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Your Blogging Voice... Where is it? (Realty Blogging Review #2)

First, I must convey the complete IRONY of this post, I am battling a particularly odd bout of Laryngitis, and, well ... I can't speak. (Or when I do try to talk, I sound like the punchline to a joke that starts, "What do you get when you cross a dying duck and a sick donkey?")

In reading Realty Blogging, I have already learned a lot about the different facets of blogging, and I'm not even done. If you haven't already, please check out the review and discussion on the first couple chapters ...here- in Carole Cohen's Blog, I Think Therefore I Blog: Realty Blogging Says Be a Groundbreaker...Blog Now!

"In the age of self-service mega stores and non-personal online shopping, blogs can be an integral part of keeping you connected with your community." (p.36) As I had mentioned in Carole's blog, blogging makes the blogger (us) ... Human. Although SEO and blog platforms are very important for our online businesses, how the public perceives us is #1 ... at least to me. For as impersonal as our lives have become in this Information Age, adding the "Human Touch" may be the single best thing you can do for your business, and blogging is a perfect way to do this.

"Blogs let Realtors become People" (p.37) ...Yay! I'm Human! I'm not just another airbrushed face in a polyester suit plastered on a bus stop bench! A blog tells the world, "I (Realtor) have a life, and it is quite interesting actually. I also know a lot about some very important stuff, and Guess What? I love to share all of this, right here, on a regular basis. So, (reader) keep coming back - There will always be something new for you to learn!"

Like the Realty Blogging book says on pages 37-38, "Blogging creates relationships ... [through] honesty, transperency and passion... [and is] where others can come to learn from you - not to be sold" (There are so many excellent statements and ideas in this book ... I have already worn through a highlighter!)

HOW? How can we convey this "human real-ness" as a blogger?

Among many other great ideas and pointers that this book makes (C'mon ..Buy the book, - come read and learn along with us...) one of the hardest and most important, in my opinion is ...

Find Your Voice.

Find your "voice" and stick with it.
You will know your "voice" when you find it... and it will come naturally. It will feel real... and people love "real"
Read some great bloggers - one of the things that make them "great" is their voice. It differentiates them from others.
Your voice is what brings that element of HUMAN to your blog- a sense of personality. Experiment until you get the response from readers that you are happy with. Once you find your voice- stick with it and your blog will 'pop' and it will come alive!

Find your voice. (and if you find an extra one, send it my way...?) Your voice will put the "Real" in your Real Estate Blog.

Check out the Book Club for some great Blogging Resource Blogs ...

Posted By: Mariana Wagner - Colorado Springs Real Estate Agent - Wagner iTeam
The Wagner iTeam is a power team of Keller Williams Partners Realty
(719) 434-8346

Posted by Mariana Wagner ~ Colorado Springs REALTOR® on 12/01/2006 10:24 PM

Comments (78)

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78 Comments on Your Blogging Voice... Where is it? (Realty Blogging Review #2)

DEC

2006

Mariana - I am going to turn off my computer and go read, since I finally received my book. You guys are making this so much fun - will check in sometime tomorrow and will post my opinion - (BTW - I also have Laryngitis ...hmmm...strange coincidence) - thanks for making me look forward to the book.

Mariana,

I think you found your "voice" before you read the book. Guess this will make you "Roar"! I am going to read Caroles blog now, I missed it, thanks for the link.

Ines~ Yay! You will love it. Have a great time - and get better soon!

Grand post Mariana! As I read your words I thought about what a useful exercise this is for someone who has just started blogging. Or is contemplating doing a blog. (Not to mention the rest of us!) It also seems to me to be a part of natural branding and positioning. And that human element that will be the one thing that differentiates us on such a flat platform like the Internet. This is all good stuff.

On page 38 they call it 'Personalization Supercharged' I love that!

I hope both of you lovely ladies feel better soon, and like Ines, I am going to go do more reading myself.

Karen~ Thanks! Have fun- she got a lot of response!

Carole~ Thanks there! Yes.. I love that term, too. What I have found is once you "find" your voice, you get to really develop it more and more, every time you write a blog. Fun!

Finding your "voice" is important in more ways than one. In your case it's very literal! Sorry, I had that same thing a few weeks ago. Did I cough south? :(

My book arrived a week ago. I haven't read it, I'm too busy blogging...maybe I should see if I'm doing it write. or that would be right! :)

Hope you feel better soon, I'll cough north from now on.

OK, I'm going to have to join this book club too! Mariana~ you are becoming a blogging maniac, and are quickly following in the rain puddles of the best on AR~get better soon~

Kristal, I haven't read mine either. Must have been blogging too much. You may like this page I did on a new listing I just got this week. Guess I could blog about it on the photos forums. Take a look.920 Poeyfarre Unit 349
Cottonmills Condos-Warehouse District

Laura - Now you have me singing, "She's a Ma..niac, ma..niac on the dashboard ... and she's blogging like she's never blogged be..fore..." Thanks. ... :)

DEC

2006

I can hear it now.." "She's a Ma..niac, ma..niac on the dashboard...oh look...there's a butterfly..and she's blogging like she's never blogged be..fore..." Too Cute!

Nice!

SS you're sick, Mariana. Kristal must have coughed both south and East because I had the same bout of Laryngitis last week. I woke up Monday with barely a whisper and it didn't come back fully until the next Saturday. It's a weird thing to talk and have nothing come out, lol.

Mariana... thanks for the great book review and synopsis, it all makes so much sense and when I see the points covered, it makes me more aware of why I prefer some blogs over others. Thanks again.

Kristal~ Did you cough all over the nation? This Laryngitis thing seems to be every where ,,, ! Thanks for your comment - I believe that this book has something for everyone - even a blogger as experienced as yourself!

Crystal~ Thank you! (Good thing I can still type!)

Marti~ It is all starting to make more sense to me too. Thank you!

Great post Mariana, and just the incentive to grab Realty Blogging and start reading. Your point about being human really resonates with me - how easy it is to forget with everything as hear about how to market ourselves, etc. Hope you get your other voice back soon!

Cheers,

Jeff

"Finding Your Voice" is the most important thing a writer can do. My challenge in the beginning was letting my voice run on and on.

I've learned to write, edit, write, edit, edit, edit, edit.

My goal is related to the 9/3 rule that we discussed on the X demographic blog. I'm shooting to invesrt that to 3/9 now

Conveying who you are in your blog is essential. There are so many really boring blogs out there that fail because the author never found their voice and conveyed it to their readers. Readers like to feel connected to an author. If you're goofy- be goofy, if you have a dry sense of humor pepper posts with sarcasm. Basically be yourself and blog success will come.

"oh! Look! A Butterfly! aka Mariana"

I really like your post. It is ironic that a few of the book club members have lost their voice. :)

This is wonderful. The Good Ladies Of The Rain have done a fantastic job getting...

The Realty Blogging Book Club up and running in The Rain. :)

Some of what you have written here I find very interesting. When I first joined AR I had a few Members tell me "I was getting to personal" in my posts. It didn't take me long to figure out that shutting me up was on a few "to do" lists for some people. lol...

Nice to know that I have been approaching Blogging the right way all along. :)

I guess that ROAR of mine was throwing a few people out of whack...

I received my Book yesterday and will catch up as soon as I can. In the meantime I must spread some love around The Rain.

TLW "The Lovely Wife"...Time To Make Some Folks Laugh...ROAR!

It guess I am still trying to find my voice in this new medium. I sometimes write too technical and then go the complete opposite and write too simply.

I guess as I continue to write my voice will change. Oh man, I went thru this once before. Not sure I want to do that again!

Ok...I've been hearing about this book for some time now. Is it really worth the time? I too want to be a good blogger but time is scarce. If the book is that good and will help...I'll do it. Thanks.

A very wise and prolific blogger, Frances Flynn Thorsen wrote the very first comment on my very first entry, on my very first blog. It was a sweet, encouraging comment that has inspired me to find my voice.

I think I had a real estate voice already that I used in real estate forums, but my first blog entry was downright scarey, awkward... she could have written me some pointers on what to say, how to say it, etc. but Frances really gets blogging.

I try now to encourage other bloggers to find their voice.

I gotta get the book....

Jeff~ Thank you for your well wishes! The book is a must-have.
Brian~ Thanks for dropping by! (...I wonder what the next generation will be ... 1/3?) (:
Mary~ Thank you for your comment. I see a lot of similarities between blogging and traditional writing skills... with less formality.
TLW~ Your "voice" is very prevalent in your blogs... and like a strong personality, some people love it and some, well... may have to ride a different bus. I believe that that is a crucial element of writing ... not everyone will appreciate what you do/say/etc ... but those who do, will really appreciate you.

Personally ... I would rather have the people who like me, really like me (and have a few who may not) ...than be just "ok" to everyone.
David~ Once you find it ... you'll know. Good luck!
Paul~ First, Yes. It is definately worth it. Second, it is an easy-read (packed full of information) and less than 200pps.
Maureen~ Thank you for stopping by, and for your comment! I know that you have been an inspiration to many bloggers. Thanks!

Mariana.... this makes sense and finding you voice is key. As Brian said.... there were times that I wrote, wrote, and wrote. And it's sometimes the way I tell a story or joke. But for the most part, just defining it makes all the sense. thanks

Thanks for bringing up the book. I just started blogging a few months ago and at times I still feel a little uncomfortable with it. I think the book will help.

Sounds like Podcasting and using Dragon NaturallySpeaking are out of the question for a while! Hope you feel better soon!

Jeff~ Yep. Finding your voice ... and sticking with it... very important.
Heather~ I just started blogging, myself, in October. I read anything and everything that I can about blogging - as well as make sure I read good bloggers. This book is great!

Suzanne~ Ha! Derek has been working on video casting (as he hates to type), so when we get our own blog, everyone can finally meet him!

Hello sweet Mariana the featured article blogger extraordinaire! Great comments here! I was thinking about a history class I took in college; our assignments were to take long historical essays and write them out again in no more than one paragraph, preferably in two sentences. Professor Post was trying to teach us to get to the core....I translate that into our purposes as finding our core, our voice. I love this stuff! And I smile at Derekl doing the video work...how cool!

Sorry to hear about the loss of voice - temporary I'm sure! Realty Blogging is a great book - at least I think I understand it!

Carole~ I love this stuff, too ... I could eat it. Yum! Yum! Your professor's name was "POST" - how appropriate!

Tony~ Thank you for stopping by- What I really like about this book, is that it is easy to understand. Its like a 199 page BLOG! :)

Mariana,

Hope you feel better. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks John!

I have experienced blogging as a conversation. If we write as we would speak, our personalities come out and we dont seem as transparent or programmed. Our uniqueness is what draws readers "of like kind " to our topics.

I am drawn to the fun in TLW, the tremendous wisdom in Mary McKnight and KK, the factualness of Lenn, Marianas originality. I like that janeAnn is so passionate about the environment and that Jeff B keeps us current. BB has a powerful presence and a solid reputation, Maureen is a great teacher and on and on. ( I miss Sara L. and her witty spunk).

You may have a totally different experience, and that is what is so darn fascinating about this blogging concept!

(rest your voice and I promise to get the book this week!)

Michele~ Thank you! I think it is interesting how you used the term "transparent" - You seem to mean it in a "no substance" kind of way, where I have seen it as a "See through to the real person" kind of way. ... Very interesting.

And I must agree ... Blogging (especially here on AR) is much like a conversation. ... and we all know how much Realtors like to talk!

Transparent like shallow or maybe no depth ...I guess I could have picked a better word!

Michele, what is so cool about the English language must also be frustrating to non english speakers trying to decipher; both definitions work lol. For the purpose of Realty Blogging the authors are using Mariana's definition.

One of my fellow bloggers (either Maureen F or Leanne, I"m old and can't remember which one) mentioned how Internet writing can be a flat medium. I've paid attention to that since then.

You on the other hand are a very descriptive writer and I bet Mariana would agree with me that you will have a future in blogging! It's nice to meet you here on AR. I read your posts, in fact if you don't mind I'm going in to add you as an associate so I don't miss any in the future!

Thank you! Flat medium as in transparent! ????!!!

lol that was sort of an unrelated comment my brain is always all over; sorry! double word meanings took me to double meanings for sentences which took me to the flat medium, meaning it can be easier to take a sentence and put an incorrect interpretation to it, so that you or I may not even be reading it in the way the author intended; blogging is not as flat as other internet vehicles; for example we get to have this conversation now, without too much lag time between responses.

When my fellow blogger pointed that out to me, I learned that I needed to be as clear as is possible so that interpretation can be easier.

See I told you it had nothing to do with transparency so I apologize lolol

Mariana, maybe it at least has to do with blogging in our own voices so that our meaning is interpretable (is that a word???) ok I'll stop I promise

Carole -It may not be exactly on topic, but you bring up a great point- totally relavent to "voice" - When we speak (or when we can speak in my case) there is tone and influx that can make similar words, sentences and phrases mean completely different things.

There are some things that cannot be conveyed with bold, itialics and underlines .... or even ellipses. The internet IS a "flat medium" - well, until podcasting and vidcasting become more popular.

Where this becomes confusing is "humor" - as humor is all about tone and influx. I happen to have a super dry/sarcastic/goof ball sense of humor that gets misunderstood even when Im talking -let alone when Im trying to convey it in a blog or comment. What a blog does, in IMHO is give the reader long-term exposure to your "style" or "voice" that can be interpreted better, the more they read.

... and please don't ever ask me if something is a word. I think anything is a word. I make words up all the time. If it makes sense ... it's a word!

You bring up a good point. And ditto on interpreting my humor in person or on the page. For example, if you look at Michele's last entry, it could have been taken humorously as well! Great explanation, Mariana.

Thanks! Great info!

And get better soon!

Thanks Jim and Maria - Im working on it!

Just got back to the group- I am laughing- sorry I missed all the action! I agree ! Yeah!
I know I make up words to make my point- but hey....that is what I like about myself! (ask TLW- I called her grandbabies "grandbables" and decided I love the word! ) Carol and Mariana we can go really far with this topic- like discussing -my last entry-it was definitely a humor punch on my behalf !!.

Girls, I love ya...and I hope to have many, many more deep discussions just liek this one! Who wants to be transparent! lol

Carole- I have added you to my fan club as well! Thanks.

Hi Mariana, I've got the book, which is wonderful. Still feel like there are a couple of threads missing with the nuts and bolts for me, but all in all have already learned quite a bit from the book.

Kelly - Yeah, there are several points that are made that are over my head, but I figure I will learn them in due time ... I think that this book will be one of those books that, every time you read it, you learn something new. Which is great!

I can't wait to sit and tackle the book!!! You guys are all making it come alive to me...

Monika, you will probably learn more if you read the book, instead of tackle it ... lol!

DEC

2006

Finally got my copy today, and looking forward to adding to a lively discussion. Check out co-author Paul Chaney's comments on the book's Amazon page for props to Mariana, Carole Cohen and ActiveRain!

WOW John, first I am SO excited that you will be joining the discussion - you of all people! Read fast! Secondly, how cool is that about the Amazon shout out. Maybe more Active Rain members too! I wish Mariana was up! She will be so excited. (Good night John)

Thanks for sharing. I am heading out to pick up a copy this mroning.

Mariana...LOL you are sooo right! I started to read it and boy am I excited!!!! I am pretty possessive of it...Jay started to peak through it and I grabbed it right out of his hands...my book...my book...my book!!! He is just going to have to wait till I'm done.

Can we invite Paul Chaney for a "live" chat ? Would be so fun to interact about the book here on AR!

Mr. Chaney- would you like to join us for a book club round table?

First, Thanks John for pointing us to the Amazon site! How cool is THAT! (Mr. Chaney even quotes Ines!- Ok, Ines, you can do the Cabbage Patch again!)
Carole - I'm up, now!
Leo- You'll love it!
Monika- My favorite thing about he book, is that it is easy to understand and leaves out all the "GeekSpeak" that other blog-type books use.
Michele- That would be cool!

Thanks for the review. The hardest part of blogging for me was finding my voice. early entries were just about news and trends because I was afraid that some how prople would nottake the real me seriously. I found my voice about five months after I started my blog. wow! what a difference in readership and in interaction with other bloggers. I have had people read my blog and tell me that if they needed a realtor right now I would be it because of that old integrity thing they get off of my pages. I am not even sure how all of that happened but I am happy with the results. I honestly think the voice thing is the hardest part of business blogging.

Great Blog !! Very informative !!

Mariana - I didn't even notice it was my "I got my book! I got my book" quote.....I HAD to do the Cabbage patch again for sure! I did invite Mr. Chaney to join us....cross your fingers!

Ines

Teresa~ Yes! Finding your voice IS difficult. It is also a hard concept to grasp - but it is one of those things ... you know it when you find it! Congrats!

Lauren~ Thank you. Do you have the book yet?

Ines~ Yay!! (Fingers crossed) ((as I sit here imagining you doing the Cabbage Patch)) We will sure welcome Mr.Chaney!

Here I was, all alone at 3 am and excited to tell you all! Hi ladies!

Carole! I know!! How exciting!!

(I feel slightly famous!! ... do you?)

This was our fifteen minutes of fame? LOL

what I really liked about it was to read his post and his enthusiasm for the book (Paul Chaney's) - blogging is one of those things that gets the juices flowing and boy I could 'hear' it in his comments. And yes it felt good to be a part of that!

No kidding!! It must be nice to know that when you put your heart & soul into something, it gets appreciated! You could tell that he was happy that his book had fans! Whoo Hoo!

Do you have time to meet in the 'Book Club' post? Ines? TLW? Monika? Ann? I think we need a meeting of the minds! lol Or tell me when we can have it later?

DEC

2006

Can we invite Paul Chaney for a "live" chat ? Would be so fun to interact about the book here on AR!

Mr. Chaney- would you like to join us for a book club round table?

~This is Mr Chaney's secretary (LoL, thats what I feel like!)

I will track down Mr Chaney and let him know. We do a weekly webinar for BloggingSystems and I'm sure we can setup a Richard and Paul round-table for everyone.

DEC

2006

Mariana,

You, Carole, and everyone in the book club have been so kind to Richard and I in terms of your response to this book. Wow! I cannot thank you enough.

I would be more than happy to sit in on a discussion about Realty Blogging, and I know Richard would as well. So, the answer is "yes!" to Michele's suggestion.

Paul

Paul- Hello! and thank you for stopping by. You guys wrote such a great book - it's hard not to have a great response to it! You have to know where this all started though - a blog by our Blog Queen, Mary McKnight, here in Active Rain. After her recommendation, I went straight to Amazon and purchased it.

We will get a discussion put together - How Fun!!
~Mariana

This is so exciting! a visit from the author to your post! Congratulations, and thank you Paul, we look forward to the discussion.

Ines

LADIES. YOU HAVE MADE ME SO PROUD JUST LOOK WHAT YOU HAVE ACCOMPLISHED HERE. MAN THIS IS GREAT. TLW...ROAR!

It goes to show you (with Paul Chaney's generous spirit) that there is nothing we can't learn if we all work together. I don't want to sound corny, but that's how I feel.

DEC

2006

Together Everybody Achieves More

DEC

2006

Thanks Mariana - I started reading this book before finding ActiveRain and before this board. I need to go back and start over - you made some great points I didn't catch!

DEC

2006

Mariana,

Thanks for the post. "Realty Blogging" is the destination.

It is SO worth it ... a MUST READ. You will love it.

JUN

2007

I discovered this book when I took my E-Pro course. I bought the book and then I found AR. I think it's time to go back and re-read so that I can begin my journey fresh. I've been reading, reading and reading here on AR and have not done much posting. I haven't found my voice yet. So much info here - I need to re-focus and I will. thanks for the reminder!

Judy, I found that the more I wrote/blogged - the easier it was to find my voice. It is a living process- and my voice changes continually, like my blog is in a perpetual state of puberty? Don't be afraid to start...

DEC

2007

I HAVE to get this book!

NOV

2008

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Mariana Wagner ~ Colorado Springs REALTOR®

Colorado Springs, CO

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Address: Wagner iTeam ~ Keller Williams Realty, P.O. Box 62356, Colorado Springs, CO, 80962

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