Okay, so here's the unofficial disclaimer:
If you've been a member of ActiveRain for more than a month, please ignore the following post. You've most likely been down this path before, ad nauseum. Please kindly move on to the next article. Thank you!
But if you're a relatively new member, then by all means, do proceed!
Perhaps some of the most valuable time you'll spend in your first weeks in the Rain will be developing a 'complete' and effective Profile Page. In other words, put the "PRO" into Profile!
Much has been written on this topic before. Here's a few examples:
George Tallabas - "The Power of Your Active Rain Profile"
Kelli Fronabarger - "ActiveRain Profile Page Secrets"
From the AR gods themselves - "Setting Up Your AR Profile"
A very helpful post from Caleb Mardini - "Uploading a Photo to Your AR Profile" (gee, what a concept!)
One by 'Yours Truly" - "Profile Pics on Active Rain: When the Most Obvious is the Most Overlooked"
So here's the deal. First things first. If you don't currently have a Profile Picture, stop whatever you're doing and upload one now. Don't Pass Go, don't collect $200 dollars!
There is, however, one slight caveat: If the only picture you have meets any of the following criteria, don't use it:
1. The picture was taken in your office cubicle while holding your digital camera at arm's length.
2. It's the same picture you have posted on AdultFinder.com, Yahoo! Personals, or MySpace.
3. The picture was taken over 5 years ago (real estate has a way of aging us very quickly!)
For goodness sakes, quit being such a miser and spend a few bucks on some decent 'professionally' taken pictures. And what exactly constitutes a 'good' picture of yourself? That's really utlimately for you to decide, but always have a couple pairs of trusted eyes share some input into the process. I tend to use somewhat 'informal' photos of myself. I'm not the 'suit & tie' type. My current profile pic shows me out on my boat, doing some crabbin, and wearing a Kansas Jayhawk t-shirt. That about sums up my life! It's going to be something completely different for you. When clients eventually meet you face-to-face, it's nice if they can actually recognize who you are!
Secondly, spend some time viewing the profiles of some of the Top Rainers. Successful people typically possess successful marketing strategies. Observe what they've done. Find some ideas that fit you. Don't simply try to mimic someone else. You have to be true to who and what you are!
Then, jump on over to Localism and take a look at your profile through the eyes of a consumer. Can they easily determine your area and market of expertise? Does your profile attract their attention and encourage further investigation and interest?
Lastly, just an added suggestion: On your profile page, to the left side of the page, under "My Settings," be sure to use a Blog Title that will easily identify who you are and the market you serve. That way, consumers can quickly determine your particular discipline and specific region without having to click through to your full profile. For instance, I used to have "Singin' in the Rain." This was a fun title for my fellow Rainers, but didn't translate well for consumers on Localism. So I changed it to "West Sound WA Real Estate." This title will also show up at the bottom of your comments to other members posts. I'm often surprised at how many members continue to include all of their contact info, i.e. website, company name, city, state, etc.. within the body of their comments on other member's posts. To me, this is simply a waste of energy and constitutes SPAM in the minds of many.
Your ActiveRain Profile will many times make the first impression on potential clients, aside from the quality content articles that you've written! Create an effective Profile Page that helps to convey your passion, your personality, AND your professionalism. It will help to successfully set the stage for whatever follows....
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