APR Hosts 2010 Online Marketing & Social Media Expo

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On February 1st and 3rd, Alain Pinel Realtors (APR) hosted their 2010 Online Marketing & Social Media Expo. The event served as a training for APR agents, apprising them of unique and innovative ways to use social media in the realm of real estate business. Agents benefited from a ½ day of interactive training in the arena of social media and online marketing, as well as a social media vendor expo. The event worked to give APR agents an edge in the real estate industry by making themselves available to their clients in multiple forums.

Highlighting the event were presentations from Ginger Wilcox and Nicole Nicolay, both of whom were two of Real Estate’s 50 Most Influential Online People for 2009, named by Inman News.

Ginger Wilcox, a Broker Associate at APR’s Central Marin Office, as well as a founding partner and Vice President of Business Development for the Social Media Marketing Institute, gave an overview of the development and growth of the social media phenomenon. Wilcox discussed the ethical use of social media to effectively engage and connect with the public while managing reputation, avoiding common risk management pitfalls, establishing expertise and earning trust online.

Industry leading trainer, consultant and writer, Nicole Nicolay discussed how to apply traditional real estate marketing strategies using social media. Her presentation highlighted examples of how agents are using blogs and social networks to grow their network and gain more exposure for their business. In addition, Nicole addressed time management and practical issues involved in making the transition into the world of online marketing and social media.

The expo portion of the event was host to some of today’s most cutting-edge online marketing vendors. Attendees included Altos Research, Zillow, Realtor.com, Trulia, Tour Factory, Agency Logic and Agent Evolution.

As a follow up to the expo, APR is providing a custom social media training program created by Agent Evolution to all of their agents. The training will cover a wide range of topics from blogging strategies to sphere engagement via Facebook to farming with Twitter. Elements of risk mitigation, business planning, and reputation management will also be taught and applied by agents who implement social media marketing with their marketing plans.

"APR recognizes the importance of not only providing training in social media marketing, but also a roadmap for implementation. By integrating social media strategy company-wide and being the first to offer this level of training to all of their agents, APR clearly sets itself apart from other brokerages,” said Nicolay. “APR is taking the initiative when it comes to innovation and professional development, helping their agents become more accessible to their clients, easily share their knowledge and expertise, and gain more exposure for their listings."

About Alain Pinel Realtors

Alain Pinel Realtors (APR) is the largest privately-owned and independent residential real estate company in California. APR was ranked the eighth largest residential real estate firm in the United States based on its sales volume in 2008, and has been consistently ranked in the Top 10 firms in the country. The firm has approximately 1,400 agents in its 32 offices throughout the Bay Area. APR was founded in 1990 by CEO and President Paul L. Hulme, and is based in Saratoga, Calif. For more information about APR, please visit our website at apr.com.