I was talking with Colleen Kulikowski awhile back, and she was explaining to me why she had taken the time, to organize the Associates she had added. She said that by "grouping" your Associates, they will be easier to manage. So I did. Next, I thought, how can you utilize and benefit from the Associates you've added, and how do they benefit when you add them?
If I add you as an Associate, it may be for one or many reasons. I either know you, like your Blog, maybe you left me a comment that really stood out, or what if I just like your picture because you look professional and nice. Either way, I have chosen to add you to my Associates.
Today, as I was sorting through my Associates, reviewing their profiles, checking out their blogs and web-pages, I decided to look at their Associates. That's when I realized the potential of the Associates list. As I was reviewing "YOUR" Associates, I was reading the comments section, and what other members had written about you. WOW!! It really had an impact on me. (enough so, that I had to write this post).
Next, I went back to mine to see what members had said about me... some comments were funny, some appreciative, but alot of them were blank! And on yours too?! Can I make a humble suggestion? If you have added an Associate to your Active Rain profile, will you go back and make a short little comment about that individual? We all comment on each others blogs many many times, day after day, but this "one" comment might be the most important comment of all. This is where other members and readers get to see what people say and think about you.
This page itself, looks like a self propelling resume' of third party endorsements, references and referrals all in one! When I was reading some of the comments, these are a couple that stood out to me!
- Jeff Turner - YOU ARE ONE OF THE BEST IN THE BUSINESS KEEP UP YOUR GOOD WORK.
- Margaret Rome - A true lady that I would trust to represent me in any real estate transaction.
- Rick & Ines - A nice Realtor couple combining forces for the consumer's benefit.
- Sharon Simms - Super real estate broker and talented writer; #1 Florida blogger
- Mike Mueller - Great individual to work with. Impossible to go wrong with him when chosen as a loan officer.
- Maureen Henry - Maureen is a hard worker, a persistent learner, happy to help others and a good home stager.
- Rich Jacobson- Very helpful to me as I was learning to navigate Active Rain. Great guy!
- Maureen McCabe - For those going to or from Central Ohio, you MUST look up Maureen - simply the best there is.
- Jeff Belonger- Jeff is the sort of person that takes his work seriously, and adds the personal touch. He knows the value of the human side of this business. To him, you are not just numbers on a page or a FICO score. He will go the extra mile to get the loan you need, when you need it.
- Colleen Kulikowski - Awesome Realtor & an expert in Marco Island.
- Kristal Kraft - Great gal, great innovator, one of the nation's best utilizers of real estate websites.
I know you won't get AR points if you leave a nice comment on your Associates, but you may score BIG POINTS with them and their readers. Be a good member, do a good deed, pay it forward, and go place a comment in everyone of the Associates you've added, and hopefully they'll pay it forward. Sorry if you have 236, but trust me, it will be worth it! :-)
Remember to make your comment professional, honest, and sincere. This is where your comment will "STAND OUT" more than any other place on the rain, so make it count. Help out your Associates. It's kind of the same theory as the Linkedin Network.
(You can also go back and change or update comments as you get to know your Associates better).
You are probably wondering who had the most associates and comments? That might be another post later :) I wanted to make it easy for you to
...me! (Big Smile) :-) and if you do, then don't forget to 
(Bigger Smile) :->)
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Imagine my surprise when I added an associate who turned out to be another broker's client left a comment about how I helped them finally get the vacation home they had been trying for - I really did as I was covering for their agent while she was out of town - but it blew me away his kindness - if you need an IDX guy check him out on my associates his name is Chad and he and his wife are wonderful people