How do you make money in the Rain?
Maybe you're just here for fun and the social aspect of this community is more than enough for you.
But let's assume your primary goal is to increase your business and put some more dollars in your pocket. How can you make that happen?
You have two primary target audiences that can lead to business:
1. Other agents. Work for referrals from other agents and members of this community.
2a. Consumer. Write for the consumer with unique, relevant information that is closely tied with "pure" real estate (listings, market reports, subdivision info, new construction news, long tail searches, etc.)
2b. Fill your blog with sticky content that attracts consumers (or keeps the attention of past clients). That sticky content can be just about anything and doesn't have to be tied to real estate (maybe you're a foodie, maybe you've got gardening tips, make the rounds of the festivals, etc.).
You may opt for a blend of the above or adhere strictly to one path, but there are certain things you can do that increase your odds of success no matter which audience you seek.
1. Remember Sandbox 101. It doesn't take too many times of kicking sand before you wind up on the type of list you don't want to be on. This is a community that for the most part works under the Pay It Forward premise. We teach each other, help where we can, and know others will return the favor.
2. Be considerate of other members. Blitzing the blog roll with pages of simultaneously posted blog post after blog post MAY help you with the consumer, but it will most definitely irritate the general membership who is looking for something to read besides your market reports.
3. Content matters. Understand your audience and what they want AND if what they want is actually good for your business. E.g. there are people that want to buy $50,000 or less investment properties. You can blog about them, but is that the best use of your time and energy?
4. Post regularly. It doesn't have to be daily, but do the math. The more regularly you post, the more digital breadcrumbs there are that help you get found, build relationships, etc.
5. Niches can be more powerful posts than any other post for attracting consumer phone calls IF you pick the right niche.
6. If you're after consumer eyeballs, learn some basic SEO to help your posts perform for the search engines. You can have the best content in the world, but if you don't get found, you don't get called.
7. Remember, the Delete key is your friend. Every post, comment, question and answer may as well be engraved in stone and saved for posterity. Once something is typed and released to the wild, there is no controlling where it winds up.
Until next Tuesday, just Ask An Ambassador if you need help.
Bill & Liz aka BLiz
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