Special offer

it'll happen just when you least expect it, and when you stop trying

By
Real Estate Agent with Jameson Sotheby's International Realty

I was beating myself up the other day (a part-time hobby of mine... okay, okay...a FULL-TIME hobby), because I was blogging my brains out, and oddly enough hadn't picked up any recent subscribers.  They don't like what I'm writing.... they don't like me.... sniff, sniff.

In fact the "those who truly appreciate Alan's frantic ramblings and need their regular fix" (aka subscribers) were staying away from "from a Sow's Ear" in droves.

So I wrote a couple of "subscribe to me" posts... trying to draft some of the standers-by.... accomplishing an entire TWO new subscribers.  I finally gave up and said to myself (during one of those "beat up" sessions)... "screw-em... it's their loss... if they don't wanna subscribe... I'll just go forward without 'em... (can you hear one of my mother's "scripts" from when I was a pre-teen in that?).

So I put it behind me (meaning, I stopped checking my subscriber role daily ... or hourly)...a couple of weeks ago.

Lo and behold, I hadn't checked it in the last coupla weeks... and when I checked it this morning... I had picked up a whopping 12 new subscribers!!  That's a huge leap (for me, anyway.... for the ubiquitous Mr. Crouch it may be an hour's worth... but for me, that normally takes about 6 months)..

So, for those of you who are recent subscribers, welcome aboard the Soul Train (soul train??  yeah, soul train!!), and thanks for subscribing.  I'll try to keep you edutained!!  and Thank You!

Posted by

 ALAN MAY, Realtor®   
Specializing in Evanston Real Estate and North Shore Real Estate

Jameson Sotheby's International Realty, 2934 Central Street, Evanston, IL 60201
Office: 847.869.7300      Cell: 847.924.3313      Email: Almay@aol.com

Evanston Real Estate & North Shore Real Estate
Licensed in Illinois

   

Comments(28)

Donne Knudsen
Los Angeles & Ventura Counties in CA - Simi Valley, CA
CalState Realty Services

On another note, I haven't been around a lot this week; very long and rough one Elvis.  I'm going to make up for it today and catch up on all of my fave bloggers.  Have a good Sunday, my friend.  :)

Oct 18, 2009 05:23 AM
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

Debe - I don't know... I've heard of this mysterious "Jason the Crouch"...

Steve - you are right... a watched subscriber list never roils...

Jennifer - I have not yet reached the state of Zen that you have, and I still value my readership, and whether anyone is paying attention to me, or am I spitting into the wind?  I also write for 1) Me   2) SEO  3) readers.... but my readers (feedback) is very important for me... and I haven't gotten to that state of mindfullness where I can let it go.  You are a much more advanced human than I (which of course goes without saying, since you're female... and you ladies are light years ahead of we homonyms)... I have much to learn Sensé.

Colleen -  I do what I can to drop tid-bits of edutainment.

Ann - thanks for signing on... I welcome and value each and every one of youse guys.

Donne - I'm grateful that I'm one of the ones you're catching up on.

 

Oct 18, 2009 07:49 AM
Larry Bettag
Cherry Creek Mortgage Illinois Residential Mortgage License LMB #0005759 Cherry Creek Mortgage NMLS #: 3001 - Saint Charles, IL
Vice-President of National Production

Hey.....who can keep their mouth shut when it comes to you.  You are all the rage!  Just kidding of course, but I really see why people would subscribe to you.

Oct 18, 2009 08:00 AM
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

are I all the rage, Larry... or is everyone enRAGEd??  I can never tell.

Oct 18, 2009 09:02 AM
Robin Rogers
Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas - San Antonio, TX
CRS, TRC, MRP - Real Estate Investment Adviser

Alan, I subscribed to you just the other day without even seeing your pathetic pleas! :) The urge suddenly came to me. Maybe it was the quivering lip on your photo that subconsciously sent the message that you wanted more subscribers!

So here I am! Be careful what you wish for.

Cheers,

Robin

Oct 18, 2009 10:14 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

I have subscribed to a lot of people but I must admit I don't visit them that often for several reasons. Blog too long.  Blog slow to load.  Blog about a listing.  Blog boring.  But yours is one of my "must visit" as often as possible.  You do good, Alan Elvis.  {but i miss elvis}

Oct 18, 2009 10:20 AM
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

Robin - you are a welcome subscriber #124... (pathetic, you say, eh?)... glad to have you on board.

Barbara - I, too, miss Elvis... but I think you understand that I can't hide behind his cape anymore... I gotta be me.... I gotta be meeeeee... What else can I be... but who I amm.....???  Whether I'm wrong.... or whether I'm right.....

Oct 18, 2009 10:58 AM
Janna Scharf
Keller Williams Realty Coeur d'Alene - Coeur d'Alene, ID
Coeur d'Alene Idaho Real Estate Expert

I've never checked my subscriber list, I think I will go do it now.  I am a proud subscriber of your blog, you are such a pleasure to read and usually good for some much-appreciated comic relief!

Oct 18, 2009 03:49 PM
Kathleen Frawley
Keller Williams 916 730-4404 Elk Grove, Wilton, Folsom, Sacramento - Wilton, CA
South County Sacramento, 916 730 4404

You, dear Elvis are the very first person I ever subscribed to.  I can of course un-subscribe and then re subscribe if you are trying to make a "PBS" subscriber goal for you last two posts......

 

PS. I hope I never have subscribers...too much pressure.

Oct 18, 2009 04:11 PM
Not a real person
San Diego, CA

Interesting. I've never paid attention to the number of subscribers I have. I shall go check right now. Be right back. Looks like I have 209. Is that good or bad?

Oct 18, 2009 09:08 PM
Russel Ray, San Diego Business & Marketing Consultant & Photographer
Russel Ray - San Diego State University, CA

By the way, I had never really subscribed to anyone since I return comment for comment, finding that easier and more fun to do than to try to go through 200 subscriptions to see what's new. I think I save time by just visiting everyone who has visited me. I always do at least 11 comments per day although I'm going to up that to 15-20 comments per day shortly. My best day was 133 comments in one day back on December 23, 2008. Yes, I AM that AR, and in this case, AR doesn't stand for ActiveRain.

Oct 18, 2009 09:25 PM
Caren Wallace
Premier Property Group LLC - Tualatin, OR
Portland Caren Real Estate

Alan, I have subscribed to you for sometime and I must admit that you always deliver an entertaining yarn or information that we would otherwise have missed if it weren't for you!! Thank you for all the fun....I hope you receive more subscribers...they don't know what they are missing!

Oct 18, 2009 10:13 PM
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

Janna - I know that you are one of my regulars.... and thank you for that.

Kathleen - wow...it's very exciting to know that I was your first... thank you.

Russel - 209 seems pretty good.  I, too, try to go back and comment to those who comment to me (although as the comments grow, it's becoming harder and harder)... but the subscription list allows me to see on the dashboard, which of my favourite bloggers has recently posted something new.  It's kinda the pop-up-thermometer of AR. (and that one DOES stand for Active Rain!)

(btw... I prefer your second icon ... the smiling one... better.  In the first one, you look cross.)

Caren - I'm aware that you're one of my subscribers too.  Thank you.

Oct 19, 2009 01:26 AM
Craig Rutman
Helping people in transition - Cary, NC
Raleigh, Cary, Apex area Realtor

i don't campaign for subscribers either. But a recent post celebrating my 100th subscriber netted me an additional 27 subscribers...And, yes, I check it daily!!!

Oct 19, 2009 04:27 AM
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

I read that post, Craig... and it was 27 well-deserved subscribers.

Oct 19, 2009 04:34 AM
Craig Rutman
Helping people in transition - Cary, NC
Raleigh, Cary, Apex area Realtor

Thank you my friend.

Feel free to add this clickable link picture to the bottom of your posts......

Subscribe to Alan May's blog now!

Oct 19, 2009 04:37 AM
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

Hey, Craig... thanks for that... I was never able to to figure out how to make one of those.

Oct 19, 2009 04:44 AM
Robin Rogers
Robin Rogers, Silverbridge Realty, San Antonio, Texas - San Antonio, TX
CRS, TRC, MRP - Real Estate Investment Adviser

Sorry, Alan; I didn't mean "pathetic" as in lame, but as in "pathos." Like touching my heart. Pitiful. Puppy dog-like.

Must     stop     digging     hole....

Oct 19, 2009 01:13 PM
Charles Stallions Real Estate Services
Charles Stallions Real Estate Services Inc - Gulf Breeze, FL
Buyers Agent 800-309-3414 Pace and Gulf Breeze,Fl.

Craig should blog on how to do that, it is so cool. Alan I read your post every chance I get. I think you are right on for the most part.

Oct 19, 2009 01:16 PM
Alan May
Jameson Sotheby's International Realty - Evanston, IL
Home is where the hearth is.

Nice recovery, Robin... and excellent foot-ectomy

Joyce - craig is an excellent computer geek... I imagine that he will.

Oct 19, 2009 01:27 PM