Seen for a Moment, Remembered for a Reason: Create a Triangle of Recognition
I have a fair amount of industry ‘friends’ on Facebook, and the same goes for connections on LinkedIn. Social media is a really easy way to market yourself and your services for zero dollars, but many people aren’t using it consistently or effectively. If you aren’t using social media for marketing by building connections, you are missing a giant opportunity.
It seems people are in the ‘yes, I love social media’ or ‘no, I can’t be bothered’. Some of this varies by age and the platforms you follow and engage with. I am one of those people who looks at Instagram and TikTok all the time, but I follow very few people I actually know. I stalk dancers, horse videos, comedians, foodies, home renovations, random stuff like that. And that is mainly because I get my fill of ‘friend’ stuff on Facebook.
I know it can be tricky when some of your ‘friends’ are from high school or college or family and don’t care about your business stuff. You can either build groups or create a business page to establish more targeting, whatever makes sense for you.
LinkedIn is another animal entirely. It is plagued with ‘silent engagers. It is very challenging to get people to like or comment, even though you may believe you are getting eyeballs on your posts based on the ‘impressions’ reports.
A recent article I wrote about the Compass/Anywhere acquisition received 8,700 impressions on LinkedIn, 97 likes, 28 comments, and two reposts. That’s not bad, but wouldn’t you think 8,700 impressions would generate more than 97 likes? It certainly would on Facebook. So, we have to try extra hard to get the traction we need on specific platforms because we are pretty much flying blind. And that means having a strategy.
Create a memorable triangle.
I know there is a fine line, particularly on Facebook, about how much to post that is personal and that is business. Let’s face it, the average age of our industry fits the FB model. I know that approximately 84% of the followers of my TRH Consulting Facebook page are over 45 years old. That is a pretty direct reflection of our industry.
So, if you aren’t using FB strategically for business, you are doing it all wrong. And I am not talking about just posting your company’s latest listing. I’m talking about being remembered for all the right reasons. There are Relocation Directors and some industry professionals I follow on social, and I know them casually, but I have no idea who they work for or which market they are in. Do you see the problem with that?
Regularly posting funny memes or thoughtful quotes may make someone smile, but it won't necessarily make them think of you if they have a referral in your market. I regularly tell my clients that they have to create a triangle of recognition that sticks. People need to associate your name with your market and your company, and remember it.
How you do it is uniquely up to you.
It shouldn’t feel forced or fake, but building a brand takes some effort. Telling stories and helping people relate to you or a situation is a great start. Once people feel like they know you, it helps to build trust. People want to work with people they like and trust.
What are you or your market known for? And it means being genuine and offering help and resources to those who may or may not need your assistance at this moment. The key is for them to have recall when that moment of need arises. Let me know how I can help you build your personalized strategy to increase your business in 2026!
“Think about what people are doing on Facebook today. They’re keeping up with their friends and family, but they’re also building an image and identity for themselves, which in a sense is their brand. They’re connecting with the audience that they want to connect to. It’s almost a disadvantage if you’re not on it now.” --- Mark Zuckerberg, Co-founder and CEO of Facebook
