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THE QUESTION: "Why do you like blogging?"

By Ricardo Bueno

Mortgage and Lending with Diverse Solutions

October 04, 2008 07:14 AM

Jay Thompson at the NAHREP 2008 National Conference The Answer: "Because it gets me clients. It gets me commission checks. What's not to like?" -- Jay Thompson, Thompson's Realty in Phoenix, Arizona

The truth is, when is comes to blogging and social media, the results are going to vary from user to user. But, I'll tell ya this much, the results are real, they are tangible! Just ask Jay Thompson, The Phoenix Real Estate Guy and otherwise known as "the man with a blogging problem;" he's built an entire business on it! Now fair warning, just because he did it doesn't mean it's going to be all 'easy cheesy' for everyone and anyone. It still takes: Hard Work, Consistency, and the ability to be Transparent (to be yourself).

Here's a quick chat with Jay himself...

Now, whether you're writing here on Active Rain or you've built your own outside blog, the important thing is that you're doing something to create a brand name for yourself! The great thing about Active Rain is that the immediate sense of community that is established will help you deal with the pressures of dishing out content. Jay says he "likes writing." But let's face it, many of us don't. In fact, when you first sit down and try to get down to it, you're scared of writing and putting your name out there...but then that's where the A|R community comes in. Active Rain and it's members do an excellent job of helping you cope with the anxieties of "putting yourself out there." They help you find your voice and grow your confidence. That's a good thing to have! Don't ya think?

So, how about it? How has blogging helped you? What are you having trouble with? What's not to like?

Best,

Ricardo Bueno

By the way, Join me at Ribeezie for an upcoming series on Social Media Starter Steps in Real Estate.

P.S. Jay Thompson, Kevin Boer and I were featured speakers at the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals 2008 National Marketing Convention & Expo. on a panel titled: Online Social Networking & Blogging for Business. A big THANK YOU to Brian Requarth of vivareal.us for having us and moderating the discussion. I hope you enjoy this quick video with Jay and that it serves as reinforcement for your efforts in engaging with social media. The link will take you to some of the flickr photos from the conference.

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Kevin Hawkins

Bainbridge Island, WA

To Blog or Not To Blog, that was the question I faced when a friend of mine who runs Inman News (Brad) told me several years ago that I needed to start to Blog. I stupidly ignored Brad: with two young boys, extra time was family time. Now I realize that I can Blog when the boys (and wife, who falls out well before I do) are asleep and I can unleash my love of writing. We all have opinions and the Internet, through Blogging, is the great equalizer. Every opinion can be shared, everyone can self-publish. Edward Bernays, the father of Public Relations that I got the opportunity to meet when he was in his 90s, told me and a group of young PR professionals (at the time) that the most powerful force in the world was simply "People Power." This was before so many events in the world proved his point so vividly. Today, I beleive, Bernays would be bloggin' away. The ultimate form of "people power."

Oct 04, 2008 09:27 AM

Ricardo Bueno

Diverse Solutions - Los Angeles, CA

@Suzanne: accurate and valuable is good... It's also ok if it's a little opinionated :-) Just sayin'...

@Andrew: it seems to me you got it down! :-P We gotta create our own little empires within the blog-o-sphere and capture as large an audience as possible. More audience = potential for more clients.

@Jean: the seo is great, but the connections are better! You learn a lot from your colleagues and that enhances your knowledge and perspective on things (hopefully). It's good for business. And in the process, if & when you find a clients or two...well, it's just a great feeling!

@Diane: you know, I'll agree to an extent. With a slower market it is tougher to see the results. But if you're pushing your blog and getting people (past clients) familiar with it and engaged with it, it makes it easier to get them to refer other people to you. That sounds silly to say or maybe a little to simplistic, but it really does work.

@Christopher & Stephanie: people want information! And if your'e giving it to them, you're making it that much easier for them to connect with you. I say "good goin'!"

@Carol: don't you just love it! For all those reasons, it's great!

Oct 04, 2008 09:39 AM

Kathy McGraw

CELLing Realty - White Water, CA

Riverside County CA Real Estate

Ricardo- Nice piece here....you're getting to be quite the traveler and speaker lately :) I liked Jay's Video, so natural, and hey "what's not to like" :)

Oct 04, 2008 09:40 AM

Ricardo Bueno

Diverse Solutions - Los Angeles, CA

@Kris Wales: Hi Kris! It's good to be back around :-) Thanks for stopping by and the warm welcome. I hope to see you around again soon.

@Tom: Hiya Tom! Thanks for that! I think at this point, any one of us who is still here on the network is addicted to blogging, whether we admit it or not!

@Jeff: that dinner was great! Did you read Rich's follow up post on "The Active Rain Newsletter?"

With respect to the rest of the weekend at Blogworld...I think everyone got a little bit of what they wanted. Not all of the sessions were helpful, but there was enough of a mix there to get people thinking. And, you got to take your on-line connections off-line. If you ask me, there's nothing better than that!

@Nick: thank you for coming out and keeping us company! The conference was great and so was the weekend. Though I think I got Johanna tired of all this social media talk. I don't doubt all she started hearing by the end of it was "blah, blah, blah."

@Irina: Ha! You and I both at this point :-P

Oct 04, 2008 09:51 AM

Joanna Gerber

Barrie, ON

Simple, I like writing, it allows me to practice my second language skills, it is perfect for communication my point across, it build`s my confidence and allows me to reach my potential Clients!

Oct 04, 2008 09:52 AM

Tamara Camden

Tamara Camden - Key West, FL

I like blogging too, as I like to write and I learn from other bloggers as well. Blogging is just one more avenue in this tough economy to try to get the word out and reach more clients.

Oct 04, 2008 10:09 AM

Gabrielle Kamahele Rhind

KGC Properties LLC, Tucson Property Management & Real Estate - Tucson, AZ

Broker/Owner

Hi R!! Blogging is not "easy cheesy" as you described - I am very very new to this and I agree that it is hard work and you have to be consistent - which I don't mind at all. What I like most about blogging so far is the chance to just be myself and share things I experience that might help another person. My first blog was about me being only as good as all of us together. It was the perfect place to share that thought! THANK YOU!

Oct 04, 2008 10:41 AM

Jason & Amber Gardner

Hasson Company, Realtors - Sherwood, OR

We're Committed to Your Success!

It fits our business model, it provides more exposure to our listings and potential clients, SEO and it's going to help me clean up my website.

Amber Gardner

Oct 04, 2008 11:07 AM

Jay Thompson

Zillow - Seattle, WA

Ricardo -

It was *great* to meet you at the NAHREP Conference! Thanks for posting the video. I failed to mention a HUGE benenfit of blogging and that is, as a few commenters have noted, how much you can learn from it. You can learn about real estate, about how people think and interact and you can learn about yourself. And the network you can build with agents across the country is nothing short of amazing. That's all really good stuff...

Oct 04, 2008 11:09 AM

Brian Requarth

VivaReal - Santa Rosa, CA

Ricardo, it was awesome having you out in Phoenix. I am so happy you made it. It was a good panel and I got a lot of really positive feedback from attendees. I have learned a lot about blogging from guys like you and Jay. It was exciting for me to moderate a panel of people where I have a lot of respect for the panelist and admire what they have done.

Jay, multiple people came up to me afterwards and told me how much they loved your story about your cat. That was hilarious! Thanks for your contribution to the panel.

Oct 04, 2008 01:24 PM

Everard Korthals

---Preferred Lifestyle Advisors--- - Lancaster, PA

Mountain Realty

It gives people the tools necessary to improve their typing skills, language and ability to write articles. There's so many plusses to blogging and too little negatives. I will say however that blogging has a terrible negative connotation with computer illiterates.

Oct 04, 2008 04:58 PM

Todd Clark - Retired

eXp Realty LLC - Tigard, OR

Principle Broker Oregon

I remember reading Jay on a daily basis over at Point2Agent and I have to say the guy did build his business as I have. Without blogging, I don't think I would be in the business today!

Oct 04, 2008 05:22 PM

Christine Donovan

Donovan Blatt Realty - Costa Mesa, CA

Broker/Attorney 714-319-9751 DRE01267479 - Costa M

I like it. I enjoy writing. It seems to have helped my SEO significantly.

Oct 04, 2008 05:39 PM

Judy Peterson

Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Fox&Roach Realtors - Tredyffrin, PA

"Superb Service, Superb Results"

Great post Ricardo! I'm kind of a newbie to blogging having just started a blog less than 6 months ago. Still learning and hardly an expert but I've always enjoyed writing and taking pictures. The best part is the sense of connectedness through community. Also, I think that blogging makes you a better informed Realtor.

Oct 04, 2008 10:45 PM

Angela Lawrence

Noble Merit, REALTORS® - Winston-Salem, NC

Broker/Owner

We have had few active clients mentioned about what they saw on our blog.

Oct 05, 2008 02:46 AM

Tom Burris

NMLS# 335055 - Baton Rouge, LA

Texas/Louisiana Mortgage Pro - 13 YRS Experience

I like it that people actually contact from my articles... makes me feel like I have provided some value.

Many, many times I have received comments from people who decided to use me because I post helpful information

Oct 05, 2008 02:55 AM

Lyn Sims

Schaumburg, IL

Real Estate Broker Retired

I also like the fact that I can blog and tell clients what they NEED to know, not what the talking heads tell them about the current market conditions. I get to explain in my own style real estate tips that I think are beneficial to sellers & buyers alike. I can't get my suggestions in a newspaper so this is another way. If people like what I have to say, they will remember me when they think of real estate. Primarily though I blog for business, not others opinions.

Oct 05, 2008 03:16 AM

Paul McFadden

Responsive Pest Control - Seattle, WA

Pest Control, Seattle, WA.

Ricardo: I like to write. I was told that blogging would increase my business exposure and that has come true. But this forum is truly amazing and I enjoy offering up my thoughts!

Oct 05, 2008 04:05 AM

Fran Gatti

RE/MAX Integrity - Medford, OR

Managing Principal Broker - RE/MAX Integrity

Ricardo,

Thanks for the interview and congrats on being asked to speak, way cool. I'm going to follow Jay and do likewise :)

Oct 05, 2008 01:21 PM

Marianne Snygg

ERA Herman Group Real Estate - Monument, CO

ABR, ASP, GRI, SFR

@Ricardo, I didn't know I liked to blog until I heard you, Jay, Kevin, and Brian at the NAHREP Convention. Thank you. I wanted to know more about it, and I just couldn't get the info in quickly enough. You all have opened a brand-new-world for me.

An added benefit, was that I am a frustrated writer, and I can't imagine a better place to release that energy. I'm having a blast! I may never make any money writing a blog, but I'm having a great time trying.

@Jay, I have met many agents, mortgage brokers, and other real estate professional here on A/R. I just love what I'm learning from them, and I now have a really great network for referrals. I wanted to thank you, too, for the time and care you took with me at the NAHREP Convention. I'm very jazzed to be writing and blogging away, day and night!

@Brian, I think the whole idea of doing a Social Networking and Blogging session at the NAHREP Convention was your brainstorm. Thanks! Thanks for getting just the right guys, too. I enjoyed it greatly! And your website, VivaReal.us, is a fantasic tool you've provided for the Hispanic consumer, and I'm glad to be there. I encourage everyone to check it out.

...Marianne

Oct 09, 2008 08:38 AM