There has been some discussion about the value of Active Rain lately, and not just on the form. I was in a state conference in September and a certification class prior to the conference. In both cases, the question came up, "Does anybody use Active Rain anymore?" About 99% of the class said, "No." I was one of the few dissenting voices.
One of my classmates asked me what the value of Active Rain is today. That has changed
in my life, but the value has been something that has evolved over the near decade since I started with AR. When I first started, it was all about blogging, digital marketing and SEO. I hadn't even heard some of those terms prior to AR.
Many of the things I do online today did not come directly by AR, but they were spurred by AR. The blogs posted by colleagues over those early years opened doors to new methods and means of marketing that I was unfamiliar with at the time. My use of the Internet for marketing was born out of my connection to AR.
I also learned about effective marketing away from the Internet by other colleagues on AR. Some of that marketing has become some of our most profitable tools for generating business. Rather than buying leads from some of the big online companies, such as ZTR, we have reduced our marketing budget to pennies on the dollar with far greater success. We have become far more creative and wise in our marketing. That ability came directly through AR members sharing their success in business and marketing.
In the past few years, our referral network has expanded. Access to AR members has given me confidence that when I place a referral that it will come to a successful conclusion. In the past 60 days, I received a referral from an AR member and completed the sale, and an AR member who received a referral from me also completed her sale. In both cases, I was confident that each sale would work out, and they both did.
What a tremendous resource AR has been in my life. Granted, it has changed a lot since I came on-board, but it still has benefits to offer. So, when an instructor in a national certification class asks who still uses AR, I very gladly raise my hand and I am more than happy to relate my AR successes. Beyond business, AR has provided me with some great friendships that have enhanced my life as well. It's always fun to stop and have lunch or dinner with a colleague while traveling.
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