• Create a business or "fan" page. Don't use your personal site, link off it. Don't "ask", remind. Post your listings, factoids about your service area, pictures of you with clients and a SOLD! sign when you close escrow, etc. Demonstrate your expertise and people will notice. FB is branding & gentle reminders, it's not a BNI meeting with an "ask". It should be one spoke in your wheel of marketing & branding that in total, creates your demonstration of competence & character.

Tracie, I had a different approach to Facebook when I was on it.  I only accepted friends as my sphere of influence who could be future real estate clients.  I did not accept family members or people I did not know.  My personal FB page was to get future business but I did so without the usual blasting of listings or making horribly contrived and nauseating posts by slipping in their real estate business every minute of the day.  I received several buyers and listings because I took an interest in their posts and made it about them NOT me.  They knew just enough that I was in real estate, and using the private messaging was very effective! 

Pictures of interesting real estate happenings worked for me as posts.  I had a picture of a bat in a closed in porch from a showing that I asked as a question how the US planned to use bats to help defeat Japan during WWII.  Got tons of comments and then I linked a post I did on Active Rain how the US  was planning on bombing Japan with bats during World War II. 

Be fun and be creative and make it about them!!!  They will come to you!

I don't really like facebook, but it brings me business.  My strategy that has worked is simply to participate.  Keep in touch with others, pose non-business related statuses or questions to start interaction, and then sprinkle in some reminders that you appreciate referral business or are willing to help anyone considering buying or selling a home.  Perhaps create 'free reports' with valuable industry info and offer it up on social media.

I agree, people that use a personal page only for business are very annoying.  I like an 80/20 or even a 90/10 mix, only 10-20% of activity on a personal page should be business related, otherwise, you'll turn people off.

I use two Facebook accounts my personal page and my business page that way I get double exposure.

www.facebook.com/william.piotrowski.71

www.facebook.com/1originator?ref=hl

Should be on business page.

Personal pages are not for business and Facebook can suspend usage for abusing it. For business develop a business page.

I have a personal page and a separate business page.  I must admit I don't use the Facebook business page as a very big piece of the marketing pie, I just use it to stay in front of people; posting real estate tid bits, listings, etc.

I agree witht the others that a business page is the way to go,  That way you can separate out business and personal friends.