MARKETING
office about what is going on in their city and what you might be able to offer them in terms of helping them meet development goals, sales targets, or with bringing in new types of business. For example, EDC directors are a great source of information about what a town wants or needs when it comes to restaurants, retail, residential development, and entertainment venues. This knowledge can be invaluable to a real estate investor. You may also end up learning important things about community plans and even municipal incentives for business and development that will help you get deals done in the future. STEP #3 DELIVER VALUE VIA LINKEDIN Just making connections on LinkedIn is not enough if you want a strong, effective network that truly works to make your real estate investing business better. You need to demonstrate your value on a consistent basis. I find that simply posting short videos with a little commentary (relevant to your business or real estate, of course) or writing articles is a great way to do this. For example, I recently filmed a short video at a local retailer commenting on how they used their space inside the store and
posted it. I must have gotten hundreds of views and, at the same time, clearly demonstrated that I am always on the lookout for the best use of real estate and thinking about my industry. You can also post links to other articles that you found useful or links to your articles on other websites. LinkedIn also allows you to write articles that are hosted on the LinkedIn website itself and may give these posts priority in other feeds. The more you demonstrate your knowledge in your personal real estate sector, the more people will associate you and your business with successful investing and want to interact with you and, hopefully, work with you should the opportunity arise. You may also end up garnering endorsements for various real estate skills, which can be useful when another party is “background checking” you online before reaching out about an opportunity in person. •
Pamela J. Goodwin is the founder and CEO of Goodwin Commercial a commercial real estate firm specializing in retail/restaurant devel- opment, brokerage and consulting firm in Dallas, Texas, and a Think Realty coach. Learn more about her commercial real estate courses at www.thinkrealty.com/coaches or reach her at pam@pamgoodwin.com.
3 Steps for Building a Large, Effective LinkedIn Network THE PROFESSIONAL NETWORKING SITE CAN BE KEY TO IN-PERSON MEETINGS.
by Pamela J. Goodwin
I
n whatever city you are investing, whatever communi- ty you find yourself, your local network will be key to your real estate investing success. I’ve mentioned before how important it is to establish a relationship with your local Eco- nomic Development Center (EDC) and its director. LinkedIn is a great way to get that process started. Imagine having a relationship with the person who knows that their city is about to sell more than 100 acres on a main interstate! That actually happened to me (and I got the listing) as a result of my net- working, which started as a result of using LinkedIn. Here are three easy steps to get this process started: STEP #1 DO AN INTERNET SEARCH I always want relationships with EDC directors, so I figure out how many local EDCs there are in my target market area by doing a simple search online. For example, in Texas, where I operate, I have relationships not just in big markets, like the Dallas and Fort Worth markets, but also in a number of smaller
towns surrounding these major metro areas. You can just search the term “[town] economic development center” and then use the results to compile a list of individuals with whom you would like to connect. You can do this with any population of people you wish to reach. By the time you are done, you might have a dozen or more people on your list, and you’re ready to move on to step #2. STEP #2 MAKE CONTACT The great thing about EDC directors, specifically, is that it is in their job description to develop their communities, which includes meeting with real estate investors who can help them do that! However, I find it is very useful to take that list and go ahead and connect with each person on LinkedIn. As you go, LinkedIn may suggest you connect with other people in that department, in related departments, or other real estate sectors. Once you have connected, reach out personally to the people on your list. Make an appointment to speak in person at their
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