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Ask An Ambassador: Expectations Vs. Reality

By
Real Estate Agent with Transaction Alliance 513.520.5305 www.LizTour.com SAL.2002007747

Last night I watched the college football championship game.  What I expected beforehand based on the semi-final games was for a high-scoring game with TCU remaining competitive.  While I got the high scoring game I expected, the reality was I didn't expect ONE team to put almost all the points in the game!  

Many moons ago when I was taking my real estate licensing classes, I had some knowledge of what I was getting into thanks to Liz starting in the business 2 years prior.  I knew the reality of what I was getting into, but many of my fellow students were expecting easy money and little effort!  I often wonder how many (if any) of those students are still agents once the reality of the business set in?!

Blogging for business comes with its own set of expectations vs. reality.

 

Expectation:  Blogging will bring LOTS of business!

Reality:  It's possible, but the HOW you blog will have much to do with making that expectation reality.  Topic choice, frequency, quality, etc., matter.

 

Expectation:  Blogging will QUICKLY bring business.

Reality:  Most probably not.  For most of us, blogging is more of a marathon than a sprint.  It takes time to develop the right type of content to get results, and enough of that content to get found.

 

Expectation:  Blogging is easy.

Reality:  Perhaps.  For some people it's easier than for others.  If you already have an ability to write and have identified a target audience, blogging may be easy.  For others, it takes some time to develop the skills.  For others, hiring out the work would be the choice.

 

Expectation:  Blogging won't take up much of my time.

Reality:  Another, it depends.  I do believe that until you have a critical mass of content available for your target audience, you need to blog consistently, and IMO "consistently" isn't once a month, and probably not even once a week.  
If you have a list of topics, a library of photos, and the right mental state to blog (and minimal interruptions), then blogging probably won't take up too much of your time.  Consider the time spent an investment in future business.

 

If you're willing to put in the effort over the long term, blogging can be one of the most cost effective means of generating business, but managing your initial expectations is key to avoiding a "blogging doesn't work" result.

Until next Tuesday, just Ask An Ambassador if you need help,

Bill & Liz aka BLiz

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Serving Warren County Ohio & Adjacent Areas

The Liz Spear Team of Transaction Alliance
Elizabeth Spear, ABR, Ohio License SAL.2002007747

William (Bill) Spear, Ohio License SAL.2004011109  Kentucky 77938
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Comments (26)

Ray Henson
eXp Realty of California, Inc. (lic. #01878277) - Elk Grove, CA
Realtor

Thank you for the review and the tips.  I was surprised about last night's game too.  You would think that after so many tests that each team faced they would be more evenly matched.  TCU played so well last week and Georgia almost was eliminated.  Maybe that inspired Georgia to go out there with everything they had.

Jan 10, 2023 10:17 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

I'd watched the semi-finals too and that's what led me to expect more from TCU.  I think the semi games were GA at not their best and TCU at their best, followed by a flip last night.  

Jan 10, 2023 06:53 PM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Good afternoon Bill,

What a great analogy! I had different expectations of the game last night with lots of scoring but not by only one team! Blogging is not a magic bullet that is going to bring immediate success and instant gratification. It depends on the effort you put in  and always give it time , set proper expectations and you'll be surprised at what it can do for you! 

Jan 10, 2023 12:12 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

Ditto, I expected the scoring to go into the 60s, but not 65 by just GA!  I've never found a magic bullet that works in this business, just hard work and taking care of the fundamentals.  

Jan 10, 2023 06:54 PM
Michael Jacobs
Pasadena, CA
Pasadena And Southern California 818.516.4393

Hello Bill (and Liz too)- at times, great expectations can lead to big disappointments.  While realistic ones may not be as exciting in concept, the celebrations can be quite satisfying, when achieved.  

Jan 10, 2023 02:46 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

The Dickens you say!! :)
I'll have a quiet celebration if tomorrow's meeting leads to another new construction patio home or condo contract (thanks to blog posts and IDX pages from years ago!).

Jan 10, 2023 06:56 PM
Anna "Banana" Kruchten
HomeSmart Real Estate - Phoenix, AZ
602-380-4886

Expectations VS Reality- so so true Bill! In the early years of AR I made a point to teach a small segment in very CE class I taught to give them the opportunity to get on the blogging bandwagon.  After awhile I wasn't surprised to learn that most simply didn't want to put the time and energy into blogging - except for a few.  And those folks did quite well for sometime.  But not on AR anymore.  Great post!

Jan 10, 2023 02:48 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

For most agents, it just seems to be too much heavy lifting.  We knew for a few years before we started that we SHOULD, we just didn't.  We finally got started here and it's been worth every minute.

Jan 10, 2023 06:57 PM
Anna "Banana" Kruchten

So agree Bill!

Jan 10, 2023 07:39 PM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Hi Bill- Larry and I watched the game and was not expecting the lop-sided game we got. In fact better games were the Bowl Games. 

Jan 10, 2023 06:41 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

Definitely a one-sided game and unless you're a GA fan, probably not that enjoyable.

Jan 10, 2023 06:57 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

Love how you tied in the games this week with blogging. This is so true:

Managing your initial expectations is key. 

Jan 10, 2023 09:12 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

Our initial expectations was that blogging could work.  It took time (about a year) to get evidence that it worked for us, but the evidence got stronger as our blogging got better and more directed to the right audience.

Jan 11, 2023 06:59 AM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

We can all have those expectations and high ideals sometimes. Sometimes you have to see where it goes and take it from there..

Jan 10, 2023 10:33 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

Roll with the changes :)

Jan 11, 2023 06:59 AM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

I hope you all are a bit correct and we can set our expectations to reality overall this year.

Jan 10, 2023 10:43 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

It's the engineer in me, I tend to be a realist.

Jan 11, 2023 07:01 AM
Brian England
Ambrose Realty Management LLC - Gilbert, AZ
MBA, GRI, REALTOR® Real Estate in East Valley AZ

I was hoping for TCU to win the game because I like seeing the underdogs win, but now we all know why they were underdogs, haha.

Jan 11, 2023 03:58 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

Yep, they put the under in underdog that game.

Jan 11, 2023 07:01 AM
Patricia Feager, MBA, CRS, GRI,MRP
DFW FINE PROPERTIES - Flower Mound, TX
Selling Homes Changing Lives

Liz and Bill Spear - Bill, I like how your brain thinks. There is a big difference between expectation and reality. I liked hearing about your humble beginnings. I started out with high expectations because seeds were planted in my head by the couple I met at a Chamber Meeting. The Fortune 500 Company where I worked layed off 14,000 people. I wasn't too concerned because I had a nice package to hold me over and I was in the home stretch on achieving my MBA (with 2 months to go). I joined the Chamber and started applying for jobs after I graduated in DEC. As it turned out, the couple who were REALTORS persuaded (RECRUITED) me, stroking my intelligence after my achievement and told me how easy it was to make lots of $$$ if I joined their Brokerage Company. I did. I did not hit the ground running. Everything I learned to get the test and get licensed was not buyers and sellers expectations and I had a LOT to learn before I made money! But it was not consistent listings and buyers. I started in the big city Dallas, which I did not know was saturated with an over abundance of new realtors.  

Jan 11, 2023 05:02 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

Corporate layoffs and restructuring is a large part of why I took on the 2nd career with real estate.  You just never know when your number will be called to be part of the change.  At least I'm at the point where retirement from that becomes a viable option.

Jan 11, 2023 07:02 AM
Dr. Paula McDonald
Beam & Branch Realty - Granbury, TX
Granbury, TX 936-203-0279

Expectations are certainly important. And, as you put very clearly, expectations can change and need to change based on reality.

Jan 11, 2023 06:04 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

The only constant is change :)

Jan 11, 2023 07:23 AM
John Marshall - FORE!
LoKation Real Estate - Cherry Hills Village, CO
Specializing in Golf Course Properties

I've always considered blogging to be "virtual farming" or "attraction marketing" I get to choose the audience, and when and what I communicate to them, it attracts who I really want to work with, but content and consistency are key.

To your other point about newbies and their expectations, I often speak at real estate schools to the new agents, they are all very excited and hopeful and I am not one to burst their bubble, but when I tell them the reality of success in this industry and that it is not a get rich quick thing, the mood gets pretty somber. Which is when I tell them how important it is to find a mentor or a brokerage with exceptional training.

Jan 11, 2023 08:10 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

John, It's one of the things I like about this marketing approach, it's ideal for attracting my version of the ideal client.  I can narrow in to the right target audience and gain experienced clients who know what they want.

Jan 11, 2023 10:09 AM
John Marshall - FORE!
LoKation Real Estate - Cherry Hills Village, CO
Specializing in Golf Course Properties

On another note, that championship game was special for our Georgia State broker who actually attended the game, but not to cheer on the Bulldogs, her son plays for TCU, so very bittersweet.

Jan 11, 2023 08:12 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

Definitely a bittersweet opportunity.  Amazing to have made it there in the first place considering how big time college football isn't too keen on "outsiders" like TCU crashing their party.

Jan 11, 2023 10:12 AM
Hannah Williams
HomeStarr Realty - Philadelphia, PA
Expertise NE Philadelphia & Bucks 215-820-3376

Liz and Bill Spear  You never cease to amaze me. You always seem to hit the nail right on the head.

Happy New Year 

Jan 11, 2023 02:08 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

I have multiple hammers :)

Jan 11, 2023 02:50 PM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Well said, Bill. Expectations, like it or not, do not always match up with reality, especially if the are not realistic...in business, in life, and in blogging. I'd say you set forth some pretty realistic expectations for bloggers..new and experienced.

Jeff

Jan 11, 2023 04:57 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

We've been here long enough to have compiled quite the "been there, done that (or seen it)" list.

Jan 12, 2023 04:54 AM
faye schubert
Retired - Branson, MO
Living the Branson Lake Life

My experience with realtors is they didn't "have the time" or didn't like to blog.

They were looking for something with GREAT RESULTS but EASY ( pay for something and it automatically generates business).

Those realtors that I worked with that did blog, grew a very steady business over time. They are still in business today.

Jan 12, 2023 06:59 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

I love the fact that we control it, and it continues to give back years after the initial work.  I don't have to pay anyone (other than continued hosting for our Wordpress site and IDX fees), so it's also very cost effective.
No referral company that can change the rules, cut off our pipeline, etc., so we can stay in business as long as we choose to stay current and put in the effort.

Jan 12, 2023 10:40 AM
Ed Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally

I too was disappointed in the Championship game and expected much from TCU. In reality both games leading, up to the final were far better and Ohio state was a far bigger challenge to Georgia.

Blogging is an ever-present challenge to produce good content that will catch a reader and the SEO spiders and consistency is key.

Jan 13, 2023 08:52 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

As you might guess, I was rooting for the Buckeyes against GA.  Things looked good until Harrison got knocked out of the game.

Jan 13, 2023 10:31 AM
Thom Abbott
MyMidtownMojo.com |770.713.1505 | Intown Atlanta GA Condo Living - Atlanta, GA
Midtown Atlanta GA Condos For Sale

UGH...this struggle is so real it hurts!

Jan 14, 2023 07:51 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

It's easy to get sidetracked, so much to do, and not nearly enough time to do it all.

Jan 17, 2023 06:12 AM
Jan Green - Scottsdale, AZ
Value Added Service, 602-620-2699 - Scottsdale, AZ
HomeSmart Elite Group, REALTOR®, EcoBroker, GREEN

I'd say better than mass marketing as the message is constant and online and the only real cost is y our time, depending on where you get your photos.  Some like to pay for photos, I'm personally not a fan of paying for marketing.  Neighborhood marketing is a different story and has paid off well this past year. 

 

Great information for anyone who is new to blogging and wanting to get their feet wet!

Jan 14, 2023 01:50 PM
Liz and Bill Spear

That's one of the things I love about blogging.  Relatively little cost other than my time, and it's a better use of my time than many other business related things I could do.

Jan 17, 2023 06:13 AM
Diana Dahlberg
1 Month Realty - Pleasant Prairie, WI
Real Estate in Kenosha, WI since 1994 262-308-3563

For me the Bottom Line is Are my Expectations Realistic for who I am, what I bring to the table and the REALITY of what results from my consistent efforts?  Thank you for this thought provoking blog.  ps.  I did not watch the game so I had no expectations on that one. IMHO

Jan 21, 2023 11:51 AM
Liz and Bill Spear

Definitely need to know what suits us and what doesn't, and plan accordingly.

Jan 21, 2023 06:45 PM