My Office, & Your Social Media Reputation

Wow I have been swamped this week... which is a good thing, but I am exhausted! Yesterday was a "get caught up on work at my office" kind of day! I tried to get a little more organized, get caught up on paperwork and made all new flyers for my listings and open houses! Even though it's a little messy, I thought it would be fun to show you my office :) I know everyone likes to see pics! 

Yes, there are two framed pictures of Frankie on my desk ;)

 

Cute little accent Zebra chair from Hobby Lobby (love that place!)

I loved this bulletin board, it gives a blah one a little something extra with the frame around it, I got it at Home Goods I'm pretty sure, last year, but they have all sorts of cute ones!

(Kimberly Gail if you are reading this I am still using this white board, lol from you know where! ha)

While at the office, I received an awesome email about social networking that had some really good points about what we put on our social media sites and protecting our reputations. I thought I would share it with everyone too.

Thanks to Laura for sharing with me! :)

We have so many social media sites now that we all participate in, sometimes it is hard to even keep up! Facebook, Blogging, Foursquare, Twitter, Youtube, gees louise its overload!

Here are some tips (taken from Tuesday Tactics) to help us all manage our reputation while on Social Media! (the verbage is for Realtors but you can insert your occupation there because it applies to most!)

Whether or not you're actively using Facebook, Twitter, or other social media websites to grow your real estate business, you should be aware how your presence on social media can (and likely will) impact your relationship with clients, brokers, and other agents.

While you may be in the habit of keeping your personal and professional life separate, your ability to do so is highly compromised by the combination of social media and everyone's ability to Google your name. You can bet when researching an agent, your prospects will likely Google you and other agents they're considering.

It is safe to assume that everything you post online is public. Even with the strictest of security settings, the odds are that over time the information you're posting will be visible.

Now, if managed well, aspects of your personal interests and "public" life can help prospective clients get to know you a little before they meet you. They can, after browsing your status updates and photos, get a view of your hobbies and how you spend your recreational time. They might even share your interests, which can definitely help you get a leg up on building rapport.

But also consider this: If you're vocal about political and/or religious beliefs in social media, you should realize you risk alienating prospects. The same goes for excessive sharing of your "downtime" and even moments when you may be blowing off steam.

It may seem obvious, but the following are a few good guidelines for preserving your reputation:

1. Alcohol and social media do not mix. Don't have a few and pick up your smart phone for some quick updates.

2. Minimize polemic political opinions, unless you're comfortable losing out on those who do not share your views.

3. Never complain about clients, even if you don't name names.

4. Before you post a photo, ask yourself if it's one you'd put on the wall of your office.

5. Don't bad mouth other real estate professionals, companies, or business associates.

6. Nix any romantic relationship woes.

7. Never post what a great golf round you're having when you should be at an open house. :-)

Not participating may not be the best solution, by the way. If you don't define your story in social media, it might be done for you, through the posts, photos, and thoughts of friends, relatives, and other businesses. Proceed mindfully!

If you know someone who is self employed or works with the public a lot, it might be a good idea to forward this to them... sometimes people just don't realize that not "everything" belongs on facebook! I update a lot, blog, and sometimes do get personal haha but hopefully not too personal and never anything that I wouldn't want a potential client reading or seeing! (ok sometimes Frankie's poop talk or vomit issues may be a little TMI, but everyone poops and throws up people, give him a break! haha) For the most part, it is just about him being his cute little self....

Hope you found the article as interesting as I did! I'm pretty sure my social media reputation is "she is a workaholic, shopaholic, who is obsessed with her dog" hahahaha which is ok with me I guess :)

Enjoy your weekend!