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Millions are using the app to connect with their favorite brands, and that means there are plenty of potential clients you could reach if you use it right. Here’s how one real estate professional is using Snapchat to develop relationships with customers and land deals.
The Snapchat generation is growing up. What started as an app for teens to get updates from their friends has blossomed into a social platform boasting 100 million users who watch 10 billion videos a day, according to Advertising Age. It’s now a source for news updates and consuming content from brands such as MTV, Buzzfeed, and The Wall Street Journal.
Snapchat users are part of the next big wave of home buyers, and real estate professionals would be wise to get comfortable engaging with prospects on this channel. That’s why Danielle Riley, e-PRO, associate broker at Nothnagle REALTORS®, in Rochester, N.Y., has used Snapchat for the last three years to stay in touch with her sphere. It’s a personal approach that resonates with younger clients, she says. “Two or three people have messaged me to buy a house just from connecting with them on Snapchat. All of a sudden, I started getting leads.”
Here are three things Riley says to keep in mind when connecting on Snapchat:
It’s all about the “story.”
Rather than reaching out to individual contacts, Riley focuses on the Snapchat “story” feature, which enables users to send a timeline of photos or videos to all of their contacts. “I’m not doing a lot of one-on-one contacting on Snapchat,” she says. To connect with her sphere, “I usually just post what I’m eating or give a personal look at my day. If I’m at a listing, I might post a view of the property,” Riley adds. The story feature is also a good way to get in front of a new audience. She’s had past clients include her in their Snapchat story so she becomes known in their circles as well.
Keep tabs on contacts.
Riley has about 100 friends on Snapchat. Most of her contacts are in their late-20s and early-30s, and about 15 of them are past clients. She says that roughly 20 of her Snapchat contacts are prospects that aren’t quite ready to buy, and the app is a good way for her to keep her name in front of them.
Know who’s watching.
Snapchat shows you exactly which users watch your stories, so make sure to keep track of who they are, Riley says. If you notice someone new watching you, reach out to them and ask them what they thought of your story, and invite them to join your circle. Many of Riley’s stories are viewed by 75 to 80 people. And who knows—one of them could be her next client.