If you are a Real Estate Professional, or you are a consumer and want to know what is really going on and you crave more street level knowledge and coaching with a variety of views--Active Rain is THE place to be. My intent is not so much to contribute but to soak in different ways of looking at and analyzing specific topics. The aspect about Active Rain that I appreciate most, and that you can find on a few other boards oriented to Real Estate Professionals is--"Ask and You will receive." I would also like to add, "Search and you will find :-) ."  Its amazing when you use the search bar how much information you can find on a specific issue.  Another advantage to using the search bar is that you will find good, solid information from bloggers who never make it to the featured list.  Using the AR search function will also prevent you from being embaraced and virtually duplicating a blog that someone else wrote. 

We all get our "jollies" in different ways. One way I have fun with blogging sites is to restart a theme that died. Using the search function, I guarantee that you will find past blogs that could definitely be explored more in depth to the benefit of the group at large. 

Someone in cyber space will take the time to give you an opinion, often backed with facts and stats in order for the questioner to be able to make logical decisions. I love that. Its free and its a gift.  Sometimes I wonder how  such an awesome tool could be free? I have also wondered if ready availability of coaching and information is cutting into the income of those who make their living coaching Real Estate Professionals. 

I admire the blogs with the really cool art and photos. One of my goals for the first quarter of the year is to improve the look of my blogs. I will use the AR search engine for my primer, but certainly would welcome instruction from anyone that would like to help me shorten the learning curve.

Kudos. I think we need more kudos to offset sometimes critical and negative events. I will start a specific group for kudos.  In this group kudos to active rain members are not the objective, but to comment or blog on specific people who have helped you with a transaction, or in guidance apart from Active Rain.  Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe Kudos for Active Rain members might be more highly prized by selecting that person as an associate and including a COMMENT.

As in all groups, the original members of Active Rain have a history that is not shared with the rest of us. It is easy to feel left out. Just consider it a part of growth. The more you participate, the more you will have that "feeling" of belonging. Joining a new blogging group is like being the new kid at school, or being the new hire in a corporate environment. It takes a little time and some effort on a new member's part to become known and to know other members. Its like attending a large church. If all you do is sit there and make a beeline for your car the minute the servcie is over--you may not receive much from attendance. Sometimes you have to be the first to introduce yourself and find out how you can help others achieve ongoing objectives.

Tools.  I grew up under the philosophy that you don't get more until you use what you have. Relating this concept to Active Rain, I whole heartedly encourage new members to complete your profile and as Rich Jacobson mentioned in ActiveRain Groups: "Posting Kudos!" , upload some photos! The search engine brings up about a hundred blogs about blogging and about 60 blogs on active rain.  Very remedial advice is to browse through the forums and groups to see what appeals to you.

Blogging is worth your time and effort as is Active Rain.  The reasons are outlined in blogs on blogging. So, you have it. A free tool that can benefit you, your business and bottom line, even your clients.  I know for a fact that there are some strong newbies who have not posted yet. I also know they have the capacity to make strong and positive contributions when the choose to use this tool to the fullest.

So, what are some ways to pay back for this awesome gift? Use it. Promote it. Invite consumers and Real Estate Professionals. Link it. Mention it in other blogs and profiles (just for starters--your home page has great suggestions).

(PS: Someone tell me where the spell check feature is, PLEASE. FYI, I tried writing in Word, Copying and Pasting and ended up losing an article to the cyber grimlin. If we take up a collection--can we have spell check?)