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Active Rain is one of the best resources for California REALTORS-ask CAR

Everyone that knows me knows I'm basically honest, and wouldn't endorse anything I didn't believe in. I believe we should never blindly follow anyone, I don't care how important everyone else thinks they are. Personally I want to make sure that my choice fits my own needs, and those of my clients. Well, today I am very happy with Active Rain, and especially a couple people that showed me the right way to use this great resource.

Active Rain

This morning I sent out a Group email to the members of SO CAL Pass Area Communities and other Interests thanking them for their participation and asking if they knew of anyone else that wanted to join. I personally have done business with 3 of the Group Members, and have talked to almost all of them.

This Group was started at the suggestion of Laurie Manny a longtime Active Rain member and former Moderator. Months ago I had called Laurie to ask her opinion on how I could better utilize Active Rain's resources. Her suggestion was to start a Group, a Local One. We all know we have several Groups for Franchises, States, and about 5,000 other things, but there wasn't a hyper local one for me :)

Anyway, after Laurie's tutelage (that's a word for you Jason ) I tried to get members that were in my area. Not just my small area, but everything in this part of Riverside or San Bernardino County. I truly admire Laurie Manny, and her opinion so I made the group, but expanded it to include people we could refer to, or do business with...like Sally Cheeseman for Military or other Relocation's to Hawaii.

Our local Active Rain Group now includes:

2 stagers from the City of Temecula
2 RE Companies in Banning
1 RE Company in Temecula
1 RE Agent in Temecula
1 REALTOR in Hawaii-a great referral for Military Relocation's
1 Palm Springs REALTOR
1 Home Inspector in Rancho Cucamonga
and someone in Texas that keeps us on our toes (Linda Scanlan)

These are the people that have been active, that have added value to all of us that work in the Real Estate Profession in California. We all have our specialties, and our areas that we like to work, but the common thread is that we all saw the value of Active Rain and working together through our Group.

And if you don't believe in the Power of the Rain, I actually felt validated in my choice, and my decisions when I opened up my California Association of Realtors Magazine and it mentions Active Rain under technologies to help CA REALTORS, and about webinars to teach you how to use this resource. How good is that :)

It felt good to know that I was on the right track, and for the right reasons : Networking, and Tools for my Real Estate Business.

So, my suggestion would be not to worry about who has more points, who has the biggest Subscriber List, Who knows more about Widgets, or SEO.....concentrate on what will help YOU help your clients. Use all the tools that Active Rain has and find a group of local members and work together.

After all it is only by working together that we will all benefit.

Posted by Kathy McGraw, Riverside County CA Real Estate on 02/26/2009 03:45 PM

Comments (23)

Active Rain Success in the Networking Channel

active rain groups, active rain, california association of realtors, working together to benefit everyone, thank you laurie manny

Originally posted at: Kathy McGraw's Real Estate and Life Blog: Active Rain is one of the best resources for California REALTORS-ask CAR

Post is included in group: POSITIVE ATTITUDE for the Weary Soul
Post is included in group: The Art Of Marketing You
Post is included in group: Southern California Real Estate Forum
Post is included in group: SO CAL Pass Area Communities and other Interests
Post is included in group: Active Rain Newbies

23 Comments on Active Rain is one of the best resources for California REALTORS-ask CAR

FEB

Kathy - This is actually a very good idea. Laurie has those every now and again:) I suppose it might not be a bad idea to think about doing something similiar from my end.

I love the idea of starting a local group! I think I'll look into doing that.

Hi Jason- Yes Laurie has given me other suggestions as well, a great resource. I love our Group, and just told them maybe we should have a meet-up since most of us are no more than 45 minutes away from each other. It's been nice to network together.

Ann- We have a few more people in the Group too, but they aren't active. Our Group allows pretty much everything, so it's nice. Now if we had one person that only posted listings all the time, then I am sure the rules would change. But at this time, it's a good way to learn who is in our area, and what resources we have collectively. The tricky part is if you end up with Agents that believe sharing hurts their business, but if they are already on Active Rain that should be at a minimum :) Good luck with it.

I agree Kathy. I find that some of the most valuable time I spend on AR does not earn me any points at all. I try to send about 5 - 10 personal messages to Realtors in my area each day I'm in the office and I have even offered them a special discount for trying our services but I have been able to do it one by one and have had an overwhelming response from the individuals I have contacted!

HI Kathy,

Way to go on getting a feature!

Good for you and good post.

Tamara

Hi Kathy - How smart are you Girlfriend! When I read the group email you sent out this am I thought to myself Kathy should blog about this Group email. You have done a fantastic job as the Moderator and I thank you for that. :)

I am so happy to be a part of SO CAL Pass Area Communities and other . BTW - The other Temecula Home Stager in the group and I actually had the pleasure to meet and drive together to a Home Staging Expo in LA. Ahhhhh the Power of the Rain!! Gotta love it

One more thing......I think it's a great idea to have a meet-up as you suggested in your Group Email. Tell me when and where and I am there!

Great idea, Kathy, if I tried that here, I would be the only one in it. :)

Let us know how your first group lunch goes.

Kathy ActiveRain has been a good resource for me. I have looked at other sites but have not found them to be as good a Networking site as this one.

Okay...have I put anything in there? I better remember to do so. Seems to me when they did all their tweaking a lot of my posts disappeared from many groups. Now...do I go through 700 posts to revise all that? LOL.

I think it's an ongoing thought...ActiveRain...ActiveRain ActiveRain....

John-sounds good..I see you are in Sunland, I remember hiking in the hills up there many years ago :) Hope you find AR to be a good tool for networking. Giving back is one of the most important parts of this network.

Tamara-Interesting that you thought this was Featured cuz it is in the Newsletter...2 different things, but thanks anyway :)

Janice- Appears good minds think alike :) And I met the other Stager on Twitter, and saw she was from Temecula and invited her to the Group. So glad you two have had the opportunity to meet and share your Professional experiences. And yes, let's try to set something up....we have half the Group in your area, and the other half scattered.....think we should go to Hawaii for the meet-up, what do ya say :)

Virginia-If you are the only one, then you can join our Group, we'd love to have you, and you can write about your area, we just might have someone wanting to move there :) And if you are the only one blogging then you have a heads up to your competition.

Hi George- I hear you :)

Sally-Since you are all over the rain, and with the recent changes I have seen several things disappear or appear.... LOL :) Anything from Hawaii is a nice treat for any Group here. Can you imagine that the CAR newsletter talked about webinars teaching us about Active Rain :) Kinda makes your Post from yesterday all that more important!

Community is great, isn't it! ;)

FEB

Colleen- yes it is :)

Hey Cali friend! What a cool idea you put into place for your area. The AR community is full of great people, great benefits, and so much out there for all of us to keep learning from.

Ann

Kathy,

I people don't realize that the consumer doesn't know or care about points...why would they...it doesn't benefit them.

I consider myyself the Lone Ranger of AR here, although a few have been lassoo-ed and are limping along. I do an awful lot of shootin' & shoutin' about it, for sure! Is this more of an online group? I'd be interested in knowing more how it's structured. Can you please share the steps for a successful roundup? I'd love to get a lot more folks riding here! :-)

Kathy, I think that is a great group to have. I think AR is such a great resource nationally and think locally we are very supportive. I know that when I need to refer to DC, I have Pat, Virginia, I have several of my friends to choose from. Just goes to show you the power of AR. Good for you.

Hi Kathy, This is a really good idea. It's nice to have several professions all coming together for a locational group in Active Rain. Well done!

Hi my Portsmith N. H friend,I really like our Group, I feel I know the ones I mentioned, and we have a few more but they aren't active. It does make a difference if you are active, just as in any community....this is our little online community :)

Neal-Exactly....sometimes people concentrate on the wrong things. But hey, everyone's different :)

Mara-I was lucky and already knew who some of the people in our area. I sent them an email inviting them to the Group. I am sure there are more people that could join, but you now how that is. Like I said I have done business with 3 of them. I really think that we will have that get together was mentioned.....but anyway, just go into your area, and find people to invite that are already on here. It's easier that way as they at least see some benefit of being online.

Audrey- I have a whole list of people to refer to also. One day during our rainy time I had to drive through another town, it was such a nice thing to Tweet one of the members and ask how the weather was there :) Yes a few of us also follow each other on Twitter too.

Marian- I do like the idea, and now am ready to bring it to the next level :) You have a few people in your area, and could do the same thing :) Our own Localism .....

Kathy, It sounds like a wonderful group for S. California and you already have many members. I had looked not long ago for Long Island but found only Realtors....might not be a bad idea to do it for this area too (with your permission :) Laurie gave you a wonderful idea and nice of you to pass it along.

hi K and congrats on your new group, I've been busier than busy so I'm just catching up on my reading. Nothing like a great bunch of Rainers to put a project together! Have a great weekend!

Hi Carole- Yes, Laurie had a great idea :) The other day an AR person from your area commented on my Post. One of the original members....maybe you know her. I will find the name for you, and maybe you can start one yourself.

marti my friend,When aren't you buys :) I just love your March Wallpaper...had to say that! Maybe you can come to our meet-up in the Wine Country of Temecula, after your snow melts of course :) I do love figuring out how to use whatever available resources better, and we have some great people in the Group.

MAR

Hawaii sounds fabulous! I'll fly if you buy! ;)

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