Twitter is, by far, the most difficult social tool to explain. It’s not just difficult for builders to see the why of Twitter, but it’s also difficult for most to understand how they could use Twitter. I’ve decided to tackle the how issue in this post with a list of 99 ways for a home builder to use Twitter. Getting straight to it…
50 Things to Twitter
Helping them buy
News:
1. Tax credit news article
2. Local real estate values article
3. News of a local restaurant opening
4. News article about mortgage rates
5. News article about kitchen design trends
6. Share an article on the tax benefits of home ownership
7. Share an article about a nearby vacation destination
8. Share an article on green building
9. Share an article on energy efficiency
10. Share details of the local Home & Garden show
Information:
11. Link to the town/city entry in Wikipedia
12. Link to local public transportation map
13. Share a link to a Google map referencing local points of interest
Local Interest:
14. Share a link to information about the local school fundraiser
15. Report on the local high school football game
16. Share photos of a local fair
17. Link to school performance report
18. Link to news article featuring a local school student or athlete
19. Share news about a traffic detour
Help your prospects/owners:
20. Share when you see a local “help wanted” sign
21. Share a link to a local storage space rental place
22. Link to local coffee house coupon
23. Share a link to a business owned by a community resident
24. Direct people to a contingent buyer’s current house listing to help it sell
25. Remind your followers when it’s time to plant bulbs
26. Remind your followers about little league sign-up deadlines
27. Share tips to help contingent buyers/prospects sell their current home
Fun:
28. Share a photo of the trees as the leaves change colors
29. Share photos of the best snow sledding hill in the community
30. Share a photo of a sunset in the community
31. Share photos from a community cookout
32. Tweet about the neighborhood kids’ lemonade stand
33. Tweet about the local babysitting/pet-sitting service
34. Tweet about your resident’s car for sale
35. Invite followers to a community cookout
Community News:
36. Share a photo of the new community entrance monument
37. Share a photo of the freshly planted flowers in the common area
38. Share photos of the new community center under construction
39. Announce that the community pool has opened
40. Announce HOA Meeting
Gratitude:
41. Congratulate new home buyers
42. Congratulate new home owners (Tag them in the tweet if they’re Twitter users)
43. Thank a local Realtor for visiting a community (Tag them in the Tweet if they’re Twitter users)
Promotion:
44. A new community grand opening
45. A new model grand opening
46. A new floor plan being offered
47. A new option incentive
48. A new lot release
49. A new interest rate special
50. A special price on an inventory home
49 Ways to Listen on Twitter
Listen for names:
1. Listen for your company/brand
2. Listen for your community names
3. Listen for your salespeople’s names
4. Listen for your competitors’ names
5. Listen for your competitors’ community names
6. Listen for people talking to your competitors
Listen for home buying conversations:
7. Listen for people tweeting your city and “new home”
8. Listen for people tweeting your city and “move”
9. Listen for people tweeting your city and “Realtor”
10. Listen for people tweeting your city and “foreclosure”
Listen to public opinion:
11. Listen for people’s opinions on the economy
12. Listen for people’s opinions of the real estate market
13. Listen for people’s opinions on mortgage rates
Listen to Realtor conversation:
14. Listen to local Realtor conversation about the market
15. Listen for Realtor mentions of new homes
16. Listen for Realtor conversation about your brand
17. Listen for Realtor conversation about your competitors
18. Listen to Realtor-to-consumer conversations
Listen for news:
19. Listen for mortgage news
20. Listen for financial news
21. Listen to local politicians
22. Listen to local economists
23. Listen to your local Chamber of Commerce
24. Listen to news from local newspapers
25. Listen to news from local real estate bloggers
26. Listen to Wall Street conversation about your brand
Listen to other industry sources of advice:
27. Listen to conference news (International Builder Show, PCBC, etc)
28. Listen to industry new sources (@builderonline, @bigbuilder)
29. Listen to industry associations (@homebuildrs, @nsmcnahb)
30. Listen to industry sales trainers (@jeffshore & My Twitter List of Trainers)
31. Listen to industry technology consultants (*cough* @dennisoneil *cough*)
32. Listen to green building news (@ecohomemagazine)
33. Listen to real estate brands (@trulia, @zillow)
Local Interest:
34. Listen to a local charity
Listen to consumer conversations about design trends:
35. Search for “whirpool tub”
36. Search for “granite kitchen countertop”
37. Search for “Trex deck”
38. Search for “kitchen remodel”
39. Search for “sustainable” & “home”
Listen for opinions about the city/town of a prospective community:
40. Search for conversation about area businesses
41. Search for conversation about area traffic
42. Search for conversation about area schools
43. Search for conversation about area recreation
Use Twitter to ask for feedback:
44. Ask Twitter for feedback on your new floorplan
45. Ask Twitter what’s important in a new home
46. Ask Twitter what would be a meaningful incentive
47. Ask Twitter what community amenities are important
48. Ask Twitter for feedback on a new website design
49. Ask local Realtors for their opinion on a new community location
I will always believe that I get more out of Twitter than I can ever put into it. Even though I gave only 49 listening examples here, good conversation rules apply. You should be listening a LOT more than talking.
I’d love to keep this list growing – Got any other ideas I could add to the list? Share them below.
