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Anthony: Friend the client on Facebook or not? What should you do? Since my video last week when I had talked about not allowing clients to totally get under your skin and ruin your day, your night, sometimes your week, I got a lot of messages from people on Facebook and texts from realtors I know saying, “Should I friend clients on Facebook or should I not?” I want to talk to you about this. Anthony Lamacchia here with Crush It In Real Estate.
Here’s my answer. You’re the doctor, they are the patient. Would a doctor friend you on Facebook? Probably not. If they friend you first, fine. I think it’s hard not to accept. If I was in your shoes, especially with sellers, I would not go out of your way to friend them at the beginning of the relationship. Brian Buffini says that 65% of clients you want to keep for life. Once the home is sold or even nearing the closing, you want to friend them, go ahead.
But in the beginning of the relationship that first week or two, which in our training, I always talk about how it’s very, very critical, I would not friend them. I wouldn’t do it. I don’t recommend it. I don’t think it’s terrible if you do it, but I would avoid doing it. That’s pretty much my answer to that. When it’s buyers, I don’t think it matters so much, but with sellers, it can bite you and it can bite you worse. The reason is, we all know that us realtors get more credit than we deserve when a home sells fast, but we get more blame than we deserve when a home doesn’t sell.
We just had a realtor who posted on Facebook when they were out boating in August. A week later, the seller said, “Well, I can see every weekend you’re out doing fun things and on vacation, you’re not working on selling my home. I don’t want to work with you anymore,” which I think is frankly unreasonable and completely ridiculous. I have heard those kinds of things from sellers over the years. We all know how sellers get when their homes don’t sell and we’ll see more of that this fall.
That’s my answer. I would not friend them. Let them friend you if you want to do it later in the transaction or when it closes, have at it. I think it’s smart to keep clients for life. Another Facebook tip that I’ll give you before I leave you. Stop talking too much about your life. If you go look at my Facebook page, I have my kids on there, I have business on there. You don’t see me saying, “I’m having a sad day. I’m overwhelmed. I’m too busy.” Ever. “I’m too slow. We’re not busy enough.” We don’t say any of that. We’re never too busy. We’re never too slow.
Don’t do that because when you do that, you’re basically telling your sphere that you’re overloaded. Then they’re going to be less likely to recommend you or to come to you for business or come to you to buy or sell, whatever it may be. Just some Facebook dots for you. I hope that answers the question. I literally heard from probably five or maybe even seven agents after my video last week related to Facebook and whether or not to be close with them or not. That’s my answer. I hope it helps. Have a good day, guys.