Marketing is one-to-many visibility and relationship building is one-to-few trust; social media belongs to the first and feeds the second, and you need both.
The idea
Marketing and relationship building are different things, like peanut butter and hot sauce: great on their own, magic together. Marketing is the wide net, one-to-many, and it makes people aware you exist. Relationship building is the spear, one-to-few, where you get to know someone and earn trust over time. Marketing without relationships leaves you with leads, and relationships without marketing leave you talking to an empty room. as we put it in my coaching, your marketing should enhance your relationships.
How to do it
Use marketing to get attention, then focus your relationship building on the people who matter.
Whichever you're doing, offer real value. People can smell "being sold to" a mile away.
Don't treat social as something you'll get to eventually. Peter Lorimer, a music producer turned real estate agent, calls that a nail in the coffin of your career.
Example
I'll be honest: for some people, the one-to-many approach might be the only thing they do, casting a wide net and seeing what conversations it kicks up. So much of networking comes down to finding what works for the person you see in the mirror every morning.
Brand vs. YOU Marketing: Brand marketing builds broad awareness of what you do; YOU marketing (personal stories, gifts, birthdays) builds deep one-to-one connection. Do both.
Flare, Not Walkie-Talkie: Treat social media as a flare that signals a reason to connect, then reach the person directly instead of becoming one more like.
Three Types of Marketing (25/25/50): Split marketing time three ways: 25% on offers and listings, 25% on brand awareness, and 50% on personal, human content for the people you know.
Broadcast Rules: Anything you broadcast must be valuable on its own and fit the relationship; then watch who engages and turn that into one-to-one outreach.