Special offer

I'm Useless, You're Useless, We're all Just a Bunch of Useless Real Estate Agents

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Kirby Fine Homes

Minnesota Real Estate from the SkyGeez, seems like ages ago (well, almost two years now) that I have been on the Rain. I have seen it all. Rants, whines, controversies, points, photos, you name it, it has been here on this blogging network. I have never thought it a useless system, nor have I thought blogging to be useless either.

When my husband bought me the book "Blogging for Business" back in early 2006 as I lay in bed pregnant with my second child, who knew I would grow to love communication through blogging so much that I would have four blogs!  So maybe because of this love, and what blogging has brought to me, I can easily so get riled up when someone calls me a useless real estate agent.

The other day I was given a package put together by a fellow real estate agent here in the Twin Cities, which highlights ways to get your listings high in the search engines by putting them on Craigslist, stuffing them with keywords, and you guessed it, putting them on Active Rain, and using its Google juice to rev up your listing.

It is mentioned that blogging is great for only the promotion of your listings, and any agent that blogs for anything else, has "too much time on their hands". (can you start to understand how I was getting slightly annoyed by reading this?) It is also mentioned that bloggers produce a lot of useless articles about nothing, that do not generate business at all.

Hmm, that's interesting. I blog. I thus have too much time available to myself. That in turn makes me a useless agent. Hmmm, I write posts about my niche market, local news, and local real estate, but all those posts, according to this package, are useless.

I guess I should follow the old real estate business model which would have me going into my broker's office, sitting at a desk from 9-5, and praying that business walks in the door or calls me on the phone. But since the Internet has changed everything, do real estate agents really have to work 24-7 to be successful? Do we really need to be "working" to not be useless?

My blogging has not only helped me create a strong niche here in the Twin Cities, but I have gotten most of my clients through blogging, and the google juice it has awarded me.  Clients want to see who their real estate is as a person, and what type of marketing they provide. The only way to do this succesfully in today's market is to blog, blog, blog...about useful things, not just about your listings.

Diane Daley
Caron's Gateway Real Estate - Northumberland, NH

Good post,  Sometimes I read the useless ones too becuase they give me a chance to relax maybe to someones funny story...  Either way,  I think blogging is productive for the blogger at the time...  Diane

Oct 27, 2008 06:43 AM
Sean Dreznin
NAI Tampa Bay - Sarasota, FL
Commercial Investment Real Estate Agent

Jennifer,

A refreshing take on an old blogging classic of "Why Blog?"...

I certainly concur, that while it is ok to toss in a listing now and again, unless your fingers emit some of the clatter filling our domes, then listings tend to become white noise in the world wide internet!

Sean

Oct 27, 2008 06:45 AM
Ryan Shaughnessy
PREA Signature Realty - www.preasignaturerealty.com - Saint Louis, MO
Broker/Attorney - Your Lafayette Square Real Estate Partner

Agreed - blogging isn't just about listings.  It is about sharing experiences and knowledge.  If the person thinks that blogging doesn't generate business, then I would assume that he or she wasn't doing it right.  In 1 month of blogging, I have received 1 referral and 1 speaker invitation.  I made 2 non-ageint service related referrals that my customers thought were fantastic.  At least for me, I'm still loving it. 

Oct 27, 2008 06:46 AM
Jennifer Lew
DocuSign, Inc. - Seattle, WA

Jennifer- I stand firmly by my belief that no one has the right to judge what a real estate agent should and should not be doing to grow their business.  Your post speaks very well to that point.  Even if you are blogging for pure entertainment, it still does not make you a useless agent.  Great post!  

Oct 27, 2008 06:52 AM
Matthew Ricker
Keller Williams - Portland, OR

I agree.  What's the alternative?  I feel that you need to distance yourself from the pack.  Blogging helps you to do it.  Keep it up.

Oct 27, 2008 06:53 AM
Suzanne Gantner
Realty Texas - Round Rock, TX
GRI, E-Pro, SRES, SRS, ABR, CNE, REDS, CPS, WCS

People like to do business with people they know.  Blogging is one of the top ways to get yourself out there, it allows people to read about you and your thoughts.  Don't let those naysayers tell you any different.  In addition, if I wanted to refer one of my clients who was moving to your city, I go in to AR and read up on the agents, then pass them along if I think it would be a good match. Keep blogging!!

Oct 27, 2008 06:54 AM
Evelyn Panning
Property Connections Realty Inc. - Alturas, CA

Blogging is a little like life -- you do and talk about a little bit of everything.  Hopefully the human touch can then shine through when prospective clients are searching for an agent. ~ Evelyn

Oct 27, 2008 07:07 AM
Jennifer Kirby
Kirby Fine Homes - Minneapolis, MN
The Luxury Agent

Diane - yep, blogging works for now. In a world of information at our fingertips, I wonder how long blogging will be functional before it too becomes a thing of the past.

Sean - I like your "white noise" analogy. I find blogs that are all listings, or have no photos, to be very boring..I never visit again.

Oct 27, 2008 07:10 AM
Nelson Carrillo
Real Estate eBroker, Inc. - Phone: (619) 940-6560 - Bonita, CA
South San Diego, CA Homes For Sale

Yep! I can not agree with you more.  I think thats how you get your readers trust, eventually we'll enjoy the leads that come from there.  Agents who blog as advertising their listings, its just a waste of time. In my opinion, its very important to win prospects over by reading your useful information.  They'll call.

Oct 27, 2008 07:13 AM
Jennifer Kirby
Kirby Fine Homes - Minneapolis, MN
The Luxury Agent

Ryan - I think blogging helps to build long term relationships with clients, for they can really see who you are and what you believe in. I have been contacted by many people who aren't planning on buying for a year, but they keep in contact with me and I know they will be a client in the future.

Jennifer - only an agent can determine what is useful to them and their business. Blogging can possibly be broken down to working for those that can write well, and not so good for those that can't.

Oct 27, 2008 07:15 AM
Jennifer Kirby
Kirby Fine Homes - Minneapolis, MN
The Luxury Agent

Matthew - blogging does set you apart from the rest of the lemmings. Until and agent can step out of the box and take a chance on blogging, they will never get it.

Suzanne - you are right, blogging has been a huge resource for me for referrals. I can look over someone's blog and determine if they are a good fit for my client, instead of doing it the old way, and looking in a phone book.

Oct 27, 2008 07:20 AM
Jennifer Kirby
Kirby Fine Homes - Minneapolis, MN
The Luxury Agent

Evelyn - the human magic touch...I like that.

Nelson - building trust through blogging! Even better!

Oct 27, 2008 07:22 AM
Teri Eckholm
Boardman Realty - White Bear Lake, MN
REALTOR Serving Mpls/St Paul North & East Metro

Jennifer--I was sitting at a forum where someone brought up that she was going to post some of the information on her blog and the group started snickering...Keep laughing I say and You and I will keep blogging for business. ;)

Oct 27, 2008 12:23 PM
Jennifer Kirby
Kirby Fine Homes - Minneapolis, MN
The Luxury Agent

Teri - those that are laughing just don't get it...lemmings.  :)

Oct 27, 2008 02:17 PM
Bill Gassett
RE/MAX Executive Realty - Hopkinton, MA
Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate

Whoever made that statement obviously does not know much about marketing!

Oct 27, 2008 02:28 PM
Susan Harrison
EXIT Realty Corp. International - Mississauga, ON

Hi Jennifer - I attended a conference last summer and one of the 1/2 day sessions was entirely about blogging.  Some of those people certainly did have too much time on their hands :).  However, when done in a focused, consistent manner, it can be a very valuable source of information for the public and leads for the agent.  Is there one particular type of post that you've found attracts the most leads?

Susan

Oct 28, 2008 12:09 AM