What to do on the rain.

I got this email contact from a new person on the rain.   Here it is "I went on to read your latest blog and saw you are from Michigan. I am fairly new to AR. But I am trying to gain points and network. Any ideas??"

Here is my reply. There is so much to tell you to do on the rain.

1. Join the Active Rain newbie group and SEO and Blogging.  Read one or two posts and comment on them.  You will learn so much by joining the different groups on marketing, internet strategies and more.  Read through the groups.  Be a member and learn. Commenting will help you build relationships.  You can learn more on Active Rain than many seminars and costly sales training.
2. Be consistent on the rain.  If you have the time do the maximum each week.  If you can post 10 blogs a week and comment on other peoples blogs 10 times a day.  By commenting on others blogs will be how you build relationships.  Be nice, be helpful.  Use their name when commenting.  Help others without being overbearing, rude, or all-knowing.  Building a presence in your community and on active rain takes time.  So don't get discouraged when it doesn't happen in a month or six months.  Because the rain is like mother nature.  You may go through a drought and not get any referrals or contacts from customers for months, then get 2 in a week.  You will never know when it pour.                                            
3. Blog as much you can.  Use longtail keywords.  Write about your area.  Write about your daily experiences being positive, being helpful in a down home way.  Upload pictures to give potential clients a visual picture of your community.  Give the consumer all the free information you can.  I believe you should write about your area and helpful consumer info at least 7 posts every week. It will rain on you. 
4. Give them your contact info.  Be helpful but not a sales pitch.  Don't brag but do the subliminal sales pitch.  Be the nice real estate agent.  Helping potential clients.  
5. Post listings when you have them but don't just use it for listings.  Let your clients know that you have posted on active rain.. 
6. If you don't have a personal website get one. (not a company webpage)  Then blog away.  Hyperlink back to your website. 

There is so much I could tell you about the rain but it would be pages long.