How Realtors can use Facebook Friends Lists to Generate Real Estate Leads

There are many ways for real estate agents to generate leads on Facebook. 

• Paid Facebook ads 
• Facebook lead ads
• Posting listings in the Facebook marketplace
• Engaging in Facebook groups
• Doing Facebook Lives
• Posting engaging content on Facebook for your friends 

…but the best real estate leads come from referrals from your Facebook friends and your SOI.

At the end of this guide is a CallAction advanced workflow to generate the maximum amount of leads possible, so be sure to read the entire post.

How Do You Generate Referrals from Facebook? 

You must get your posts in front of your friends so they engage with you.  When they engage with your post, Facebook displays the post to their network of friends. 

The extends the reach of your posts and allows you to start new conversations and develop relationships.

Real estate is a relationship business, so this only makes sense. 

Facebook is the easiest way to develop relationships at scale. 

This is why Facebook can be a great source for real estate leads but only when used correctly. 

Marketing Guide to Get Real Estate Referrals on Your Facebook Posts

Your friends need to see and engage with your posts. 

You must engage with your friends’ posts regularly for your Facebook posts to be seen by your friends.  

Why?

The Facebook algorithm.

Understanding the Facebook Algorithm in 2019

The Facebook algorithm determines who sees your post. 

Here is how the Facebook algorithm generally works (but only Facebook truly knows). 

• Facebook shows your posts to the people who engage (like or comment) with your posts. 
• Friends you tagged or you were tagged as “Close friends” 
• Images or videos that you tagged friends or were tagged in.
• People who have tagged you in their comments and posts.

Now you know the Facebook algorithm works, it may feel like it will take forever to engage all your friends. 

Avoiding the Facebook Time Suck?

You may have hundreds or even thousands of friends on Facebook.

That would take you hours of scrolling the Facebook newsfeed to engage with everyone.

So the solution is that you must engage with or show your post only to those who would likely engage.  

Hence custom Facebook friends lists.

Number One Rule for Facebook Real Estate Lead Prospecting

You need to engage the people on Facebook who are most likely to be buying, selling or refer you business. 

Stop wasting time in the general Facebook newsfeed.  

Don’t spend time engaging with local agents posts as then they will be the ones seeing your posts. 

You must have a purpose when prospecting for real estate business on Facebook.

 Facebook friends lists save you hours per day of scrolling the newsfeed.  

Use Facebook like Your Real Estate CRM

If you use a real estate CRM at a high level, you already know the power of tags and filtering your contacts. 

This is how you mine your CRM for opportunities vs. grind your CRM task list.

Facebook is the best real estate CRM since your contacts are updating it themselves. Telling you what is happening in their lives. 

You just need to engage and provide value. 

Facebook Friends List is like Tagging Your CRM Contacts 

Custom lists are like CRM tags that let you filter your Facebook newsfeed by friends list type. 

Once you have created and grouped your Facebook friends list you can quickly prospect on Facebook.

Simply, schedule of 15 – 30 mins a day on Facebook prospecting for real estate leads, engaging only with high-intent friends in a list. 

You can also select a specific list when posting to increase the likelihood that Facebook will show your post in their newsfeeds.

Let’s get started creating custom lists.

Step by Step Guide on How to Build Custom Facebook Friends List. 

Types of real estate Facebook Friends lists you should build for your real estate business.

• Current clients
• Past clients 
• Business professionals SOI
• Past or active referrers 
• Area, neighborhood interest
• Property types (SFR, Condo, Units)
• Price ranges
• Architectural property types
• Divorce / probate attorneys
• Geolocation

You can get as creative as needed with these custom friends list.

What is most important is to create lists by intent or interest.  

Then share content that matches the intent of the specific list to get the most engagement.

Goal is to get the right message, to the right person at the right time.

This will keep you top of mind with your sources.

Creating Custom Facebook Friends Lists

You can only create lists from the desktop version of Facebook. 

1. Login to Facebook (desktop) 
2. Go to your personal page
3. Left side under explore, click on “Friends lists”
4. Click on “+ Create List”
5. Enter list name
6. Add friends to list (type first name for autosuggest)

Add Friends to Friends Lists during Friend Request

You can also add friends to a custom list at the time you send a friend request on desktop. We recommend you do this every time you add a new contact.

1. Login to Facebook (desktop)
2. Search friends name in the top search bar
3. Click Add Friend
4. Mouse over Add Friend button
5. Click on Add to Another List…
6. Select List to add friend.

Note, you can add friends to multiple custom lists for more segmentation options. 

Pro Tip: Facebook will show your post more frequently to people who are on your “Close Friends” list. 

How to Maximize your Real Estate Post Engagement on Facebook

Follow these simple four steps to get the greatest engagement on Facebook. 

1. Sort newsfeed using the custom Facebook friends list most interested in your upcoming post.
2. Like, comment, tag all the friends’ posts in the feed before you post. (Update: FB removed FB friends list in the navigation but you can still access here: https://www.facebook.com/bookmarks/lists)
3. Post your real estate content or Facebook Live
4. Like, respond, tag and comment on everyone who engages with your post.

This process creates a flywheel effect.  Your post will get most reach based on the Facebook newsfeed algorithm.

2020 UPDATE: Facebook Friends List Gone But Here’s the Desktop Hack

Facebook removed the friends list from the navigation on mobile but you can still access on desktop using the following:

1. Login to Desktop
2. Left side navigation under “Explore”
3. Click on Friends List
4. That will take you to https://www.facebook.com/bookmarks/lists

How to Share Your Facebook Posts with Specific Friends List

Once you engage your highest intent leads with likes, comments and tags it’s time to share relevant content with them.

Selecting Friend List When Posting

This is done using your Facebook Friends list.  This is available on both mobile and desktop versions of Facebook. 

1. Click on “What’s on your mind?”
2. Select the appropriate Friends List for your post (click See All)
3. Create or share a post that is most relevant to the targeted list.

As you get engagement, like and comment to each response to extend the reach of your post.

Remember that the power of this is that your post will reach the friends of those who engage with your post.  

Note that Facebook typically saves your last privacy settings of who can see your post, so switch as necessary. 

CallAction Advanced Facebook Real Estate Prospecting Workflow

According to NAR HBS report, the number one thing 52% of home buyers want from agents is to help them find the right home. 

Most agents will put their contacts on an MLS or IDX listing alert which is great. The problem is most people don’t check their email regularly. 

Also, your listing alert is mixed in with your competitors listing alerts they signed up for.

So what is the solution to stand out and convert more?

So here’s an advanced CallAction workflow to help you be a superstar agent when working with buyers. 

At your initial buyer consultation, you will actively listen for specific property types, areas, price range, etc.

1. Create your IDX or MLS listing alerts with a CC to yourself.
2. When you get a match listing email alert, filter your custom lists.
3. Select your appropriate custom list.
4. Create a post (with link to a new listing on your IDX site, like BoomTown if available) 

This will quickly get the listing in front of the most motivated clients and drive targeted traffic to your website.

Next…

Direct Message Your Custom Facebook List the Listing

This is only available on the desktop.

1. Click on the Friends list 
2. Far-right side you will see list of all people within your custom list
3. Click on the image of the friend
4. Send personalized DM message about new listing with a link to your IDX site and call to action to schedule a showing.
5. Copy the first DM and paste to all other contacts in your list, simply personalizing the first name.

This custom workflow can be completed in minutes every day and guaranteed to grow your business and create sales.

Combine this with CallAction intelligent drip campaigns and your business will explode.

You are now ready to professionally prospect Facebook!

Did you find this article on Facebook real estate marketing useful? 

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