What has Active Rain done for me?

“What has Active Rain done for me?” That is one of two questions I’ll attempt to answer. The other is, “What has the community of Active Rain agents done for me?”

I joined Active Rain March 26, 2009 and made 4 comments and posted one article during the rest of 2009. A lost beginning. Then in January of 2010 I came back and started reading. I don’t know how long I lurked in the shadows but on January 23rd I made a comment and on the 30th I posted another article and even got a few comments. It was touch and go for a while. Charlie Buell gave me some pointers. I started seeing articles that taught me something about blogging. Someone from Active Rain called me and gave me a course over the phone in SEO. It seems like it took for ever, but eventually another blogger subscribed to my blog. I kept commenting and posting and subscribing. I started posting my listings. After 95 articles posted, an article of mine was finally featured.

I’ve been in the same office for over 20 years and other agents often ask me questions. Active Rain was frustrating at first because I wasn’t noticed in the same way I am noticed in my office. But now, I’ve settled in. I know who I am in the Active Rain Community. I’ve posted 230 articles, made over 5,000 comments and received about 3,000 comments. I subscribe to 150 bloggers and about 75 subscribe to my blog. I post an article every 2 or 3 days.

Other agents in my office know I am here and ask me, “Have you gotten any clients from Active Rain?” And the answer is still, “No.” “Then why do you do it?” they ask.

The answer to that question varies depending on whom I am talking to. The real answer is, that the real estate industry completely changed with the Internet and I failed to change soon enough. I needed to re-learn everything about the business. What have I learned?

1. Active Rain bloggers are a generous sort. For example, there are groups on photography and on video that have bloggers like Craig Daniels whose Craig’s Classroom blog gets me through the hard parts of any video problem. I could give 50 more examples of what these other bloggers are teaching me. You don’t even have to be a member to read Craig’s blog. It is there for everyone.

2. Active Rain bloggers are both supportive and controversial. If you have an issue and put it out there, you may be encouraged and you may be set straight, and maybe both. I’ve learned more about who I am and also about how others perceive me in this past year than over any period of time I can think of.

3. I’m a better agent because of Active Rain. I was first licensed in 1985 and through 2009 I learned a lot. Each new deal, each agent met, a little somthing to take with me. Between 2010 and today I have learned more than I learned in the previous 25 years. More in every field concerning real estate and about personal interaction.  

4. There are many things, too many to mention, except that, I’m learning to give back to Active Rain now. I expect someday I will get “deals” either as referrals from other agents, or directly from the public reading what I write. What I’ve received from Active Rain and from the other members of Active Rain is not quantitatively expressed with a $ sign.

To my fellow Lake and Company brokers. If you have enough business in this tough economy, keep doing what you are doing. For those of you who have a little extra time, you might give it a try. Call me if you have any questions. I’d be happy to help you.