Real Estate Marketing Drips: January 2009

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.

Allow me to bend your ear.  Have a Listen,

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.

 

• Microblogging on Twitter- 140 words or less for 30 minutes a day.  You CAN do that.
• Video blogs of your listings, your town, or local events- You CAN do that.
• Podcasts- A quick phone call uttering helpful homeowner or buyer revelations while waiting for a client at your office.  You CAN do that.

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.

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What method of communication is best for your business?  Real Skillz can answer that question and in no time you will be having conversations regularly, fluently, and comfortably...conversations that create relationships that lead to community building business.  Call #262-203-5231 or email rebecca@realestateskillz.com.

 

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

• My 2008 Blogging Revelation.  Blogging to Consumers Opened My Eyes
  
• We've ONLY just BEGUN...to blog
• "I'm New to Blogging...Can you help me out?
• Your blog's content is a commodity.  Treat it like one.

 

 

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. 

• My email address
• My phone number #262-203-5231
• My DM on Twitter- @rebeccalev 

Or read my posts until I have piqued your curiosity.

I don't have any plans to blog tomorrow.  I do have plans to spend the day listening.

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Looking to hone the inner blogging voice in you?  Seeking a focus in your blogging efforts that incorporates social media marketing?  Real Skillz is on the case.  Visit the Real Skillz Blog Tune-Up Program.

You can also Call #262-203-5231 or email rebecca@realestateskillz.com for more information.

Do you ever feel like,

• You are running out of time?
• Your clients don't value your time?
• You are always pushing up against your time deadlines?

The time warp is a common trap for entrepreuners.  Now that we interact socially online and blog for business the availability of our time takes on a whole new meaning.

Mismanagement drains the well of time and leads to severe time exhaustion. 

Time exhaustion isn't an anomaly, but an illness akin to the common cold.  Let's nip these sniffles in the bud right now before you end up with your business on it's backside crying for relief.

Take a listen and I'll tell you how,

 

 

Time Tracking-  A list of web based time tracking tools.

Google Calendar- A tool to schedule all your appointments and block chunks of time for personal and business activities (it's only important that you block the time and complete the daily activity.  It's not important to do the activities at a specified time).

A cure for time exhaustion blues....the solution that business planning forgot.

**  UPDATE- This to do list tool is very cool, just read about it on my Facebook Wall this morning.  It synchs with Google Calendars- http://www.toodledo.com/

 

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Successful Businesses Have A Brand. Learn how to Create, Develop and Manage your brand in a 5 week webinar series, Branding Sanity, starting February 23, 2009, brought to you from a partnership between Malfi Marketing Solutions and Real Skillz.

Branding Sanity is an interactive webinar with a classroom casual style where you will build a personal action plan that will leave your customers and competitors breathless. Visit Branding Sanity for details and easy registration.

Look for more joint webinars from Malfi Marketing Solutions and Real Skillz that will help you uncover your marketing prowess.