Lessons learned from my AR journey up to 100K points

This post will be the one that will help me finally pass the 100,000 point barrier.  It is a very unique number in that in reality it means nothing, but it a badge of accomplishment just the same.  I think of an automobile’s odometer passing 100,000 and I feel I need to trade it in for a newer model.  I hope if my wife ever sees that I have personally passed the 100,000 marker that she doesn’t feel the same way!

 My journey started in September 2008 with my first blog.  Like a lot of people on this site, I started strong with 31 entries the following month.  Then, looking backwards, I see I didn’t post anything again till March of 2009!  I made a commitment then to stay on task and have at least posted one blog a month since then but never came close to ever matching my 31 posts in the second month of being a member.

 Here are a few observations of what I could have done better:

• Taken the time to use some of AR’s online help systems and training;
• Determined an AR business plan (just like any other business plan complete with mission statements, goals and objectives);
• linked my blog to my website sooner to take advantage of the SEO;
• added more people that I met who were true critical thinkers;
• paid more attention to other people’s successes (looking at their profiles, their ability to use pictures/videos, widgets, etc.;
• used Groups to target what I was reading instead of just featured or new posts;

Where do I plan to go from here?

• Build my brokerage site on AR;
• Build my training database and contacts via AR;
• Learn to ad video, virtual tours and better use of photos in my blogs;
• Plan more for outside blogging;
• Write blogs that can become webpages on my websites;
• Drive more local content to localism and my websites;
• Start pushing my better blogs onto my social networking sites like Facebook;
• Use icons as links to my other sites.

 With the momentum I have now and the goals I just laid out, this should take me through the next 100,000 points.  However, like any strategic plan, I will have to re-evaluate it along with way since all things technology based are dynamic!