What will you use your broom for?

Do you have the Welcome mat out for the NEW Localism? Are you using your broom to clean off your blog's Welcome mat?  Or for something else?

Have you provided the kind of local content that ActiveRain asked us to provide on the NEW Localism?

They are coming soon.  Jonathan said so...

"ActiveRain, real estate's leading online community, has released a dramatically updated version of its Localism neighborhood portal, where local residents, potential residents, and area merchants connect. Billed as the "World's Most Complete Neighborpedia"

We'll be connecting with them.  People.

I know how to stir the pot.  I think it is an art.  Not everyone is a fan of Stirring the Pot. 

Branding

In May we were sitting around sipping a little Real Living Kool Aid on ActiveRain talking about branding, the role of the company in promoting their brand and rehashing our recent Real Living Conference (Momentum 2008) when the conversation in the comments turned to a vendor that had attended the conference and what their service was.  The post:

Kool-Aid what's your favorite real estate flavor?

A woman named Brenda (non member not in the real estate industry not local) wandered in with a comment about that vendor and used the post to complain about her personal experience about that vendor.  Brenda was not bad mouthing my company or the brand, she was talking about a company we mentioned in the conversation in the comments and chose to share her experience about the brand.

"I came across this site while looking for complaints about ____.org.  I realize this is a real estate or realtor web site, but my recent experience with ____.org compells me to post a warning here for anyone thinking of using or recommending their "rebate" services.

I recently moved from NC to TX, with _____________________ as my mover.  Shortly after booking my move, I was contacted by "______________________" (a.k.a. ___.org).  I signed up for cable service through them because they promised a total of $250 in rebates for ______ phone, internet, and cable services.  The fine-print terms of the rebate state that it typically takes 16 to 18 weeks to receive your rebate.  Well, it's been more than 22 weeks and I have yet to recieve my rebates, despite numerous frustrating calls and e-mails to the _____.org "rebate center".  I have even gotten into a painful debate with service reps on more than one occasion regarding how many weeks have passed since I submitted my rebates on December 4, 2007. (that's right, I got into a debate on how to read the calendar!)

This is even more disappointing considering that I could have taken advantage of some rebates offered directly by _______.  Although the rebates would have been worth less, it would be more than what I've gotten so far from _____.org.  Unfortunately it's too late for me to apply for the direct ________ rebates.

At any rate, you might want to think twice about recommending ______.org to any of your clients.  You may run the risk that any negative experiences with _____.org will put your own organization in a negative light.  I am so disappointed with ________________ for even associating with this company, and even more so for allowing _____.org to use the name "___________________".  I hate to say it, but this might even make me think twice about using them for my next move. 

I'd also be intereted to hear of any other experiences (good or bad) that you've had with this organization...

Thanks!

p.s.  sorry for the long rant, but this whole situation just burns me up!

Not flattering.  Brenda "dissed" more than one business / brand.  A rant by her own admission. The comment was not  welcome on my blog.  I feel used when someone uses one of my blog posts to 'grind an axe"... promote their agenda, or especially to bad mouth a company or individual.  I used my broom to chase Brenda away... although Brenda came back to leave two more comments, basically defending why she chose the comments on my post to spread her poison about her experience with the companies.

I sometimes just delete quietly or Report as Spam but for some reason rather than deleting I just grabbed my broom and chased Brenda away this time....

Other examples

On a post on my Discover Columbus blog (my RealTown blog) on a post about Columbus I got a long comment from a woman complaining about FEMA in the wake of hurricane Katrina.  Very political. A rant?  She left the same comment all over the internet.  

I had an anonymous commenter leaving comments on both ColumbusBestBlog.com and Discover Columbus disparaging a teacher in one of the local school districts.  Actually her allegations were scandalous.  Her persistance in posting the comments over and over made me change my policy about moderating comments on Discover Columbus.

They will be here soon.  The others... on Localism  People who are not in the real estate industry.  The public are not all consumers.   

Will you use your broom to clean off the Welcome mat?

Or as needed....