Step 11 – “Yelp(ing) Yourself Out”: 12 Steps Crucial to an RE Professional’s Internet Presence

by TheRECoach on May 2, 2013 | Category:

According to Wikipedia … Yelp began in late 2004, but …

“The initial site was hard to use, and attracted few readers or reviewers. In an “a-ha moment”, Stoppelman and Simmons noticed that an increasing number of users were using a feature that allowed them to write reviews without being prompted. They relaunched the site in February 2005 based on unsolicited review writing.”

It has since grown to over 100, 000,000 Million Users! It’s not just for Restaurants anymore … It’s for any Business Service or Product!

It’s this generations Yellow Pages yes, but it is so much more … It is this Generations “Referral Base”. Now that means more to a Real Estate Agent than saying Yellow Pages, don’t you think? Referrals have been the “Life Blood” of every successful Agent since the beginning of time. It won’t change, it will just “Evolve”. Kids don’t care anymore, who their Parents used to Buy or Sell a house, but (for some crazy reason) they do care what a complete Stranger says! Go figure???

Besides that, have you ever asked “Siri” for help on your iPhone? Did you bother to look at the bottom of the “Results” page she sends you? Down there, in the “Grey” area, in “Grey” writing no less!!! Yup! It says “Powered by Yelp” So my little “Brainiacs” … Simply put, If you are not on Yelp, then Siri does not know you exist!!!

Hmmm … “Today’s Referral Base” and the Database that powers “Siri” … Guess I should be there???!!! Ya, guess you should =)

Ok, so how do you get on Yelp, as a Business? Here ya go …

(By the way, as a suggestion, you may wanna also join Yelp as a Consumer. This way you can understand it better and start “reviewing” local businesses, as a way of connecting!)

Go to http://Biz.Yelp.com (Look careful, it says “BIZ”. Yelp . com) and click on “Create Your Free Account Now”, just below the video
You will be taken to a page that will search for a similar business, or maybe something you tried to set up before, but failed in doing so. They just wanna eliminate duplicates. Fill in your business name as follows: Eric Bryant – Realtor(c) – Beachwood Canyon Hollywood Homes” (Brand!). then choose the city nearest your brand – Hollywood Ca) and hit Search.
What you want to see is a page that returns this
- Sorry, there were no matches. Please try adjusting your search.
- Can’t find your business? Add your business to Yelp … it is that link, where you will “Sign Up”
- Suggestions for answering the questions …

a) When using an address where multiple Agents do business, like an Office, use something in Address 2 space, to distinguish your self from the others in office. I suggest your phone extension since it is unique to you.

b) Put your Google Voice number in Phone section

c) Put your “simpler” of the 2 Domain Names in the Website section

d) Use your Branded email where it asks for it

Your done for now, but you will receive a “Confirmation” email from Yelp… AND, this is IMPORTANT … Yelp will “review” your entry to see it meets their criteria. .They will then send you an email, letting you know they accepted your entry, in about 2-3 days. IF YOU DO NOT GET THIS EMAIL … return to http://Biz.Yelp.com and click on the “Business Support Center” link, under “Help” at the bottom of page. tell them what happened, and request that they look into it =)

Holy Crap! We are only one step away!!! I could not be prouder of you 😉

Next week – Step 12 – “Pimping Out Your Blog” Widgets, Sidebars, and Pages: 12 Steps Crucial to an RE Professional’s Internet Presence

For your review … Coach

Series Intro: 12 Steps Crucial to an RE Professional’s Internet Presence

Step 1 – Branding: 12 Steps Crucial to an RE Professional’s Internet Presence

Step 2 – Branded Contact Info: 12 Steps Crucial to an RE Professional’s Internet Presence

Step 3 – “Aces in Their Google Places”: 12 Steps Crucial to an RE Professional’s Internet Presence

Step 4 – “Be a Star on YouTube”: 12 Steps Crucial to an RE Professional’s Internet Presence

Step 5 – “Put The “Hubba Hubba in Hub & Spoke”: 12 Steps Crucial to an RE Professional’s Internet Presence

Step 6 – “Ready, Set, GoDaddy”: 12 Steps Crucial to an RE Professional’s Internet Presence

Step 7 – “Love to Hear Your Clients Going Tweet Tweet Tweet”: 12 Steps Crucial to an RE Professional’s Internet Presence

Step 8 – “Saving Face(book) Bussiness Pages”: 12 Steps Crucial to an RE Professional’s Internet Presence