When someone walks in the door of your model home, you do everything you can to maximize that prospect’s potential. But how do you leverage possible new home buyers when they wander into your virtual world? What do you do to motivate them to “Like” your Facebook page?

If they are truly an interested prospect, they will probably want to “like” in order to stay connected and keep up with your news.

But even if they aren’t red hot, you can easily incite them on the spot to “check in” and “Like” your page. I will use Facebook as the example because most people have an account and will know what to do. This strategy can absolutely work with other social media platforms like FourSquare, but only a few of your customers will be active there. Go where you prospects are!

So, here’s what you do:

1. Set up your Facebook places page (Google this if you need to figure out how).
2. Get some cheap gift cards; I like the $5 Starbucks gift cards thatyou can get customized with your logo on it. Brand, baby, brand!
3. Create a promotional banner for your model home that shows them what the prospects will get when they check in.
4. Encourage your sales reps to ask all prospects to check in
5. Enter each prospect who  in another giveaway if they snap a photo of them enjoying the surroundings and include that with their check-in, too.
6. Have the prospect show you their phone and the check-in – give them a gift card.

It’s that easy. What would the cost be? Well, let’s do the math.

• 100  prospects per month
• 65% will check in or access their Facebook account
• 65 gift cards at $5 each = $325
• Average friends on Facebook =130
• Network reach = 8,450 every month

 TOTAL COST: $.04 per pair of eyeballs who see their friend’s check-in}

I don’t know about you, but I like those numbers. This is word-of-mouth marketing on steroids. These check-ins will reach your prospects’ peer groups—people who are most likely in the same market and same demographic, and who actually care about what their friends are doing.

The same concept can work with your digital visitors—those people who visit your website and are interested in your products. But you have to give them a reason to “like” you (e.g., registering to receive information) so you can get their contact information and their permission to stay connected. Whether it is a promotion or event, drive that action!