Ben wrote earlier today about a number of new updates. There are a more to come of course but today I feel it's most important to talk about the new ability to group to group your ActiveRain Contacts.  As this Network grows it will help you to be able to discern your closer associates.

Now you can categorize your ActiveRain contacts and each can belong to multiple groups.  What was your associates list can now be broken down into categories.  This is useful for organizing the different types of relationships you form with The Real Estate Community.

 Do you have a specific group of blogs you love reading?  You can set up of your "Top Blogers."  This will make reading your favorite blogs much easier.

Set up groups for your local contacts, for the loan officers you keep in contact with, your advisor, or your friends you'd like to keep in touch with. 

Send Group Messages 

As you categorize these groups you can send out contact messages by group. Simply go to the contact groups page and select the contact link "contact (group name)."  You can put each member in multiple categories so be careful you don't repeat the same message over and over again to the same person.

Block Associates

You've also got to be careful because now you can block others who've added you.  When logged in simply go to the "my associations" link from your profile page. and click in the box to block a particular member who's added you.  They will not be able to add you again unless you uncheck this box.  The will still be able to cantact you via the contact form. 

How to Organize Them

Go to your Associates link and you will find a group of contacts with links across the top.  "Rename Section," "Add Associate" and "Contact Associates."  Click on the pencil    (our way of saying edit) and you will go to a page that let's you add in a comment about this person as well as add them to specific groups or create a new group to add them to.  You will see a check box at the top .  That box is telling you that the contact is a part of that category. 

Below that you can create a new group to add them to. Type in the group name (This will be publicly viewable from your profile page.) and click "Create New Group."  If a box is checked in that group name they will be added to the group.

Comment About Your Associate

In the comment box below I would encourage you to write something in about the member.  This public comment will show up on both your and their profile.  It gives others viewing that profile a chance to learn a little more about that person from your  perspective.

 

This is all to help create and organize more deep, and specific connections.  As This Network grows it is necessary to refine your connections.  Utilize the associates tools to help you do this.

Thank you,

Caleb Mardini