Staff Reporter
An independent group has attributed their rapid growth over the past two years to Facebook, proving social media is fast becoming a core tool in business.
Since Crawford Property Group (CPG) launched its Facebook page in September 2011, revenue has increased 56 per cent and 76 per cent in the 2012 and 2013 financial years respectively. This is up from 20 per cent growth in the 2011 financial year.
With CPG’s Facebook page now surpassing 30,000 likes, which they say could be the largest in the industry, the social media platform has become the group’s most important business development tool.
CPG attracts between 3,500 and 4,500 website hits per month from Facebook links. Half of the visits are unique, and around a third of these visitors are converted into new business leads.
As a result of increasing leads from Facebook, the group’s project marketing division has doubled its sales over the past three months.
CPG Group director Ryan Crawford said: “We can definitely credit a large part of our growth over the past two years to Facebook.
“Innovation is one of our core values and we are always looking at new ways to share information, reach out and connect with new audiences.
“We recognised and embraced Facebook’s potential to create a social community, and it has become a key element of our branding strategy over the past two years.
“It has provided us with the opportunity to connect with investors not only in Australia, but around the world.”
CPG uses Facebook to educate, inform and engage its client base.
“If you get your message right, add value and network through viral engagement, you can reach and engage with a worldwide audience. It offers savvy businesses a global communications platform,” said Mr Crawford.
“For us, it’s primarily about supporting the communities in which we operate and the causes we are passionate about, sharing our knowledge and expertise to help others improve their financial situations and lifestyles, and connecting with potential employees who ‘fit’ with our corporate culture.”
Further driving the positive property investment message are CPG’s Facebook competitions, which serve to highlight the lifestyle that can be attained through investing in positive cash-flow property. Earlier this year, the group gave away a trip to the Greek Islands.