Home : Blogs : Kristal Kraft ~Denver Real Estate~303-589-2022 : Denver Real Estate & Relocation

Think About the Future... ADD VALUE.

a large hand holding a house Real estate blogging on Active Rain has become a way of life for many. Others are just joining and are questioning our little social community. As we come together we all need to recognize the importance of our blogs and how it affects our future.

The blogs are getting indexed by the search engines. By this I mean what we say is being stored for future reference to the world. Is this important? You bet it is.

Blogging may feel like play at times, but in reality we are opening our minds and exposing our thoughts to the digital world. As Active Rain grows we will become more of a force...even more than we are now in our infancy.

While increasing your web presence remember to ADD VALUE when blogging. How do you deliver benefits?

present a real estate problem and solve it
feature a focused topic on real estate (in your town)
respond to comments
look to trigger thoughts, support or suggestions
stimulate real estate discussion

Blogging will impact our real estate business. Finding YOUR own personal voice that will be heard in this community and beyond is important. Realizing what we do today will impact what happens tomorrow is exciting and frightening as the same time.

How could something so important be so much fun? And free too!!

Colorado Licensed Broker ABR - Accredited Buyer Representative CIPS - Certified International Property Specialist CRS - Certified Residential Specialist The Berkshire Group Realtors 3801 E. Florida Ave. Suite 400 Denver, Colorado, 80210 USA	Mobile: 303-589-2022 Fax: 303-953-5362 kristal@tbgdenver.com Denver Real Estate and Relocation Denver Home Search
Selling Denver and the 'burbs

Posted by Kristal Kraft ~Denver Real Estate~303-589-2022 on 09/21/2006 06:40 AM

Comments (61)

active rain, blogging, blog, add value, denver, colorado, real estate, featured, kristal kraft realtor

Originally posted at: The Official ActiveRain Guide: Think About the Future... ADD VALUE.

This post has been included in Colorado Information

61 Comments on Think About the Future... ADD VALUE.

SEP

2006

Kristal that is all so true. And remember this, once your blog is in cyberspace it will be there forever! Make sure what you write (if it is public) can be read by anyone, so 10 ywars from now when you go to get a job and they google you...........well, think about that.

You are so right Bryant! That's what I find frightening about it. Hopefully our insight and knowledge will maintain over the years. Or things will change so much, we will be as irrelevant (or extinct) as the dinosaurs..

Good advice and tell some stories and results as well

This is so true... and I couldn't help but notice that you put the words "real estate" in boldface throughout your post. Hmmm...

I've been thinking for the last few days that I rarely post about real estate. Uh-oh. Baxk to the delete button?

I've found information on Google that is over 5 years old. Although they do a reasonably good job with relevancy, who knows?!

It took me a long time to learn this the hard way...at first it was all about the points for me. When I went back and tried to delete posts I thought were not worthy, it cost me all my points. I wish there was a way as a member I could delete posts that are not worthy from the past without losing my current standing.

Great advice, Kristal! As I try to find my "voice", I try to keep all the great advice I'm learning here on AR in mind.

I enjoy reading your posts, those about places in your local area as well as all the tips and advice you share.

Thanks for another great tip!

Ann, www.AnnCummings.com

Imagine how many generations will be able to see what it was like to live in our era. The internet is trully amazing. I think we should keep up the good work. We all know that something else is around the corner for us to change over to. Change is hard but it is all good for us. Lets keep moving forward

Yes, future generations will marvel at how we marveled at such backwards concepts. Just the same I get chills thinking of all the really cool stuff we can do. (as I play on my tablet at the airport)

Blog comments that are off topic and not about real estate could shared through links in the profile secion.

The best points come from beefing up the profile and inviting others.

Message boards, blogs and lists all help those with a particular interest or field, such as real estate exchange ideas (sometimes with different views) and help solve problems. The opportunity to communicate quickly with other real estate people besides the competitor in the local REALTOR board is, IMO, one of the healthiest things offered real estate people for along time.

Reminders aside, tho, real estate professionals are typically tolerant people and if one their own kind falls off the topic wagon, we just hope your tale makes us laugh or cry, but doesn't bore us.

Great point - as always you are on the leading edge!

When I've decided to write something clearly not for the general public, I've used the Members Only feature. Seemed like a fairly simple solution.

The flip side of this debate is if your blog is nothing but the usual marketing pablum inundating the public from all sides, you'll likely be tuned out.

There doesn't seem to be anything wrong with a voice off-key, as that could be the difference that attracts a client to you. As I've told my friends and family for some time, if I could market myself only to the sarcastic, I'd probably do it.

Jonathan, if we could market to only the sarcastic, I think you'd own the West Valley and I'd own the East. Hmm...how can we do that?

Kristal, this is another great post. I also find myself tryly grateful for the platform and community AR provides, and the free aspect of it makes it just a little sweeter.

Kristal,

You bring up a very important point. Now I need to go back and delete my French Maid costume!!??? I think everyone still needs to retain his/her personality on this site, else no one will read this because we will all sound the same. (Although picturing your great grandchildren doing a genealogy or something and reading your posts is a little exciting)

The internet is a powerful tool and customers spend alot of time on the internet doing research or just to kill time. It is important to take advantage of this opppurtunity.

In the short time I've been in AR, I've found incredible, relevant information that deals with our daily business lives. Some of this information inspires, some of it makes you think and even laugh. Thanks Kristal for your insight, would hate to have something out there that we may regret.

Ines

Very interesting post Kristal. I wish that everything that we said in real life could be captured and stored...

Part of "finding our voice" is in the maturation of our thoughts, testing what works and what doesn't, finding the "truth" in our hearts and minds.

We attract people who are like us, and that like us. It is part who we think we are and part what other people think about us.

Some folks are better at using words, than others...we are learning.

Occaisionally in life there are those monemts of unuterrable fulfillment which cannot be completely explained by those sybols called words. Their meanings can only be articulated by the inaudible language of the heart.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Kristal Kristal,

I hope to put together a decent blog about my recent experience with ActiveRain and referrals. I am so excited and honored to be a part of this website. I believe I accidentally heard about this website through Jacquelyn Richey's site on one of those networking sites (not this one). What a great accident!!! Blogs really do work and they really do show up on search engine searches. Look for my blog to come today or tomorrow. It is getting late and I have dinner plans so maybe later tonight or tomorrow.

Your Mortgage Man,

Nima

203.913.6016

http://www.MyNima.com

http://www.ActiveRain.com/MortgageMan

You've 'Kristal-ized' the long-term significance of blogging in this post. Excellent points to keep in mind as we move forward. This should be required reading for all new members.

You're so right, Kristal. What we quickly write is here for posterity - we can be ourselves, but need to remember that thousands of people are potentially reading our musings. Maybe Matt et al want us to learn this before they start the big promotion to the public!

Joshua, I think I can speak for most of us, there are posts that we are not particularly proud of. I for one have deleted both blogs and comments that I felt didn't work well. Sometimes blogging is venting and it may or may not be appropriate it. Don't worry about losing points, if the blog is really bad, if it's just a "beginner thing" your ancestors will recognize that you were just practising! :)

Jonathan, "sarcastic" now there's a niche! That's one I never thought of...

Karen, I love your French Maid costume. We don't have to be totally serious all the time. In fact the "associates only" posts are the ones that keep us laughing, identifying and enjoying each other. Our personalities show through. You will remain in my memory for your humor...let it shine, Own it!

Ines, reflection is just as important as humor. AR does Inspire us, it's forcing us to think and write...oh my!

Alisa, do I know you? ABR, CRS, NAR Certified E-pro Trainer WATCH out for flying Tomatoes. E-Pro trainer...

Sharon, you bet people are reading our bloggings. I've had several comments from the general public. We've only just begun!

John, Kristal-ized, did that make the Lovely Wife's list? I really like it!

Very well done Kristal!

Kristal, very interesting point and very well said. The above comments too are very good!

I find that writing my blog tends to make me think more deeply about the subject I write about. It has been good for me.

Jeffery, that is so true! I was just talking to Sara L. tonight about that very fact. We find the practice is helping us express our thoughts. Neither of us felt we were very good at it, but we certainly feel we are improving. I know Sara is!

SEP

2006

"The Lovely Kristal"

My turn to take a turn...Purr. ROAR...Goes KK "A Big Cat"

I have started a post similar to this. I will hit the delete button. I am glad you did it. This needed to be addressed...I am pleased it came from you.

I write my Blog as a " counter" to Broker Bryants...me hubbie. Our Sellers are directed to these Blogs so they can get to know the both of us better. The Lovely Wife...to them is no longer a mystery...they can go to my Blog...meet me and our family...and see for themselves why "Broker Bryant" can not "afford to lose".

Years from now when "Caleb Broker Bryant" is running "The Tutas Towne Empire" he will read the Blogs to see what his Grandfather would have done about it! This is COOL.

Kristal-ized...not yet...I will start a new list. Presently this new term (which I love) would get lost. I will create a new home for these. Consider it noted.

Now what I have just done is what I call: "A Box Blog"...Sorry about that. Someday Caleb Broker Bryant will look at this and chuckle at his Grandmother...This I am sure he will do...after he hoses me down and changes my diaper.

Kristal...You are Purrific...there's another one for my new list!

by "The Lovely Wife"...Kum La Ka Lakka...ROAR!

SEP

2006

Dear Lovely Wife, Looking toward the future and looking back with the eyes of our progeny make you stop and think, "do I really want my kids reading this?"

"The Lovely Kristal-You Big Cat You"

Absolutely...I want my Grand Children to know I was laughing at them for having to take care of me...by the time CBB is old enough for that I probably will not know I am wearing a diaper...And I will not be able to laugh at him when he has to change it.

by "The Lovely Wife"...Kum La Ka Lakka...ROAR!

The ultimate, "what goes 'round, comes 'round" our babies changing us.

uie!

DEC

2006

Absolutely agree with you. I think VALUE is the key that can differentiates me.

JAN

2007

My broker is always talking about sharing something of value with your clients. This could be an update on interest rates, current household inventories, average days on market, average sold price. It could be talking about what is happening in the community with transportation, planning, future projects the city has going and the like. This would seem to be an endless blog topic and one that many realtors would find hits that push/pull marketing I just read on one of the last 100 pages I clicked on. :) We are the front line to the consumer and for representing our industry as one of integrity, pride, honesty and complete customer satisfaction. What have you shared of value today with your clients? sphere of influence? or even with your friends? spouse or significant other? children? Can you see how this could snowball into always saying something worthwhile? Gosh forbid......

SEP

2008

Kristal, this is a great post from way back, but still holds true today. I know I'm really trying to add more value to my blog.

NOV

DEC

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