I've been coaching my friends to get Active in Active Rain.  My success has been well documented.  To date, since joining I'm now well over 90 referrals that I've received either through other members or via people planing in the rain.  Very stoked about my results, and, as a proponent, I push this often and hard.  I tell my people that Active Rain is one of the most valuable methods for getting exposure.  Since I lead a branch, as well as a team, I tell folks you need the best exposure out there, and Active Rain, by far, is it!

My folks always offer up excuses as to why they don't blog.  Essentially it comes down to:

I don't know how to write....

I don't know what to write.....

I don't know how to make a perfect post.....

Yeah?????  So what!!!!

 I, Larry Bettag hereby declare myself as the master of the imperfect post. 

There is no one out there who writes more imperfect posts that me!  Guess what?  I don't care one bit.  I remember having a private meeting with Ex-United States Senator, Bill Armstrong.  We digressed to the topic of spirituality and Christianity.  All of his kids grew up and kept their faith.  I told him that I did't particularly like praying with the family as a kid.  He said that his family prayed together everynight.  He said his kids didn't like it either.  I'll never forget his comment...

You don't have to want to do it, you just have to do it!

Same goes for posting in the rain.  Most of the time, I'm in.  I'm totally in.  However, life happens and often times, I don't feel that I have the time.  I definitely don't have the time to write a perfect post.  Here's the deal.  If you feel that you need to write a perfect post, you'll never write a post.  My posts really fall into particular categories in no real order.  They are:

• Personality revelation - where I just write and let my personality shine through.  Hopefully, some people will understand that I'm a whack job who is sincere, and that the right clients will bond with me;
• Education - Even if you feel that everyone knows what you're sharing, it's so imporant to be a purveyor of real, true, non-misleading information.  The reality of it is that there is so much bad and dis-information out there, that if you're providing good, consistent information, you'll be deemed a bastian of light in an internet of dirty muck;
• Inspiration - Bottom line is that everyone needs it;
• Free Association - Sometimes I just write to write.   I have a great vein of thought that is zipping through this feeble mind so I feel that I just need to throw up on the world;
• Politics - I try not to make this my M.O.  but when elections come, I feel that I need so share my thoughts.  I definitely alienate some and bond with others, but hey I want to connect with more likeminded people anyway.  I haven't posted on politics in months, but I'm sure that I'll be back in the game when the next elections roll around;
• Local Information - I love telling the world great things that are happening in my local area;
• Industry News - I really like to vet out the truths.  The reality is that so many people just throw up schlock.  I like researching down to the nitty gritty so that consumers can use me as a purveyor of truthful and informative information.

The perfect post?  No...hardly and rarely.    I've written over 1,000 posts since joining Active Rain.  70 of them became featured posts.  Am I perfect?  Hardly!  I think that what I have perfected is the need to share information, thoughts, rants and ideas with the public.  65 referrals means that I do have the perfect mindset, even if I don't have the perfect post!

I may not be write with the perfect post,

But I am always

WRIT-----ING!

If you choose, you can find me here:

                                  

 

                    

                                          NMLS ID#158606               An Illinois Residential Mortgage Licensee