Special offer

When Being A Chatty Cathy Is A Good Thing

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty 0575737

Chatty CathyIn the 1960's Mattel Toys came out with a doll that you pulled a string on the back and it would say all sorts of cutesy phrases like, "Please brush my hair." It was the rage of little girls all around. How high tech for its era!! It was called a

                        Chatty Cathy.

Chatty Cathy became a euphemism for someone many years later who would never cease to stop talking to you, with you, at you, just droning on and on and on, till you reached an overwhelmingly bored state.

In real estate blogging, excessively long blogs can lose their meaning, the reader can miss the point, or it gets to be convoluted thinking with no introduction, body, and conclusion. But there is an instance

                        WHEN BEING A CHATTY CATHY IS A GOOD THING.

That is in the area of reciprocity. Blogging is at its best between industry insiders and consumers when it is conversational. This idea of reciprocity is key. Reply to comments on your own blog. Read the comments made about your comments on others' blogs and reply to those if you can. Make time to circle back on your comments. It creates what is called Google Juice and you will create reciprocal links back to you with the Search Engines.

With whatever time you allocate to blogging, be a Chatty Cathy when it comes to being a great conversationalist. You'll learn a lot about yourself and others and climb to higher positions in the Search Engines. Bottom line, more people will know about you. THIS IS GOOD.

Comments (34)

Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Duane: You are one of the sterling examples I have found on Active Rain with reciprocity. Keep up the good work.

May 24, 2008 03:44 PM
* Rate A Home
Rate A Home - Saugatuck, MI

Gary, thank you for your kind words. I have adopted a policy, you comment on mine, I return the deed on theirs. It gives me the chance to learn more about the person and their posts. Plus, it's the polite thing to do. Kudos to you!

May 24, 2008 04:32 PM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Duane: Great policy. You are WAY ahead of the masses in your kindness!!

May 24, 2008 04:39 PM
Irina Netchaev
Pasadena Views Real Estate Team, Inc. - Pasadena, CA
Pasadena CA Real Estate

Reciprocity is certainly the first step in building relationships and creating a network.  Great post Gary!

May 24, 2008 05:54 PM
* Rate A Home
Rate A Home - Saugatuck, MI

Gary, hopefully I didn't have a dozen comments in this post. AR went into hyperspace earlier and locked, if so, my apologies.

May 24, 2008 06:54 PM
Chip Jefferson
Gibbs Realty and Auction Company - Columbia, SC

I don't remember Chatty Cathy. I did have a Ms Beasley and Baby Alive, was that around the same time??? I do ok about not rambling on post, its in person when I become the Chatty Cathy :)

May 25, 2008 12:06 AM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Irina: Yes, it is the give and take of building a relationship with others.

Duane: No problemo, just a couple of extra messages sent. Active Rain does that sometimes.

Laura: I know how you feel. I have to try and stop talking incessantly myself sometimes.

May 25, 2008 01:14 AM
Fran Gaspari
Patriot Land Transfer, Inc. - Limerick, PA
"The Title Man" - Title Insurance - PA & NJ

Gary,

I guess you guys don't remember 'Betsy Wetsy'...! :) Thanks,   Fran

P.S. Talk about reciprocity!!! LOL

May 25, 2008 01:22 AM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Fran: That's a good one. Betsy Wetsy probably wouldn't be politically correct (or sanitary) today with today's toy designers. Very funny about reciprocity. That doll could definitely give back : )

May 25, 2008 01:52 AM
Barbara S. Duncan
RE/MAX Advantage - Searcy, AR
GRI, e-PRO, Executive Broker, Searcy AR

Memories!  That doll brings back memories of my daughter who wanted one so bad that she could be bribed.  We told her if she quit sucking her thumbs, we'd get her one.  (It could have been the other doll that grew hair instead of this one but...it doesn't matter.)  She quit that thumb sucking, cold turkey.  She got her doll and all was well.

May 25, 2008 02:24 AM
Trey Thurmond
BCR Realtors - College Station, TX
College Station , Texas Homes

Gary, Youy are a world of useful and practical knowledge. Thanks!

May 25, 2008 02:35 AM
Kay Perry
Kay Perry, Broker - College Station, TX

Thanks for another great blog.  I LOVE the photo of the two girls...memories from the past.

May 25, 2008 04:21 AM
Carol Culkin
Diamond Partners Inc - Overland Park, KS
Overland Park Residential Real Estate

I was a Chatty Cathy girl! Thanks for taking me back in time!  

Jun 06, 2008 08:32 AM
Robert L. Brown
www.mrbrownsellsgr.com - Grand Rapids, MI
Grand Rapids Real Estate Bellabay Realty, West Mic

Gary. Funny post but very appropo. You have to give to receive. When you(blog) act like a chatty cathy you get so much in return(comments).

Jun 06, 2008 09:51 AM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Barbara: Amazing how bribes work.

Trey: I don't know about useful on this one, but it is entertaining, nevertheless.

Kay: You're welcome.

Carol: That's what I thought about your past. Non-stop talker.

Robert: Give to receive, and even when it's not your motive, it still comes back in some way.

 

Jun 06, 2008 09:54 AM
Jefferson Hendrick
Keller Williams - Hollywood Hills - West Hollywood, CA
Homes By Hendrick

here's a dumb question...how exactly DO you reply to a comment on your blog?  or to a comment on someone else's blog for that matter?

Thanks!

Jul 07, 2008 11:50 AM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Jefferson: Just type that person's name (like Your's), in the comment box, and then reply with your comment. Some like to bold the name out, so it stands out, and then Submit comment with word below, where it says what does graphic say?

Jul 07, 2008 01:06 PM
Michelle Finnamore
Toronto GTA, Alliston, Newmarket - Vaughan, ON
Preparing your property for sale

My Dad saved up his pay to buy me a Chatty Cathy doll way back when. My older brother just had to see what made this doll talk. Can you see the ending coming? You must remember that back then this was a very novel thing. A talking doll. My brother broke her in two to find out their was a small black record inside her to make her talk. My Dad was not a happy camper when he found out about it. Thanks for bringing back the memories.

Jul 07, 2008 01:53 PM
William "Bill" and Karen Farragher
EXIT Blue Water Realty, Matawan, NJ 07747 - Matawan, NJ
SFR

Hi Gary. I am still getting used to all this blogging stuff. I am cactching on. In the beginning I had no clue now 2 months later I get the point and am making time several days a week to stop by,, make some comments and answer those that were made on my blogs.

Great stuff that Chatty Cathy thing. I had no idea there was a doll like that. Where did you get the picture from.

Sincerely,

Bill

 

Jul 07, 2008 03:59 PM
Gary Woltal
Keller Williams Realty - Flower Mound, TX
Assoc. Broker Realtor SFR Dallas Ft. Worth

Michelle: Thanks for the destruction of Chatty Cathy story. I took the head off my sister's Barbie doll. Boys are so destructive : )

Bill: Yes, there was that doll and Betsy Wetsy. Seems tame compared to toys nowadays. Keep blogging, Bill, it's fun, many people to meet, and lots to learn!

Jul 07, 2008 04:05 PM