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Are You Engaging Your Readers?

There are many topics and thousands of posts that have been written about How to Blog, Why to Blog, When to Blog, Where to Blog and What to Blog. And then you see a comment on someones post where the writer is complaining about others getting featured posts all the time. Obviously they aren't getting a post featured ...or even read......and they are wondering why?

We engage the reader with our ‘interesting' content and I can't be more straightforward than to say that if you want others to read your posts you have to MAKE it interesting.

Localism Posts: They have been always my favorite to write and I've written hundreds that have given the consumer an idea (and then some) about my local area happenings and so forth. One of my favorites was: Tsukiji Fish Market & Restaurant- Honolulu Hawaii where my husband and I took clients to lunch.
Personal Posts: No one said that transparency in blogging meant to reveal the skeletons in your closet but it does mean to have a little transparency in your writing. Showing your personality through your writing is something we all share when ‘getting to know others'. The best way your peers and the consumer will ‘see' you is right there in your writing. "The Lovely Wifes" Blog.... is for members only blog but indeed a level of transparency that we all can relate to.
Market Reports: You can do a ‘boring' market report but make it eye appealing and attractive with a graph, pie charts and pictures of the area you're doing the report on. KNOW what you're talking about and give details that the consumer WILL UNDERSTAND. Renee Burrows taught me how to do pie charts and I'm doing some wonderful ones with Hawaii pictures in the background to enhance them.
Off Topic:Sure, we want to create a discussion on whatever the topic for off topic (not real estate) like SEO, Windows 7, Positive Attitudes and so forth. Keeping it light and not judgmental is a great start. No one wants to read a closed minded post full of ‘only my opinion matters' type of thing. Again, we engage the reader without insulting everyone that is reading.
Real Estate Industry Related: We all know that ActiveRain is a wonderful place to gain knowledge about everything real estate industry related. My favorite real estate writers are long time seasoned ActiveRain bloggers Lenn Harley and Broker Bryant and you'll see some hard core real estate with engaging conversations for sure on their blogs.

Why do I read the blogs of these writers? They are creative, interesting, eye appealing and lo and behold ORIGINAL, honest, great information, entertaining..... and they allow the reader to walk beside them while they are talking ‘with' them. ....not AT them. They engage me.

Are YOU engaging the reader?

Posted by Celeste "SALLY" Cheeseman HAWAII Relocations & Real Estate on 10/13/2009 05:44 PM

Comments (88)

Blogging on Active Rain in the ActiveRain Channel

activerain blogging, activerain community, localism, real estate industry

Post is included in group: The Art Of Marketing You
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Post is included in group: POSITIVE ATTITUDE for the Weary Soul
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88 Comments on Are You Engaging Your Readers?

OCT

Sally - this is an excellent post about engaging your readers. I am going to check out your market reports, as that is something I am working on as well.

Sharon: It sure made a difference...Renee can add a link here for that post to make pie charts...and what I do after making them is use the snippet tool to save to pictures for fast and easy inserts!

Celeste, I am working on engaging my readers. Sometimes I spend so much time reading posts on how to blog, what to say, etc. that by the time I get started on my post...I'm so tired. AR has provided a wealth of information on SEO, google, etc. and I'm grateful for it all. I thought about doing some market charts as well but was trying to master one part at a time but who knows...maybe my charts will engage some readers! Thanks for your post.

Gina: It takes a lot of time and dedication to get to where most of us have gotten. Just remember that balance will be key to your writing.... MANY topics indeed :)

P.S. Took a look at your blog and you're doing great!

Thank you for your post. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed about what to blog, but you have brought me back down to earth. Write on a topic I am interested in and know about. I'm sure I have something to offer after having been in Real Estate for 20 years.

Mercedes: I'm sure you do too....and we'd all love to see them!

Sally, I try to do a mix of posts but tend to favor Localism. I love to write about my areas in addition to Feng Shui because I always find them so unique.

Carole: And you have some great stories too!

Sally - making your articles interesting and enjoyable to read is so important for attracting and keeping readers. I think some folks are better at this than others but anyone can do it.

I think if you write about what interests YOU, then the articles themselves become more interesting. I always enjoy reading what you have to say, even if I don't comment. :)

Jeff

Jeff: Same here Jeff....I do stop by yours every day...I'm not on blog roll stuff so you won't 'see' but just know....for you...I'm there :)

Hi Sally! You know I love to write those market reports but, I REALLY love the engaging conversations on well written, engaging posts! You have a knack for engaging your reader and being polite in your comments as well! You're definitely a fine exampe for this community! EXCELLENT tips!

Im new to blogging and need to find a balance between engaging and SEO. I'm getting there.

Sally, thanks for the thoughts at a good time. Today i combined in a post something personal and something positive. It feels good and I hope it tells the readers something about me.

While I understand where you're coming from, I think most of the "complaints" are probably valid.

Whenever I find a "complaint" comment, I usually go to the complainer's blog to see if their complaint is valid. 99% of the time, it is. That complainer has some great blog posts, and I used to flag them. I've found that finding a really good post and flagging it for a feature doesn't seem to mean much, so after thirty tries, I have quit flagging posts. Zero out of thirty means that I either have really poor taste concerning what makes a great post, or flagging posts just doesn't seem to mean anything. I might be biased, but I think it's the latter.

I also believe that the ActiveRain staff have their favorites, and that is where they go first thing when they wake up in the morning, and if they find five good posts to feature before 9:00, well, they've got their quota in for the day and no one else gets a chance. After all, there can only be so many Featured Posts, and who has time to read 161,000 blog posts to find the great ones?

I have suggested a couple of times that they should have Featured Posts in different categories. I really don't care to read the Featured Post about religion since I'm not religious, but I understand that many people do, so let's have Featured Realtors, Featured Home Inspectors, Featured Mortgage Lenders, Featured Preachers, Featured Humorists, Featured Politicians, Featured Brokers, Featured Photographers, etc. I think it would be pretty easy to click on "Featured Posts" and have it open a bigger page with the various featured categories on it.

Let everyone choose a category for their posts and then choose Features from each category. That would make it easier to find the great posts from a greater diversity of people and Feature them.

I learned when I did the Week in Review back in March that there are waaaaaaaaaaaaay too many excellent posts that should be Featured, but who has the time to find them all? That's why it's so easy to go to the old timers who rarely let you down and Feature their posts all the time.

I've even found at least two old timers who simply recycle their old Featured Posts from last year or two years ago and get it Featured again. It's still relevant, especially since our membership grows by 50,000 or so each year, maybe more, so those 50,000 probably didn't see it the first time around.

There have been several people who had three or four Featured Posts the same week, at least one that I know had two Featured Posts the same day. Surely that's not necessary, and I don't even think it's desired because it does create some consternation with others who wonder why those people got so many Featured Posts. Let's spread the wealth around!

I don't attach as much significance to Featured Posts as others do since there is now a points limit on Featured Posts, but I understand how it can make people feel good when the ActiveRain Powers-that-Be think a member has written something good enough to be Featured.

Personally, I think that each Ambassador should be allowed to choose a Featured Post each day, or maybe five per week, but only if the Featured Post dashboard is expanded to provide more Featured Posts in correlation to how our membership continues to grow -- see my paragraph four above.

I am doing ok with 1, 2, & 5 but need to post a lot more of 3 & 4. Nice to see you featured again Sally!

I'm just learning about blogging and trying to enter the computer world! I love your ideas about how to put personality in my writing. That would make it a lot more fun!

Debe: I like it all....this is for sure the one place that has everything I need. Granted it's not for some but it's for me...and you...and many others!

Linda: It's a hard one to do for sure...I get tired of doing the localism and market reports for sure...it takes me a good hour or more!

ANNOUNCEMENT:

If any of you belong to the POSITIVE ATTITUDE for the Weary Soul GROUP.....Please excuse the emails flying in .....

They are TRYING to fix my group email and instead they're spamming you all.....NOT ME...them.

LOL. It's all good...just stop emailing me with mean responses. Obviously when it comes six times it's not this ''seasoned' ActiveRain member doing it :)

Thanks...used the opportunity to get the message out since I got this featured. :) .......instead of spamming you all again to explain :)

Joe: And that's what it's all about....believe it or not....EVERYTHING is real estate related. Local areas, businesses around you, things to do in your area, your thought patterns. It gives everyone...including me a sense of who I'm reading.

Russell Ray: Hmmm...maybe one of the staff can answer you since you're talking about how things are run here. :) In fact...you may just want to take that comment and put it in a post.

Russell Lewis: Hi there! Make a mental schedule...when it 'feels' like it's the day to do them...do it :)

Janet: Makes more sense too...when we talk AT people...do they listen? Well talking with them can be applied to write as if we are talkign with them :)

Hi Celeste great article I will now continue blogging with one key goal in mind "make it interesting" as a matter of fact the only reason someone would come back your blog was if they found the information interesting and helpful. Cheerss.

Roch: I thank you....and so true....if they don't ...it must not be :) Keep blogging!

Sally Cheeseman, sharp cookie

hi again Sally, tired of seeing me today? ;-) No kidding about market reports!!!

Aloha Sally,

Good stuff for everyone. And you know, I've been admiring yur graphs for some time now, and they came from Renae? I'll check back to see if she posts a link here.

Sally- AND YOU certainly know how to write a great and interesting and engaging localism post! After all, you had me at HELLO! :) For those of you who don't know, Sally is the reason I joined AR! Katerina

You are right we need to draw our readers in. Provide good info and make it interesting.

hi martiiiiii! Of course not! I love seeing you....and I'm bad...got mac nut choc chip cookies today :)

Lynda; Sure did! You have some wonderful reports and a good chart would be great with the beautiful pics in your area!

Katerina: gulp...really? lol.

Sure do Russ....:)

Great post! Congratulations on the feature.

You have been my inspiration for the past year or so to add visual interest to my posts. It doesn't come naturally to me (I prefer to post and dash) but it does make a big difference on how appealing the post is to others. Just another way that one ActiveRainer has inspired another to make improvements :).

Thanks for the explanation on the Spam...I figured as much.

Hi Sally... you certainly illustrate your point well with these examples! I might add that you also do a GREAT job of drawing me in as a reader. I always look forward to your posts! :)

Hey, Sally - I thought about that as soon as I finished posting the comment here.

While I was writing my post about your post, I got a private comment from someone, so I came back over here to see if that person had left a comment here. S/he did not. Here is the comment, and if the person wants to identify him/herself, I leave it to him/her, but this comment is not unusual at all:

Quote

I appreciate you stepping forth and speaking what SO MANY OF US HAVE BEEN THINKING HERE AT ACTIVE RAIN regarding the featured post!!!!!!

BRAVO BRAVO BRAVO!!!!!!!!!

You hit the nail right on the head. I like the ideas you gave and since this reflects US... we really SHOULD have more of a voice in this!

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!!!!!

Unquote

Now I'll have to go visit that person's blog..............

Sally, Congrats on the well deserved feature. I was recently looking through my post and realized that I had got away from doing market reports. I need to get back in to the groove.

Sally you mean that it is not good enough for me to just be a nice guy for people to read my blogs, I have to make them interesting to? :) :)

Hey Holly: It sure does...I remember my beginning...goodness ...they were awful...but somehow a picture made it a bit better until I got my voice :)

thanks steve! And you're not so bad yourself! :)

Russell Ray: Well, I'm sure you'll get lots of comments on your post. This is not a ranting post but a helpful one... to give some examples to help people out. Maybe you have some HELPFUL tips too? That is what an Ambassador is...right?

Marchel: I love other's posts that remind me to get on the ball. Cool!

George: Only you are excused ...because you're such a nice guy :)

Am afraid I have to agree with Russell. There are many blog posts that are not featured that deserve to be. And often the same posters get featured over and over. That is not to say that what they have to say is not important to that they do it well, but there are a lot of lesser-known members who also have written some wonderful stuff.

My stuff seldom gets featured since I write it for the Localism or Consumer catetories, not for colleagues. So I expect less comments and less features. Goes with the territory. But I do understand and empathize with what many are questioning concerning the designation of featured posts.

My main goal is to build my business and at that is done by communicating with customers, more than it is with agents around the country. So that is where my focus is. I do check the statistics for my posts frequently and know that my posts are being viewed and read by many consumers.

Hi Marti, Gawd, it has been while!

Woo Hoo, Intertaining , interesting, opinionated, elaborate, to the point, inspirational, educational, something for everyone. Hey and don't forget the wonderful photo posts. Yep, thats the way I see it and your posts have them all, not nessessarily all that the same of course but it is all there. Congrats on the feature, well deserved.

Personally I think ActiveRain staff or whoever chooses the days featured posts does a terrific job. The posts I have seen featured, are really good choices. I have even caught their attention once in while myself and always delighted when that happens. Validiation , you know, hehhe.

What I also like reading is all the comments. It is sort of funny sometimes when the commenter doesn't "get" the post but wants to go somewhere else. Those crack me up.

Just to let you know, I did get all six of your e-mails annoucements. You know the saying, "if one is good then six is awesome". Besides " to much of a good thing is............. WONDERFUL!:-)

John: Well, how about this....would you like to spend HOURS moderating all these posts? It's not an easy task... I suggest that you flag the post for a feature if you believe it's outstanding and give your reasons. Best bet..like you said.......though it doesn't get featured look at your statistics and see if the consumer is actually clicking on them. This is the proof in the pudding as far as I'm concerned. I did a market report and got O comments but MANY clicks.

so John...you must be doing outstanding because you can see the real proof :)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I happen to love this place and all it offers me...and when i was asked if I would want to be a moderator I flatly declined. For one, it put me in my place and made me think why not.

I happen to think these guys do a heck of a great job....and so the reason I've been here for years.

Learning lessons in everything I tell ya....and instead of looking at my post as a reason to complain...please read it for what it was intended. To help....like a good Ambassador does.....Thanks all!

William: You're soooo .... positive. {{{ HUG }}} Oh...one was my email...the rest was AR. (I'm going to publicly blame them because I got 'hate' - irritation email back lol)

Sally,

I think your points are all helpful in writing content that gets featured. Yes, some probably go unnoticed but you can't please everyone.

The people who get a lot of features are really good writers and their content is usually one or all of the things you described here.

Brian: That was a very thoughful comment and I appreciate it...as well as the others who will read it. Can't please everyone is right.

Well, YOU certainly keep loyal readers!

Hey Auntie...and here you are :)

I enjoy doing localism posts, I always learn something from doing them, and like to know whats going on around town. I don't always have real estate type posts, I'm glad there are other groups to post other things in.

Sally, loved your post. THough I agree that many of the same people get featured, I wouldn't complain about it - they're often the best writers out there and the most enjoyable to read. I think the moderators are doing an awesome job but they're only human and you can't please all of the people all of the time.

Sally...

This is a great summary about the basics of blogging! Very engaging and a well-deserved feature!

Cindy: Living in Hawaii the majority of my life you'd think I knew much...nope. But after writing about topics of interest, history and so forth I learned oh so much. It's wonderful! And believe me...it's those other posts that show the professional you are too!

Lora: I love to read the featured dashboard because they have so many new faces too! Our moderators do a heck of a job....something I definitely would not do...I don't even judge the contests for my positive group :)

Richard; Thanks buddy....I try :)

I need to get cracking on my localism posts. I haven't done any yet.

Hi Sally -- Great post. Engaging the reader is not as easy, at least for me. To write a really good post takes a lot of time (lucky thing I never got into journalism) and with multi-tasking of today, it's tough. But...you are so right about making posts about things that one finds interesting, is passionate about, original, etc., can be very beneficial -- now...if I can only do that! LOL

I love it, thank you so much for writing. Good ideas and good about breaking categories down helps also give more ideas for writing.

What program do you use to make the pie charts, I have been looking to do that and do not know how,

Good schedule to go buy. I forget to mix in the personal. I try to do two hyper-local each week and have started doing one market report for the neighborhoods in which I farm. Did Renee add the link for the pie charts? Good suggestion on the off-topic posts. Engaging the reader - must put a sticky note on my computer screen.

Sally, you are the best. Barring none. I only can hope to be in your upper rung of the ladder some day. I love reading your posts. And, obviously so does everyone else. Keep it up my friend. You are a leader.

Hugs, Deb

Sally- hey there....read this with interest, and of course have a comment or 2. First- people have been complaining about not being Featured since I joined more than 2 years ago. Everyone (or most everyone) thinks they have written a master piece and it should be Featured! But you hit the nail on the head by talking about engagement. Your "attitude" is what makes your readers loyal, not always the content.

Also- real long comments should go into a Post as you suggested, as I didn't see this Post as one that was against AR and how they choose what they do to Feature.

Now as to #4 does that mean My Lil Devil needs to stay silent forever LOL :)

So true, so true what you have said. We needed to have our sprinklers blown out for winter (getting cold way to early!!!) and had a little trouble finding someone to do the work this year. When we did, and were satisfied with the service/price, we posted the guys contact information on our Facebook business page (Thank you RainCamp). Several comments in the first hour including one client that said "you must have been reading my mind".

Moral of the story- anticipate your audiences needs and make it personal.

Great ideas Sally and I really do need to make my market reports more eye appealing. I'll work on that.

You do a great job of engaging others and making them wanting to come back and read your blog again and again.

Sally.. there are so many different topics and methods to blogging. Each person should start with what ever they feel comfortable with. You have many great topics to choose from. The best way to get used to blogging... Just Do It !

Damon: Have fun! The consumer wants to know that you KNOW your local area too...so writing about what you know makes you that much more knowledgable for your area.

Chris...send me a link to a post you wrote that you think is passionate...I bet you have plenty :)

Anna: Made right in Excel...how's that? Add a picture to the background then snipping tool to save to pictures and voila!

Lori: Engaging can be right in your market report...believe me....eye appealing makes a difference!

Hey Deb....and so are you...glad you're around again!

Kathy: You been away to much....get back with lil devil ...he's spot on....then again...so is the angel :)

Debra/Raymond: Now THAT is proof on what works. We as real estate industry professional need not only write about real estate....because everything is real estate related....

Tammy: I'm a lush for pictures and such to make em all purty....but it works!

Thanks Christine... you don't do so bad yourself!

Roland: That's how i started....jumped right on in. Same with anything else.....ask questions, research and just do it! :)

OCT

Hi Sally- I think that your posts (especially) contain an interesting element: They are beautifully laid out on the page and that readability and attractiveness increases the engagement factor. I'm trying to imitate that in my posts. Thanks again for the inspiration!

Sally, ★★Congratulations on the feature★★ I do try my best to engage my readers. You know how it is, some days you feel like a blog, some days you don't. ☺☺☺

Helping you live your American dream...

Sally,

What can I say; I do my blogging best. If I get a feature, it's up to the AC gods. No conspiracy here.

Engaging readers is the key to blogging. I also think there are good posts here that don't get featured but most of those people that stick to localism don't care.

Their phone is ringing, and they are accomplishing the purpose for why they came...to generate more business.

Being real....is why people read posts. Showing a little bit of who you are.

Thanks for the mention Sally. Sure, we engage in "Hard Core Real Estate Talk". However, we can have some fun along the way.

ActiveRain is a great platform for a variety of communications.

Woo Hoo Sally...

If I'm not engaging them, I'm bossing them around. They like it :)

As far as some of the comments I've read here, as far as I know, no one really knows how posts are featured. There are extreme assumptions going on and you know what they say about those assumptions :)

I still think that whining about featured posts should come with a fine, such as a point reduction. And every time I read a whine, I think about Blogging Bertha's very first video. It you remember correctly it was a parody about whining for features. Classic stuff :)

And you know, the more things change, the more they stay the same. If you really think about it, that's just sad.

TLW...ROAR!

Sally:

This is very well stated. Not everyone is a great writer but if you don't make your posts interesting they are not going to accomplish very much.

I, too, have some favorite writers here who are interesting and inspiring to me and I continue to learn from them. It shows just how big a venue this is that this is the first time I have read a post of yours. I like your style and will be subscribing.

Thanks very much for the good advice.

Sally - I have not seen a market report on here that can top yours for visual appeal.

I guess I could participate in whining about anything depending on my mood, but what good does it do? Some people extend a great deal of effort into whining about things, when they could be so much more productive if they shifted their focus elsewhere. Just a thought. :-)

Sally - nice post and great (well articulated) points... I'm in a stew right now though. I'm being told (as someone in title) that posting market stats may be an inducement to you guys to do business. I love studying markets and looking at the stats. Since anyone on the planet with an internet connection can reach my RTS reports... I'm a consumer advocate.

Sally: I would hope so. Over time, we all want to develop a loyal fanbase. One way to do that is to inject our personality into our blogs. In fact, I just blogged about that this morning! Thanks again!

You state your point quite well, Sally. And your points are very valid. If you don't engage your reader, you'll never grab their attention. And, that's really the point of posting, isn't it?

Sally: Indeed I need to dress up my market reports. I have been lazy about the learning curve and the extra time it would take to create charts ... however I am ready to engage in that now. Do you have a written process for how to create the charts and graphs? I believe the data must originate in Excel and from there the magic happens ... is that right?

Sally,

Congratulations on the featured post. I do understand Russell's points, however, I also realize that life aint fair (yes I said aint). You haven given some good advice. I wrote a post like this once and also was featured. I have less than 100,000 points and I am not on the Active Rain staff's favorite list. The point is that you have inspired someone and given someone else ideas about what to write.

Thanks

Have a great day

Leander

Sally - I love this post! Such great advice for what is involved in blogging. It's not about the features it truly is about sharing your experience, thoughts and knowledge in the hopes that it reaches someone who can really use it and will benefit from it. I like to think of this network as my daily opportunity to learn and engage especially being someone who typically works alone and I can't even begin to share all that I have learned in the last year just by engaging on my blog and the many that I subscribe to. You have certainly illustrated great ways to engage and it's why you have the following you do! A loyal subscriber, Anne Marie.

Sally:

Read the post and found it full of useful information, thank you, This is the second post I have read today on engagement of the readers. I have had to bookmark this post to get back to it and read ALL of the comments.

iTexas: Appreciate your compliment :) It DOES draw a reader in....guaranteed.

Michael: don't ya love a feature? You have some creative thoughts and put it into words....and yes...I know what you mean :)

Terry: conspiracy....no kidding...what part of...this is not MY network to change do some people not get?

Missy: It sure is. ...and agreed on the localism thing. I don't expect many to comment on mine...it's for the people who end up calling me :)

Lenn: Sure...you deserve many mentions too! Agreed...and the whole part of networking is communicating :)

TLW: and so the whip lol! You mean that 'word' assume? Yeah... we know what they say about that. Good one...fines. I look at all the complainers and whiners and wonder.....when did people get an 'entitlement license' to try and change someone else's network? I also wonder how these people would be to work with. I think I'll pass. Hey...remember all the real drama? lol! Where is that video anyway?

Claudette: Getting a feature just for the number of posts written doesn't cut it. It HAS to be interesting, visually appealing....or at least a topic that will gain some conversation. This network is HUGE...so really don't see how the moderators could possibly get to read all.

Judy: Woweee I appreciate that! I learned from a great teacher! I totally agree that some could utilize their time writing a better blog rather than trying to attract negativity. Oh, well...they say we have to have balance in the universe...so gotta have some of both worlds :)

Rene: Okay..thanks.

paul: Wonderful! Isn't it great to have some 'personality' in our writing?

Liz: It IS the point of posting!

Kathleen: Renee Burrows taught me...waiting for her link :)

Leander: Point is....and it sure is the point :)

Anne: Thanks! And that is what this network is for...it's to engage, learn, give back and so forth.....

bob: You're welcome!

Sally... so point on... and I guess I engage... even those loan officers that want to debate... this just happened to me today.. FHA loans 101 - the basics of FHA loans and mortgage shopping

Overall,... I know many of us have complained... but yes, write something that gets a thought provoking conversation going... or a topic of expertise, yet some might still disagree with you. Hey, I love when other loan officers disagree with me, yet I can prove to them with facts and figures... In any case, good blog.

Jeff Belonger

Jeff: You KNOW I love your factual FHA and other loan program posts. You are an engaging writer and your featured posts (151) are proof...not to mention being in the newsletter often.

For those that asked about how i learned how to do the pie charts.....Renee Burrows sent her two posts for all of you to utilize!

Here is the reason why (and reasons why you can use them other than for blogging!)

http://activerain.com/blogsview/1222650/here-is-the-how-and-why-i-post-so-many-market-reports-and-graphs-

Here is the tutorial to make excel graphs:

http://activerain.com/blogsview/1046684/turn-your-boring-yawn-statistics-to-eye-popping-appealing-charts-graphs-

Happy graphs and pie chart making!

Miss Sally, thank you so much for the honorable mention

Sally, thanks for writing this blog! I really have a desire to blog... but I find myself sitting in front of my computer not wanting to fill the "air waves" with things that won't engage readers. I have so much fun in this business of ours & some of it's pretty hysterical... professional... but really funny. So I appreciate your creative suggestions.. I think I may be on to something. Thanks again!

I love the idea of having "Featured Posts" by Industry Category, something we have discussed but hasn't yet come to fruition. This is a Great post Sally "engaging readers" with some awesome member comments. We are always looking for ways to improve the network and some of the best suggestions we have incorporated have come from posts and comments just like this one. Thanks. :-)

Renee: You're very welcome..you helped me bunches!!

Kathie: You're welcome...nice when some find a little inspiration :)

Brad: Wonderful! Can always turn a post that went a little bit off the wayside into a postive right?

OCT

Sally thanks for the great information...I needed ALL of it. (way thanks to Rene for pie chart help) I just wanted to tell you that I regularly read your blog, not because of all the fancy stuff, because of YOU. You have a warm generous heart and it always shines through in WHATEVER you write.

What does it take to featured anyway, not that I really care but it does seem to be the same folks and hey thats OK I mean I don't own the place but after a hundred post on short sales and each one saying the same thing by what appears to be the only two experts I would think giving it a break is in order.

Oh I'm sorry now what was this post about engaging folks that's it. I just care that the folks in my area of business read it and that seems to be working.

Kathleen: Glad you found it useful! She is wonderful isn't she? I appreciate the compliments...:)

Joyce: Just look at all the ones being featured and see if you fit the categories. Better yet...I think there's plenty of posts about how to get featured (try the search:)

You are right about the importance of blogging....though features and points are surely a 'carrot on a stick' it is more important to understand the importance of blogging rather that 'popularity or how much".

OCT

I have a saying Conversion = Conversation. To convert that weblead, that craigslist inquiry, the blog reader, the facebook fan...it all starts with the conversation. Engage. Connect. Converse = Conversion. You don't need a system, or script, or fancy marketing techie tool for that. Unless you don't know how to be yourself.

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What does the graphic say?