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Welcome to ActiveRain, Getting Started

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Greater Omaha 20041001

Welcome to Active Rain. This is the fastest growing online community of real estate professionals. As such you will find great information, opportunities to network with professionals both in your area and around the country, and numerous ways to demonstrate your knowledge and worth to consumers. Here's what you need to do to get started:

Set up your profile. Be sure to post a photo of yourself - it helps others feel that they know you when they read your profile or blog when they can put a picture to your words. Add a description of what you do and how you are unique. Include your contact information and a link to your website.

Invite others. Invite your associates to join Active Rain.

Post a blog. Post information for other professionals and for consumers to read. Set aside time each week to write a short article about something which you are knowledgeable.

Read blogs. There is a lot of great information out there and it is all free. Subscribe to other people's blogs and feel free to leave comments for them. They will appreciate your interest. To subscribe to a blog just click the Subscribe to Blog button in the upper right hand corner of their blog page. At the bottom of the blog after everyone else's comments you can post your own comment. In the text box below where it says "Leave a response..." you can post your own comment. Try it out - leave me a comment now and say Hello.

Have fun.

Troy Trumm

Trumm Team -  Omaha, NE


Comments (198)

Kathryn Swan
2 Swans A-Staging - Oklahoma City, OK

How very kind of you to refer me to your blog and for the step-by-step directions to get here.  Looks like you have been a big brother to a lot of Newbies.  Thank you so much. 

Oct 23, 2009 07:21 AM
Toni Weidman
Sailwinds Realty - Trinity, FL
20+ Years Selling Homes in New Port Richey, FL

Hi Troy,

Thanks for the welcome and the helpful hints. I'm still trying to work through all the things that being on ActiveRain involves and I will be asking for your help along the way, I'm sure. Thanks again.

Toni

Oct 24, 2009 07:14 AM
Anonymous
John Le Francois

Troy,

Thank you for the advise. It is greatly appreciated.

John

 

Nov 05, 2009 01:10 AM
#183
Anonymous
Laura Brubaker

Hey Troy,

Thanks for the welcome.  If you get a second, will you take a look at my page and perhaps my website.  I'm a Home Stager and I want to be a good friend to the agents in my area.  Can you throw me a rope and give any advice that will help me introduce myself to agents when visiting Open Houses?  It would be much appreciated.

 

Thanks again,

Laura Brubaker

SimplyStaged...by Laura

 

 

Nov 07, 2009 02:04 AM
#184
The Trumm Team Omaha Homes for Sale, Real Estate
Keller Williams Greater Omaha - Omaha, NE

Laura,  

I looked at your website, http://www.simplystagedbylaura.com. Here are my suggestions.  

I suggest reordering the upper navigation bar as follows: Home, Services, Portfolio, About Us, Contact Us.  

Put you phone number and email address at the bottom of each page.  

On the Portfolio page make the pictures larger.  

I don't know if it is just my computer, but the site displays larger than my screen which requires me to scroll right and left. Test your website on other computers and browsers. If this occurs, make changes to the site so scrolling side to side is not required.  

I think the upper header (the portion at the top of each page that doesn't change) should be smaller. Here's why. Since the header is so large it takes up the entire screen and when I click on a link it does not appear that the page has changed unless I scroll down. I would make the header about half the height that it is.    

As for meeting agents, be sure to have a personal brochure with pictures and testimonials.  

Talk to your board of Realtors about sponsoring events and classes. Sometimes just offering to bring donuts and bagels to a training class is enough for them to give you three minutes in front of the class to introduce yourself and your services.  

When you do stage a listing, offer to help the agent do a broker open house by bringing food and drinks. When agents come through introduce yourself and give them your brochure. Maybe have flyers or a display with before and after photos of the house.  

Try bringing a candy jar with your info on it to brokerages. I know it sounds silly but I know a home inspector that got a ton of business this way. The key is to return on a regular basis to fill it up and leave your brochures. It's cheap and easy but it gets you in front of agents.  

Talk to top producing agents and offer them a discount if they use you on every furnished listing, or if they use you at least twice a month, or whatever. Make them an offer that encourages them to make you a part of their marketing and services. Maybe even offer agents that do this a link on your website to theirs - if they know anything about SEO they will appreciate the value of this.  

Hopefully there are enough ideas here to keep you busy. If you don't implement some of these ideas I may have to move to your area and open my own home staging service. ; )

Nov 07, 2009 02:59 AM
Anonymous
Ken Cline

Thanks Troy for the advice.  I am looking forward to making this work.

Nov 16, 2009 08:05 AM
#186
James Foxx
ForeclosureDeals - Los Angeles, CA

Hey Troy,

 

Thanks for your advice, I really liked this website.

Nov 18, 2009 11:46 AM
Peter Fragos
www.Search4MiamiHomes.com - Aventura, FL

Got it! I just needed a Coke Zero to figure it out!

Thanks again Troy...

All the best,

Peter Fragos

www.Search4MiamiHomes.com

(800)646-2289

Nov 20, 2009 11:09 AM
Peter Fragos
www.Search4MiamiHomes.com - Aventura, FL

Got it! I just needed a Coke Zero to figure it out!

Thanks again Troy...

All the best,

Peter Fragos

www.Search4MiamiHomes.com

(800)646-2289

Nov 20, 2009 11:09 AM
James Bingham
Mission Hills Mortgage Bankers - Fresno, CA

Thanks for the Info Troy! It's appreciated.

 

James Bingham

www.nationalpacific.net

 

 

Nov 24, 2009 05:17 PM
Ena Russ
Accord - Dartmouth, NS

Hello, Troy!

Your web site is beautiful! I really enjoyed it.

Thank you for writing, for your recommendations, for being so helpful and for your time!

All the best,

Ena Russ

www.design-decor-staging.com

Dec 06, 2009 07:10 PM
Andrew Cohn
ALC Risk Solutions and The Jewish Business Magazine - Miami, FL

Hi Troy, thanks for the feedback and the great information above. 

Dec 31, 2009 12:48 AM
Michael S. Taaffe
M.T. BUILDINGS HOME INSPECTION LLC - Orlando, FL
M.T. BUILDINGS HOME INSPECTION LLC
Yeah but How do I get those big points Troy! I want 100,000+ points like you! Lol! Thanks
Jan 19, 2010 11:56 AM
George Warshaw
George Warshaw & Associates, P.C. - Boston, MA
Real Estate Attorney - Boston

Thanks for responding to my post about Bruiser. I followed you advice - and I got here.

Feb 01, 2010 12:05 PM
Katharine Hilliard
Liberty Title - Birmingham, MI

Hi - so far so good.  Several other Active Rain members have been helpful and friendly too.  Thank you for your feedback!

Kat :)

Feb 08, 2010 07:00 AM
Scott Lewis
The Bald Man Group - Post Falls, ID
REALTOR, e-Pro,CIA,IMSD,GRI & CNE

Troy,

Not sure where to place my picture!

Scott

Mar 10, 2010 02:26 PM
mari mae perez
ready to be hired for SEO job @$5/hour - Colfax, IN

Really cool advice, thank

Apr 06, 2010 09:35 PM
Eva Erdmann
Lion International Inc. - Holiday, FL
interior decorator

Hi Troy,

Thank you for the update.

Zijuzijazijana

Apr 06, 2010 10:42 PM
Ranji Singh
Century 21 Heritage Group Ltd. - Newmarket, ON

Some simple, yet excellent pointers. 

 

Thanks for sharing.

Nov 18, 2011 02:23 AM
Toppe Bong

Really cool advice, thank

 

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