I am enjoying this book so much that I'm not going to wait until I'm doing reading it to tell you about it! 

Naked Conversations by Robert Scoble and Shel Israel seems like it was written with the Active Rain blogger in mind.  This book is all about business blogging and how it is THE way to communicate with your intended audience. 

Why is blogging the best way for a business to communicate? 

Think about what "advertising" means to you.  What do you picture -- a TV commercial?  A magazine ad?  Maybe even a website or a virtual tour.

What's the main problem with each of those?  There is no TWO WAY CONVERSATION happening with any of them.  Mainstream advertising is about talking "at" people.  Blogs let you converse with people. 

• Blogging blows the lid off of "shut up and listen to me" advertising. 
• A blog welcomes you in.  A blog makes room for you in the conversation. 

People want  to talk.  It is a basic human need, to be heard.  You'll never hear a response if you talk to your TV.  But leave a comment on a blog, and chances are you'll hear back from the blogger. 

Blogging is affordable.  Thanks to Active Rain, all it costs you is time.  In a world where everyone seems to have their hand out, this is a refreshing change.  Your blog is available to anyone in the world with computer access.  Even the largest postcard mailing you'd ever dream of can't do that -- and certainly not for free! 

Having a blog may allow you to reduce your spending on advertising.

The "fresh pages" that are a direct result of blogging raises your SEO like nothing else.  People will find you faster if only you take the time to blog. 

Blogging as a Realtor makes perfect sense.  You are an independent contractor, your business is your own.  Speaking in your own voice in your blog lets people know you in a way no other form of advertising could ever allow.  Realtors sometimes bounce from one agency to another.  It's should be important to you that people remember YOU, and blogging accomplishes this with gusto!

I am not even halfway into this book and I'm on fire about what it has to say.  I fully expect to have a Part 2 of this review after I've finished reading.  But I will suggest to you that you not wait that long to get your own copy!