I was re-blogging Richard Yate's post yesterday in regards to video making, as it perfectly fit into my blog post of the day: Camera-Lights-Action. Richard contacted me and suggested I fill out my Active Rain profile. He is absolutely right, so I will dig into another post of his on how to do it. Why haven't I done it yet? Here are the reasons why I and apparently another 150,000 AR members, have not filled out or expanded on our profile.
- I simply don't know what to write.
- I can't write.
- I don't have the time.
- Who is going to look at it and how much is this going to increase my business anyway?
- Deep down inside I don't really want people to know that much about me.
Those are all my excuses (tell me why you haven't improved yours, in the comments below). Ironically, I have been always very interested in social media, but trying to build a business as a real estate professional, have taken me almost completely away from staying on top of new social media developments. 
Let's examine my 'reasons'. I'll be completely honest with you and...... no,this is not supposed to be a PITTY party.
Number 1:
"I don't know what to write"
Yup, sure don't. "I should blow my own horn? I don't really have anything to brag about or to contribute, I don't know anything yet!" Well, I will have to get over that, dig deep and sell myself. I will have to learn the art of selling anyway. Besides, we all impact this world and I want to make sure that whoever enters my world how I roll! I will start selling ....errr.....branding myself T-O-D-A-Y!!!
Number 2:
"I can't write"
If you haven't noticed it yet, but I am NOT an accomplished writer and English is NOT my first language .....and punctuation? What's that???
Blog posts disappear quickly when they drown in the flood of other AR members' content, my profile STAYS and THAT is scary to me. I like math, stats, facts, connections - I look at them, I understand them, but when I have to write I fall apart. When I started my first blog I decided that I will keep it as factual as I could and that worked for the most part. I passed this blog on but couldn't leave it alone: I started Tellyouaboutit.com , which has become the Haynie Family blog. Everything and anything "Haynie" basically goes on that blog. Love this one, as I can write as little or as much as I want and since not many people are reading it I feel a strange sense of freedom.
When I put my social media hat on, I know very well, that while blog posts AND my profile connect me with other professionals, it also increases my internet footprint. This is my ultimate goal. Every day I approach my computer and think that today I will increase my visibility. This means that Number 2 is really not an excuse for me either. Which reminds me ....Need.To. Add. Keywords. To. Post. Always!
Number 3:
"I don't have the time."
Really? LOL, maybe I'll just skip the commenting today and simply work on my profile. I can set my iPhone alarm for 15 minutes, because I can stick with anything for 15 minutes. No problem. If I do this for 5 days in a row I will have a profile that is presentable for sure.
An quick explanation on my 15 minute rule: As a stay at home mom I have always had 100 things distracting me. A long time ago, I was introduced to the Fly-Lady. Her 15 minute rule saved my sanity and I notice that it perfectly applies to having a business as well.
Number 4:
"Who is going to look at my profile"
Am I kidding myself? My stats show that my profile was viewed 354 times as of today. This means I have had 354 chances of making a connection, an impression. Sadly, AR does not let me see where these views originated but one of those views could have been a listing, a sale, a referral.
Number 5:
"Deep down inside I don't really want people to know that much about me."
NOW THAT IS FUNNY. I have a blog that basically tells everything about my family, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, (that said - subscribe please!!!) you name it, I am on it! Yah, no. That one does not work. By now, I have talked myself out of NOT improving my profile. I will set the timer to 15 minutes and go for it! Let's see what happens. How about you do it too and post a link to your profile below?
12/24/2012: worked 30 minutes on my profile 1,508 points - don't know what I started out with....
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