I just received this email from someone who commented on my previous blog entry here in Active Rain.

"I know you are very busy, but I just wondered why most of your clients come from your blogging, but not from active rain? Is there a reason why you don't put the same kind of blogs in the rain as you do on your outside blogs? ( I know you post in the rain in order to help other bloggers) I have been reading some of your blogs here and there. I think I first saw you in Realtown."

Without revealing who asked that, and before answering the question here for all to see the answer, let's talk about Being a Blogger vs. Having a Blog.

Bloggers always, always, always...almost always TALK ON THE BLOG!!!  If you are emailing instead of saying everything you have to say ON the blog in the comments, you have a blog...but you are not a blogger.

"A blogger" is someone who wants to share info transparently where ALL can see it, not in private.  "A Blogger" is by nature a very helpful person.  Helping is a very "bloglike" thing to do. (of course you can't post private info as I did not in my previous blog post).  Buy you should be able to say anything you have to say ON the blog.

Bloggers help others and give freely of their expertise.  THAT is what a blogger IS!  So when the email said "I know you post in the rain in order to help other bloggers", know that I am always blogging to "helpe other X".  On RCG and My Blog I mostly try to help provide info to people buying and selling real estate, as that is where the readership is coming from.  In AR, most of the readership consists of other agents who are blogging, so that is the audience by design and so that is who I "have to" write to.

But helping IS blogging.  Conveying info and expertise freely IS blogging.  If you are not doing that...basically "disintermediating yourself", then you have a blog...but you are not a blogger.

To answer the question, I do not write to get referrals and I do not write to get clients who currently live out of town.  Consequently the best place for me to write is in a place where a lot of local people read.  RCG clearly has a lot of national hits...but I write to the locals more than to people from out of the area.  I prefer local clients to relocating clients, so I write to my choice of potential clients.

If you like referrals and people relocating to your area better than local buyers and sellers, then you would have a different blogging strategy.  But always you are giving and you are not giving in order to get.  That is blogging, and a hard concept for many to "get".  You GIVE when you blog...if you GET that is a side benefit and not the purpose of blogging.

So BE a blogger, give info freely, and don't just "have a blog" for what you will get out of it.

 
Posted by ARDELL DellaLoggia on 04/13/2008 02:12 PM   Comments (15)   Seattle Real Estate in the ActiveRain Channel  
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15 Comments on Are you a Blogger? Or do you just "Have a Blog"?

APR
13
2008
155,267 Points 1 Featured Post
You get what you put into it.. Thats exactly right.. 
2:19pm • #1
229,420 Points 10 Featured Posts Outside Blog Hit Router
Ardell - The first blog I ever read was you on RCG about 2 years ago and I've learned so much from great bloggers like you.  The post was great and the true definition of blogging.  You set a great example for us all.
2:21pm • #2
283,710 Points 45 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Debbie,

In true blogger style, it would be helpful to others reading this if you could list some of the things that you learned that you found helpful.
2:26pm • #3
APR
14
2008
490,939 Points 28 Featured Posts Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Yes, RCG was one of my first blog reads, too. 

Ardell, I particularly liked your straight-forward, tell-it-like-is-is way of explaining how things work for buyers and sellers.

The old-school way would have been for an agent to put a spin on the explanations to emphasize how great and clever the agent is.

Ardell didn't take that approach.  Her writings were factual and straight up, not marketing BS. As I'd read Ardell's blogs on RCG, I'd think, "I like this lady, she knows her stuff". 

So I imagine potential clients reading Ardell's posts would have a similar reaction. 
5:55am • #4
1,455,851 Points 46 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

Great post. I will check out your outside blog.Thanks for the tip.
6:14am • #5
283,710 Points 45 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Good Morning CJ,

Your comment reminded me of what Allison Rogers of Inman said when she first interviewed me back in 2006.  She writes "The Real Estate Rookie" pieces and has a book by that name.

Halfway through the interview she said "Oh! You're not a great blogger...you're a great agent."  Cracked me up.  What you are comes through.  Same old story, be excellent at your chosen field and you won't have to come up with marketing schemes :) 

 
9:32am • #6
APR
15
2008
 Great post...I have been trying to blog my email responses so that I can refer clients back to them. It's worked well!  I appreciate your approach and your RCG website is great. 
9:52am • #7
283,710 Points 45 Featured Posts Outside Blog
Thanks Edward.  RCG belongs to Dustin Luther :)
2:55pm • #8
Youare the blogging queen Ardell.  BTW I love Kirkland.  It is beautiful!
3:46pm • #9
176,774 Points Localism Sponsor
great post, thanks for sharing
7:04pm • #10
APR
16
2008
 I write because I want to share something that I learned and something that might interest someone else. You know I also tried to invite a Russian speaking agents from different states to join activerain, but no one did. It is strange, but I think I am the only one Russian speaking agent that does blogging.
1:29am • #11
283,710 Points 45 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Irina,

You should write a few in both English and Russian.  I think that would be very interesting and helpful to Russian speaking buyers and sellers.

Maybe you do that already, I'll take a look. 

 
2:15am • #12
I dodn't write in Russian yet. I was not sure if activerain would be happy to hold an information that can not understand. But I will try. Thank you for a suggestion.
3:21pm • #13
490,939 Points 28 Featured Posts Outside Blog Hit Router Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Ardell -- This:   "Same old story, be excellent at your chosen field and you won't have to come up with marketing schemes" feels so much like one of my lines I had to Laugh Out Loud!!! 

My Line:  "If you really, really, really know your stuff, you don't have to be nice."  :-)

 
8:15pm • #14
APR
17
2008

Ardell thanks for the post and your insight you blogger you! As far as the email...you have lots to share and I think it's great you don't  limit yourself to one topic or forum...you go Ardell! Cheers

 
1:33am • #15


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ARDELL DellaLoggia

Kirkland, WA

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Sound Realty

Address: Kirkland, WA, 98033

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