Ardell,  I agree that blogging should show a person's character, but I also feel that because it is a real estate/realtor site it should contain some listings.  They do after all go out to the GP. I have gotten interest on my listings from AR.  It may not be the #1 site for listings but there is a level of exposure there. 

There are a few people in my area that use AR exclusively for listing exposure, to them I say don't waste your time, go to craigs list with a postlet.   I guess what I'm saying is balance it all out.

Can you really find somebody that good? I envy you...

Yes, I recently spread some love on the AR I needed to refer and agent and yes If your blog is a postlet or you have never added a picture to your text I wouldn't choose you. If you didn't bother to fill out your profile or really if your points are under 10,000 where are you. I agree people need to read up on some Seth Godin and understand the days of interuption advertising and breathing heavy advertising are over. At least on the web. Ardell If you need someone in Spokane read my blogs and send them a link.

I read your post to my wife and she said, "Is she looking for a realtor or a husband?".  Truth is These are all things that one would hope to have but you can't really prove until given the opportunity.  I don't know if it's Southern California that your friend is interested in but, I can promise you one thing looking for a realtor this way is like looking for a date on the web; You thought he was prince charming but, he ended up being Charles Manson.  I believe that You would have to go by someone's track record or by referral. 

They say a picture is worth 1000 words or in my case referrals.

There are many different viewpoints. For my two cents worth, I do "HAVE A FREAKIN' COMMERICAL AT THE END OF EVERY SINGLE BLOG POST", but then again I am generally blogging to the public out through localism.com

At least I am sensitive to the fact that we don't put our name, links or commercials in our comments.

Pax. You write nice posts. I admire your style, but it's not mine.

P.S.  The "Great client" who emailed me is one who was sent a link to my blog from another client who found me by my blog.

You are not the commercial...you're the SHOW!  Reading a blog should be like watching Reality TV. 

Hi Ross,

Hope all is well with you.  I'd love it if you would call me in August and let me know how "your season" went.  In the meantime, I'll read your blog.

Hmm. I'm slightly conflicted here. I use Active Rain as a place to find agents to whom I can refer business. I agree with you on all points except the part about not having a commercial at the end of a post. I don't necessarily do a "commercial" but I've done my research about blogging and SEO, and the way to get our blogs to show in the top tiers of the search engines is to have the right key words in the header and the footer. 

Also, I totally agree about completing a sentence properly, but that has been a heated topic on more than one blog post around here, and I've backed off a little bit on that one. Not everyone has perfect grammar, and while I think that we should do all we can to improve our grammar, we can't expect everyone to feel the same way.

I have always felt that people who have misspelled words and poor grammar in their advertising, in the blogs, and most especially in their listing descriptions, were showing themselves to look like they were incompetent or even not very intelligent. But those same people may feel the same way about me when they see how poorly I perform at math or science.

And that's all I have to say on those topics. Otherwise, you've brought up some great points. Hopefully some agents will take these issues to heart and improve their skills, across the board. We all need improvement in one area or another. We need each other, and we need to show the professionalism of out profession. 

Let's all raise the bar in our industry! 

I wish the AR gods would find a way for us to post listings to Localism without putting them on our blog.  Maybe the way we upload photos...

Just curious why you wouldn't, or don't, take a referral fee?  It is your experience, time and knowledge that led you to the individual you chose,

I too have a "freakin commercial" at the end of my posts.  My phone rings or I get emails from people looking for houses.  So it works.  But I understand that you might want to go with the realtor that "doesn't ask for the order" or doesn't do the call to action at the end of each blog.  We all have our own styles.  If yours works and you are getting leads weekly then more power to you. 

Good one,seems to be the theme this week on AR again. You summed it up perfectly. Be yourself.....

I'm kind of feeling the same as most of the other commenters - I agree with what you say, though the "freakin commercial" at the end of blog posts is an opportunity for the reader to say, "hey, I liked what this person said, and oh!  Here is their contact information.  Let me call/email them right now."  Of course, in my opinion, the "freakin commercial" can be done tastefully, which will not only allow the reader an opportunity to contact you, but continue to give them an idea as to what you - the blogger - are like as a person.

Ardell:  Re: "The Freaking Commercial" at the end of every blog post - I think you need to understand that the average agent here is here to draw business to themselves.  The FUN available at AR in being able to BLOG about any topic is a side benefit like someone else mentioned here in Seth Godin's concepts of current marketing.  So don't be so hard on your colleagues that put contact information in each post.  That is the primary reason many of us spend an hour or more of our day at AR!  Thanks for listening!  Steve

Do people really want to know my little league team coaching stats and That I still look starry eyed at my wife to chose me?

It's becoming so confusing and difficult to find the balance.  I think I'll just keep doing what I'm doing, being me, and let the chips fall where they may.

I guess some folks want to know the "person" behind the blog.  I have never really written specifically about things like that but do hope "I" come through.  I will give it some thought. Thanks!

I think showing who we are lets the people know how we are and can relate to make it easier to choose who to work with. Just showing listings doesn't give them the chance to learn that. Some may feel putting their self out like that puts there guard down. I think its great how a consumer can find us by our blogs. I have had several calls the last few days based on my blog. I am not the best blogger, but it it is doing the job for me. I hardly put listings up. but I have and I never put it in the realtor side always post it to localism!!!

OMG... " like watching Reality TV "  I had someone say that to me recently and I really didn't know how to take it.

They laughed...so I laughed and then I looked at my blog again and thought hmmm ...what are they seeing that I don't see.

It made me see just how out there one can be on a blog. When I saw them again I brought it up and they mentioned the journey about finding my husbands birth mother and then going back and finding my Hate post. They told me how they felt a connection with me...it didn't matter that my English or spelling wasn't perfect :) but that they found a real person.

Interesting topic.  This is the first time I've been back to visit AR in quite awhile, having been a very active member in the early days.  The featured posts are written by people I don't know and I feel a little as if I'm revisiting a country I once loved but all the landmarks have changed.

I must say, when I decided to start blogging I had a major dilemma.  I was having difficulty finding my voice.  I knew I didn't want to use my blog for listings or statistics but to reach out to people who happened to find me and chose to stay awhile.  I did my best to keep up with it (I had three at the time, AR, BloggingLongIsland.wordpress.com and LongIslandsBestHomes.blogspot.com).  Then my life took an unexpected detour over a year ago and derailed my efforts.

What I used to do was read all the expert bloggers trying to figure me out.  Aside from admiring them and their prodigious ability to speak to their audience, I found no answers for me.  I'm hoping to start blogging again, to an audience I don't know but feel an innate kinship with. 

Ardell, I will have to agree with Kris above.  I am just going to be myself and let the chips fall where they may.   I am sure I am not everyone's cup of tea, but there may be the folks who understand my sense of humor!  Nice post!

A post that shows personality and poise? 200 points

A post that shows you are a committed professional? 200 points

A post that shows you are thinking of ways to improve/enhance our industry? 200 points

A post that shows you are there to help clients and others in the industry EVEN though there may be no financial reward? 200 points

A post that reveals your integrity? 200 points

Having someone like Ardell refer you a client? PRICELESS

"You don't get to bug me for business.  That's the new way of the world.  We don't want you bugging us.  We want to read your blog, get to know you, and then choose you as a result of reading your blog."

I pay out referral fees because members of my team could use the extra business (tough market back in Georgia). I haven't charged a referral fee in such a vey long, long time.  I have no plans of charging a referral fee.  I don't want 10%, 20% or 30% of your commission.  I'm not going to nickel and dime you to death to pick up some business.  I want my client/customer taken care of when I send them your way.

Business will come and it will be from people that want to do business with me.

I want to know who you are and what you are about.  I may not even agree with you but I can respect you putting it out there. 

Great post. 

Great points Ardell. Of course each and every person who blogs has their own agenda. That is what makes it all so interesting.

Ross.......I am a new blogger(pretty green)  I have only posted a few blogs and unfortunately have not figured out how to include a picture.  Once I get the hang of it I am sure I will continue it.  I am a Realtor in Calaveras County.  I agree that pictures are important.  I have posted two listings but my main objective is to blog about my area (Lake Tulloch), market conditions, real estate, etc.  I love real estate and I love where I live.  That is a wonderful combination.  Have you ever been to Lake Tulloch?

Roxanne Schilling, Realtor

Everyone has their own way of writing, and agreed I wouldn't recommend some of the people, but then again I know that I am not a match for many types of clients.....I am effective with who chooses me, or who I choose. Do I write infra commercial Blogs...no.  But only because I choose not to. 

When I read the word "freaking" on anyones blog I immediately tense for the sound of fingernails on a blackboard......that more than anything else gives me second thoughts on referrals....right or wrong!!!

Nice post again ARDELL!! You won't find any listings on my blog - because I haven't had one since I came back in the business!! lol!! Would I post one? Yes, I would - but not using the postlet format. I would post it as a 'story'.  I try and show people who I am. When I write a blog I write most from my own experiene.  I do have 2 lines at the end of my blog with my name and number and a link to my website because there is more information I would like them to see. I will not spam a client, I don't "capture" for a data base. In fact you must give me permission to email you by filling out a special form. Gee there is a blog in a comment!! lol!! I guess I could blog about my "anti spam" policy huh? :)

As someone who gets fed your outside blog, I can understand your perspective.  I think the thing to remember that newbies to blogging, new agents, and people like myself launching a new brokerage need to get ourselves out there. Back links help our SEO. You have been blogging for so long and have a great following on your blog that you don't have to do that.

I know when I started on AR I didn't put any contact information down on my blog for the very reasons that you mentioned.  However after reading some of Mary McKnights suggestions I added it.  Adding the link to my website is slowly pulling it up organically on Google.  It is a necessary "evil" for some of us.  Hopefully after a couple of years worth of blogs out there, I will be able to go back to the more traditional format of not doing this.

I have probably given out 15 AR blog links to various people to check out real estate agents.  I pull the people who sound competent, and I let my clients try and find the better personality fit for them.  THat's why I don't understand people that have no real estate content on their posts.  You have to have an opinion about something.  I want to hear it.

Great post - I completely agree.  People are trying to figure out who we are!

Ardell,

When I have a referral for a town or city, I first look up the activerainer Realtors there and then start reading their blog posts. Actually I look for someone a lot like me. Then, I usually e-mail them to see how quick they respond. If a quick response, I ask them to call me concerning a referral. I usually pick their brain and if I have a good feeling I then ask their fax number to send them my referral agreement. I only ask for 25% as anything over that is highway robbery(relo companies are really abusing us there).  

      Late last night Ardell asked me if I would help search for an agent for one of our past clients. To match up this client with a great agent in another major city was becoming a tough task.  I searched on AR and out of 40+ agents narrowed it down to 3. Here is what turned me off to most of them:     I could not tell just what in Hell they actually did, besides smile, mention all their non-agent accomplishments, watching their dog catch a stick(I love dogs, kinda like sticks); you get the point. I could not tell because of all of the non- real estate blogs if they knew what to do in a simple transaction....

The 3 that I gave to Ardell all had things in common: THEY WERE REAL!    They wrote about themselves with regards to actually practicing their business. I didn't care about their age, looks, pancake recipe, or what seminar they liked. These 3 knew their area and what to do within it.  Sorry I wrote too long, this was also frustrating to me.

Ardell - Great stuff!  I love this perspective of yours, and it jibes with mine completely.  As you mentioned, if you want listing info, you can find that anywhere.

We all have our own hidden agendas. I love AR because it lets us be ourselves and experiment with what works and what doesn't. I did enjoy our post. Thanks for writing it.  Terrie

I have to disagree with you Ardell. Blogging is about what the blogger chooses to do. There is no "right" way to blog. Each blogger has to choose how they want to present themselves to the online world. If you want to shop for an agent based on the blog topics and criteria you like, then go for it. You think that AR bloggers should be more personal in their blogs, fine. Fortunately, everyone here makes the decision as to what does and does not belong in their blog. Each blogger speaks to their audience and (should) hope that the message resonates, spreads, becomes viral. How they choose to do this is their own "purple cow" as Seth Godin would say.

NOT HAVE A FREAKIN' COMMERICAL AT THE END OF EVERY SINGLE BLOG POST! ...I want to know if I CAN PUT MY REPUTATION ON THE LINE, by recommending you...Don't get your panties in a twist...who aren't too chicken-shit to reveal

Ardell, I am sorry but I do not know you and you are probably very dynamic and outgoing.  But, as I read your blog I thought it was a classic example of what they call an oxymoron... and I'm sure you deserve a better reputation than the above lines reflect.  And yes, I have referered clients moving out of state to realtors based on their ActiveRain reputation.

Blogging....  I love it :)  A whole bunch of variety of topics...... sounds good to me! 

I was just about to put a video at the end of each post too :)

Ardell, when an agent includes his/her own picture in the middle of their blog it's pretty obvious who they are!  I don't mind some of the info & links agents include at the bottom of their blogs but when I search out agents I pay close attention to how much they feel they're having to sell themselves ~ or plead & beg for business, whichever it is.  Points don't matter, professionalism does.

Agree Joddie.  Who They Are is a term I use for revealing yourn TRUE self.  I doesn't mean I can't find you...it means I can't FIND YOU.

Sally,

You can do whatever you want.  You have special dispensation because the YOU that you are...is apparent and needs no further explanation :)  Funny, but true.  Not everyone has that advantage.

No Joyce.  You are wrong!  Wronger than wrong, you are incorrect.  People deserve to see the real you.  They choose you or choose you not.

It is their right to choose you not.

Pretending you are the right person for everyone in this business is false advertising.

We're not selling someone a pair of shoes...we're involved in their most valuable asset.  To be someone's "agent for life" and do a really good job in this business you have to CONNECT with your clients on a very special level. 

Being superficially everyone's dream agent is dishonest.  I will be who I am and boldly so, because my clients deserve every part of what I can offer them.  No hiding behind a "perfect" persona.

Joyce,

I expect you are not like me at all...and that's OK.  Perhaps the people who like you wouldn't like me as you may not.  So mine is a correct "commercial" in the sense that it tells you that you and your clients need a different agent than me.  And that's good.

Perhaps you will have a client who wants more transparency and someone who "won't mince words", then you should send that client to me whether you like me or not.

That's how blogging works.

Katie,

If you think everyone on ActiveRain has a blog and is blogging, you are mistaken.  YES, I AGREE anyone can do what they want "on ActiveRain", but if you think you are blogging...if you think everyone here is a blogger, then you don't know what blogging is. 

Having a blog and being a blogger are not synonymous.

Having a thingee of some kind on ActiveRain doesn't make it "a blog".  If you write 82 posts with a picture of Mickey Mouse on your ActiveRain thingee...it's not a blog.

Agree Terrie.  ActiveRain is the Numero Uno place to experiment with blogging...among other things.

Ardell,

I never said I didn't like you.  You were talking about reputation and it was my general observation while stating I didn't know you.  I guess I am a classic at mincing words.

Melina!!!

Excellent response.  For someone who doesn't agree with me, you are absolutely correct, as am I.  There is no one place for us all to be at the same time in our objectives and methods.

Fabulous answer!

Hi Jo,

Some day we'll get together and chat about that.  Let me know when you get a listing LOL! 

Kathy, Right on!

I say freakin' because people I enjoy working with and who enjoy working with me would not be bothered by that.  It is a little clue about me so people don't call me if they hear fingers on a blackboard when they hear that.

I don't say freakin' to clients, really ever.  But I DO not pussyfoot around either when it comes to something the NEED to know whether they WANT to hear it or not.  So little clues like saying freakin' in a blog post keeps both me and my clients in a simpatico arrangement.

There's always a method to my madness.

Joyce,

I am never too professional to roll up my sleeves and help a client do some dirty work.  I am not that kind of professional.  I am not the lady in the pumps who can't get her hair out of place or get down and dirty in the garden to get some flowers in before we put the home on the market.  I'm not THAT professional.

Most agents wouldn't do what I do...and that's the truth.  I'm not saying they should, and probably I shouldn't, but I do.  And they way I speak says volumes in a few sentences.  Sure, I can don a navy blue suit when appropriate.  But I don't stand around in a navy blue suit telling my seller what SHE needs to do.  I get in there and help and come over while they are at work and do it myself.

I'm a very different kind of "professional"...I do what it takes.

Herb,

You're from Portland.

I love my clients, I love animals, I love my kids and my husband, I love my parents, I go to church every Sunday, ...

If I was to read that on a blog I would say "I'm looking for a real estate agent not a self absorbed novel writer". 

We all blog to attract different kinds of clients and referrals. Someone with their blog full of listings..something tells me they may not work with buyers much.

There are posts about NOT writing jokes and personal stories on AR because it is a real estate network, then others want to hear jokes and stories and how to train dogs.  If we blogged to make everyone happy, that would be a job in itself.  You can't please everyone.

I love the way that I am blogging and I am only going to get better at it by reading great blogs by real estate professionals such as yourself. But I have change anything about what I have been doing here which most real estate professionals have done,then I am not being real with myself. Much luck with finding a real estate professional here.... There are too many great ones here..... Great post.

Wow...I think you made your point.  There are different stories to be heard by bloggers and there are hard-core bloggers like yourself.  There heart warming and personal blogging, I love and the educational and professional blogging is great.  Every story put out there by AR bloggers has alot to offer.  Although you can't please everyone, GREAT post.

C. Lange

I never know what to expect when I come to your blog, every blog is different, I love that!  I agree with your post but sometimes listings and market reports posted only to localism still show up in the AR blog if you look at an agent's posts.  I think there is definitely more to blogging than advertising your listings!  It is sooo much more than that.  I really like this post because you explain the process in how you choose an agent in x state to refer someone to, very well done.  Makes me think about changes I can make to my own blog!

Ardell, I loved this post.  One  of the best I have read lately.  AJ

Ardell:  It's good to know what others are looking for in us.  I know that I'm looking for many of the same things as you when I'm placing a referral.

Just to let you know I am new at this site.  What drew me to activerain was to share idea's and network with other agents. From the above responses there is not just one way to blog. Bottom line we are all trying to make a living and this looks like a great tool.  To blog or not to blog self promoting what ever. We are here it seems to promote our business and better equip our selves with new ideas. So for me it's all good.

Aloha,

Steve

Lanre,

I took a look at your blog and you do it well.  The background behind the blog scared me :)  I couldn't find the HOME button because the text color is to close to the background color with not enough contrast.  Just offering that in case it is of value to you, not to complain or badmouth your blog.  Hope it's helpful feedback.

As to your posts...really good mix.  I like it.

Patricia,

Maybe if the listings had regular posts in between...but I was running into page after page of posts with listings.  So balance may be the better answer. 

Sure it's OK to write a story about your listings, IF there IS a story.  And posting listings in a separate category works, but not if you post 10 listings in a row. 

Steve,

The "new" idea..called blogging...means NO blatant self promotion.  If you really want to grasp a new idea as you say...then grasp THAT.

Ardell,

"NO blatant self promotion" but Be Yourself.  An easy concept for some, for others, not so much.  Blogging is like the re-training for real estate professionals who are taught to self-promote, self-promote, self-promote.

Maybe the powers that be can back some better training to help agents embrace this internet era??? 

I do interviews with real estate agent members of our company and they have a hard time just getting into who they are, they have coupled themselves with real estate so much that now they become synonymous with their profession.  It is hard to separate the person from the profession, hard for them.  Through questioning and probing, I usually get to find the person inside.  Blogging would be beneficial to these folks for a multitude of reasons. too long to go into on a comment:-)

Thanks for the post.  All great points. 

The majority of the old'er' cats don't & can't get this.

LOL! 

Kevin, soon there won't be anyone around "old"er" than I am :)

Rebecca,

If Jonathan Winters had a blog he wouldn't have "lost himself" in his personalities :)  You find yourself when you blog.

Often I read an old blog post of mine and say, "Is that ME?" LOL 

Oh come on.. your clients don't really want to move to Hoboken anyway do they? Kevin's a good guy, maybe they want to move to FL instead?

HAHA....instead of the Truman show, it's the (insert your name here) show. Hmm...interesting idea for reality tv. 

Great posts, I totally agree!  In fact I wish I was more creative in my posts to show my personality more.  That is one of the main reasons I started blogging was to show clients and people on the web a little of my personality and my profesionalism. 

I also agree that when you refer someone it is a reflection of yourself!

Ardell, as usual, a very thought provoking blog post - as well as responses thereto. ;-) On AR I write differently than I do on my other blogs.......here, it's more of an exchange - and it does get me found!! ;-)

I like this post. I would hate to refer someone to an agent whose personality I knew absolutely nothing about.

Hi Ardell.. I would like to tell you and your readers a story about me Jennifer Ricco RE/MAX of Santa Clarita.  Look at my picture I am all of 5 foot tall and I am a retired Los Angeles Police Officer. Imagine seeing me in LAPD Blue hopping out of a Black and White patrol car arresting people off of Skid Row in downtown LA. While raising 3 kids and a husband who worked LAPD gang units in South Central LA!?!? Heres our "punch" line for you... We were the REAL Mr. and Mrs. Smith now selling homes and loans, when once we were worried about armed suspects shooting at us to now being worried about this volatile market and paper cuts! This is the real us with no listings to advertise were looking for real people to work with as well :) 

It is hard enough starting out looking for listings, especially when you just moved to a new location from a different state. It is harder to make new friends out of the state where you originated from let alone clients. I know this is the 21st century and we now have to sell ourselves. The thing about a buyers agents is that it costs nothing, You can sign from a day to infinity if need be. We only get compensated when the deal goes to closing and we get our commissions from the seller. The buyer can fire us at will, just because we weren't doing our job correctly. Here in North Carolina we give and take referrals all the time. Like it was said here " It just reflects yourself".

Come visit my web page at : www.chathamncrealestatetoday.com

Thank you.

Wow Ardell! You opened a can of worms with this post and got a lot of "panties in a twist".  For the most part I agree with you.  I don't think ads for one's listings can be classified as blogs so I'm always pretty put off when I click on an AR "blog" and see a listing.  I also can't abide bad grammar and spelling.  If an agent can't spell, that's not a crime but for heaven's sake, find someone to edit your post.  Or write it in WORD first and use the spell and grammar check. 

I like to know who agents are too, although I'm not sure I would refer someone just based on their blog.  I would want to see their website and certainly have a conversation with them.  And I would definitely want a referral fee.  But you're so right.  My reputation is on the line when I refer someone.  So I vet pretty carefully before I refer any agent, vendor, service person, etc.

Thanks for a thought provoking and lively discussion.

Peace,

Gayle

Hi Ardell,

I am  kind to animals and children, have a good value system, speak with high regard for my clients,handle situations well and professionally when they go south on me, can form a complete sentence intelligently. know my stuff!  do not, have a chip on my shoulder. I know that "selling" today as it always has in Real Estate been a really personal and connecting busines. 

Glad I got that out of the way.  :)

Your post has a lot of excellent points.

My one question is,  why not take a referral fee? 

If you are really close to the person you refer, you can give it to them.  If not you can give it to charity.

Or these days you could pay a bill :)

All the best!

I think the whole idea of a blog site is to let everyone figure it out for themselves.  Some will get referrals and listings one way, others will get them another way.  There does not seem to be a right answer, but just a forum for each person to figure out what works for them.  Nice post.

Whoa Ardell. You are my kind of people. New here on AR and the biz, I've read a few of your posts and love your writing style, which, in turn, guess means I must dig you, right?  I've been Selling Soulfully with Jennifer Allan since the beginning of March and haven't ventured out into the "real" world of AR until now. It's a big world out here.  :-) 

You've inspired me to finally get going on my blog.  Keep fighting it because I hold back. 

Thanks.  Helped a lot. 

Wow you stir the pot with this one. I agree that the listings are out of hand on Active rain. I would much rather read some content.

Ardell, You struck a nerve with this post. I do post my listings and I do post about things that are important to me outside of Real Estate. I hope that prospective clients might find out more about the "whole" me prior to meeting me. Balance in posting like with everything in life is vital.

Best,

Scott 

Good point Ardell, I agree with that. I can't stand blogs where all I see are listings!!!