In a blog post that I did back October 2, 2008 I asked the question:

Think about the reasons you blog (what are yours?)

• To build a trust between you and potential clients
• To provide information and knowledge about your industry and area
• To network with clients and real estate professionals

Producing quality content for your devoted readers and subscribers is providing an essential service that is one of the reasons you choose to blog.  You're meeting their needs by discussing things that are important to them - things they want to know more about and hitting a cord that validates why they started reading and following your blog in the first place.

Perhaps you've had one of those days or weeks that you just weren't sure what you should blog about and share with your readers.  In addition to helping cure your writer's block this tool can:

1. help you promote the fact that you blog
2. help you target specific areas and topics that your readers want to know more about.
3. Help you blog with a purpose ~ meeting your visitors needs

When I discovered the Skribit tool, I asked Brad Andersohnto help me investigate a bit further to figure out if it's something that could be used on an AR blog.  Unfortunately due to the script code we can not use it in the conventional way but I did find a way that it can be implemented in your blog to promote interaction with your readers.

If you'll notice the sidebar of my blog, you will see this:

 Note: You can also add it to your LINKS section on your sidebar.

Think of it as a Call to Action for your blog.  Understand your readers and create that interaction with your readers - ENGAGE.

When you click on my sidebar it will take you to this screen:

What I also like about this tool is that you can get some great ideas for content whether someone is suggesting them via your blog by simply reviewing the Hot Suggested Topics further down on your dashboard.  These topics are for anyone and all you do is claim the suggestion and blog.  Talk about a great and easy cure for writer's block.

Chris Brogan wrote a great blog about how he generates great content for his blogs that is definitely worth reading.  My point is that you have to ask yourself lots of questions and be clued into the questions all around you - whether they are presented to you in an email from a client, on a forum you participate on, on your blog or simply by reading other blogs.   

Another great benefit of this tool is that it gives you the ability to link up as many relevant posts as you want and it's great for bloggers who are addressing similar topics in a series.  In two words "Google Juice."

If you have other blog platforms that you use in addition to your AR Blog, feel free to discover how you can implement this tool within those blogs and either incorporate it the way I did here or utilize the widget if it allows script coding.  Read more about Skribit here. 

Remember when it comes to blogging keep these important things in mind:  

• Write with the reader in mind.
• Are you providing advice that you yourself would take?
• Tell a story, make people laugh, provide solutions to their problems
• Share who you are - be honest, be yourself not who you think your reader wants you to be
• Pictures help tell your story - pick good ones that help you express exactly what you mean and that will have your readers relating to the topic.

I look forward to your upcoming blog topics and engaging with you on topics that speak to me and allow you to share your expertise with me (and all of your readers.)

Whether you decide to use this specific tool or not, at the very least I hope this post was just a simple reminder of the importance of engaging your readers and fulfilling their needs.

So my question to you is quite simple:

Do you have a topic you would like to see discussed here?  You know what to do...

Do you feel this is something that would help you engage more with your readers?

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When I think of a BLOG I associate it with the word IDEA.

Information - your blog content, an online journal of information, content that fulfills your subsribers and potential client's needs.

Dedication - to blogging, your real estate business, to clients, and to your subscribers.

Evolution - Real Estate and blogging are constantly evolving.

Association - being on a network like AR we are able to connect and associate with link minded professionals as well as extend our reach with social media sites with people we may have never met otherwise.

Isn't it funny how we seem to just stumble upon some of our best blogging ideas when we least expect to and from where we least expect them to come.  Perhaps you found yourself in the store and overhead a conversation, or ran into an old friend or saw something that just made you think - this would be a great blog!  Time and time again great ideas come to us as little unexpected gifts and they are created into blogs simply because we are open to them. 

Sometimes you mind find yourself sitting down to write a blog post and wondering what you should write.  Creating new content can at times be a daunting task.

 Tips to ignite your creative spark & create some great content for your readers:

Get moving - physical activity - walking, exercising, just moving around gets us thinking.  Sometimes our subconscious is just blocked.  Try it and see what it can do for you.

Input - read a book, watch a show or movie, have a conversation with a friend - before you know it you'll be back at your computer constructing that great blog.

Review your previous blogs - sometimes you will realize you can expand on a point made in a previous blog that becomes a blog all on its own.  Maybe a comment was left by a reader that is a blog just waiting to be created.  Maybe you've stumbled across some of the blogs you've subscribed to and an idea comes from reading that post - perhaps another point of view or again from the comments left on that blog.

Step away - sometimes sitting there in front of the screen hoping an idea will come to us will actually work the opposite way.  Step away, change your environment and get some new perspective (if it's late - some sleep) - repeat the above tasks and be open to your surroundings - your visit to the store, a drive in the car and even a conversation with your kids may be what sparks those creative juices and gives you your next great idea.

Google Alerts - Set up alerts for key phrases dealing with topics you want to discuss in your blog - marketing, real estate, your community.  See this post from Jeremy Blanton on how to setup this alert and the great benefits that can be yours.

RSS Reader - Organize your favorite bloggers, both in and out of real estate, for more inspiration.  That inspiration can come from the bloggers content or even comments left by other bloggers and readers.  Sometimes a simple word in the content will be your inspiration.

Tip Lists - "Way you can..." or "Secrets to..."  Think like writers of a magazine who use these types of articles to create interest in their articles.

Social Media Sites - Twitter, Facebook & LinkedIn - Watch the boards - see different topics that are being discussed, links shared, questions asked, and perhaps you'll come across a story or comment that you feel needs further discussion on your blog. 

Services - What services do you offer and what's unique about how you provide those services.  Real estate is different in each market and clients need different things - find a way to share what you can do in a less salesy but more informative way.

Answer a question - Answer questions that come from clients and colleagues.

In my next blog I will show you a great way to add a tool to your blog that will allow you to engage and interact with your readers to encourage questions and address them by answering them on your blog.

For now you can take questions given to you via email or various sites you belong to such as Trulia or Linked in, or in conversations you've had with clients and address them in your blog.

Comment on statistics - Maybe you've read an article that provided some statistics and here's your opportunity to address your thoughts, break it down into an easy to understand language that has meaning for consumers.

Reading a book? - why not do a review and share what you feel your readers can gain from reading this book.

Success Stories - We all have clients that we have worked with that had something great (or even not so great) happen - why not share their story.  This kind of story can be a great example for providing advice on how to handle a similar situation for your colleagues and potential clients.

I hope this post has given you some IDEAS on how to use your blog, how you can get inspired and areas where you can focus your content to provide what your subscribers and potential clients need.

Where does your inspiration come from?

  What were you doing when your last great blog idea came to you?

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Other posts on this topic for further reading/ideas:

Finding Blog Topics

Mistakes you might be making on your blog

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I think by now we've all seen this commercial:

The Swiffer commercial has a "regular" mop asking, ok, begging and trying to "woo" the customer to come back to them with flowers and song dedications on the radio, now that they've switched over to using the new and improved Swiffer mop.

The woman's reaction - "too little, too late Mr. Mop."  It doesn't matter what you did before, and what you'll do now to try to get me back - I'm convinced I no longer need you.

I think the commercial is brilliant for the message Swiffer is trying to communicate to it's consumers - sometimes another product provides so much more and cares about it's consumers that there's nothing you can do to change that and keep them.

Sometimes messages like this are a little too late and give us the message we're not important to these companies.

The "baby come back" method of marketing is not the kind of marketing we want to be focused on when it comes to our consumers, especially with all the ways we have to stay in touch with them - it should never get to this point!

To market to this very important group - your sphere of influence - you don't need to purchase any special tools - you possess them already, but you have to be willing to use them.

By using your blog, social media sites, the phone, email and any way you can find to make a connection with your clients, you are given numerous opportunities to provide exceptional customer service - value - and a need for your clients that will have them very much aware of how you continue to be a resource of value for them beyond their day at the settlement table.

Think about a company whose product you used to use regularly - what made you stop using it and back away from this company?  Did the company stop providing any of the following?  

Customer Service

Value

Keeping in Touch

Listening more than Speaking

There are so many easy ways to make a prospect and customer feel important and the investment of time that you put into it will be well worth the rewards you will receive - another opportunity to work with this person and an opportunity to work with their sphere of influence.

Some key ways to invest in your relationships with previous clients (will also work with new prospects - start off on the right foot):

1. Provide targeted information (whether in a phone call, report, newsletter, or email) - fulfill your client's needs - give them what they want and need.
2. Marketing Updates - provide information on your client's listing before they even have a chance to ask.  Why leave them wondering or questioning what you're doing to get them to SOLD.
3. Send a link to a client when you post some new information to your website - why keep what you're doing a secret?  Perhaps include it in your next newsletter.  Mention a question that recently came from a client and address it in that newsletter (be sure they get a copy.)
4. Invite them to your blog - show them what you're involved in - direct them to the blog about their listing, send a link to the local business you just mentioned, promote your community - your next client could very well discover you and your services with their next Google search.
5. Engage on social networks - make your profile visible in the searches.  Invite clients to your page and engage with them.  Think about it - do you really want them to stop communicating with you after their transaction is completed?     

• This is a great way to keep the communications going and a wonderful opportunity to be exposed to their sphere of influence that could most likely see the link or comment you provided your client and perhaps a referral or new client is within arms reach?

Think about it - Why would we ever want to stop communicating with a previous client who we invested time with to get to know them, spent many hours with seeing homes or spending time showing their home and got them the results they were looking for - wouldn't we want them to feel good about our relationship so much so that they would want to mention our services to others?  Does our commitment to them stop after we sign the papers at the table? 

Ever notice the great feedback you get in touch with someone simply because you acknowledged them with a note or a call?  When we commit to stay in touch we are not only building on that relationship but increasing the chances of having relationships with all the people that person knows.

As previously stated in one of my blog posts:

"Simply offering "good" or "average" services to your clients is not going to get you noticed or talked about. Being honest, sincere, genuine will speak volumes to your clients.  Every time you interact with a client think to yourself is this the best I can give?  Would I feel special if I were the client?"

Think of a cat and some of the traits they have.  They are creatures of routine and if you change their setting and eating times it throws them off so much so that they turn away from you.

Can't the same be said with our clients?  If we change our habits of staying in touch with them they'll undoubtedly get upset and turn away from us as well.

Taking care of our prospects and customers from the very beginning and throughout the relationship is hard work but so worth the effort of having to turn to marketing them to get them back which in all likelihood will not happen - once they're gone they're not coming back.

                 Don't become a dispensable service that can be easily discarded because there's no more use for it or value in it.

I hope this post inspired you to make the commitment to your clients:

1. To stay in touch well after the transaction is complete and,
2. Encouraged you to find ways that you can commit to regularly and that will work for your clients to keep that relationship alive.

Feel free to share ways you continue to engage with your clients (whether past or current)

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Some other blogs to help get you moving in the right direction of providing exceptional customers service and marketing expertise to your prospects and clients:

• Marketing Strategies
• Your Newsletter
• Areas to Focus

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Often times websites are created and change very little or only certain pages change.  There are many reasons for this:

1. We build it and forgot about it
2. We are driving visitors/traffic to our other sites (blogs and social media sites - important, yes, but if you have a website you want to make sure it's receiving traffic and directing traffic bank and forth to all your sites)
3. We simply don't have the time to update our sites

So here's your opportunity to regularly change the content on your website to encourage visitors (prospects and past clients) to visit again and again and again - you get the point.

As I mentioned in the title of this blog - you also want search engines visiting and revisiting your website and they will do that when you add fresh content to your site.

This can be accomplished by adding a "What's New" page to your website.  Here you are focused on updating and directing your visitors to important new content on your site and fulfilling their need for information.

The benefit of adding a "What's New" page is that you are primarily updating one area of your website and since you are adding links to the pages you want to direct them to - those pages are automatically updated and generating traffic.  Search engines love new content and if you are using keywords and optimizing this page you will benefit from having a page that is seen as being regularly updated and has the content that consumers are seeking.

While I don't encourage adding everything from the list - pick some key areas and see how they work - analyze your website visitor statistics and see where they're going.  Keep at it until you have the right content driving traffic - repeat traffic to your site.   Ideally you will want this "What's New" Page to be easily accessible from your Home page - appearing on your navigation bar so that it's easily found.  The key is not just mentioning what's new - take them there by including links to take them to those pages directly.

Here are some examples of things you might want to include in your "What's New" page of your website:

New, Featured Listings & Open Houses - whether it's a widget or a featured listing

MLS Search - why have them go elsewhere? - provide right there on your website.

Hot real estate tip or link (a good opportunity to share some link love with some of your local business owners)

Updates on Your Company

• Awards
• Community Involvement - show how you're involved in your community - link to a blog or social media site in which you've mentioned what you're doing.  Show it on your calendar of events.
• New Staff - link to a blog that you've written about this new staff member
• New Testimonial - Link it to your testimonial page

New Video - what a great way to show your prospects and clients new listings.  Most video tools have the ability to embed them into blogs and websites.  (who knows - they may even forward to someone that might be interested.)

Links to news articles about the real estate industry and your market - whether from your blog or a pdf file that they can print directly from your site.  Another way to show your expertise and the value of working with you. 

Calendar of Events and Community Events - a great way to show things going on in your community is to have a calendar that has dates highlighted to encourage them to explore and have them coming back to your site for this information.  Be sure to highlight what events you're involved in and take them to the blogs you've written about your community, events and new businesses you have highlighted. 

Newsletter Sign up another way to stay in front of your prospects and clients and show the value of your expertise and of working with you.

Your blog - Either feed your blog directly into your site or at least mention some of the most recent blogs you've done that you feel would be of interest to your visitors.  Encourage them to subscribe to your blog via the rss feed so that they are getting regular communication and content from you each time you update your blog or simply encourage them by providing relevant content.

A call to action asking them if they want to be notified when updates are made to your site - encouraging them to revisit your website when you add something new - a reminder if you will to visit again.

Social Media Engagement - Encourage them to interact with you on social media sites that you participate on.  Engaging with them in this fun way is a great way to build on your relationship and show them what you're involved in - maybe they'll see something in your stream and it will encourage them to ask you a question. Often customers may be thinking of something and won't reach out to you but if you put it out there they just might.

Visitors (prospects, past clients and search engines) may come to your site once, but to keep them coming back you need to have fresh and relevant content.  You need to provide solutions to their questions.  You need to provide information that means something to them - that fulfills their needs (WIIFM.)

How does your website stack up?  Are you seeing repeat visitors and are there key pages/content that drives traffic to your site?  Do you have a page like this that generates traffice?

What other suggestions for content to a "What's New" page would you include that would not only provide great content for your website visitors but also generate more traffic for your website?

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This post was inspired by Bob Stewarts Blog Challenge when he asked the question "How do you use your  blog to enhance your existing relationships with clients and prospects?"  I have four examples that I want to share that I hope will encourage others to be an active member of this community. 

I have used my blog posts (and what I consider to be another version of my websites) to generate interest in my marketing and virtual assistant services as well as provide ideas on how my prospects, readers  and clients can extend their reach and provide great customer service to their prospects and clients.

First Example

• One way is when I posted a Marketing Report blog.  This post generated a lot of interest and increased my readership both on ActiveRain and via the feeds to Twitter and Facebook.  Not only did I encourage agents to create and use this tool to reach their sphere of influence but I had many contact me to create a template for them to use that would highlight how they market their listings.

Even yesterday, a new member of ActiveRain who has subscribed and reading my posts contacted me about this very post.

The response that my clients and readers have received has been overwhelmingly positive from their clients.  When I create blog posts like this I try to put myself into the shoes of a consumer - I was one in the last few years when I was  buying and selling a home - and I know what I wanted, needed and what was of interest to me.  I like sharing that information with agents to help and remind them of putting themselves into the consumers shoes - seeing what's important to them and allowing them to build a solid relationship with that client.

• Another post that generated a lot of interest was this one entitled "Customers are internet savvy and checking up on your promises are you delivering? in which I highlighted some areas that you may or may not be promising to your clients for their listings on where they will appear that yield great results due to the amazing exposure they receive.

I invited the agents to see how they're doing and if there were areas that their listings will benefit from having this added exposure and to be sure to share it with clients. Many found the post/checklist useful to measure their pre-listing presentations and to build their marketing plans for the upcoming year.

Receiving comments like this:

"Anne Marie- There is certainly a lot to do!  And you are right, many clients are checking up online to make sure that their Realtor is doing what they said they were going to do!  It is important not to overpromise and under deliver!  The beauty about your list here is that this list can be reversed into a beautiful listing presentation in terms of what one WILL do.  It is a lot of work to do all of those things which is another reason many agents need to consider hiring an expert that can help!!! : )"  ~ Chris Somers

"Awesome post Ann Marie. If everyone followed your advice there would be a lot more top notch Realtors:)" ~ Bill Gassett

Second Example

Another great compliment you can receive is having your post reblogged and that honor has been given to me many times by so many members of ActiveRain.  One that surprised and delighted me was this one.  Wow, I think I was walking on the air the rest of that day!

Third Example

Another way that I have discovered that my blog are helpful and enhance my relationships is by providing blog posts that agents and brokers have told my they have printed to use in their business plans, training classes and as a simple reminder of what is important to keep focused on when it comes to marketing and staying in touch with their clients.  Again, just this week I was contacted by an agent to offer training for their office staff.

Comments I've received on blog posts that members felt they could use in their own agent training classes and as a daily reminder for themselves have included:

"What a great post.  Lots and lots of great ideas.  I am going to share these with some of my agent friends.  Thanks so much for sharing. You just might want to do some coaching in addition to your Virtual Assistant practice" ~ Karen Anne Stone

"Great post - each activity improves our skills and generates leads.  I have shared it with the rest of the staff and it was favorably received." ~ Ryan Shaughnessy

And its comments like this - positive feedback - knowing I am making a difference to my colleagues and yes, many of them are my actual clients - so they can in turn make a difference to their clients - is what it's all about for me.

Fourth Example

The last way I use my blog posts is as a link in my responses back to inquiries about my services.  Whenever someone inquires about my services I not only provide them with a phone call to discuss their needs but  I highlight some of the services I provide that may benefit them by sending them an informational piece that lists those services along with the link to my AR blog.  I want them to see firsthand the content I provide, the advice I preach, the tips I share and how the readers and subscribers to my blog respond to me.  Often the comments left are testimonials to how my advice shared can be applied to their business and often they will return back to tell me about their success.

It is no secret that AR is a powerful tool and it certainly is the most powerful one I utilize to grow my business.  It has provided me with clients, friendships and colleagues that refer business to me and that I can refer business to.

Every site I register on I find a way to either link or feed my AR blogs into it to not only promote my services but ActiveRain because I feel that if this network can bring me this kind of exposure and business there are others that can benefit from joining the network.  It's a paying it forward mentality that I believe in and possess as I know all too well that many of us here do.

On August 23, 2008 I made the smartest decision for my business and so invite you today to discover the great success you can have by joining and being an "active" member of the Rain.

A special thank you to all the members here that interact with me, read my posts, contribute by commenting and add such value to my posts.  You are one of the best parts of my day!

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This community is full of people who are always looking to make a difference to the people who hire us to provide real estate services, in our communities or to those special people in our lives.

This idea was shared with my  11 year old daughter (Sarah) from a teacher in her school.  My daughter has been actively looking for ways to get involved with more community service and this is one way she felt she could make a difference in someone's life.

If you're looking for another way to extend your help, especially this winter ~  another way you can make a difference to someone in your community, we hope you'll join us in making a difference!.

A simple gesture can make a difference, and you'll see how at the end of this short video.

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My Advice to Consumers Reading ActiveRain Blogs - The Real Estate Industry has Lots of Positives

I think it's safe to say we've all been hurt before - whether in a relationship, business, and just from experiences we've had.  The memories that can come back to us when we relive those experiences can be quite painful and often leave us feeling cautious about trusting anyone.  I know on many of my blog posts people have shared some of the negative feelings that they have experienced and are aware of when it comes to the real estate industry and how agents and real estate professionals are perceived. 

My advice today is directed to consumers - people reading AR blogs, possibly in search of an agent who can represent them in what will be one the most important and life altering decisions of their life - selling or buying a home.  Home represents many different things to people and can be a sacred and safe place for many.  It's the place we feel safe and we draw strength from, a place where memories are created and a place we think of when we think family.

Are you a consumer that has a "trust no one" mentality when it comes to the real estate industry?

One faithful day last August while doing a Google search I stumbled across ActiveRain and discovered a whole new world of experience, knowledge, friendship, community and yes, trust.  Yes, to my great surprise my experience here has been a community that is meant to help people - the general public/consumers looking for real estate services and guidance and colleagues looking to share information about increasing their knowledge and improving their businesses.

Like me, you have stumbled upon a community that is eager and so willing to assist you.  I know from personal experience - not only from my online and offline communications but my interactions of working firsthand with so many great professionals from the AR network that you will be in good hands.  I can't specifically name an agent that will work well on your behalf but what I can say is that there are so many great agents and real estate professionals to choose from on this network so why leave it up to chance and choosing someone you know very little about.

My advice is simple:

• Read the blogs and get to know the agent, broker, stager, etc - you will see and feel what they're about.
• Investigate further - visit their website and get a feel for their strengths.   Look for the kind of presence they have on the internet - do you get a sense that they will provide that level of service and marketing that you are hoping to receive?
• Review their testimonials and hear from people who have worked with them and experienced firsthand the services they've provided
• Reach out and interact with professionals from the network - subscribe to their blog via the RSS feed and take some time to discover through your interactions if they are the right agent or real estate professional to work with.

Give yourself some time and then take that leap of trust knowing that these re professionals are dedicated to getting you the results you are looking for - they are bound by a code of ethics and their own code of wanting to do the right thing for their customers. 

They dedicate a lot of time and effort to bringing you information about your community, the real estate industry and have put themselves out here in very personal ways for you to have the opportunity to get to know them.  You owe it to yourself to take advantage of that.

I know in my heart you will find the right agent or professional here on this network - there are just so many that I would personally choose myself to represent me. 

I wish you great success in choosing your agent or the real estate professional you are looking for and hope that you will drop me a note to share your success - knowing I have been where you are - a consumer looking for an agent to represent me.

I simply trust that you will have a great experience and you will discover for yourself that there are some great professionals in the real estate industry and positive experiences to be had that undoubtedly you will want to share with your friends and family.

Consumers:

Help, advice and knowledge are a simple click away for you - what are you waiting for?

Agents and RE Professionals:

Some of you have left comments about the negative feelings and perspective of the public when it comes to the RE industry - what are you doing to show there are positive aspects?

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This post is to provide and encourage anyone new to blogging or someone returning to blogging after being away for a while with some easy to follow tips on how to get started blogging (again), build relationships and interact with your readers. Yes, be an "active" member of this network.

Make no mistake, it will not happen overnight - it will take time and patience and will take you focusing on these areas below to develop your blog and ultimately your readership.

I have been fortunate in my time here on Active Rain to interact with some amazing bloggers and amazingly enough I have even received compliments on my blogging style and information I share on my blog posts and yes, questions from members on how I developed my blogging.

I am no expert, because believe me - it took time and patience to develop that style and find my blogging voice.  Just look at my first post - what was I thinking?  I learned over time to change the focus on my blog - to share more and great things will come my way.   So I thought I could share some of my methods for developing my blogging in the hopes that it will help you.

Here are some of my key tips for becoming a successful blogger:

Your best tool ~ a notebook and pen.  I know it sounds simple but it really does work.  This is not to say you can't use other tools like Google docs or word or whatever tool that works for you to pen your blogs but the point is use what works for you and a notebook and pen is what works for me.  I have a small notepad on my nightstand, in my purse and on my desk for jotting down quotes, ideas, words and topics that eventually end up being a blog post.  Just read some of the titles on the blog board - it could be a reference to a commercial, a common phrase and the fun part is how you can make it relate to real estate and your topic.  Here's an example of how I used "exercise" to relate to real estate marketing.

Blog - Write a great headline.  Deliver great content that fulfills a need for your readers.  Highlight the important information whether it's a bullet list, white space, colored or larger text.  Make your post visually pleasing with photos and videos to break up the wall of words and to help you further tell your story and further your point. See Debe Maxwell's Post on how to add pictures to your blog. Engage your readers to share their thoughts, comments and experiences.

Proofread - Sometimes it helps to let your blog post marinate like a good steak.  Read it again - does it make sense?  Is your message clear?  Are your links working?  Are your pictures described?  Are there typos?  How is the formatting?  For some great tips on formatting your blog visit the FAQ section here on AR - the information and knowledge shared is astounding!

Linking - A great way to increase traffic to your blog by search engines and readers is to provide great links that provide the reader with more information on the topic you are talking about.  It could be a previous post you've written on the subject, an article that you read, suggesting further reading on the subject or highlighting a blogger that you admire.  Links help you further the points you're trying to make in your blog post.  See how I just linked to Debe Maxwell's post above on how to add pictures.

Comment Back - The point of writing a blog post is interaction.  It's not putting out a blog and then moving onto the next one without comments back to your readers.  In my opinion eventually they may stop visiting.  I encourage you to write a short comment back or at the very least visit your commenter's blog and leave a comment on their blog.  It's all about building a relationship and when you are relating to your readers you are building those relationships, your knowledge and people will want to regularly follow your blog anticipating what you'll write about next.

Visit your Visitors - To further the point above, I recommend looking at your recent blog or your subscribers list and choose a few people from that list and visit their blog.  You may very well discover a topic - a golden nugget if you will - of information and again it's furthering your relationship with this person/blogger and is in fact part of the reason we all choose to be a part of this AR community - to interact and engage.

Network - You have a great opportunity to not only post your blogs on Active Rain but to share the content of your blog across many networks.  I know I have received many new readers simply by feeding my blog to Twitter and Facebook from both members of Active Rain but also consumers who have come across my posts by providing them with a direct link to my content.  These networks are a great tool to extend your reach and engage with people who are interested in the topics you are writing about. Are we connected yet?  What are you waiting for - lets share our knowledge and experience.

Bonus Tip: Over time you can go back to your previous posts and see which ones were the most read and received the most comments.  What did these posts address?  What made them work?  Comments are a great indicator that you hit a cord with your readers.

Other Areas to Look at: 

Perhaps your next blog is just waiting there for you in the comments section or your previous blogs in which someone asked a question and you can address it in your next blog post - what a great opportunity to share your knowledge and a link back to that person.

You can even revisit your previous blogs and come up with a new series or rewrite the blog to include a new experience or new knowledge you've gained since you first wrote that post.

You've had the power all along - it's within you and my hope is that this post along with the comments left will inspire you to find your blogging voice - we all can't wait to hear it! 

The possibilities are endless.  Don't fret if you feel you have nothing to write about.  Visit your old blogs, visit your subscribers, read, comment, be active on social media networks and be an observer of life around you - grab that notebook and pen and start writing.  I look forward to your next blog.

A question for seasoned members/bloggers: 

Do you have any ideas and suggestions for bloggers on where they can focus their blogging efforts that has worked for you?

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A key word that should be on the mind of every real estate professional and part of their "every day" and "every interaction"...

No, I'm not talking about new listings, commissions, recognition - all great things - that will certainly come with focusing on this one key word - FREQUENCY.

The definition of Frequency is:   

1.  the fact of occurring often or repeatedly; frequent occurrence

2.  the number of times any action, occurrence, event is repeated

How does this relate to real estate or any business for that matter?  Here are my suggestions for areas of your business that you should be frequently engaged in and touching every day to ensure you're meeting your client's needs and growing your business.  (Feel free to add to the list if you feel I missed something.)

Frequent blog posts

Yes, we've all heard that posting frequently will keep refreshing your site for those search engines but  often we find ourselves trying to carve out time to post and interact on our blogs and on the blogs we've subscribed to, which can be quite the juggling act when business is busy.  Certainly the most important aspect of this point is to find out what "regular" schedule you can keep to.  Some things you can do to become more regular/frequent with your blogging:

• Start jotting down ideas for future blogs
• Interact and read other blogs and posts on social media sites (your next idea could simply be right there in front of you.
• Develop a team approach to your blog with inviting others to write as a guest blogger or invite members from your office/team to contribute so that the frequency of your blog posts show the search engines that you have fresh content (and yes, there are rewards for that) and it shows your client and prospects that you are engaged in your online and offline communities. 

Frequent visits, comments and interactions with your fellow real estate professionals

Again, this is another area we can all fall short in when times are hectic but there are so many wonderful benefits to participating on colleague's blogs.  Here are a few that come to mind:

• Building a relationship with that blogger
• Perhaps a future referral of business
• Knowledge obtained by reading someone else's post and comments left on that blog
• Just like above, the search engines also love our comments and often they will be picked up.

Frequent participation on Social Media Networks

If you're actively participating on the many social networks available, you are bound to pick up on something new each day - whether it's a news story you missed, knowledge and experience gained from another colleague or interactions that involve humor (a great mood elevator) and simply relating to others within your online communities.  There's also so many great tools available on these sites to keep track of posts that are of interest to us, marketing tools that are available and working for our colleagues that we could utilize, and ways to promote our listings and services.  Do a search here on ActiveRain and discover for yourself how frequent participation on social media networks have benefitted some of your colleagues - perhaps it's something that could work for you?

Frequent Contact with clients & prospects - phone calls, in person, emails, newsletters, listing updates

Your clients hired you and they do expect to hear from you - ask them from the very beginning how often they want to hear from you and how they want to hear from you.  What's important to them is one of the most important things you can find out from the get go since no two clients are the same.

Frequent refreshing of listings

Don't just simply post your listings and forget about them.  Often there are price reductions, new pictures taken if the home was listed in the winter and now it's spring or you may feel that you're not getting the traffic you hoped and the posting may need some tweaking.

Frequent Updates to your website & Frequent checks of your statistics

Many people will say they have a website but when's the last time you visited your website.  I often encourage clients to visit their website from the outside looking in and not simply on the backend.  Often you will notice something doesn't look right and needs some adjusting.  Be sure to update your listings - again with price reductions and new photos - it could make all the difference with getting that listing sold.

Frequent tweaking of your Marketing Plan

We all eager in the beginning of the year and even the middle part of the year to establish marketing plan - when's the last time you looked at yours?  Are you accomplishing everything you set out to?   Did you start using a new tool, gave it some time and discovered that perhaps it's not the most effective?  Now's the time to figure those things out so that you are using your time and efforts wisely.

Frequency of your contact information on your marketing materials, blog, website, social media sites - you want to be found and contacted right?

Make sure your clients, colleagues and prospects can easily find out how to contact you.  Your blog, website, social media sites and marketing materials should contain this information - people don't want to have to research how to find you - give it to them freely.  Make sure your business cards and materials you're leaving at your listings also have all the information necessary for people to reach you and this includes your email and a phone number in which they can actually talk to a live person.

Frequency of Keywords - in your blog on your website - key in boosting your SEO.

There are so many great tools available to us to zero in on those keywords for our website and blogs.

Find out what they are and use them not only on the title page of your website but throughout the content of the page (search engines love this) and your prospects will too because you'll be providing exactly what they're looking for when they typed in those keywords in their search. 

This also goes for your blog - create a title and content that speaks and delivers on what you're discussing, create relevant links and keywords that describe what you're blog post is about.

Just like a radio station operates on a certain frequency, you must also be tuned in to the list above to get the maximum benefits for your business growth and for your clients who are entrusting you with a what many consider very important aspects of their lives - their money and their home.

Do you have another area of "frequency" to share that is a great example of maximizing your efforts and getting great results? 

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Respect - what does it look like and sound like?

Have you ever really thought about this question?  What answers would you give?  Do you think you do a great job with respecting your clients and colleagues - more importantly do they? 

I didn't come up with these questions about what does respect look like and sound like on my own.  I recently answered these questions for homework that was given to me by my daughter's principal.  That's right at age 40 I found myself doing homework - guess you never stop learning and always have opportunities to learn no matter how old you are.

I think this exercise (homework) gave me many benefits

1. A wonderful opportunity to share with my daughter my perspective on what respect is -  how it looks and sounds
2. Reminded me of how I can be more aware of how I come across to others
3. How I can be an example to her in how I respect her, our family and those that we encounter in our every day lives.

  Here are are some of the answers to those questions that we came up with as a family:

                       Sounds Like:                            Looks Like:

It got me thinking about respect and how it relates to how we conduct ourselves in our businesses.

We all know we should respect others - we're taught this as children and many of us must adhere to industry code of ethics but often we lose sight of just how respect looks and sounds like and we can find ourselves not respecting someone without even realizing it. Sometimes the things we say can simply rattle someone to their core even if that was not our intention. 

This quote sums it up nicely: 

  "I'm not concerned with your liking or disliking me...All I ask is that you respect me as a human being."  Jackie Robinson

Responsibility

• Respond promptly to all inquiries and requests and meet deadlines

Educate

•         Educate, advise and guide our clients

Sensitivity

• Schedule and keep appointments or make necessary arrangements to change
• Be aware of cultural differences
• Remember that our clients are asking you to handle a very important and often sensitive area of their lives.

Professional

• In our appearance and our communications

• In our promises we make to our clients - make them and keep them (know what you're capable of delivering - see my previous post for more areas to explore on this topic)

Ethics

• Follow the Code of Ethics of the NAR

Communicate

•        Communicate in a timely and thoughtful manner and do it often

Treatment of Others

•        Treat our clients and colleagues the same way we expect to be treated (in person and online)
•        Care about them and show it in all your interactions

Respect is...Listening, caring about other's feelings, keeping an open mind, agreeing and knowing it's ok to disagree,  seeking to understand, being honest, direct, and lifting a person up.

As you can see respect comes in many forms and at the very least I hope this post gets you thinking about how your words and actions come across to those you interact with each and every day and will be a reminder that these things have an affect on your clients and colleagues (and your business) and will allow you to model for others exactly how you want to be treated.

Being aware of how we respect our clients and our colleagues can make all the difference in our business - the reputationof it AND the growth of it.

I will leave you with this final quote:

"Our inner strengths, experiences, and truths cannot be lost, destroyed or taken away.  Every person has an inborn worth and can contribute to the human community. We all can treat one another with dignity and respect, provide opportunities to grow toward our fullest lives and help one another discover and develop our unique gifts.  We each deserve this and we all can extend it to others." Author Unknown

Have some thoughts to share on the topic of Respect? Feel free to add your thoughts and perspective on how it relates to your business and life.

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