Q: “Denise, I’m diving into social media but I don’t know what to do. Help!”

A: Don’t just dive in. Start with the end in mind. Treat social media just as you would writing an article for your local newspaper.

A big mistake agents make is to just sign up at Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or ActiveRain and just start posting randomly. Before you do that, create a social media plan. Know what you’re going to post. Develop a schedule for when you’re going to post.

Also, make sure all your posts are business-related. While it’s good to have friends, don’t forget that you’re in business—and you’re on these sites to generate new business. Have a separate account for your business if necessary. It’s an important distinction to make between your private activities and your business activities.