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Getting the Most out of Your Rain

The ActiveRain Real Estate Network is here to help connect real estate professionals to each other, and also to real estate consumers. While connecting to consumers seems obvious to most, many people have a hard time understanding that why real estate professionals would need or want to connect to each other. I believe that it's more important than most people realize.

Today, through technology it's easier than ever to live in a disconnected world. With fax, internet, and email, we have many conveniences that help us get through transactions. We have more freedom to do things on our terms, on our time-line, things are just more convenient really. But there is a price to be paid for that convenience. The nature of these conveniences make it so that we miss out on the interpersonal connections that develop from being in regular contact with colleagues. By being disconnected real estate professionals are loosing out on the wealth of opportunities. We are missing out on a tremendous amount of knowledge and experience that comes from just simply interacting. This can be true for any industry.

One of the goals here on ActiveRain is to facilitate those once lost connections. On the ActiveRain Real Estate Network, members are reconnecting, coming together and collectively sharing their knowledge and experiences. Through doing so we can become individually and collectively stronger. Members report to me regularly about the tremendous positive impact being a part of this community has made for them. This makes an ActiveRain Real Estate Professional, a greater asset to their clients. Stagers, loan officers, real estate agents, etc., all offer a better value proposition to the people they serve and work with when they can go forward with the benefit of the collected knowledge they've gained from participation.

To go forward and begin developing these connections for yourself, I suggest starting out by reading. Go out and find posts and bloggers that interest you. Read the posts, rate them, comment on them, and develop connections with the authors. Watching learning from others will help you to define your own style. Use what you read in blogs to help inspire your writing.

When you want your posts to go out to your fellow members please keep in mind the topics that interest you in your reading.

The ActiveRain Real Estate Network is going through constant changes. While we'll work to improve the tools we provide now, going forward I see ActiveRain offering more ways and opportunities to strengthen this community of dedicated professionals. For now please connect and share your experiences to strengthen the bonds you develop both online and offline. It is through this collective sharing that we improve our value both to ourselves and to our consumers.

ActiveRain's Place

What's the Big Idea?

Posted by Caleb Mardini on 09/07/2007 06:24 PM

Comments (41)

activerain

41 Comments on Getting the Most out of Your Rain

SEP

2007

Hi, Caleb,

So many of the books and articles on megatrends are talking about the power of social networking - you were there a year ago, and it keeps getting better.

Any ActiveRain gathering planned for Seattle or Bellevue the end of the month? Tami and I are flying into Seattle on the 26th and then going up to Vancouver on the 28th. Would love to meet some of the Seattle folk that I haven't met, and reconnect with those I have.

Kind of like being in the office everyday with 46,000 co-workers to bounce ideas off of and get advice.

Caleb - I've learned far more here on AR than I would have on my own, about newest technology things, about different ways of marketing on the internet, some awesome ideas and suggestions about dealing with difficult or potentially difficult situations with clients and clients-to-be. And on top of all that, I've made connections with so many wonderful people all around the country. I feel like I could pretty much go anywhere in the country, and have a friend from AR in that area.

I'm very thankful that I was told about AR back in July 2006, and that I actually joined up and hung around long enough to see what this great network was all about. Constantly evolving, the relationships are certainly one of the best things of all!

Thanks for all you and the others behind AR do for all of us!
Ann

Amen,

Learned a lot here as well..love the different people and their stories to read as they do mine.

Like Ann said, Active Rain is a source or a wealth of information. Through it we can discuss issues and solutions and find out about new financing programs and so much more. I too am happy to have been exposed to ARs benefits.

Sean Allen

Caleb, I'm thrilled to have been invited to join AR this past July; it's an amazing place and your post captures the consumer service/social aspect and the intrinsic value of peer-member participation. Thanks for all you do!

Regards,

Sarah

I have had no experiance like I have on AR! I have learned more here than in 5 years of my required CE. I have also experianced the largest rise in hits on my business site than any other method combined.

David

Caleb, Good advice and thoughts. Has there been any futher thought to moving the rating system down to the bottom so that we can rate before verify? Perhaps you could do both. Leave the one up top and another down low. Two reminders to rate posts couldn't be bad.

I learn so much here, especially about the new technology. If it wasn't for AR, I 'd need to pursue a degree in tech.

Hey Caleb,

This week we got a referral and a listing via other AR agents. Nuff said in support of your post here. Like AR, it's a very good thing.

Cheers, kind sir

Caleb, I agree with everything you've said so well here.

There are so many different aspects to Active Rain benefits and I feel I'm just now , after almost four months, beginning to scratch the surface of these benefits. I know my knowledge and confidence levels have increased dramatically through being here and connecting with so many wonderful folks who have become such good friends to me in so short a time.

I'm really thankful for you, Caleb.....and for Active Rain

Caleb: You know how I feel about everyone, sharing our info and selves with the community as well as appreciating you folks and all you have given us. Before Active Rain I ran around looking for information all over and finally joined after Randy kept telling me for four months! Now look...I soak up all I read and give back as much as I can as well. I appreciate all the guidance and help from a couple of moderators (Colleen and Laurie who helped me with suggestions for writing and stuff)

I would like to especially thank you Caleb.You always answer my questions and help me a bunch. (thanks for returning my call and helping me with the ad thing too)

Okay....I could keep going on and on...just know that I couldn't express enough what Active Rain has given me.

CM,

People assisting People is what AR is all about!

Information, Information and sharing is what I have received and given to AR. I hope to have referrals flowing in so fast I can hardly keep up with them! That's next.

I think you'll be in trouble with Carnac, she warned us all about the finding of voices...=) (although you were smart to call it 'style' instead!). Seriously, I do appreciate what I've learned here in the past year (wow) and I have to keep sharing stuff somehow, to replace what I've received.

Very well put Caleb, are you considering running for any political offices? LOL! I'm rating, bookmarking, flagging and commenting! Well...maybe not flagging, you're already"featured"! :-) Thanks! B-)

Caleb, great post. :) No seriously, there is no words to describe what this community has meant to me personally and professionally. To find a group of like-minded individuals from all over the country that are on the cutting edge of technology is truly amazing.

Activerain Addicts Pill For my addiction.

I am still learning, there is something new everyday! I have had the chance to meet some wonderful professionals here who have provided more knowledge than I found in many classes I have taken through the years. Thank you for this wonderful place!

Caleb,

No doubt about it, you've been a visionary here.

Caleb -- you truly are a visionary! I have enjoyed my experience on Active Rain and have met a lot of people I would have never known! You and "Green-o-lina" have been a great inspiration. One thing I know is that technology is a great tool -- but as far as I know, most of us are human and we need human contact and relationships. Thank you for all you do.

You make some solid points here, Caleb. I've often found that by sharing best practices and networking it improves both agents.

Caleb,

In the short period of time that I have been on Active Rain, I have learned to use e-commerce as a solid marketing plan. The knowledge I have learned from others has really been priceless.

SEP

2007

Caleb! Where you at? We're all pouring our hearts out here in the comment section :)

Caleb,

Am I having a nightmare or did I correctly see something about advertising dollars and a Homesbyowner.com ad while I was posting a blog? Please don't tell me you have turned into a R.com....

Caleb...

Very well said. Thank you :)

Often times I find myself wishing that AR had been around when we opened our Company 13 years ago.

This site would have helped us tremendously. I hope New Salespeople utilize it the way I would have way back when :)

TLW...ROAR!

Another way to get your posts read by more members is to post them to appropriate (operative word here - appropriate) groups.

Caleb - Thanks for creating such a great network. I have been in real estate for twenty one years and can honestly say that I ahve learned more here in the last few months tha I would ever have expected to. The networking and people are great. The fact that you have established a site that is search engine friendly doesn't hurt either.

Your observation about the disconnection in society is spot on. As a cure, AR works in a wonderful way albeit in a narrow area of our total life experience. I wish my wife understood my onfire attitude about AR...

Caleb, We appreciate ActiveRain and all the good people associated with it. The sharing and caring is phenominal. The soical network and the professional network is of benefit to us. Thanks.

It's a great source for Realtors. I'd much rather get the opnion of experts who are on the streets daily than from someone called a consultant or a book.

Everything you're talking about I already feel being a member of AR. Although I am new, I am doing just as you are suggesting....Read, Read, Read. I am so grateful already to be a part of such an awesome online community. I learn something new each and every day. And I thank all of you our there in Active Rain Cyber Space!!

you mean it's not just the big national "real estate water cooler..."?

Thanks Caleb. I've learned a lot reading ActiveRain.

Caleb, your post is right on the money. Working from home for the last 9 years and being basically a one man company(TLW and I are united) I have been disconnected from my peers in a big way. The only contact with my peers was while doing a deal. Since joining AR I have been reconnected and it has helped me in my business immensely. Another great benefit is the self analysis involved in writing a post. Writing forces me to really think about what it is I do and why I do it. This process has really helped me to redevelop my business plan and become more focused on the things that work best for my business.

AR has also renewed my interest in what I do. After being in RE for 13 years my business comes very easy to me. That caused me to become laxadasial and that is never a good thing. By participating in AR I now have rekindled my passion for the business. I want to be the best that I can be.

All of these things have come together to increase my bottom line. These things are the intangibles that have created increased income without even taking into consideration all of the direct consumer business I have received from ActiveRain. All in all......ActiveRain has made me a ton of money. And even more important, AR has opened up doors to opportunities I would not have had had it not been for the connections I have made, both from the personal and business side of ActiveRain.

So, if you are a new member, all can say is....blog away. Think before you write and do the best you can. Blog often and be consistent in what you write. If you do this and make it a long term endeavor you WILL reap the rewards. It may not happen immediately but it will happen. And to top it off.....it's FUN!!!!!

I joined active rain as a mild curiosity... so glad I did!

Hi Caleb,

This is very well said! Through our associations and cooperation with others in our Industry, as well as in life, we gain so much - all the time enriching our lives! Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this.

"Kind of like being in the office everyday with 46,000 co-workers to bounce ideas off of and get advice." Yes! Todd captured my sentiment exactly.

Caleb,

Did you see the feature here on advertising? I haven't checked the comment trail to see if you did, but thought it might be of interest if you haven't.

Still think a donation button up at the top might be a good source for all of you.

thanks, as usual

SEP

2007

Hi Caleb,

Great post. This is actually my 2,000 post, so I was looking for some place appropriate to place it and this is as good as it gets.

AR is a very powerful place to grow and learn and of course make some great connections. For me thought, the most important aspect is how easy it is to connect with my public and generate business because of my 'expert' status.

So thank you for everything you guys have done and taking all of the heat that is thrown your way from time to time. I know I tried living without the Rain for about 10 weeks, and I cam back full steam ahead.

Now Have a Blessed Day,

John Occhi, Hemet CA REALTOR®
Mission Grove Realty

SEP

2007

Caleb...having just joined AR, I find myself having to "control" myself to not spend all day on here....there is SO MUCH information and ideas on here I sometimes am going in 3 different directions following links to other blogs, etc.

I'm in an office that offers it's agents NO training...cept for an occasional meeting. We have no sales meetings or any office gatherings. But then again, it's kind of a cut-throat office, as we all work the same market area, so agents are "evesdropping" on your conversations or will even go through your desk when you are not there....lol.....so I have really been able to get some great ideas on here!

So her is a BIG, HUGE THANKS to all you AR folks out there in AR Land!!!!

Sharon,

It's great that you're coming up. There's no plans, but perhaps we could put something together?

Todd, I love it, "an office of 46,000"

Herb there was a thought about this, currently we are looking at a different system all together.

Lol Brad, Yeah AR feels like politics sometimes. I'm getting good training I guess ;).

"Visionary?" Wow Joan, that's awesome, Thanks!

Sorry Sally I stepped out Friday and didn't get back till just now.

Paul, I've addressed that issue in another post, but I appreciate you sharing your sentiment.

Thanks Brian, great point. Join interesting groups!

Water cooler? ;)

"AR has also renewed my interest in what I do. " Awesome Brian that's a new one for me.

Donations....hmmm... Thanks Gary!

2000? Wow John.

I'm glad we could be your sales meeting Thom.

Thank you everyone you clearly get it. I'm preaching to the choir. My hope is that this message carries out further.

Thank you.