When I first read the topic for the latest blog contest, I was pleased with the idea, since this was something I felt I could write about. But the days ticked by, and I found myself floundering for the creativity to write this post. I contemplated the avenues I've used in my real estate marketing; the many, many hours I've spent blogging, brainstorming, networking and... follow-upping? (lol. Sorry. I couldn't resist adding another "ing" word there), and the many topics I've covered throughout the years. I even scrolled back through the last few years of blog posts and found myself surprised at just how many topics I'd covered. It felt like I was viewing a small snapshot of my life. But piecing all that together was proving to be a less easy task than I'd originally thought it would be! So finally, on the last day of this contest, with my mind still in a jumble of thoughts, I'm forcing myself to write this, and hoping it doesn't sound like utter chaos.

Now with that intro, you probably think I've traveled every marketing avenue on the planet! But that's really not the case. I've actually stuck to a pretty basic system for many years, even when not so long ago, Web 2.0 left us all scrambling to keep up with the massive online changes. And therein lies my problem. What's interesting or creative about using the same system all the time? After all, I was already blogging, even before I joined Active Rain. Well, before I proceed into Active Rain territory, I'm going to dial back the clock a few years, just for fun. We're going to take a quick technology trip through the last decade or so....

You see, around the turn of the century (I've always wanted to use that line in a blog post), I was first introduced to the notion of real estate agents having personal web sites, by a salesman who came to our brokerage to present template web sites for agents. There wasn't much to those personal sites, but at that time it was very rare to find any agent with their own web site. So just having one was a big deal! And I used it in every listing presentation, and gave my web address to every buyer who crossed my path!

But even before getting my web site, I was already using a Personal Digital Assistant (PDA) when most people didn't even know what it was. (I admit it. I'm a total technology geek!) I remember constantly explaining it to people, and their amazement at the concept. LOL! But I loved having all my client's info with me at all times! Anyway, while using my PDA, I wondered how long it would take them to combine those PDA's with our phones. For those of you who had a PDA before Smart Phone technology, can you remember the hassle of pulling up your client info on your PDA, then dialing their phone number into your cell phone? Constantly carrying those two separate items that were both still in their bulky stages, was about the only downside to those PDAs. But as you know, it wasn't long before the wonderful geniuses who design all our geeky toys gave us exactly what we wanted. YES!  Now, I don't even want to think about having to work without a Smart Phone! I absolutely LOVE being able to synchronize my Smart Phone with my contact manager, and access everything, at any given time! (Can you hear the fanfare, as you remember that wonderful period of time when we first discovered Smart Phones? I'll give you a moment to enjoy the memory...  <=D ....  OK. Moment's over. Moving on!) As I've already stated, I was already blogging before I began my Active Rain journey. But at the time, my primary blog was a Blogger/Blogspot blog with absolutely ZERO Search Engine Optimization. No matter how hard I tried, I could not get that blog to rise in the search engines. The best I could do was use it to bump up the SEO on my personal web site just a tiny bit. And a few years later, I finally upgraded to a better site. I admit, I did wait too long on that one =/  But it was around this time that I also began to blog.

Then one day my web site produced a listing referral from an agent in the area of Tampa, FL. She had found my web site on the internet because she had specifically searched for an agent in the Daytona Beach area, with the specific real estate brokerage with which I worked at the time. As we talked, she told me her real estate brokerage was getting a lot of leads from blogging on a network called Active Rain ;-) She had searched Active Rain for a Daytona Beach agent, but there were no agents in our area who were currently blogging here at that time. She was specifically looking for an agent with a professional internet presence. I guess I got lucky since she specifically wanted an agent with that particular brokerage because I still didn't have very good SEO. But lucky me, most agents still didn't have their own web sites, and that was a necessity for this referring agent! And the even bigger bonus was not only did I get a great listing, I found out about Active Rain!  Oddly enough, the agent didn't send me an invitation, and now I can't even remember her name. But my curiosity got the best of me, and I had to check out this network that was bringing so much business to one real estate brokerage!

Well I've read a lot of posts from agents who say they joined Active Rain, but were afraid to start blogging right away. This was NOT the case for me. I immediately jumped in with both feet. Not a day went by that I didn't leave far more than 10 comments, and I was posting almost every day as well. And Localism was still in beta, so I took great pride in taking pictures all over the county, and uploading only my best ones, so our out-of-state visitors could see the beauty of our area. I also didn't hesitate to invite everyone I knew, and constantly talk about this fantastic network and all I was learning! It wasn't long before I completely stopped attending sales meetings, when I knew I could learn MUCH more if I spent even 30 minutes right here! I was like a sponge as I absorbed information from REALTORS, Mortgage Brokers, Home Stagers, Home Inspectors, Title Companies and more. It was so fascinating to not have to listen to the mainstream media drivle. I could gain first-hand information from industry professionals all over the country who were willing to share their personal experiences.

And then the leads starting coming to me. I'll never forget the excitement of that first lead. I even blogged about it! LOL! It was so much fun then, when there were only about 20,000 to 30,000 members here. When your post was about a lead from the network, everyone left comments of congratulations, and wanting to know which post had brought the lead!

Well, as time went on, I eventually found the posts by those wonderful bloggers who were willing to share their knowledge on SEO. And that was my turning point. Unfortunately, (for us; not them!) many of those bloggers are no longer blogging here, since those posts took them on to bigger and better arenas, and opened doors of opportunity that eventually consumed so much of their time that they were no longer able to blog. But their legacy is carried on by others who are still willing to share their knowledge. And for that, I'm eternally grateful. It's specifically because of the knowledge I gained about SEO, and the enormous increase in consumers who found our blogs, that I was able to...

• Leave my previous real estate brokerage, where they themselves had no clue and no desire to learn about SEO.

• Move to a brokerage that gave me much more freedom... and not only understood, but embraced the knowledge of SEO! (which they use for the benefit of the agents, without taking fees off the top of those internet leads!)

• Enabled me to completely stop doing floor time within 2 months of joining that brokerage so I can now work completely from home. (That was over about 2.5 years ago)
  

• Meet many wonderful clients who have shared my love of technology, and allow me to put food on the table for my family!

And saving the best for last... Because of blogging, and letting my personality show through what I write, when I get a call or an e-mail, or a text message from a potential listing or buyer; the vast majority of the time, they've already decided to work with only me. They're not going to call another REALTOR®, because they feel like they already know me. They've chosen me because they like me. They feel like we're already friends, even before they make contact. And let me tell you, those are some awesome relationships! Wouldn't you rather work with a friend than a stranger? And I'm sure you'd rather work with a LOYAL client, than one who is contacting every REALTOR® in town!

So in closing, before Active Rain, I had a web site and a smart phone and a blog. But after joining Active Rain, I now have a web site that can be found by the customers I'm trying to reach; I have more knowledge than I could ever gain from the media or even hundreds of sales meetings; I can get my own blogs and web site to a good position in the search engines with the key words I've chosen; I've met many real estate professionals who have my utmost respect; and I have a steady stream of listings (yes, for some reason I usually get listings from my posts) and wonderful sellers who already know how I'm going to market and sell their properties... because they've been reading my blog!

And that's my real estate story of my business Before Active Rain, and Now! ...And a little technological journey through time.

www.DaytonaBeachRealEstateSales.com

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