2009-08-07 Dear Rebecca,
I'm new to blogging. Can you help me out? Signed, -Jack This was an email I received from a member of Connect2Agent. It's not untypical for real estate agents of  Connect2Agent and social networks I am involved with to ask me questions about blogging. They might not get the same answers as they would from a fellow real estate agent or an SEO/technology consultant. Why?
What reminded me of the email were the sessions I attended at Blogworld Expo. After attending and looking at the questions this real estate agent asked me I wouldn't change one response I wrote. I thought it was worth a post, so here's the email dialogue verbatim. Dear Jack, Those are some questions:-) Okay, here goes.
Respectfully, Rebecca D. Levinson I started to learn what blogging meant (I didn't know) exactly one year and one week ago. I wrote this email two weeks before I went to the Blogworld Expo. I am sharing this email in a post 2 weeks after I attended Blogworld Expo. What's changed for me as a blogger? I have found my voice and let the readers come more naturally. I have confirmed through industry led panels and disussions that my gut has been right. I am ready to rock 'n'roll. I probably could've summed up my email to Jack in three words: Read, comment, and write . The rest will come when you are ready for it and you'll save yourself a lot of wrong turns in the process. Can you climb in your wayback machine and remember when you first started blogging? What would you do the same? What would you have changed? Please share by commenting below.  2009-08-07 It's an interesting internet world these days. To say the times are changing is a reality that's understated. To say that
 moments are changing each and every day is closer to the truth. Illusions are becoming echos of the past. Illusions have been the reality of real estate for over a decade. Look where we all are now. The freedom of information online is not a deterent to business, but when artfully executed, it is a moneymaker. If you are just getting started in social networking and blogging I want to encourage you to let the information flow freely. If you have been online awhile and have not reaped the benefits of your work this may just be where your stumbling. The first blogger who schooled me on the importance of giving free information online was Missy Caulk of Ann Arbor Michigan. One of the first posts I read was a post Missy wrote about what she included in her pre-listing presentation. I read this post and my jaw literally hit the damn floor. I couldn't believe it. Missy was giving away some prime storefront property. Real estate agents whom I had spoken to for the past 17 years had always been so protective of their marketing information. They never wanted me to sell my advertising to their competitors, but they always wanted to be where their competitors were. I shook the disbelief welling inside of my eyes. A smile started to creep unto my face as a wave of refreshing tranquility seeped through me. What a great way to do business was all I could think. Let the information flow through you and pull clients to you.  When I first got started blogging my writing was stiff. The sheer task of getting up every morning and writing felt like a 60 lb. weight was tethered to my back. My first month or two was literally painful and each post that I kicked out felt vaguely reminiscent of the birthing process of my three children minus the wonderful miraculous results at the end.My posts were stale, boring, and completely lacking of any unique flavor. I did have a coach who had been encouraging me to follow the crowd. I realized that the more rehearsed I sounded the less I liked what I wrote. The more I tried to write what other people wrote about and how other people wrote, the more labored my blogging became. One day I jotted down a few notes during a small epiphany I had while playing monopoly with my children. I realized that I could use the same process I had for creating my marketing ideas as I could for creating topics for my posts. The process became easier and a few months later I wrote one of my favorite posts Ever. I came to understand that expressing myself freely was being the best blogger that I could be. The more I wrote the more rhythmic I became. The more I treated blogging as a conversation the more likely my readers were to engage. I liked to talk, but I really started to love listening. My blog readers' conversation, without a doubt, is better than my initial posts could ever be. Web 2.0 it's about you, it's not about me. If free flowing information is the vein of a blog, then listening is the blogger's life blood. The Art of listening makes or  breaks the most well planned and successfully executed marketing strategy. In the end, if you are not listening you lose touch with your clients, your mission, your focus and your purpose. You lose site of what interactive means on the web. Stop pushing and start pulling.....let go. I also came to a point where it became increasingly difficult to tolerate views that were opposed to change. As a blogger I had begun to take a journey and I learned that even though I was taking that trip there were those that refused to ride with me. The lip service grew to a point where I could no longer be transparent and continue on my cluetrain. I ended up changing venues and continuing my ride and surrounding myself with like company. I've said it before and I will say it again, let the information flow through you and pull clients to you. Blogging is YOUR journey. Blogging Posts
 DIY Real Estate Professionals have fun. Real Estate Professionals already using a marketing consultant feel free to share these ideas with your advisor.Real Estate Professionals in general- Here's an open invitation to get to know me.
I don't have any plans to blog tomorrow. I do have plans to spend the day listening. 2009-08-07 Why don't people blog? They just don't want business. They are scared. They are antiquated.
Seems like a whole lot of assumptions to me. Looking around the blogosphere you can't help but spend time playing hopscotch over the cracks of ego tripping. Be careful not to get caught up in the fray.
I don't care how long someone has been in real estate for or what they used to do. Everyone in real estate has a story to tell, and some more than others, wonderful stories waiting to be told. Shocked into fear of how and when they get lost in the fold.
I'm guilty. I've got some listening to do.
 Step up and step out there are people waiting to connect with you. You don't have to be a Rock Star, you just have to be you. Back to reality ORIGINAL CONTENT is king. Daytripping is boring. Conversations are a two way street.
I'm here to listen. That's over 90% of the BEST of web 2.0. This blog is going on a week long promotion tour of bloggers around the blogosphere.
Out of words and ideas? No way. I gotta step it up and flex some more listening muscles.
Web 2.0- It's not about ME it's about YOU.
Don't be intimidated. Your story is relevant and your voice is your own. There are like minded people who will connect with the posts you write and the tales you tell.
Still not convinced, I am going to rewind this blog to January.
************************************
Conversations Are For Everyone
Lately I have been reading more posts about automating the process of social networking and blogging. The time crunch is starting to feed a mentality of an I ROBOT process online. Automation seems to be the only answer to a harried business professional looking for the key to slow this online pace down. Fear is fed to those who haven't engaged in blogging, "It's just not for everyone", some say. I say Beware of Automation. Conversations Are For Everyone.
Are you willing to let down your hair and reach out? Consumers are willing to climb out from their Hummers and reach back. Oh Rapunzel let down your hair and find a genuine way to have conversations with people.
All these three methods can be used as a standalone, in tandem would be better, to have conversations with consumers. All three can be syndicated to blogging platforms. All three can be part of your social media marketing strategy. Microblogging, video blogs, podcasts are all conversation starters and they are all effective. The time is now. Online it's personal and it's your brand. When you hear that you can't and that you have to automate or you have to find someone to do it for you. That's just crap. Conversations are for everyone. Come on and engage there's a big wide borderless world ready to receive you.  How many times am I going to blog on this topic? As many times as it takes to encourage more professionals to raise their voices. In UFC a title fight goes 5 rounds. You are the Champions. I'm up and ready...I'll go as many rounds as it takes to encourage the beauty of blogging, the uniqueness of "you".
Conversations Are For Everyone: Round 2
Let's go..."It takes 2 to make a thing go right, it takes 2 make it out of sight"
2009-08-07 An Offering For Your Real Estate Marketing Toolkit:
45 Blog Directories
 2009-08-07 The Scenario: You sit down at your desk ready to crank out another local real estate post. You may or may not have your topic in front of you but this is the time you have allotted to write and you are bound and determined to crank the words out and then as you begin to type.....
BLANK-----BLANK----You got nothin'. You are stuck in a blogging rut. You need to change up the ambiance and get in the mood to blog. There's no blogger I know who hasn't gotten into this rut before. Even the best laid plans fall flat sometimes...sometimes they just don't fall at all. So how do you get the words to disperse among the blank white screen staring before you? You've gotta find your comfort zone and get in your groove. The fog of forgotten words has graced my doorstep and it may someday grace yours. Here's a few tips to lighten your load and lift your blogging blues, 1. Walk Away- Taking a break can be the best thing you can do to get back into your blogging groove.  Move onto another task, take a walk, play with your children or romp around with your dog. Seriously...do something that distracts you from blogging and you might just find a blogging epiphany in the process.2. Push Yourself- When you have a great blogging day, don't stop at one post. Keep writing. Ride your gift of gab, push your blogging skills, and write a few posts. If you have some back up posts in the hopper it will help to relieve the pressure of posting for the sake of posting. 3. Relocate-Do you normally sit at an office desk or perhaps at a chair in your living room with your laptop? Sometimes changing your venue can get your blog juices flowing. I have packed up my laptop and jumped in the car to my local Starbucks, Caribou Coffee, or Wi-Fi Spot on many occasions for new found inspiration. Changing the scene can lead to the inspiration of many creative things. 4. Read and Comment-I am nagging on that listening thing again because it is so underrated but it is the best blogging tool ever. If the words aren't falling from your fingertips go back to blogging 101- read and comment. Commenting done well is a form of blogging in it's own right and reading others words and thoughts is sure to lead to a few words and thoughts of your own. 5. Use Mindmaps-If you have a post topic already this is a great tool to get your mind flowing. Use an online mind mapping tool, just like you did back in grade school with pen and paper, to create your central idea and start branching out with your thoughts on the topic from there. This is a truly simple and effective exercise to get the juices flowing. And then sometimes, many times, I pump up some music before I begin...something to put me in the mood. I jam a little bit, I might even rock out and then I turn my tunes down and I write. So the next time, or the first time you get in a blogging rut change up the ambiance and get in the mood to blog. 2009-08-07  Results come with effort.Don't overlook the momentum of push marketing just because we are a socially enabled and 2.0 savvy community online. Here are 5 Easy Ways to Get In The Swing of Push Marketing Your Blog
1. Register your blog with blog directories. There are a sea of blog directories to help you get exposure. Start with Technorati, Google, Dmoz, and Yahoo. Then commit to registering your blog to other blog directories, tasking yourself at 2 a day.
2. Advertise Your blog offline. Advertise your blog's URL on your business cards, newsletters, car decals, print advertising, home buying seminars, sign posts.
3. Advertise your blog online. Podcasts, online radioshows, market conditions reports, email signature line, online flyers, and social networks.
4. Network with Local Bloggers. Get involved in your local online community. Seek out local bloggers on microblogging and blogging platforms and read and comment on their blogs. Making an investment of your time locally with bring awareness and readership to your blog on a local level. You might even get a little link love to your blog in the process.
5. Mobilize Your Blog. Mobile search is increasing at a fast pace. According to a recent study by the Kelsey Group,
"... local searches make up about 28 percent of mobile searches....That figure will grow to about 35 percent by 2013." Regardless of the platform you blog on, in or outside of a network, mobilizing your blog is pretty simple. Research your platform and get mobilized. 6. Utilize your whitespace. You have got great real estate Internet property right on your website so make the most of it. If your blog isn't built into your website platform you can still add links advertising your posts or get a simple feed from feedburner added to your website to feed your blog posts. There's also a whitespace on Twitter, Facebook and Linked In called a business profile. Add a link on your business profile to your blog
7. Become Keyword savvy. Savvy? Put in the time to check your keywords on Google before creating your headline and writing on a topic. Write the keywords down that you want to write your post about and then check them on a keyword search tool. If your keywords aren't searched by consumers on the search engines you can't expect the traffic to flood to your posts.
Use your keywords throughout your post. Use your keywords more than once and use variations to increase your keyword density. Do not worry about keyword density after you you have written your post or you will sound robotic and lose your blogging voice in your post which will be a big turnoff for blog readers.Add keyword friendly footers to your posts so they will get picked up in the search engines.
 Every great swing into marketing deserves a push and pull effort. Build your momentum with these 7 easy ways to get into the swing of push marketing your blog.
2009-08-07 Do you want to kick your blogging up a notch? One key to successful blogging is listening. When you listen by reading a blog post you need to treat that time as you would if you were sitting across the table from a prospective client.
To listen you need to make a commitment to unplug from your other tasks at hand. There's a lot of hearing that gets done online, but listening is in a class all its own. If you truly listen you set yourself up for great connections and true business opportunities. Add commenting to your blogging goals and try these commenting tips
Top 7 Tips to Connect with Comments
1. Read the Full Post- It's common for people to skim posts online. Try to choose blogs that you can regularly
 visit that are chock full of great content and interesting subjects that keep you on your toes. 2. Read the Comment Thread- A great discussion can ensue on a blog post and even slightly change the direction of the original blogger's post by adding in another consideration, factor, question, or even an opposing view. Take the time to read the original post and the comments that follow.
3. Read Local Bloggers- Do a simple blog search on Google and type in keywords related to your geographic area. Check out what local bloggers have to say and start making connections with them to build your blogging community on a hyperlocal level.
4. Read Bloggers from Other Professions- Reading other real estate blogs is important for making solid connections. Make sure to step outside of your industry and also read the blogs of complementing industries: sales, marketing, customer service.
5. Take some time to write your comments- Make sure what you write is relative to the post AND the comment thread. If you have an experience or information that relates directly to the blogger's post make sure you write it in your comments. Write your comment as if you were conversing with the blogger and the other commentors on the post in person.
6. Nip Distractions in the bud- It's really simple. Focus. Commit some time to keep your email, phone calls, and projects in a hold pattern so you can listen and connect. Remember that when you read and comment on blogs you are having a conversation which involves two way interaction and attention.
7. Reach beyond your comments- If you've read a post or comment that has you wanting to carry the conversation further don't hesitate. Email the commentor or blogger and let them know. You might have information that helps someone or you might just be able make a new valuable connection. This is actually how I began my friendship with Anne Marie Malfi.
Kick your commenting up a notch and use these top 7 ways to connection with comments.
**Resources**
CoComment- Track your comments. RSS Readers- Aggregates the blogs and news you read all in one place. Joe's Goals- Free goal setting software. Set blog commenting goals. Yes I am serious. 2009-08-07 Start blogging by clicking in this area. Then simply type whatever you wish. You can also drag an object from the left hand column into this area. This will allow you to add pictures, videos, etc. to your blog posts.
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A marketer, solopreuner, mother, daughter, friend and ALWAYS a blogger.
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