steve's White Mountain Blog

Great point. It works. I try to mix mine up a bit. Today is clearly summer and that is where my head is. Tomorrow after my showings it will be in real Estate-Dinah Lee

Dinah Lee...The funny thing is this is a subtle..but mass exposure, many times the buyer/or/seller I'm talking to can't remember where they saw you, but they know you are the one they want to work with. When pressed they do know they read an article (Blog)..and were impressed with your knowledge or research. Score one for the Activerain Bloggers... thanks for the comment. Steve

Steve - it is always good to mix your content a little bit of business and a little bit of fun ! Lets your personality shine through. To try your colleagues even crazier just keep a smile on your face all of the time also they will really wonder what you are up to.

Great job Steve! I laugh all the time when I see the people working the system and reaping the rewards for there effort! Good for you keep on raining!

Mystified   Mystified  Mystified Mystified ....? Just let them keep wondering! Great job!

.but mass exposure, many times the buyer/or/seller I'm talking to can't remember where they saw you,

Absolutely.  It's all in the numbers.  I don't care where they find me, after all I'm everywhere like the wind.  What's important is that they do find me and I'm here to help them when they call or send e-mail. 

Yep.  We're busy too. 

I got a call yesterday from an agent who wanted to join my team for buyer referrals.  When I asked her procedure for "buyer inquiries", she recited a litany of steps that would, IMO, send 95% of the folks who inquired about our services away and quickly. 

Be everywhere.  Be available and sell some real estate. 

Steve...you have to have your face out there if you are going to sell.  If someone is looking, they need to see you first!

Congrats on the star!

Steve that's why I'm blogging and moving forward here in the Lakes Region of NH. Maybe some of the good fortune that you've worked hard to receive will happen for me.

I had an out of state caller today.  He wanted to know "Where are your listings?"  After a couple of questions I realized he had found my blog and told him right where to click to move on over to my web site.  He told me he was an "Old guy with a new computer" and didn't know about clicking on the blue parts. :)  Now he knows.  I LOVE ActiveRain.

Absolutely Steve. Help people in your community and keep them informed. The business follows.

Steve... Mystified??? Or should you say "Advertise"!!  You can sit back and wait for people to come to you.  You need to get your name out there as you have done.  Doing blogs on business, as well as fun, gives people more of a well-rounded idea of your personality, and makes the potential client feel as if they know you, and this makes them comfortable.  Way to go... job well done.

Steve - Are you the unofficial Poster Child for Active Rain? :) Great job on your successes!

Steve, I was thinking about this today. Had a discussion with my broker about many internet things, then afterwards realized that I really don't want anyone in my office blogging, LOL. I hate to say.

There is no one in my particular area blogging on a regular basis. The fact that I moved to number 1 in my county and town in under 5 months on AR tells me something, and number 17 in the state. Well, it does work. I have had more hits on my website, calls, people signing up to search for homes. It has been such a short period of time, yet I am already pleased with results.

So lets not tell anyone...

Steve,

Don't have the client results yet, but it has only been 2 months.  First, I just visited your turf and was totally charmed by its beauty. You have lots of local interest to draw us in! 

Second, your successes keep us newbies headed in the right direction.  I'm like Andrea (comment 13). Two months and I'm top dog in my prime town and climbing for the county.

Hi Steve!

Way to go!! I had a phone call like that. I was talking to a local agent here, and she was saying how are you doing so much business?? We aren't even in the busy season yet! I responded by: What do you mean we aren't in the busy season? I was in the busy season about 2 months ago, and I don't see an end in site. She was baffled, and started asking how. I responded by saying, it's what you put in, and left it at that. 

-Lisa

"They don't get it..." and perhaps they never will. I am not the least bit surprised that people are finding you either. Keep up the good work and congrats on the gold star.

Well deserved Feature, Steve!  Keep them guessing, you man of mystery you!

GOOD BETTER BEST..NEVER LET IT REST...TIL YOUR GOOD IS BETTER AND YOUR BETTER IS BEST!  Keep on doing what you do.  

That is the name of the game...be everywhere. I got a call from a man in Virginia Beach who wants ti buy here in the mountains of Wild Wonderful West Virginia.

Congrats on your success, it is well deserved as you seem to be doing all the right things.

Steve - You know what?  You are busy because you are good! 

Steve ~ Great to hear all of your hard work is paying off! And it is great to know you are a smart enough guy to put yourself out there through your blogging and are able to reach so many consumers! ActiveRain can not only change the way you do business, it can change you life as well. Sounds really silly I know, but after reading so many great success stories I really believe in the power of ActiveRain. Congrats to you!

Great post and that is exactly why you're busy and others aren't.  Since focusing heavily on AR on-line inquires have been starting to trickle in daily. 

It's true. My phone has been ringing off the hook - it's like chainsmoking with my phone!!! The emails and calls are going great - thanks to AR and all I have learned here.

AR is great. Congrats. I like AR for its knowledge base too. 

Unfortunately only one other agent from my office has an AR account. Only one.

Congratulations!  I am crazy busy too.  Others keep asking me where I get all my buyers and I tell them from my blogs just as you do.  It's pretty exciting to see results!

Great work paying off.  I hope to get there someday too.

AR definitely works!  I've garnered over 50 clients from AR.  I also have an outside blog and I am very strong on Localism.  Needless to say, I love AR!

Congratulations on the feature!

You are now also featured on the Optimist Group.

Double congratulations!

Like Irene, I'm still looking for the magical first call from someone finding me here in the 'Rain. Also, like Andrea and Irene, I've moved into the top spot for my town in under 2 months, and have quite a ways to go to get the top spot in my county (although I'm #5 there). None of the other agents in my firm are blogging here, so I'm relatively safe...but I made the mistake of not appropriately naming my outside blog domain name, so I'm concerned. Can that be changed?

I have had this same thing happen to me around here, although I have a lot of AR local competition around these parts:)

It is amazing the calls that come our way when we can be found.  Today I had a call from Florida from someone who was looking for some information on relocation.  I have two new potential buyers this week and another listing appointment next week.  It is pretty easy to pinpoint what they are reading that led them to me.

It's great to be recognized for your efforts...and more importantly to know that eventually, consistent effort will pay off!

Lenn... It's funny My Friend Sharon Tara, just commented on another blog that I should be the director of tourism in the White Mountains. I told her thanks, but that would mean a cut in pay. Often people don't remember exactly where you left that impression on them... the key is you did.

Bill Feela... It is face time we are always running for office or trying to keep our current status. I have scoffed at people that call me the unofficial Mayor of town, But secretly that is just the type of association I want people to make.

Yup......what a shock to know the folks who 'get it' are busy.....rigth!  We're gettting referrals from differnet places. I can't trac them all cause sometimes they don't remember how they found us.  They just did and that's all the matters.

Thanks for the tips.....I have yet more to zero in on.

Steve, great post!! It gets me motivated to get moving. I do not have an outside blog yet and need to get one. I hear so many success stories on AR, it's so exciting. You are working hard and it's paying off. Keep going!!

Tammy...I posted months ago on this strange call I got from London, the Women actually said I should be ashamed of myself. The promotion about real estate, was going to ruin my area. The pictures are so beautiful it would be terrible if a horde of people showed up wanting to buy everything up...I Said Thank you it's working...listened for a few more minutes and got off the line gracefully..smiling from ear to ear. But before I hung up I asked how did you hear about my area...that dam Activerain thing got her reading..

Andrea...Check the number of people I have invited to join Activerain (3), Sorry Activerain gods...I have no incentive to tell my local colleagues what I'm doing. This is the secret weapon in my arsenal, Love all my friends here, but if no one else from my area discovers this great site, I'm perfectly fine with that.

Great post!  I've always down well working my farm and staying in touch with my past clients and customers and I've been contemplating taking my business to the next level and how to do that.  Your post only confirms that I'm behind the eight ball on being on the Internet. Thanks for sharing!

Right on Steve!! I have so much business right now I can't see straight. The problem is it gets harder and harder to find time to blog!!

Sharon... Mystery or transparency...take your pick...not hiding nothing it all out there

Wendy... Like you when you know what you're talking about people listen, and want your advice, good luck with Blog boy on the Short sale seminar you are the one to ask about that subject.

Terrie...The power of the rain is truly awesome, I attribute a lot of my activity to consistent content and hard work here on this blog platform.

Blogging does work.  It takes time and research but it is worth it because you learn too.

Mirela...I am an optimist at heart, thanks for the feature. I subscribe to 60+ groups and the optimist group was perfect for this post. You're the Best           :o)      Steve

Cindy...the pay back may take a little time but once the inertia takes over this site keeps sending new clients my way...Thank you A/R.... I'm happy in the rain.

Bryant...Just responded to Wendy's comment, I wish you two much success with your short sale seminars, How will you find the time to do it all. Once you have the posts out there circulating Google takes care of your name recognition to a certain extend, so relax you wouldn't be forgotten.

Steve - Blogging does bring business!  Too bad other agents don't get it.  I get many calls from people telling me they found me all over the internet. Your post is a great example of how important it is to make the commitment to keep blogging...blogging and blogging!

Donna...Keep up the good work, we get back what we put in the lazy Realtors that don't want to blog...go ahead and stay with the plan.

Hi Steve...

I know that we are busy as all get out ... and I know that it's thanks to all of the great tools available to us at AR!

After visiting your website, I'm not the least bit mystified.

If you don't really love where you live, and what it has to offer, Steve, you're an amazing actor/writer. If I were looking there, my first impression of your website would be, "what a beautiful place to live."

My next thought would be, "Where's the button to see some houses?" and voila- there you are. Great job, and congrats.

Richard...The day doesn't start at 9am or end at 5pm for those that seek success, and these tools keep me busy when everyone has called it a day. No quit in me and no time off for this blog platform.

Laurie...thanks The White Mountains are beautiful and we are very lucky to have this life, But success isn't luck it's great tools and hard work....Keep blogging and much success to you.

Steve - good for you, but I'm not surprised, after seeing what you do and write about. My experience, and that of other folks I know, has been the same. Keep up the good work.

Jeff

Steve - Maybe it's us and all the other things we do but this stuff is working for me.

Jeff...Consistent exchange of information no doubt leads people to us, and makes us the experts that is the goal.

Claude... We too deserve the credit for our outside efforts, the blog platform is just one very good tool to build on.

I had no clue you could have a localism blog AND an outside blog.

Where's the tutorial? I guess I need to call customer service, because I signed up for the $29/mo AR account, but evidently that does NOT include an outside blog or localism blog?

Thanks for the post!

Steve, great featured post. I love it that you are succeeding by blogging about Real Estate in your local area.

Hi Steve~ It is so wonderful that you are doing so well.  ActiveRain is a great place to be for so many reasons!

Steve, Nice post and congratulations on being so busy. My website is fairly new and tonight I listed my first home by folks who contacted me directly from my sight. I know it's only one but that's how it starts and I know more will follow. It's  exciting and I think people are wondering why I am so busy too :-)

Steve good to hear you are kicking some butt!

Good to hear Steve, great motivation!  We should talk sometime!

don't you love it?  And I bet they think blogging is a waste of time

That is awesome! Same here, we are swamped. Our website traffic has increased tremendously just by blogging away and our biggest referring site is ActiveRain. The other good news is that the folks who come to our site via AR stay there for a long time, instead of click and go. YAY. ~Rita

Steve - It's a great feeling to know you're doing the right things, isn't it? Not too long ago I can remember floundering and wondering "what should I be doing right now?" ...I put together a plan, implemented it, and now my business is so much healthier. The old adage is true: Plan to Work and Work the Plan.

Hi Steve -- It's hard to argue with results and success eh?  I lived in Portland, ME for a year and loved it!

Steve... great to hear you are doing very well using Active Rain. What a great network

I think that's true for many people who work hard without others realizing the true amount of work that's being put out.

I once heard someone say, "All it takes is working half a day, 6 days a week for a few years to get there, right?  And the best part as your own boss...you get to decide which 12 hours you want to work each day."  :)

Steve,

Great post. It is a catch 22 though. The busier I get, the less time I have to do these activities that keep me busy!

Steve,

Interesting information.  Thanks for sharing.

Steve I am glad it is working for you.  Turning to Active Rain has really helped my business even though I do not have any direct leads from it yet.

Hi Steve - I'm originally from Massacusetts so of course I've skied Loon Mountain.  I'm a Northern neighbor now and still love the White Mountains.  Anyway, congrats and continued success.

Blogging is hard work and I would say most Realtors are looking for the easy answer. You work hard on your blog, creating a brand (YOU) and because of that you are succeeding while they are going to ask, you will tell and then they will ask someone else hoping to find an easier way to make it.

Missy...when I first started blogging here a year and a half ago, I read your posts and they motivated me to be consistent and patient this is not an over night success story. I have been a Realtor for 25 years, and it took along time for the referral business to come. The 600 posts I have written are now paying dividends, so thank you for some of my early motivation. I hope I can do the same for some new Bloggers.

Bill Gassett...I'll Simply say Dido...to you and you fall into the same category as Missy, you unknowingly motivated me when I started on Activerain, and A big thank you is due to you. Thanks..,Steve

Rita...You hit the nail right on the head, this has been an awesome site for my business.

Hi Steve - Congratz and it is great to hear of your local success. I love the nut comment. I have been experiencing the same reaction from locals here! I say it is like sitting in front of the fire and wanting maximum heat, however . .  they forgot to put in the wood, or put in a little wood and expect maximum heat! Rock on my friend!!!!!! 

Steve, another success story congrats!  Keep it up!

It is inspiring to read about the successes that you and many of the members have had through blogging...I need to make it a scheduled part of my day, as I just don't get to the back burner often enough. Continued success to you!

Gwenn...Success with no effort is exclusively for trust fund kids, the rest of us have to earn our keep, and working hard is the only way I know how. To be mystified that things are going your way, and not applying more effort... is like trying to put a marsh-mellow in a parking meter, it doesn't work unless you come up with a new strategy.

Lyn...thanks so much you know I visit your blogs often and love the humor and the content.

Dana... Your Blog need not be brilliant (as evidenced by mine) but a thought, or something that struck you that day is enough to keep you active. The local stuff is easy it's what happens around you everyday, the smart real estate epiphany stuff will come out of the blue. Blog on and best of luck.

Steve, great post on what it takes to be successful...consistency. I appreciate you approach and wish you continued success.

I don't think that localism.com is anywhere close to it's peak. When it gets there, watch out!

Joe... I believe you are right, it's still relatively new and I for one am very happy to have grabbed my key town.

The amount of time invested in blogs does not seem to make sense.  Most of the people reading these blogs on active rain are REALTORS!  Activerain is nice for Referral Networking, but a local blog is the only way to earn clients with a blog.  It amazes me that REALTORS have the time to post 200+ blogs since the phenom started a few years back!  

Please direct me to an activerain blog that actual clients can read.  Unless your market is known for relocation buyers you more than likely will not find clients on a national blog site.  Locals can go to any real estate office and actually chat with a live Realtor, or just drop them an email.  Why would they spend THEIR time searching for info and reading blogs when the real answers to their questions can be found at their neighborhood RE office.     

Steve - That pretty much sums it up!  I have had a similar experience myself.  Keep up the good work!

Nathan...I respectfully disagree, my public posts, Localism posts and our side blogs, all are from the Activerain platform. I have many non-Realtor readers that find the posts on Google searches with key words about my specific area. These people then are more likely not to go to every office for facts they see me as a trusted adviser. This is just the type of relationship I want to garner from a person just starting the search process.

Jason... Thanks for dropping by, if I'm busy due to Activerain you must be straight out. I have read so many of your posts I feel we have met, and I get the same feeling from many of the friends I have made here. Aside from that benefit the client inquiry stand out as the reason to "keep up the good work"..

Steve

Fantastic, and good for you. i need to do more, but I have had other's in my office ask me the same thing. It's Real Estate for the 21st Century!

Lisa... I'm big on posting pictures of things I see everyday. It's a window in to my world and where I live, this is one of the easier ways to get a blog out, and use a few lines to tell people what is special about your neighborhood (market). Good Luck and stay with it the dividends are not immediate they come in time.

Steve -  Sorry I'm late to the party.  If I understand you correctly, you are essentially saying that writing local content for consumers actually garners you business?  Hmmm, interesting concept;)

I have gotten two listings off my blogging efforts at AR and to celebrate hitting 30,000 points I became a Rainmaker and took on an outside blog and localism blog.  I am seeing my name pop up several times a week on google alerts for my area.  It is pretty exciting to see this stuff work!  I think it will only get better!  One word of caution though...it is a violation of NAR rules to use the word REALTOR in your domain name if it is not used in conjunction with your name or your company name.  Example would be abcrealtors.com or johnsmithrealtor.com.  We had a couple of agents in our area get the smack down from the board who brought in NAR legal trademark infringement backup after they bought giant billboards with their non-compliant domain names and they had to change them at great expense.  Just a heads up so you don't get nailed or blindsided.  Keep up the good work and blog on!!!

Sardi...you should try it!!

Steve and Jason:  You guys are too much!!!

Up at the top again.

Steve,

Point taken... Respectful, yet sarcastic.  I like it.  As a counterpoint, the county in which I focus has a lot of members with very few points or posts on activerain and still manage to stay on top of the sales market.  Some of the most productive Realtors in my county do not even belong to activerain.  I just want to point out that the time you spend may be worthwhile because of the market in which you work.   

Steve,

Great to see that your hard work online is turning into cash dividends!  May we all be equally blessed with such a mystifying experience!

So true - and to think of the dozen or so agents I talked to that never followed up with their blog after I spent over an hour helping them set it up - agents that are suffering right now.

'Had a new buyer today from ActiveRain... showed property today and have a follow-up appointment tomorrow.  What can I say except "it works!"

Steve, congratulations on the 100 comments! 

Coffee at Starbucks? 

Steve Kappre...my marketing guys told me to start blogging back  in 2005, I started on my on web site but had no followers Then Activerain was suggested, and you all inspired me to keep at it and more importantly the great ideas and free advice has been a huge blessing.

Glad to hear you are busy. My problem with being busy is failing to continue the activities that caused the business ie. blogging and prospecting.

Margaret... that is awesome calls, contacts and clients are why it's all worth it.

Kelly ...it is hard to keep blogging and be busy, I try to respond to blogs at night and work with buyers during the day. My mother used to say if you had everything you wanted where would you put it?

                                           Steve

Let them stay mystified. I can't believe that so many people will hear what others are doing to bring success and never try it themselves. But in all honesty I could careless if my market everfigures it out. Means more business for my company when the competition releases its far behind the 8-ball and needs to catch up. When they beat me I will take my hat off to them and commence to regain top placement :)

Toby... I agree let the slow to learn stay that way, I'll offer advice to anyone that wants it but if your not going to try so be it.

Short and sweet and to the point! Great post. Keep up the good work!

Steve. How many people have found you using AR Blogging? Just curious.

Mark...I'm working on three deals right now that buyers found me and engaged my services to find their purchase. Prior to my outside blog and localism account I was seeing one or two inquiries a month, but in time the activity has picked up.

Steve, I'm working towards what you have achieved. It works, we just have to be willing to put in the time and effort.

Sharon

Whoa Steve...

I stop by for a visit and not only do you have a feature, there's 110 comments on this. Congratulations my friend. The exposure <smirking> is good for you :)

TLW...ROAR!

Billie... I was hoping you would drop by, now the post is complete...all my favorite rainers have dropped me a note.

Steve,

I,too, am experiencing new business from the 'Rain!  Thanks for the REMINDER to keep focused on the desired end results!

Kathy Opatka

Kathy...what a great learning and client leading platform to be a part of, best of luck and much success. to you thanks for the comment. Steve

Steve - Sorry I reached your post so late and congrats on the Gold Star from the "Gods"

I think your post is short and to the point, the kind I like and your post has also been featured at .........................

HAPPY AT ACTIVERAIN

Because when you wrote it I can tell how you where feeling!

VB

Bob...I don't post that often in the HAPPY AT ACTIVERAIN group but I should, great real estate platform to listen and learn. thank you very much  Steve

Steve - We enjoy having you in the Happy group and it's a break from the .................

VB

Thanks Bob, we all need to infuse a little happiness in to our business lives, if you always think of our profession as work, you will burn out and find no joy elsewhere. My felling is if you hate this job...you are doing it wrong, and could never find another job with more chances to enjoy what you do.

Steve!  Nice Post!  Especially since what you've said is what REALTORS need to know...getting their names out there is key to growing your business.

Olga... The over all marketing plan is part of the success, But the big difference between what I'm doing and what me competitors are doing is my blogging on Activerain.

Yep...people will search and search and your name gets imprinted in their head!  Great job.

Sonja...This is one of the best platforms for contact among your fellow realtors, I do use postlets, craig's list, yelp, blogger, facebook, and twitter as well. It can be a bit overwhelming to keep up with but worth it to get your name out there high on the search engines.

Thanks Steve; I am a new agent and totally open to networking and connecting with the community in order to establish relationships that may generate future business.

Linda...If I can be of any help please feel free to ask (New Hampshire - broker). Steve

....Plus your blogs are straight to the point, hitting the nail on the head.  Are you also a carpenter?

Debra...it's good to de-mystify the process with some good old hard work

I had to update the content is this Featured Blog, after posting the original blog...I had to change the Outside blog Domain name...because I had used the registered trademark Realtor incorrectly. Since then I changed the outside blog to "steveswhitemountainblog",( as my friends at Realtor.com asked me nicely)  ...Best to all. Steve

Steve:  It's true ... there is no magic pill ... this business takes a commitment of time and effort ... aka "work."  I can't even say it is hard work -- just time invested.  The amount of business I am getting from Internet leads and out of state referrals has increased significantly in the past six months.  There are times I would rather be chilling and relaxing ... but rather I am blogging and working on social network sites. Big dividends are paid for doing so. 

WOW Steve..look at the comments..I am #129....I agree AR works.

Kathleen...your experience is so true and clearly, the effort you make will have a direct impact on the results you get. I have other blog accounts but I get the most satisfaction from my peers on Activerain, and the inquiries that come from this site...don't tend to be the casual tire kicker, so I score that as 2 wins/ no loses.

The main focus of my marketing is now here on AR. I'm still waiting for it to pay off but it has only been a couple of months. I agree that your blog should contain relevent content and be thought provoking. This is what your potential clients are going to be judging you by.

Hi Steve....I've been a member of AR for 12 days now.....it is addictive.....I'm on a routine to participate everyday.....blogging, commenting,reading and absorbing as much information as I possibly can....I loved reading your post.....thanks and I'm going to keep my eye on you!!!!

Barbara...Thanks Since I'm a neighbor from the north, you and I should share an association, you never know when we may have a client looking in each others area of the state.

Steve--I keep sharing my secret but others don't want to put in the time it takes...Funny thing is, many have nothing but time on their hands so why not blog about what you know? Congrats on the feature!

Preach it, brother!  Steve, you do an outstanding job with ALL of your blogs!  I am so not surprised that people are finding you via them!  However, I really need to stop looking at your blog posts when you take your walks or the "driving to work" posts - too pretty and really make me jealous!

YOu are so right!  We are fabulously busy and I admit to workign for free a lot of this year, but have quite a bit in escrow right now!  Active Rain is the magic pill:)

Steve, While you're preaching to the RAIN right now keep it up. I like it,LOL.

We are not in the LUCK business. Every effort is done with accuracy and a calculated success on performance. You talk to a gambler about luck. Bet he doesnt account his success to that either.

Leesa...I have a few more photo posts ahead of me, the promotion of my market area is best done with Visuals much of our sales are a look and a feel, before a long drive to visit a second home property.

Loreena, I agree we make our own luck, and since we have discovered a way to manufacture it...the term luck no longer applies.

Steve - The thing that stands out is your content, You are a solid reminder. Pics and content cannot be manufactured, They come from the heart. Congrats on your work and success

Claude...The successful blog need not be rocket science, promote what you know and you'll find an audience. Be committed to your market area and you'll be taken as the expert, and show your joy and readers will know you are authentic. thanks, my friend: I enjoy reading your posts as well. Steve

I am grateful for what blogging has done for my career and business.

There is without a doubt nothing like it to grow your business and internet presence.

The number of comments clearly shows that you're not the only one experiencing this success, congrats to all of us who have succeeded through hard work with the help of Active Rain.

Julie, I'm very grateful to this blog platform for all the google juice, and terrific friends I have made here.

You gotta love it when your business is growing while everyone else's is shrinking... down market? Where?

Ryan...A Lazy Realtor is easy to find...but not at my house, and that is where I live. I must say if others would rather complain than commit they will be re-payed for their effort appropriately and proportionately.

You know how "they" say don't quit right before the miracle? Well, it's beginning to happen. I've close most of my transactions from folks I've met thru my internet presence this yeari.e., AR, Twitter, FB, My website, and I love it! I'm finally on track to meet my business plan...after three years in the business. The key was fishing up stream. Who knew? Many don't. I do. Looks like you do, too.

Hi Steve~ Having a internet presence through activerain has been great for my business!  It took a  little while to get the momentum going, but it is working! Most of the agents in the office I work at have signed up to! 

It's definitely nice to be busy in this market.  I have 8 open escrows and have closed more than every agent but one in my market this year. I'm hoping to pass the other agent up when my 8 open escrows close.  I would love to end the year number 1!  I'm very happy to hear you're doing so well.

Two things kept me afloat during our decline, one is active rain and the other is my lender (that I found on active rain!) 

Steve:

You do a great job of being "everywhere" and with interesting pieces. 'Way to go. I'm so glad you are busy.

Marianne...Fishing up stream is a great way to describe the efforts, creating a relationship well before the actual showings has so many benefits.

Renee...I was searching for a way to boost my Internet presence during our down turn, and started blogging as my marketing guy suggested this as a good avenue. This platform has turned out to be much more than a way to spend my time when not busy. In fact there was so many insights offered here, I let my web guy go and hired a better one...again due to the stories of success here.

Isnt it amazing how something so simple can lead to such a massive change. :-) Awesome job!

Thanks Clint,  Its always darkest before it dawns on you that there was always a light switch...you just have to look for it.

In my efforts to fish up stream, I have a great website that's pulling in folks. Last night after leaving this posting on your blog, I recieved another lead. So, of course, I contacted them immediately. However, he must have thought that I was just a computer generated response, because, in his email to me, he called me "bitch." Can you imagine that??? I shot him off another email that said I didn't think I was a bitch and how, if he didn't even know me, could he say something like that. And perhaps he should just move away from my website. He wrote back right away and apologized, saying that he was talking to his wife and joking. Hmmm. But, how much of a relationship have I developed with this one? Either it'll be a great, positive one, or I'll never hear from him again.

I try to make my website as personal as possible, so folks know that I'm real. But, still they don't believe that I'm really behind it. I don't know what to do to convince them...

Marianne...There may be some that would wear that "B" as a badge of Honor, but I have had similar email conversations.

great post. very motivational.  I am a new realtor and I am one of the few in my town actually using active rain.  

Joshua...This is a good first step, try not to get discouraged there will be a bit of time before the blogging takes hold and brings in the inquiries. Best of Luck!     Steve

Steve - Not everyone gets it (in fact, most don't)....and there is a HUGE part of me that would like to keep it that way. :)  More for me!!  Thanks for sharing your post, and congrats on your thriving business. 

Steve: Congratulations on the feature and on all of your success ~ you have done a terrific job.

Steve: Congratulations on the feature and on all of your success ~ you have done a terrific job.

Coleen...I have attempted to get several other Realtor to join our happy "big family" but I get resistance, and like you I don't press the issue. I have some wonderful relationship here and if my direct competition doesn't understand blogging OH WELL.

OK, I need to learn the trick here.  Did this just get featured after gaining momentum since June?

I'm putting it back to the top of the Optimist Group yet again.  I use the same recipe as you, Steve.  The only thing I'm lacking is your wicked sense of humor.  Maybe if I hang around you and Sardi...

Mirela...I had a comment from a new blogger months after the original post, when I went to reply to that comment I realized I needed to change the outside blog (domain name) lost some points when I edited the original post. From there I started getting a bunch of new comments, low and behold I was put up for another featured blog.

So:

1. Edit old post

2. Get re-discovered.

...Got it! 

Will re-discover some old blogs worthy of attention. 

Thanks!

Now:

How about the funny-witty?  Any tips on that?

BTW, when I edited two of my featured blogs I lost the stars and never got them back.  So far I've had 32 featured posts, yet my home page says I've had 30 and my little emblem under my picture indicates only 29. 

BTW, what in the World is an Ambassador, and how do you get that badge?  I've written over 1000 posts, I am nr. 1 in Localism for my state, my county and most of the neighborhoods around here.  I have an outside blog.  I have groups.  I endorse AR every chance I get.  I help my fellow rainers with one on one tutorials over the phone.  If that's not Ambassador worthy, I don't know what is!

Any ideas?

Hey Guys...

I don't think abusing this little bug in the system is the right thing to do. Tell I'm wrong :)

TLW...ROAR!

TLW: CRACK THAT WHIP!

Mirela - here's a link regarding the Ambassador program and how to sign up.  AR Ambassador Program.
Great post Steve, sorry I'm late to the read. :-)

Just an FYI, the Mirela it appears discovered.

If you place a post that was previously featured in draft, then post it live again in order to get the blog 're-dated' and moved up in your blog, it will strip the gold star.

If you need to fix a typo or something on an old featured post, the best way is to edit it, then post it back to public or members only. This will prevent the date from being reset and will also keep the Gold Star.

Brad...Thanks the bottom line is you guys rock.

Bob...Thanks I did just edit an old post, had a bad domain name in it that I change in my outside blog. But all things being equal the platform continues to pay dividends and I'm busier now than I was when I first wrote this post.

Kudos...to A/R.

Hi, Steve.  It's always great to read about agents who are successful in their area.  It's very encouraging--thanks for inspiring this one!

Great post!  Some agents don't understand that their business is what you create it to be.  If you sit back and don't blog or get involved in social network, your business is going to suffer.  Love the old phrase, "if you always do what you've always done, you will always get what you always got".

Joyce...Agreed if the old direction has stopped working for you its time to try a new one, agents that are afraid to blog and afraid of failure...so by not trying something new they have already failed.

Joyce...Agreed if the old direction has stopped working for you its time to try a new one, agents that are afraid to blog and afraid of failure...so by not trying something new they have already failed.

Steve,

Having an online presence really does create more business. Glad to hear it is working for you!

Donna

Donna, The recognition keeps improving with time, thanks for dropping by.

Great point and one I will be sure to incorporate into my internet strategy.  Thank You for sharing.

regards..Chris

Steve,

I've got a pretty good precsence on my blog, but I have to explore this outside blog thing. Seems to work for others.

Terry...the outside blog and Localism accounts are a great way to promote a specific town, or establish your self as a market expert.