Dear Rebecca,

I'm new to blogging.  Can you help me out?

Signed,

-Jack

This was an email I received from a member of Connect2Agent.  It's not untypical for real estate agents of Connect2Agent and social networks I am involved with to ask me questions about blogging.  They might not get the same answers as they would from a fellow real estate agent or an SEO/technology consultant. 

Why?

• Because I am a corporate blogger.  I blog for my livelihood.  I concentrate on content. I feel that learning to write good content is a lifelong process. I feel that being a good conversationalist can begin immediately.
  
• Because I have made the real estate industry my home for 16 years.  I know what it's like to work with all parties, homeowner, buyer, seller, title company, mortgage company, home inspector, appraiser, builder, real estate attorney, corporate relocation company- you get the picture.
• Because I am a consumer.  I was a homeowner.  I was a homebuyer, I was a real estate seller.  I am a renter.

I wrote back to the Connect2Agent member and told him I would be glad to help and he wrote me back with a series of questions.  What made his email memorabl were his questions.  I wish I had asked the same questions when I began blogging.

What reminded me of the email were the sessions I attended at Blogworld Expo.  After attending and looking at the questions this real estate agent asked me I wouldn't change one response I wrote.  I thought it was worth a post, so here's the email dialogue verbatim.

Dear Jack,

Those are some questions:-) Okay, here goes.

1. Why should I blog?  You should blog because you can reach a wider audience(global on the internet) than you could in any other format. Plus, the prospects that contact you from your blog are higher quality because they are already sold on your services. This might help to explain the whole phenomena- it is a new post I wrote that was featured this past week: The new front porches of America are online.
2. Can you share a few samples with me that have been successful?  Not particular posts (articles) because it is the continuation of posts on the blog that makes it successful, rather than just one article. Here's a link to success stories: http://activerain.com/blogs/tags/activerain%20success%20story.  Also, about 2 weeks ago I had a homeowner call me to list their house because they had seen that I blog. I am not even a real estate agent.
3. What are the main points in a blog?  Each blog post(article) is different. You can write one post that's like a poem. Another post can be an interview. The most important part, like any good writing, is to make sure to have a point and communicate clearly. Know your topic and your audience.
4. Length?  You want to be no more than about 500-750 words. If it's longer than that it's best to break your post into 2 parts.**  Disclaimer- I still need to work on heeding my advice on this one**
   
5. Content?  That's up to you and there are different schools of thought. To bring in business, write your blog to homeowners and buyers, if you have a niche, concentrate on those homeowners and buyers. Topics should include timely news as well as sharing closing stories, local real estate conditions, you can write about your listings, you can interview a local shopowner or handyman (those would be very timely now that we are approaching fall/winter season).
6. To whom should I blog?  The best is to write 3-5 posts/per week and maintain 1 blog first. If you want to network with more real estate professionals, you can add social networks to your blogging platform.
7. How often should I blog to the same person or should I blog only once to a person? What should I not say in a blog? Be mindful of your fair housing regulations and abide by those as well as any other requirements you have as being a licensed REALTOR. Don't violate copyright laws by using copyrighted material; Don't plagarize.
8. If you are very new to blogging, I recommend that to get your feet wet, you read and comment on other blogs. You will start to feel more comfortable with the idea of blogging and being very open with your thoughts. You'll also get a good idea of how you write, what blogging styles you like and don't like when you do this.

Respectfully,

Rebecca D. Levinson

I started to learn what blogging meant (I didn't know) exactly one year and one week ago.  I wrote this email two weeks before I went to the Blogworld Expo.  I am sharing this email in a post 2 weeks after I attended Blogworld Expo.

What's changed for me as a blogger?  I have found my voice and let the readers come more naturally.  I have confirmed through industry led panels and disussions that my gut has been right.  I am ready to rock 'n'roll.

I probably could've summed up my email to Jack in three words:  Read, comment, and write.

The rest will come when you are ready for it and you'll save yourself a lot of wrong turns in the process.

Can you climb in your wayback machine and remember when you first started blogging? What would you do the same? What would you have changed? Please share by commenting below.