connect with one another. This is not a place for heavy marketing efforts. Rather, you should be learning from other professionals and joining in their conversations.

There are many advantages to joining a LinkedIn business group. Through your comments and input, you can easily show why you are the expert at the same time as you are helping others.

There is no limit as to how many groups you can participate in so feel free to do so. Join in on conversations and comment with your own opinions. Ask questions of other property developers and business owners.

 

5. Start your own group

If after joining a group you wish to set the bar higher, why not create your own?

Becoming a group owner sets you apart from the rest. As the caretaker of this community, it is your job to see it thrive. If you do not take the time to put in some effort, your community will wither and members may drop out or forget to comment. When you are involved with the community, those who joined will be more inclined to join in discussions and ask their own questions.

Send out a message to your group members every week and focus on one topic for discussion. Ask your members to consider this topic and form their own opinions before you post your own discussion questions.

Your members will then share their thoughts and hopefully start a lively discussion. Have a few discussion questions ready each week so members will get into the habit of checking the group regularly.

As a property developer, your online presence is key. A great LinkedIn profile will help people easily connect with your and allow you to network from anywhere in the world.

Using LinkedIn tools for business is a pathway to long-lasting business connections and consistent growth.