Admin

Loving those Ruby Slippers

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Beth Butler - Big Mouth Consulting

Yes, I feel a bit like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz.  My month long journey down the yellow BLOG road has been full of twists and turns, but most of all it's been about many lessons learned.

1.  Yes the blog is a bit like the Land of Oz.  There is so much going on.  Every day so many voices, subjects and posts - it at times can be a little overwhelming.  There have been many days that I sat at my computer and thought I might never blog again - lost in the poppy field of EWM Bloggers.  But now, a little more than a week from our formal release - I can see the horse of a different color... our blog is taking shape.

2.  I have come a cross more than a few scarecrows.  Those agents that will not blog... if they only had a brain!  Their fear of the fire of technology is palpable.  Scarecrows come in all shapes, sizes and age ranges.  Many of the scarecrows were surprised to find that search engines will yield someone other than them on listing searches of their own inventory... you would think that in and of itself would be enough to get that blog brain going.

3. Lions and Tigers and Bears OH MY! Around week 2 the liability lion leaped out from a tree in the forest of no return.   I am not one to ever underestimate the legal ramifications of the real estate business, but I really never saw this cowardly lion coming.  Fear of mad bloggers writing slanderous, scandulous content seemed to be a legitimate concern with the lions, not to mention the possibility of flaming public comment!  With a a little bit of time and a lot of courage - the lions eventually came along.  Actually, one good look around the moderated blog and the commenting gave them the courage they needed to let us proceed without further incident. 

4. I've had a lot of help along the way.  Kevin has been an unbelievable Good Witch.  In my darkest "blogerated out" moments, he would step in and encourage at an office meeting, write a help post or just sit beside an agent and give them a few minutes of his time to help them along.  Without ruining his reputation as a snarky blog brat wicked witch - I have to tell you - blogging has made him a better person... he is a hero here in Oz - a Top Producer who wants to help the munchkins along.

5. Of course, there would be no Oz without the wizard...Behind that Tomato is a salesman extraordinare - a man on a blogging mission.  On the journey people have asked - why did you pick the Tomato? My answer was simple - he understood the yellow blog road and had as much vested in our successful journey as we did.  His black bag of tricks contained brains, courage a ton of heart - the perfect Wizard of our Oz.

6. Once the Wizard was gone - back in the air balloon to Sacramento where he came from ( I still hold hope that we can convince him to come back east and have him make Florida home... I know a good Realtor or 2)... I am left to ponder my journey so far and will share with you what I have learned the most... there is no place like home

The blog is merely a reflection of your company - it will read and feel just like your company is... good, bad or indifferent.  I don't want to get  lost in the trappings of what kind of company you have - this is not about Traditional Brokers vs. Internet Brokers - this is more about your company culture. If you enjoy a good reputation in the community - the blog brings that back to you 10 fold.  If your agents trust the broker and believe in their company... they will blog just because you tell them it is the right thing to do.  If your agents enjoy working with each other - they will comment on each other's blogs and support each other in their new venture.  If the agents are plugged into their markets and their communities - it will come through in the blog.

So just in case you wonder what has gotten me through 3,000 posts, 2,200 comments and teaching a few hundred agents how to blog with little sleep... I just click my heels together and say... there is no place like home.  Those ruby slippers feel great as i blogerate!

David L. Britt
Platinum Realty, LLC - Olathe, KS
MBA
Beth, living here in Kansas, this one has a no place like home feeling!!  Thanks for the post!
Sep 17, 2007 04:04 PM
Beth Butler
Beth Butler - Big Mouth Consulting - Miami, FL
Carole - thank you.  I am glad you liked it.  It took me forever to get a post together - it's been a while and I was feeling a bit rusty.
Sep 17, 2007 04:05 PM
Beth Butler
Beth Butler - Big Mouth Consulting - Miami, FL
David - we are not in Kansas anymore!!!
Sep 17, 2007 04:05 PM
Larry Bettag
Cherry Creek Mortgage Illinois Residential Mortgage License LMB #0005759 Cherry Creek Mortgage NMLS #: 3001 - Saint Charles, IL
Vice-President of National Production
Great analogy going on here.....lots of fun with it.
Sep 17, 2007 04:23 PM
Missy Caulk
Missy Caulk TEAM - Ann Arbor, MI
Savvy Realtor - Ann Arbor Real Estate
Beth, I wondered where you had been, now I know in OZ !!
Sep 17, 2007 09:30 PM
Bob Carney
Taylor-Made Deep Creek Vacations & Sales - Mc Henry, MD
Licensed MD/PA Real Estate Agent

This is wonderful news.  I am glad to hear your hard work is finally paying off!!!  Glad to see you back here again, even for however short that time might be. ;)

 

Sep 18, 2007 12:08 AM
Aziz Abdur-Raoof
RE/MAX Rewards - Columbia, MD
Howard Co. Real Estate Scoop
Beth, you haven't trade marked that word yet?  You're onto something --Congrats!
Sep 18, 2007 01:36 AM
Janie Coffey
First Coast Sotheby’s International Realty - Ponte Vedra, FL
Uniting Extraordinary Homes w/ Extraordinary Lives
wow, do you have your hands full!  So glad we are a brokerage of only 4!  I love love the graphic, great job!  
Sep 18, 2007 03:47 AM
Maggie Dokic | Indialantic
Magdalena Dokic - Indialantic, FL
Selling the beach in Florida's space coast
Beth, this post has got to be one of your best, if not the best.  You've tackled this project with such passion from the very beginning.  I am lucky because I get to see the effect your efforts have had on the agents.  Some have just hit the ground running with this and it's got to be very gratifying for you to see that.  Congratulations on a job well done.
Sep 18, 2007 06:39 AM
Beth Butler
Beth Butler - Big Mouth Consulting - Miami, FL

Bob - thanks for your nice words... it is nice to be back in AR.

Aziz - I keep meaning to at least wiki it and haven't gotten around to it - but I did coin it and I certain use the word a lot.

Janie  - you are such a prolific blogger - you don't need an army. 

Maggie- I'm blushing. Thanks for all of your help. Never would have been a blog if not for you. 

Sep 18, 2007 12:03 PM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher
Beth, Rusty?  Gee, I'd like to have some of that rust then :)  It was terrific!
Sep 18, 2007 01:00 PM
Beth Butler
Beth Butler - Big Mouth Consulting - Miami, FL

Larry - thanks!

Missy - lost in Oz - it's been fun!

Carole - the rust is all yours. 

Sep 18, 2007 01:14 PM
Rick & Ines - Miami Beach Real Estate
Majestic Properties - Miami Beach, FL
Beth - I know how tough this has been for you, but you must feel so proud.  You know what you have done for EWM??  Pat yourself on the back, you really deserve it.  The blog is looking sweet.
Sep 18, 2007 04:04 PM
Beth Butler
Beth Butler - Big Mouth Consulting - Miami, FL
Thanks Ines - The company will certainly benefit from the blog - but the agents are already garnering their inquires - and int his market - that is a great thing.  Thanks for helping out on the judging.
Sep 19, 2007 01:19 AM
Gary Bolen
McCall Realty - South Lake Tahoe, CA
CRS - Lake Tahoe Real Estate Information

Beth, the actual little people who were in the movie had a field day off set. It was basically a field day and near riot back at the hotel every night. Keeping that near riot in line was always a test. Seems that there's always been a certain rambunctiousness in the land of Oz.

Nice to hear from you... and you have been missed.

Sep 22, 2007 02:45 PM
Beth Butler
Beth Butler - Big Mouth Consulting - Miami, FL
Gary - the rambunctiousness is infectious.  Our market is so dismal at the moment - a little laughter and fund can go a long way.  Thanks for missing me - it's nice to have a little more perspective in my day!
Sep 23, 2007 06:16 AM
JoAnn Hostutler
EWM Realtors - Weston, FL

Beth -- You danced those "ruby red shoes" to town!  This is the best for EWM and the agents.  It's a huge success.  I don't know how you did it, probably many sleepless nights, but it paid off.  Congrations!! JoAnn

Oct 20, 2007 12:17 PM
Angie Vandenbergh
Crye-Leike, Realtors - Memphis, TN
A Crye-Leike Blogger

I enjoyed reading this and hearing how its going with the blog. You are stirring up a lot of conversation in far away lands :) This past week (at a company conference) I had people asking me questions about blogging and how to set up a blog and how it worked etc and a few of them had heard of the EWM blog and about the woman (COO) who was moderating and encouraging etc. I'm not sure how it starts its journey out of South Florida - I guess because the blog knows know bounds - but word gets around quickly.

Congratulations on your success. If you're feeling overwhelmed by it just remember there are real people really reading and reading and reading :)

Oct 27, 2007 07:47 AM
Beth Butler
Beth Butler - Big Mouth Consulting - Miami, FL
Angie - thanks so much for letting me know that the word is getting out there.  It is always nice to know that our collective efforts are being noticed.  We are having good success - deals and listings coming from the blog and we are popping up in local searches all over the place.  We are adding a few new features- ideas that have come from the associates so stay tuned!
Oct 27, 2007 02:46 PM
Anonymous
slipper

Hello, very professional high level of writing it! So many people to comment, let me also to comment on it. Because good writing, and I learned a lot, and I am glad to see such a beautiful thing. Thanks very much  !the same time,  i love <a href="http://www.sea-in-shoes.com/Slippers-and-Sandals-c3.html">Slippers and Sandals</a>

 

Good, good! Agree to your point of view, learn and follow your point of view of the practice of paper! I gain very much! Thank you, wonderful writing, beautiful illustrations, so I feel very comfortable. At the same time I also like<a href="http://www.sea-in-shoes.com/Slippers-and-Sandals-c3.html">Slippers and Sandals</a>

very much !much !

Aug 23, 2010 08:23 PM
#23