KGCI: Real Estate on Air - Building Social Media That Wins: How Tina Beliveau Turns Posts Into Profits

Starting point is 00:00:01 The thing that I say, because I teach and coach agents a lot on this stuff, and one of my favorite catchphrases is like all marketing is an experiment. Right now across America, millions of would-be sellers are sitting on a 2.8% mortgage rate. Clutching them like Gallup with the one ring. This is KGCI Real Estate on Air Live, your weekly deep dive into the strategies, trends, and tools shaping the real estate industry. From market updates to actionable strategies and exclusive interviews with top agents, we are here to unlock your full picture. potential and help you thrive. Thousands of agents trust KGCI every week. Now it's your turn.

Starting point is 00:00:38 Let's go live. Here's Ian Wheatley. Hey, all righty, agents. Welcome back. This is Real Estate on air live. As the lady said, I'm Ian Wheatley. And let me ask you this. Have you ever loved something so much you've refused to leave it?

Starting point is 00:00:53 Nah, I'm not talking about that high school hoodie or that weird attachment that all of us have to our Zillow premier agent logins. I'm talking about homeowners and their mortgage rates. Right now across America, millions of would-be sellers are sitting on a 2.8% mortgage rate, clutching them like Gallum with the one ring. And then we have some would-be sellers sitting here going, well, we can't tell Susan that the new rate starts with the six. We'll have to cancel HBO.

Starting point is 00:01:19 This, my friend, is what economists are calling the lock-in effect. And if you're newer to the business, here's what this means. It's when a homeowner decides not to move, even if they really want to, even if they really hate that house, because it would mean trading their super low mortgage rate for today's significantly higher one. So they stay put because they're locked in. Not because they love the house, but because they love that rate. And this phenomenon is a big reason why inventory is tight, especially in the move-up or downsizer segments, okay? It's also why, even as buyer demand picks up, the number of homes available feels frozen, right?

Starting point is 00:02:00 But the spoiler alert, it's not going to stay frozen forever. Life still happens, people still need to move, and when the rates dip, even just a little bit, you see that locking grip loosen up a bit. So if you're listening thinking, I just need a listing, don't panic, just be ready. Because when the thaw hits, you want to be the agent that they call first.

Starting point is 00:02:22 Coming up on today's show, I'm going to be sitting down with Tina Belvo, who's going to be walking us through how she built a social media presence that actually drives business, not just views, from her Facebook profile from a million years back to Instagram to lead generating Facebook groups and even a client and agent-facing podcast. Tina Belvo's done it all. Plus, we'll be breaking down how that connects to this week's Friday focus, which is all

Starting point is 00:02:42 about how agents win with social media in 2025. But first, let's hit the housing headlines here on real estate on airline. All righty, we're starting this week's housing headlines with some fresh data, fresh from the National Association of Realtors. Pending home sales. That is homes under contract, but not yet closed, rose by 2% in February. So that's a bit of good news. It's the first positive bump we've seen in a few months, but here's the flip side. We're still down more than 3% compared to this time last year. So agents, what this means is that we are seeing some signs of life in the market. Buyers are still moving cautiously, and affordability still remains a big

Starting point is 00:03:19 concern. So if you're working with buyers, this is a great time to re-engage anybody that hit pause in the fourth quarter or early on in January because they may be getting ready to jump back in. Now, looking at that same report, regionally, it's a bit of a mix bag. When you zoom in by region, the story shifts a bit, right? In the south, in the Midwest, we saw contract signings go up especially strong in the south, but in the northeast and the west, things slipped a little bit lower. So local matters agents. So if you're in a market that's warming up, double down on your lead follow up. People are starting to test the waters a bit. And if you're in one of those lower regions. Now is the time to be proactive with education. You should be sharing content on social media.

Starting point is 00:04:00 We'll be talking with Tina Belvo about that in about five minutes that helps buyers and sellers understand why now could still be their moment. And we're still trending below historical norms in this current market, right? So NAR's chief economist had chimed in and said that, yeah, we've seen a bit of momentum, but we're still way below the normal levels of buyer activity for this time in any given year. So a key issue is that those high mortgage rates and low inventory home buyers with that 3% mortgage rate, they're staying put, they're locked in, which means fewer listings and buyers dealing with affordability issues on the other side. So agents, this is your chance to be that educator.

Starting point is 00:04:38 Most clients don't understand that lock in effect. Break it down in a newsletter, Instagram story, or in those belly-to-belly conversations, and keep a close eye on mortgage rate trends. If rates drop meaningfully, we can see a sudden burst of listings and buyer activity. So be ready before the rush. And in a different report out of the National Association Realtors, we saw that new home sales edged up back in February. So new home sales ticked up 1.8% last month.

Starting point is 00:05:08 Well, I guess technically February would be two months ago. And they are actually up over 5% compared to this time last year. So what's driving it? Slightly lower mortgage rates and a serious lack of inventory, with the median price of a new build coming in just over 400, $14,000. So agents, if you have buyers that are frustrated by all of this going on in the resale market, now is a good time to talk to them about new construction if you haven't yet.

Starting point is 00:05:34 Learn the builders in your area, understand their incentives, and become a connector who solves your client's problems. That's a check of your housing headlines here on Real Estate on Air live. I'm Ian Wheatley. Coming up Friday is our weekly Friday focus here on KGCI Real Estate on Air. We're going to be diving into social media marketing all day. And to get us ready, we got a good one here for you today on Real Estate on air live. We're talking about building a social media presence that's going to drive results,

Starting point is 00:06:04 not just likes, but relationships, referrals and real real estate business. It's a social media plan that wins. Joining me, someone who's walked to walk, talk to talk, built a thriving business using platforms that we use every day, like Facebook, Instagram, and also leveraging the power of podcasts. Welcome to Powerhouse behind the Bellevote Group at EXP Realty, the host of the high-performance real estate agent podcast that you hear on KGCI, Real Estate on Air, as well as the host of all things home with Tina Belabow and friends. It's Tina Belvoir.

Starting point is 00:06:33 Tina, welcome to Real Estate on Air. You're busy. I'm just laughing. Thank you for the beautiful introduction. And yeah, I'm just always like, yeah, I just love to have my hands in so much. And that's why I love the real estate industry. I've gotten to do so many things over the years. And we're going to talk about the timeline.

Starting point is 00:06:51 Social media has fueled so. much of that. So much of the growth, so much of the opportunity, and also like the creative expression that makes me happy and like really fuels me. So I'm excited to be here. Thank you for having me. The pleasure is always mine. Let's rewind the clock a little bit. Before a podcast, before IG strategy, before the groups, it was just you and a Facebook page, yeah. I'm a Facebook OG. I don't want to admit it, but I'm turning 40 this summer. So I was one of the first Facebook users. It was back when you could only get in through having a dot edu college account. Yeah. So I've had an account forever. And I got into real estate in 2005 in college as an

Starting point is 00:07:36 assistant to a really successful agent in my market. So I had Facebook early on and it was just there. Like, you know, when you look at your old status updates, I don't know, did you have Facebook? I had a old time. About as, as soon as they drop the EDU, I was on Facebook. You know, like the old status updates. Like Tina is walking down the street. You're like, what? Anyway, so I've got that.

Starting point is 00:08:02 So just quick timeline. In 2007, I graduated from college, decided to go full time in real estate as a solo agent as opposed to like getting a corporate job in advertising, which is what I thought I would do at one point. And started building my business with all the old school tactics. I was so hungry for like how to do this. Like this was pre- YouTube. It's not even relevant to anyone listening because our world is so much better. Now I just want to say, you guys have it so good because there was no way to get information.

Starting point is 00:08:31 Like there were a couple business coaches that like a class would like come to town or like, I don't know. So I started the early part of my career doing the Brian Bafini working by referral training, which was great because I did not want to like cold call and prospect, although I did. early on I got a lot of my first listings by calling expires. It's a different market. Nothing expires right now, at least in Baltimore. But that'll come back around at some point.

Starting point is 00:09:00 So in the beginning, it was like, how do I build my business without doing things that I hate? And like, I think that's the question for all of us, right? And that is something that I have iterated upon and changed so much over the years. But at some point, I can't even tell you when I started using my Facebook profile for business. It was probably a couple years in where I got over this first thing. Like I wasn't even proud to be a realtor at first. I don't know. Like I felt like sort of a cheesy salesperson.

Starting point is 00:09:29 I had all this stuff about like how I came across. So like I didn't really put myself out there. Like some people just like come out of the gate like, hey, like I'm here. I'm awesome. For me, it was like I had to build my confidence. I was young. I was totally solo. I did not have great mentoring in the beginning.

Starting point is 00:09:47 So I was just fumbling around. And at some point, I kind of knew that I hit my stride. So I just started sharing on Facebook about my business and friending everyone I could, who I actually knew and really built a thriving, thriving presence with my profile. Like I've never been big on having a page. I'm all about the profile and just being active and willing to share and put myself out there, talk about what I'm up to. And as I started to experience my early, you know, first like level of real success, I was pumped.

Starting point is 00:10:22 So I was sharing. Like I was just sharing like, look at this. Look at that. Like here's a story. And I do have a lot of natural marketing talent. And I also love technology. So I think one thing I've always understood is the concept of storytelling and not just like barfing information on people that is like not interesting.

Starting point is 00:10:42 Yeah. You know, like another just sold. but like kind of telling compelling stories. And also sharing, like speaking the language of results. And as I really like built my niche more and more as a listing focused agent, I really just honed that message. I went hard. Like I'm sure there are so many people who were like, oh, like she's so annoying or like

Starting point is 00:11:04 she posts about real estate a lot. But like I was in the zone. And the more that I was in the zone, the more I was and the snowball effect. So I only have like 3,000 Facebook friends. Like I don't like when you compare that to the world of what you could have like in an Instagram following these days, like it's not that many people. It's a lot more than a lot of people I know. But when I started in this business, I didn't know anybody. Like I did.

Starting point is 00:11:29 I do sell in the area I grew up. But like I'm not like super well connected. I was a mess in high school. Like I came out of college like starting from nothing. And it was so, and it was really slow at first. You know, my first deals were like renters and like super entry level first time buyers, like scraping together. So my point is give this business five or 10 years and you'll be amazed.

Starting point is 00:11:55 And when you, you know, put people first and treat people like humans and value the relationship and then Facebook or Instagram or whatever your thing is becomes a part of that, like anything is possible. One of the things that jumped out to me here is, you know, we take for granted that back in the day, and back in the days like what, half a dozen to a dozen years ago, there was no social media playbook, right, that agents could pick up. There was no proliferation of this on YouTube. There was no proliferation of this on podcast. There was no KGCI real estate on air.

Starting point is 00:12:29 Thinking back to that initial kind of push and drive to go to Facebook, were you, intentional about blending the personal and the professional stuff? How did that evolve? Yes. And I think the thing that I say, because I teach and coach agents a lot on this stuff, and one of my favorite catchphrases is like all marketing is an experiment. So for me, it was starting to notice like what works. What do people respond to? What don't they? And I laugh. It's like kids, dogs, pictures of faces, like people, not like Canva graphics. Like I started to just notice what worked and I'm not afraid to do things that might not work. Sometimes I just delete them.

Starting point is 00:13:16 I'm like, oh, that sucked. But like, I think you have to find your own way. And that's the thing about this that's so frustrating with social media, with lead generation as a realtor in general. Like no formula that I use is going to translate exactly right. to you. So you have to be willing to take action and try things. And if you want to post, you either need to like become open to sharing about yourself and your life to some degree or be willing to sort of create other content that's like less personal and gives you more privacy, but like going harder on like house content or like tours and or like building a

Starting point is 00:13:55 presence that's really about like your town. And I've just never been called to that that last better version, like it's just been so much easier for me to be like, here I am, here's my life, like, here's my dog, here's my husband, these are my kids, I'm obsessed with them. Like, people who know me on online know me, they know the real me. Like there's certain things I don't share, but like for me, that was a path that made sense. So I think part of what I tell people with figuring out like their social media voice is like, there's this mix of like you have to get real with yourself of like, what am I willing to do?

Starting point is 00:14:29 Because I don't, don't create a social media plan where you know that you're never going to share or that you're never, you know what I mean about yourself. Right. And then you have to start pushing the edge of what you're comfortable with and just put yourself out there a little more and a little more. And I think that's what I did organically. And it was not like easy. I'm sure it was bumpy. I probably can't remember half of what was hard about it. But I just kept going.

Starting point is 00:14:51 I kept sharing. And also I love Facebook. Like I, and it's, we'll talk about Instagram in a minute. But that's like the platform where actually I love it less and less, but like it's a place now where I have such like such a like I feel like it's changed a lot even just in the last few months. But like that's where all my real connections are, people who actually know me and I know them and we've probably met, whereas Instagram is so much more of like a persona. So I feel so my advice is if you're listening to this like where do you like to spend time?

Starting point is 00:15:22 Like people will come to me and be like, I need to start Instagram. And I'm like, yeah, like, but I went on your Facebook and you've like hundreds of friends. in your town like don't sleep on that unless you just hate it there and don't want to log in and look around in which case fine like find somewhere else but it's just like self-assess a little bit and you'll start to see threads of what could make sense for you to just start pushing yourself and being more strategic and more consistent more honest that's and that's honest advice right and you know putting yourself out there like you know if you're going to put yourself out there you got to pick which platform you want to put yourself out there because you know what you're doing

Starting point is 00:15:57 on Facebook, some, some may think, oh, I can just do that on Instagram. Not quite. You know, there are different strategies. We're catching up with Tina Belvo here at KGCI, Real Estate on air live. You know, one of the things that, you know, the experience that I had when I started to, I made a conscious decision. I was going to live my life on air, right? So this was when I was, you know, on the radio every day.

Starting point is 00:16:19 We'll live my life on air. And there's this strange phenomenon that happens. You make that decision like six to eight months later. people start asking you how your child is doing by their name right and you're like i haven't actually met you in real life and that's an interesting phenomenon when you're walking through the grocery store but there's also power in that right because you're you're building out that sphere of people that know like and trust you which if we're talking about you know putting together databases like this is sort of the bread and butter the meat and potatoes of kind of what what you kind of need to start to build

Starting point is 00:16:52 so you have this traction on facebook you make a move over to Instagram, what led to that shift? And also talk a little bit about the different persona that exists on a Facebook versus an Instagram, because those are two different things. Yeah. And I love what you said about like being known where you go and that has happened for me. I didn't set out for that, but it brings me so much credibility and so much opportunity to be known in the spaces that people know me locally and also like, you know.

Starting point is 00:17:25 like on the agent stage and things that I've done. And I think Instagram is a place where it really helped me expand on exactly that. And I think in 2019 or early 2020, I was sitting at like 2,000 followers, mostly people I knew and like whatever, just some random people that followed me over that time. And my Instagram had been like okay at that point, but there wasn't like a real growth strategy. So basically I made a decision that I wanted to increase my follower count, which, you know, that doesn't always do a lot, right?

Starting point is 00:17:58 Like, I have a lot of, like, junk followers. People are such liars about everything with, like, market. Like, I think it's just hard to be, like, really honest. Like, I'm like so many people. I'm like, I don't know of my, I think I'm getting close to 7,000 followers now. So I've grown by 5,000 followers in five years. There were certain things I did that made sense, certain things that I didn't. There's a lot of junk in there.

Starting point is 00:18:20 my engagement is never something I'm proud of, but it doesn't matter because I get so much results anyway. So it's like the vanity metrics that I was chasing didn't always yield what I thought they would. But what has happened is I've learned so much about Instagram. I've learned how I like to use it and how I don't. It's brought me a lot of opportunity. And being at a certain threshold of followers, I feel like really does create credibility in a lot of different ways. So, yeah, I think I'm big on stories because like my whole thing is just sharing what I'm up to. That is just what's easy for me. And it doesn't feel like content creation of like, let me go film a tour of like my neighborhood.

Starting point is 00:19:05 Like that is like such a great idea. But like I have I just, I'm not interested in that. You know, so I'm like, well, what am I interested in? I'm interested in sharing where I'm going. What's already in my camera role? Cool stories. Highlighting my team members. spreading positivity, supporting local businesses.

Starting point is 00:19:22 So I'm a story gal and I do post on my grid, but I feel like stories are where it's like that whole no like and trust factor where I have built so many relationships with people that they'll follow me for a long time and not engage at all and then just like pop up. Like I'm ready to buy a house, like not interviewing anyone else. like, I need you. So it's like, I think the thing that's tough about social media and even working by referral, it can be hard to be like, I'm going to do all these activities and it's going to yield this much business. Like, it's a little bit unpredictable. It's not like prospecting where you can really kind of dial in. Like, if I do enough of this, I'm probably going to have,

Starting point is 00:20:04 you know, at least four listings a month from cold calling and all of that. So I've also just come to, it took me a while to make peace with that of like riding the wave, riding the seasonal wave of this business and just knowing, knowing without a doubt that if I continue to do the core activities, which is grow my database in my actual CRM, market to those people consistently with email marketing. I have a very dialed in email marketing strategy and being really active on social media, it sounds simpler and easier than it is, but it really, really works. And then you have to be excellent at what you do. And one of the things in my evolution right now is I have to, have been doing this for 20 years.

Starting point is 00:20:46 And I've just been stepping up more of like, what you get when you hire me is very, very different than the average agent. And I'm now just commute. Like that's the thing that I think I feel so fired up about right now. Because if I'm not fired up, it's hard to share. It's hard to like, it's hard to go out with that energy that people are like, whoa, like, that's a special person.

Starting point is 00:21:10 That's, there's some confidence. Like I'm inspired by her. I want to learn from her. That's kind of the way that I have built my influence in life and on social media. And that first iteration was back in Facebook when I was having my listing awakening of how much I love marketing and being in charge and being like the driver of the listing business. And I was so all in on that messaging and it brought me so much business. And there's been different times where I've been all in on different messages.

Starting point is 00:21:39 And there have been times where I felt like I had nothing to say. in my business were crappy, life wasn't going my way. Like I have not been super consistent with social media at times. So I think that's something that people think they have to be like a robot. But I haven't given up and I continue to look for the channels that make sense for me. And then when I know that I'm on a wave, I ride it as long as I can. Okay. And I try and learn along the way.

Starting point is 00:22:05 All marketing is an experiment, right? Yes. But putting you back to you. That's, that's, that's interesting because so often it's like, oh, you got to have this dialed in calendar. You have to execute on it. And you have to have all these like, like that's great. I just can't do that. My brain doesn't work that way.

Starting point is 00:22:24 And that's fine. And you accept that. And you work within the parameters that your, your strengths lie. And interesting on stories, because I, again, I have like the good angel and the bad devil, like on each shoulder right now, like going like, well, you know, stories that go away, there's no staying power. How, how that, but it works, right? You have the results. Yeah, and you know, like, and I feel like everything has an opportunity cost, right? Like, I could be doing reels every day and experiencing maybe way more growth. Sure. And like, maybe I should be. I don't, but you know, what's funny is I've, I've started doing reels with a certain

Starting point is 00:23:02 formula. I'm making like one really good one a month. And I'm picking up hundreds of followers, even after they've been published for like two months. And they are house-oriented. They're like eye candy. So I do have a good growth strategy, although they're just like random people. They're not like geographic followers. So that's something I talk to people about a lot.

Starting point is 00:23:26 That's true. So it's like I might not grow as much because if I want a geographic reach, like it's just different. Like it does not work the same as going viral and getting anyone and everyone. And that's fine. Quality has always worked for me over quantity. And I'm always like, how can I get a good measure of both? But I'll never sacrifice quality. I'll sacrifice quantity before that. And that's me. That's my value system and just what makes me feel happy in business. Catching up with Tina Belvo here at KGCI, Real Estate on air live.

Starting point is 00:24:00 Real estate's a geographic business, ultimately. And I think this next little bit of the conversation is going to be absolutely brilliant. Because you do. just rely on a Facebook profile or an Instagram profile. You had Facebook groups and you use these Facebook groups in two different ways. You have a past clients group. You have basically in effect the geographic farm group. How did those two different groups develop? What came first? What was chicken? What was egg? How'd that all come about? So it comes back to I look for the wave and I ride it or sometimes I strong arm my way to solve a problem. So the client group was a strong arm because COVID happened. I was just rebooting my team after going through the worst

Starting point is 00:24:44 kind of most tumultuous period of my career at that point. And I was rebooting my business. I was re-engaging a database that I had not been in touch with because I'd spent four years in brokerage leadership instead. And I had this like great plan to like do all the things. I was going to have like a relaunch party, this, that. And then COVID happened. And then I was like, oh my God, like what am I going to do? What am I going to do? And then it hit me like, I want to start a Facebook group for my clients because I do love hang and groups are where it's at like anyone listening to this if you're a mom you know like mom's groups on Facebook they're amazing like the input the level of information and resources that we share with each other is so cool so like I have such an appreciation

Starting point is 00:25:25 for the power of groups because they're like a whole different setting they're not performative they're like actual connection resource sharing information sharing so I was like all right I'm I'm going to launch a Facebook group from my past clients and my advocates and the people that support me a lot. I had a lot of concerns. Is it going to work? Is it not? And I launched it and it was really impactful. And it's still there. It's not like the same focus for me at this point because it's been years and we're back to like having appreciation events and seeing people, but it's there and I have clients that post in there every month. They're always looking for contractor referrals. And it's this like great spot where they can reach me and feel a connection to me.

Starting point is 00:26:06 But I'm not individually calling them or being like, hey, do you need anything? Which is like such a good idea. But I am at a point in my career where I am too busy for that. Like I am obsessed with figuring out how to get people to come to me. And then I can respond to whatever they need. And that also gives me a lot of like purpose to be like a hub for people. So the group is like a way of it's like a funnel, but not in the way we think of marketing funnels. Like for me, it's like like a real magnet.

Starting point is 00:26:34 And having people understand that like the connections and knowledge that I have is incredibly valuable. And for them to perceive that like staying in relationship with me, being loyal to me, referring me affords them the opportunity to have access to a lot of knowledge and people that you just wouldn't have without that. I obviously feel very passionate about this. So that's that's my client group. And then at the same time, I had started a geographic focus group in 20,

Starting point is 00:27:04 2015 when I was really going hard with traditional farming in my area. And then it sat dormant with 200 people for five years. And then COVID happened and the group just started growing. I didn't even notice it first. I had like unfollowed my own group because like it was empty. It was completely dormant. And I noticed it was growing. And I was like busy getting my other group off the ground. And I'm really a big believer. And like I get a project to where I feel like maybe it's not done. But like I need to finish this before I start that. And like that takes discipline. but I've learned the hard way that it needs to be that way. So once my client group was at a point where I felt like, all right, like I've got this in hand. I'm in maintenance mode. I started to pay more attention to my digital group, my geographic group. And now we have 10,000 members. It's brought me probably $15 million in closings over the last four years, which is like awesome. It's not like life changing for my team, but it's all in my niche.

Starting point is 00:28:02 It's all at a great price point. It's all part of the overall brand growth and where I want to be and what I want to be known for. I'm like the unofficial mayor of my little like, it's like a zip code. It's so funny. It's not even a town. It's just this area that like did not have a Facebook group and didn't really have a brand as an area. Okay. And it's an incredibly valuable group.

Starting point is 00:28:25 So I do all these different creative things in there to collect contact info and build my email list and grow my database. I run giveaways. I have all kinds of posts that I do. I have two people who moderate it for me as volunteers. It is a system. So yeah, I have a whole course on how to build a group like mine. Yeah. How does one take that course, Tina Belvoir? I mean, you can go to Tina Belvo.com and find all of my courses. So I call it like generate your dream leads with a digital geographic farm. a little bit of a mouthful, but that's exactly what it is. And there's so much upside. Like you can build a Facebook group from anywhere.

Starting point is 00:29:12 You can schedule your posts two months out at a time. It's so leveraged. Yeah. And it's nothing's easy, but it's way easier than a lot of other things I've done at other phases in my career to lead generate and network. And you got my wheels turning because, you know, I am a firm believer that A geographic farm, like if you're, if you're building a real estate business stool, a geographic farm has to be some part of that, of that system, right?

Starting point is 00:29:43 So ideally, right? Mailers and door knocking, right? Yeah. It could be, hey, I'm going to have a YouTube channel to promoting, you know, buyers and insert your town here. Or it could be this group, right? To have a geographic farm on some level, if you want to generate a decent volume of listings in any real estate business is always certainly something that's prudent to do.

Starting point is 00:30:06 I'd have to say, like, with that lead generation group, how did you position that group to attract, like, legitimate locals? Because I know groups can get inundated with not locals. Oh, my gosh. Yeah. I mean, there's so many layers to it. But a couple of things I always tell people is, like, the name of the group has to make sense so that if people are searching the area in like the search bar of Facebook, that they would find it.

Starting point is 00:30:35 You'd be amazed how much people like name their groups with like acronyms. And I'm like no one searches like DMV. That's like a term people use for like Maryland and Virginia. I'm like no one goes and searches that way. So like your title needs to make sense. You need to have the city or the town or the area tagged. You can vet people before they join the group and like hop on their profile, make sure they look like a real profile and not like a spammer. I have some membership questions, which is a good screen.

Starting point is 00:31:04 And then once your group has some traction, Facebook then the algorithm goes to work for you and starts suggesting it in people's feeds. It pops up. I've done calls to action at times, like add your friends, add your neighbors. So yeah, you know, growth of 10,000 members over five years. It's five years. That didn't happen in a year, but it was worth it. And you have to add value. Yeah.

Starting point is 00:31:29 And so I've like, there's no advertising loud in my group, which is one day a month. We have small business Saturday. It's like actual community resource. It's moderated. Every post is moderated. It's a quality place. We have rules about like being kind and being a nice person. I've learned when someone's a jerk kick them out the first time because they always do it again.

Starting point is 00:31:49 So people, people value my group. They're like, thank you. This is like one of the only place. Like I always say we're not next door because next door is like. Oh, next door is brutal. It's the home of ranting and raving and like so many other things. So, and it took me, I don't learn. There's a lot of learning along the way to get to that point.

Starting point is 00:32:06 But creating a space where people are like, yeah, oh, my God, it's so great to post and ask my neighbors for a roofer and get 15 recommendations, like solving real problems that people have that to us are like not that big of a deal, but to them, it's so helpful. Catching up with Tina Belvo here at KGCI Real Estate on Air Live. We're talking about social media strategies, strategies that win. so you can have a winning social media presence, whether it's Facebook, Instagram, Facebook groups.

Starting point is 00:32:34 I got, this is my big one for you. You've got your 20 years experience, but instead social media is just launched, right? This is the scenario. Let's say you just started all over from scratch here in 2025. No social strategy yet, maybe just you got a nice little personal profile, couple hundred friends. Where would Tina Belvoir start today?

Starting point is 00:33:06 Yeah. So it's not a sexy answer, but I am a huge believer in having a CRM from day one and getting everyone, you know, in there and then leveraging some kind of high quality email marketing, good email marketing. That's been a whole journey for me too. I have an email template for basically like a monthly client newsletter. I sell it for $19. It's a Flowdesk template.

Starting point is 00:33:30 It's gorgeous. So that's like the cornerstone of my email marketing strategy is I send this really awesome newsletter every month that people actually enjoy reading. They like text me and be like, include this next month. And it took me a long time to crack the code on email. People actually want to read or at least don't unsubscribe from. So you've got to have a CRM. You've got to grow your database.

Starting point is 00:33:52 You need to get people in there. And then having a thriving social media presence, figuring out whatever you're you know, flavor is of how you're going to do that and where. And then start, first, you need to build that a bit and then start to use that as a net. Maybe run a giveaway where people click and fill out a form and give you all their contact info to maybe win like a high value item or landing pages, lead magnets people actually want. KVCorps is amazing. If you put a listing link from KVCore on Facebook, if people go to the landing page and want to see more than three pictures, it'll auto pull out their personal email and cell phone from Facebook and be like, do you want to log in with these

Starting point is 00:34:34 credentials? And then they just hit one button. And then they're in your database. Like the KVCorps listing links are so, so clutch. So you can do, you know, everything you need. And like once or twice a month, use those links and just keep adding to your database. And what do you see the biggest mistake that agents are making on social right now and getting the social connected with their CRM? Because CR, I mean, I die on the hill that the CRM is the make it or break it. But what do you see is that biggest mistake where agents fail to get the social and the CRM aligned as one? Yeah, I mean, there's different challenges, right? Like some agents just have mindset blocks about even getting going on social media.

Starting point is 00:35:16 I feel like that's maybe a little bit of a different conversation of getting out of your own way. So there's that. But that issue aside, I think a lot of. of successful agents, we were laughing as we were getting on here, like herding cats, like scheduling with agents. If only we all had handlers and were, you know, easier to wrangle. And I think, you know, for successful agents that are in a momentum phase in their business, it's hard to be organized. It's hard to know which systems to have and then to use them. And, you know, I talked to so many agents where they're like really successful, but like still don't have,

Starting point is 00:35:54 you know, all their clients contact. info in one place. And I call it the dirty work. It's like you've got to sit down one day with a large cup of coffee and get everybody's contact info in one place. It's just so annoyingly basic. So I think actually getting your database in order, it then creates this space for you to be like, okay, now I can add to it. Oh, and also I'm going to connect the dots and start emailing these people occasionally. And KVCore has such good tools built in, like the market updates where you can like set people up to receive regular emails about their house or an area that they might be keeping their eye on. Just leverage those tools. Don't be afraid to put people in your

Starting point is 00:36:39 database. And a little bit more of like get forgiveness later. But like my whole thing is like when I send people great stuff, like it's very rare. Someone's like, how dare you? You know, I can't even think of a time. If the information that you're providing is of value, the people that know like and trust you on some level are not going to be upset by the information that you're sending them. It's when you get super spammy. It's when you get it's when the information that you're sending isn't all that great or compelling or informative. That's where people go, why am I getting this? But if everything is being provided from a place of value first, they're not really going to hit that unsubscribe. And if they do, they do. They have that option.

Starting point is 00:37:25 Values kind of like this word. It's like, what does that even mean? Like here's a way you can figure out if it's valuable. Like look at an email you've sent to your sphere or social media posts and go, would I want to look at this? Amen. And if not, great. Now you know what problem to be solving. And you can start to move towards whatever better looks like.

Starting point is 00:37:46 And if that's email, you should definitely look at my email template. It took me forever to figure out the email game. game as it relates to myself and finally realizing if I come at it from this like a community relationship personal angle that that was actually so much more magical than like really buttoned up just listed just so old like da la la so yeah I think if you don't want to see it no one else does either but don't let that stop you and make you stuck then be in the inquiry of well what would it look like or who's doing something that is beautiful or cool that I like and I could seem myself doing. Take action and then it will come together in time, but not right away. Nothing with

Starting point is 00:38:30 marketing comes together like magic. No. Do you do you still is, is it still a year? I remember I remember when I was again in Radio Land we would yeah in Radio Land we would say, hey, just you know, plan a campaign for a year before you legitimately see results. Is that the standard that you see? Absolutely. And I feel like in my mind, I always say it's like layers of the cake, right? There's like the cake is the database and the CRM. And then in my opinion, the next layer is almost always email. And then social media, your one channel, your one place. And it doesn't even need to be all of Facebook. It could just be a group of like moms or guys who like poker in Baltimore, like whatever. You know what I mean? And then that might actually be enough to have a thriving. 20 or 30 unit a year solo agent business. Like you don't need more in a lot of cases. You might need more people in your database. And then it's like, okay, like what am I going to do about that? So I think just moving in a logical order, it's so easy to like buy shiny objects and want to like buy like internet leads and then like AI to convert and like all of that and like all of that is so cool. But

Starting point is 00:39:44 generally that requires this like level of discipline and financial investment that is a little bit more like being like a machine, which I've had phases like that in my business. But at my core, I'm like a relationship person. So it's like, how do I express that in my business? And I think it's those three things. Database, email, social media, repeat. It's boring. Stay bored. It's okay. Stay bored and save your energy and your money. That is awesome advice. Tina, this has been absolutely phenomenal. I love how you've walked, you walked us through the journey, kind of gave us the roadmap of where we could start in 2025. For listeners that want to connect with you, what's the best way for them to go about doing that?

Starting point is 00:40:23 The best way is Instagram at Tina Beliveau. And if you're interested in any of my like stuff, that's all in my Instagram too in a link tree. So go there and say hi. If you follow me and you heard this, I'd love for you to say hi and that you listen to this because that's always fun to hear. That's awesome.

Starting point is 00:40:42 Tina Belvo, thanks for checking in with us here at Real Estate on Air Live. Thank you. There are some absolutely great takeaways from that conversation heard here on KGCI Real Estate on Air live with Tina Belvo. That reminded me a lot of the conversation we had a little bit last week with Chris Craddock, host of the Uncommon Real Estate podcast heard here on Real Estate on Air. Starting with what you have was probably my number one takeaway, right?

Starting point is 00:41:05 And in the terms of the conversation with Tina, it's your profile is your power, right? Tina built this thriving presence, starting with just a personal Facebook profile, long before pages and paid ads were the norm. Her early success came from simply sharing what she was doing, celebrating the wins, and showing up consistently. So agents don't overlook the power of your own profile. If you've already connected with people that are in your sphere on that friends list, start there before chasing random strangers on Instagram. Other big takeaway repeated this one a couple of times in that conversation is that all marketing is an experiment.

Starting point is 00:41:43 Tina emphasized that there's no perfect formula and that she found out what worked through trial and error, embracing experimentation, and, you know, there was some content that flop, but didn't overthink it, right? So agents, you're not going to figure out your voice until you start posting until you start trying to figure it out. So don't wait to be perfect. Take messy action, or as Chris Craddock called it last week, massive imperfect action. Eutina also talked about Facebook groups and being digital gold mines. She runs two high-performing groups, one for past clients as a long-term nurture tool, the other as a digital geographic farm. That's generated her over $15 million in closing.

Starting point is 00:42:20 So these groups allow her to stay visible, provide value without needing to chase a bunch of conversations. So agents, could a group you create, could you help to leverage that? Could you start one? Even if it grows slowly over time, it builds a community and it positions you as that local leader. Also, kind of calling back to the conversation that we had with GoGo Bethke about a month and a half back, email and CRM.

Starting point is 00:42:47 trumps everything. If Tina, this queen of social media, if GoGo Bethke, this queen of social media, we're starting it all over in 2025, Tina and Go-Go had the same basic advice. Tina says that the first move is not social media. It's getting everyone you know in that CRM and sending high-quality relationship-based emails.

Starting point is 00:43:10 So agents, fancy funnels, they're a lot of fun, but your future is in your database. Start there, stay consistent, don't overcomplicate it. And my final takeaway from the conversation there with Tina Belvo was plenty of your strengths. And boring wins. Tina isn't chasing going viral.

Starting point is 00:43:27 Her social strategy is rooted in authenticity, repetition, and systems. From sharing stories to using email templates and automating her Facebook group, her advice is, it's boring, stay bored, that's okay. So agents, what does that mean? Maybe in a less boring way. Consistency is greater than creativity. You don't need to be a social media genius. just find what fits your personality and go deep.

Starting point is 00:43:50 The ROI comes from showing up with purpose. And if you want more insights on social media that wins in 2025, we are going to be diving deep with our Friday focus all day. Friday, we are going to be lining up the social media strategies and social media marketing strategies that allow you to find success, whether that's from content calendars, whether that's how do you do the TikToks, how do you do Instagram, how is LinkedIn different than Facebook? we're going to cover it all.

Starting point is 00:44:17 So that way you have a winning social media strategy as we are getting going here in the second quarter on Real Estate on Air Live. All righty, let's lighten things up. It's time for Real Estate Confessions. This is where you reach out to us on Facebook and Instagram. Send us a message. Let us know your real estate story.

Starting point is 00:44:34 Tell us what you like to share with friends when you're at those association banquets. This is what you share when you're swapping stories. Maybe you're doing like a team call and you're sharing wins, but really everyone's there to share like the trauma bonding, okay? This is the trauma bonding here on Real Estate on air live. But before we get started, we've got to get one thing straight.

Starting point is 00:44:57 Real estate confessions features stories from the wild world of real estate. Names and details may have been changed to protect the innocent, and occasionally the not so innocent. All confessions are shared in good humor and do not reflect the opinions of KGCI Real Estate on air, its hosts or affiliates. No agent's licenses were harmed in the making of this segment. Enjoy responsibly. All righty. Now that we're covered, it's time for real estate confessions. Because in real estate, truth is stranger than fiction. I once went to show a house and the combo lockbox code was one, two, three, four.

Starting point is 00:45:38 I rolled my eyes until it worked. Now, I try it at every listing before calling the agent when they forget to send the code. It's my version of the real estate. estate lottery. I'm still surprised how often it works. My buyer fell in love with the online photos, gorgeous staging, perfect lighting, HGTV energy. We walk in and instantly get hit with an aggressive blast of Fabrese. And underneath it, something smoky, mysterious, possibly meaty. My client looked at me and said, I just hope the Fabrese wasn't part of the seasoning. One time I totally forgot about a showing until the seller texted me a screenshot from their ring doorbell. It was my client, on the porch, calling me. I panicked and said, hey, I'm five minutes away.

Starting point is 00:46:24 I wasn't. I was at Chipotle. I was getting ready to list my buyer's current home. They texted me, just come in, we're home. I knock, no answer. Doors unlocked. I step in like, hey guys, it's me. I brought a staging checklist. Total silence. I was in the wrong. house. The very confused family inside just stared. I backed out like a cartoon character, no sudden movements. You got a real estate story of your own? We certainly want to hear it. Send us a message on Facebook and Instagram. You can record a video, record some audio, send us the text. We'll get the real estate on-air troop of talented players to read that for you. And don't forget, while you're sending us this, be sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram, and let's

Starting point is 00:47:16 Keep those stories coming. Once again, special thanks to Tina Belva, host of the High Performance Real Estate Agent podcast. Catch it here on KGCI Real Estate on air. And set that reminder now to get under the hood of your social media marketing and build a plan that wins. Tune in Friday for a weekly Friday Focus. And hey, this episode is available as a podcast. Just search KGCI wherever you're listening to podcast. And be sure to subscribe so you don't miss these insights and any of the other insights on real estate business building strategies.

Starting point is 00:47:43 from many of North America's top producing real estate agents that you hear every day 24-7-365 at real estate onair.com. I'm Ian Wheatley. This is Real Estate on Air Live. Be good.

KGCI: Real Estate on Air - Building Social Media That Wins: How Tina Beliveau Turns Posts Into Profits

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