Vali's Blog

Project Progress

Vali Wimberly (The Berkshire Group Realtors) — Wed, 16 May 2007 11:12:51 -0500

Progress is coming along nicely as my coach, Teresa Boardman, and I have been working through the details of getting a brand new blog off the ground. Now we are well into the second month of Project Blogger and it is not only making sense but it's starting to feel more established and put together.

Typelists. My goal is purely for the reader and keeping the look uncluttered, clean and relevant. Teresa has informed me of the different was to link these to other blog and pages in order to keep ranking high which I'm working through.

Content. Something I've struggled with on a daily basis as you start drafting an entry only to come to the realization 10 minutes later that the Denver Public will not care about the subject. Interesting and relevant subjects are the key. What's a great AR topic usually is not going to fly on my local blog.

Home Search Link. Recently Teresa suggested that the blog look more like a real estate blog. My personal goal was to keep the advertising Light and the useful information Rich-Crème bruelee style. However my main goal in the creation of this blog is to generate RE leads so it does need some real estate functions. I added a link to my HomeCards Pagewhich allows users to search the Denver MLS for currently available properties. My big switch was allowing people to use the Homecards without having to give their personal information (before it was set to require personal information). I am still testing the waters with this because before I was able to follow-up using the contact information provided which has been successful in the past.

Word of Mouth. My readership is going up but it's also good to know others from my direct community are also paying attention. I got a shower of praise from a local restaurant that I wrote good words about on http://www.denverfresh.com/and last weekend I was noticed at the Denver Performing Arts Complex while I attended the Mrs. Colorado Pageant support a friend who was competing for the crown (tiara). A stranger approached me and asked me if I wrote a Denver blog, he said he recognized me from my picture!! Now that's a nice feeling knowing that people are coming across your blog.

Balance. I am starting to see the KEY ingredient to a great blog and a successful real estate career is being able to contribute the appropriate amount of time to the respective activities. Every once in a while I fall into a perfect 'work' groove where your working with the right amount of buyers & sellers (not too many to manage without giving 100% perfect customer service and not too little that your wondering if boxed mac n' cheese is too expensive for dinner), converting some of those warm leads to smokin' hot ones and still have time to network & prospect for new business. Right now is one of those moments and I'm going to stay focused and ride that wave as long as the good thing keeps coming.

If you haven't spent a few minutes at http://www.denverfresh.com/ I invite you to read, comment & enjoy.

Flat Jonathan Does Denver

Vali Wimberly (The Berkshire Group Realtors) — Mon, 07 May 2007 23:43:21 -0500

Flat Jonathan rolled into town this weekend with Active Rainer Kristal Kraft after a fun-filled road trip to Denver he was ready to get out of the car and take a look around the city.

After reading my blog at http://www.denverfresh.com/ he really wanted to take a bike ride through the paths of Denver so we started out at the REI Flagship store to get him decked out with a bike. Safety first, so we got him a helmet. To our dismay the REI had NO bikes available for a 9-inch tall FJ?! After a little persuasion he convinced me that I could pedal the both of us on my bike.

We worked up quiet the appetite pedaling the Cherry Creek path and needed some fuel. Jonathan couldn't help but comment how fit and active the Denverites were and how he'd love to take some steps to having healthier habits. The comment brought us to the Whole Foods Market where we could get good, healthy grub for lunch. I realized after Jonathan demanded we stop at about 23 free food sample stations that perhaps his health living speech was merely a ploy for free samples. My suspicions were confirmed after he declare he was too full to even eat antoher bite so we left without buying anything for lunch.

The lazy Sunday afternoon brought us to a stroll around Washington Park where the geese were wildly attracted to Jonathan's pale complexion and mistook his head for stale bread tidbits. I swooped him up just in the nick of time and we ran back to the car for a quick get-away.

As evening rolled around and the rain started to fall we decided that a quick run and yoga class would keep us dry and indoors. At the gym he befriended a young runner and asked for some pointers on how to shave some time off his already low 5-minute mile (sure, Jonathan). I was a little skeptical about him enjoying the yoga at Core Power Yoga but I was amazed at his flexibilty and endurance through the entire class.

As a cap to our day we finished off with a nice, Colorado microbrew beer, Sunshine Wheat (New Belgium Brewing Co). My mistake was not warning Jonathan that the high altitude will have an effect on his tolerance for alcohol and before we knew it he had downed two beers bigger than him and was composing and singing a new AR theme song in the middle of the pub!! Oh dear.

I really feel for him and his poor, poor paperhead today as I know he's traveling to Kansas to continue his flat world adventures.

Keep track of Flat Johnny as his adventures continue.

Lola in Denver ~ LoHi hot spot.

Vali Wimberly (The Berkshire Group Realtors) — Tue, 01 May 2007 18:13:29 -0500

Lola ~ Coastal Mexican eats. 1575 Boulder Street. Denver, CO. 80211. 720.570.8686

Denver's Lower Highlands, LoHi, neighborhood continues to draw in the crowds as they all come to see what's cooking. Lola has been a Denver area staple for a number of years but the restaurant's move to LoHi has generated more hype then ever, not to mention a whole new bunch of LoHi's hungry, margarita-loving residents.

Lola offers a great view-think downtown Denver's sparkling, evening skyline, Sunday live music, Gourmet Mexican eats and 125 tequilas--How could they go wrong?!

For the full deal please visit www.Denverfresh.com

Behind the scenes of blogging

Vali Wimberly (The Berkshire Group Realtors) — Thu, 19 Apr 2007 13:53:25 -0500

I have come to the conclusion that the world of blogging resembles a lake. At any one point the lake is never very deep but for miles around you all that you can see is water. The concept of a blog and running one is not overly complicated however once you dive in it's clear that you could get submerged in any one aspect of it.

In these first few weeks I have brought a handful of blog posts to the table but I have gained some much knowledge on tags, categories, links, pings, directories, bogrolls-am I speaking English anymore? It's been a grand learning experience and each little step gets me closer to understanding just how this all really works. The learning curve hasn't been relatively bad, it's actually fun.

After a quick glance at Jonathan's Project Blogger UpdateI couldn't help but think "Wow, it doesn't show it on paper but I've learned more this week about blogging then I've ever known."

Thanks to all for the helpful hints and supportive emails and phone calls--keep 'em coming because your shared knowledge it invaluable. I invite your support and advice as http://www.denverfresh.com/ continues to develop as Denver's lifestyle and Real Estate page.

Stay tuned.

It's A Blog!

Vali Wimberly (The Berkshire Group Realtors) — Mon, 09 Apr 2007 21:14:14 -0500

I am here to soak up the knowledge of my coach and peers here as we kick off our competition today. My name is Vali Wimberly of Denver, CO and the opportunity to learn how to establish and maintain a successful real estate blog is what I'm here for! I'm excited to get to leech onto my coach, Teresa Boardman and really dig into what making a successful, interesting blog is all about. She has taken me on as her apprentice in hopes that when this is all said in done we'll both be a little wiser, richer and more famous-okay maybe fame is a long shot.

My newborn blog will be written with the Denver Metro real estate consumer in mind. Blog entries will give a taste of what Denver life is about here as well as giving a clear picture of the current Denver real estate climate and news. When this is all said and done we hope to have created a real estate resource for Denver home consumers.

The feat seems pretty easy when you type it out-well I'm confident that when it's all said and done we ALL will be a little wiser. Learning and growth is what we are all here for so without any further delay, let's start this rodeo.

Please click it out and watch as daily improvements will be made: http://www.denverfresh.com/