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How to Network - NOT!

By
Real Estate Agent with Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc.

"How to Network" is the title of a post I spotted today on the blogroll, and I clicked on through to read it because there was no profile photo...  I assumed it was an Activerain Newbie who I could encourage, in my role as an Activerain "Ambassador."  It's something I do nearly daily.

spam image (istockphoto.com)Unfortunately, this post turned out to be an example of blogging spam (which also kinda insulted his likely readers and customers) and the author was going to need guidance, not just encouragement - but I would begin with encouragement.

 

Wrong!  His comments are disabled so no possibility of that.   Okay... I'll click through to his profile and just give him a "welcome to Activerain" call, as I have some others.

Wrong again!  No phone number or profile info, as well as no picture, but there is a link to contact him by email.  Maybe when I finish this post I'll send him the link to it.

Are you beginning to see why I put "NOT" in the title of this post?

Curious now, I click on "My Blog" and discovered this was actually the author's 8th post, and his first post in December 2008 had five comments - all giving him a warm welcome to Activerain.  He must have discovered the "Disable Comments" button after that.

 

So here's my question... How does someone who apparently doesn't practice networking conclude that How to Network is a good blog topic for a group of people who are practically addicted to networking and do a darn good job of it?

And, to us he says... "THE BEST WAY TO NETWORK THESE DAYS ARE NOT THROUGH BLOGS, OR THROUGH FACEBOOK, OR MYSPACE..."  Which leads to my question #2:  Have you tried any of those?  I mean really tried? 

There are a lot of people on Activerain who have made a LOT of money and seen their search engine visibility go from some unknown back page to the first page just by networking on these social media sites.  Seriously, you won't know 'til you start reading and commenting on other members' posts, 'til you start writing your own posts in a conversational style that makes people want to read what you write (and, of course, enable comments), and 'til you join Activerain groups to maximize exposure for your posts.

 

NetworkingEddie, I think you would benefit a lot from Activerain, and I invite you to jump right in and participate in the community. 

You will meet many potential customers for your lead generation business and maybe even become friends with them.  In getting to know them, you will probably learn what's important to them so your blog posts can focus on their needs rather than insult them.  You will probably be on page one of google (and other search engine) results for searches on "leads for REALTORS" or "how real estate agents find leads" and other keyword phrases that might be used by potential customers to find a company that does what LeadTackle does - even people who don't participate in Activerain.

And you could write with authority on your topic today - "How to Network" - because your exposure would grow exponentially through Activerain, Facebook, etc. just by reading and commenting.

I hope you'll accept my invitation to "play" in the rain, and I know other Activerainers will encourage you, as well.  If you do, I suspect you'll soon be doing a re-write of the blog you posted today.

If you have any questions, just ask someone who has an orange badge reading "Ambassador" under their Activerain photo.  We're here to encourage and help you so you're not among those skeptics who don't "get" networking.

 

Posted by

This infoMargaret Wodarmation was provided to you by Margaret Woda, an Associate Broker with Long & Foster Real Estate in Crofton Maryland. Contact Margaret today for general real estate information or to learn how she can help you buy or sell a home in Annapolis, Bowie, Crofton, Davidsonville, Gambrills, and Odenton. 

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Comments(19)

Thesa Chambers
West + Main - Bend, OR
Principal Broker - Licensed in Oregon

I just hope next week he does not change his profile to call himself a coach - you are such a kind and giving person - I have so much admiration for you - thanks for being who you are

Jul 27, 2010 05:53 AM
William Johnson
Retired - La Jolla, CA
Retired

Hi Margaret,

I was just about to write something and stopped in my tracks as I read your first comment. Way to go Thesa ! We sure have had out share of "coaches"  who went the copy and paste route and are no longer with us, LOL.

I think you made a valiant effort and we can only help those that would allow us to do so. But if this person reads your post, I hope that he/she will not be afraid ( hesitant ) to at least put in some way to be reached and will enable their profile so this person can be reached out to. A great post and also a great reminder of why you are an Ambassador for our Network. Well done Margaret!

Jul 27, 2010 06:05 AM
Kathy Streib
Cypress, TX
Home Stager/Redesign

Margaret- You're nice.  What can I say.  Oh, yes, and generous too.  Instead of slamming this blogger, you took the kind adult motherly (hope you don't mind if I say this) approach.  He would be wise to listen to you.

Jul 27, 2010 06:29 AM
Christine Hooks
Pino Agency - Pennsville, NJ
Celebrating 25 Years in Real Estate!

Last night I noticed that a Realtor in my state had posted around 5 or 6 identical blogs re:  foreclosure with only a slight change in the heading.  I also noticed that a reblog had been tagged for a feature.

Most of what happens here is wonderful.  Every once in awhile, it leaves me shaking my head in wonder.  I still feel like a newbie even though I've been participating since November. 

There is much to learn!

Jul 27, 2010 06:51 AM
Leesa Finley
RED Properties - Wake Forest, NC
RED Properties - Raleigh NC Real Estate

It's great that you have tried several ways to "encourage" Eddie!  You offer some very valid advice and it comes from a perspective of experience and success - I hope he reads this.

Wake Forest NC House Chick

Jul 27, 2010 06:55 AM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Margaret, I just pushed the "suggest" button to increase the chances that this guy will see this!

Jul 27, 2010 07:09 AM
Liz and Bill Spear
Transaction Alliance 513.520.5305 www.LizTour.com - Mason, OH
Transaction Alliance Cincinnati & Dayton suburbs

Margaret, Some people REALLY don't get it!!  If he's been paying ANY attention at all, he'd know this!

Jul 27, 2010 07:20 AM
Margaret Woda
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. - Crofton, MD
Maryland Real Estate & Military Relocation

Thesa... Haha... So far, at least, he's not "wordy" enough to call himself a coach.  Really, he's not unlike many Activerain newbies who want to participate but don't know how.

William - I hope he doesn't take offense, because this all began with wanting to welcome and help an Activerain newbie.

Kathy - I had to re-write a few sentences so it didn't come across as harsh... that certainly wouldn't help anything, would it?

Chris - I can't tell you when that Newbie feeling goes away, but it will - I promise!  When someone is doing what you described, I usually do what I did here... reach out and try to encourage them to learn from other bloggers.  Most end up becoming good cyber-friends.  Maybe if you did this a few times, you would begin to feel like an experienced Activerainer.

Leesa - I have mixed feelings about that.. I'm concerned he might take offense if he reads this post.  Hopefully he will realize that we could have followed a much different communication path if he had enabled comments, include a phone number on his profile, even written something in his profile so I could have learned something about him and his company.

 

Jul 27, 2010 07:27 AM
Kathryn Maguire
GreatNorfolkHomes.com (757) 560-0881 - Chesapeake, VA
Serving Chesapeake, Norfolk, VA Beach

Margaret, if I was wearing a hat, I would take it off in honor of the diplomacy you just showed.  What a great example you have provided of constructively welcoming him and helping him to make the most of this forum.

Jul 27, 2010 08:03 AM
Mary Kay Hopkins
Mary Kay Hopkins, LLC e-PRO, GRI, CRS, CRB - Lake Charles, LA
e-PRO,GRI,CRS

Margaret, I see the word "diplomacy" has already, and appropriately been used.

"Suggesting" for this guy and others in his shoes.

You are the best!

Jul 27, 2010 08:13 AM
Paige Walker
Paige Walker - Pineville, LA
Real Estate Guru - Alexandria Pineville LA

Margaret Great advice and very well stated! I hope that Eddie will read your post and start seeing the advantages of Playig in the Rain!

Aug 01, 2010 02:29 PM
Margaret Rome Baltimore 410-530-2400
HomeRome Realty 410-530-2400 - Pikesville, MD
Sell Your Home With Margaret Rome

You are what makes AR the success it is!

Thank you, Pat Kennedy, for sharing Margaret's blog!


The other Margaret in Maryland!

Aug 01, 2010 02:31 PM
Pat & Wayne Harriman
Harriman Real Estate, LLC (203) 672-4499 - Wallingford, CT
Broker/Owners, Wallingford CT Real Estate

Margaret, I think he has deleted the post. Not sure if that means he was listening to you or just embarassed by his own message...

Aug 01, 2010 04:26 PM
Margaret Woda
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. - Crofton, MD
Maryland Real Estate & Military Relocation

Kathryn - Thanks, I'm not sure Eddie would agree... but really, what are the odds he even saw thiis (I decided not to forward him a link because it wasn't written so much for him as it was for other Newbies.)

Mary Kay - Insulting your readers by telling them how stupid they are to be reading your post because blogging is a waste of time... Is there a word for that?  I tried not to be offensive in my response, and I'm glad you think I did so without being offensive.

Paige - Honestly, if he's been here since 2008 and hasn't figured that out yet, he's not open-minded to the idea at all.  I really think he should leave the blogging to someone else in his company.

Margaret - Thank you!  I wondered where these new comments came from... I'll have to thank Pat for the mention.

Pat and Wayne - If he did, it was probably a good idea.  It was a bad idea for someone who doesn't believe in networking to write a "how-to" for networking and to use a networking platform to insult those who do network.  LOL.

 

Pat and Wayne - 'Just checked, and it's still there.  Eddie's blog.  It would appear that he didn't read this post (probably doesn't have a google alert set up for LeadTackle)...

Aug 02, 2010 12:27 AM
Michael Bergin
Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage - ABR - SRES - Alexandria, VA
Northern Virginia Real Estate

Nicely done Margaret.  My wife came home today to tell me that she had run into someone from a networking group she used to belong to.  She never got any referrals from this group, they had a static web site and social marketing was akin to the Man on the Moon.  Another example of How to Network - NOT.  And they wonder why she dropped out!

MB

Aug 02, 2010 02:06 PM
The 1410 Group of Benchmark Realty, LLC
Benchmark Realty - Franklin, TN

Great approach! I will also hit the suggest this blog! This should be on the front page!

Nashville twitter nashville facebook  Nashville short sales  Nashville MLS search

Aug 02, 2010 04:54 PM
Margaret Woda
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. - Crofton, MD
Maryland Real Estate & Military Relocation

Michael - Who could have imagined, when we joined Activerain, how much we would learn here!

Stephen - Thanks for the compliment... I suspect this is way to old a post to get featured now, but I'm glad you liked it.  One more thing, Stephen, I refrained from deleting your comment based on the fact that it's inappropriate to place all those links in a comment, but I'm guessing you're new to Activerain and don't know that.  Please take a few minutes to read the Activerain guidelines or you will find your comments being deleted by most people on Activerain.

Aug 03, 2010 12:40 AM
Speed Equity® Mortgage Acceleration System
Speed Equity® - Olympia, WA
We help your clients Own Their Homes Years Sooner

Margaret I always enjoy reading your blogs. You're always informative and educating newbies like me. For a minute there I thought you were referring to me = phew!!

Aug 03, 2010 04:18 AM
Margaret Woda
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. - Crofton, MD
Maryland Real Estate & Military Relocation

Haha... Harj, I really don't mean this to be a criticism of anyone, because many of us learned our way around Activerain via the School of Hard Knocks.  But it is ironic that someone who clearly doesn't participate in networking is writing a how-to.  If Eddie ever sees this, I hope he'll take this as a teachable moment, and not feel like we're all ganging up on him.

Aug 03, 2010 06:31 AM