Special offer

A Free Text Messaging Widget For Your Active Rain Sidebar (From Matt Rains)

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with RealSatisfied

I love Twitter. Matt Rains, of RETechBlog fame, sent me a private message on Twitter the other night, asking me to take a look at "something" he had built and to give him my opinion. That something was a text messaging widget and I liked it.

direct message with matt rains

So, yesterday Matt and I met for the first time in a video conversation using Skype and he shared with me the reasons why he decided to create it. It made me smile, because his reasons for creating the widget are the same reasons why I sometimes create some tutorial videos. It's easier for me to make a video once than to have to explain something many, many times. Matt's widget creation logic followed a similar line of reasoning. He had been explaining how easily it could be done and finally decided it would be even easier for everyone if he just created a widget to do it. He was right. :)

Making it fit in the Active Rain sidebar.

So, in the conversation on Skype, I asked Matt if he wouldn't mind editing the widget a bit so it would fit nicely here in the sidebar on Active Rain. He readily agreed and a few hours later, voila, the Free Text Messaging Widget was ready to go. You can see it in my sidebar right now.

Why do I think it's a good widget?

First, it does one thing really well. It allows people who visit your page to send you a text message. That's it. Second, I know that the providing a variety of contact options will greatly increase the chance that someone will actually contact you. Communicate the way people like to be communicated with. It's that simple. Some people will pick up the phone, some will email and some will want to text message. Now you can give them that option.

You can get your free text messaging widget here.

Here's a quick video that will show you how to get it into your sidebar here on Active Rain.


Text Messaging Widget From Matt Rains from respres on Vimeo.

Matt, thanks for this great little widget!

Comments (131)

Jeff Turner
RealSatisfied - Santa Clarita, CA

Mary, it's truly my pleasure. So glad this was helpful.

Dec 27, 2008 03:48 AM
Elizabeth Bolton
RE/MAX Destiny Real Estate Cambridge, MA - Cambridge, MA
Cambridge MA Realtor
This sounds like a great idea to try. One question - when I try to read the above post the text on the left is on top of the colored border and impossible to read. Is it my monitor? I come across this regularly in various blogs but in this case I really would like to try this nifty widget. Thanks! Liz
Jan 13, 2009 12:31 PM
Sharon Alters
Coldwell Banker Vanguard Realty - 904-673-2308 - Fleming Island, FL
Realtor - Homes for Sale Fleming Island FL

Jeff, just read Anne's post on this and referencing back to your post. This is going on my blog tomorrow!

Jan 14, 2009 01:25 PM
Jon Smith
Iowa Realty - Des Moines, IA

Hi Jeff,

Thank you for sharing this with us.  Thanks Chris for such a wonderful gadget for our websites.  As a real estate virtual assistant I have shown it to most of my clients and they are all over it. 

Having problems loading it on a WordPress blog, but was a snap with Active Rain and RealPro Systems.

When Jeff talks - people listen.

Jan 21, 2009 03:06 PM
Doris Barber
Doris Barber - Business Support Specialist - Gaithersburg, MD
Business Support Specialist

Jeff, thanks for sharing this and thanks Matt for creating it.  Can't wait to add to the blogs I manage :-)

Jan 29, 2009 01:28 PM
Jonathan Hall
William Pitt Sotheby's International Realty - Danbury, CT
Realtor - Danbury,CT Area Real Estate~203-417-0523
Thanks for sharing. I've been looking for something like this in a while. I put it on to my active rain page here as well as my point 2 site. Couldn't get it to work on wordpress, but that's ok. Hopefully will get something out of it.
Jan 30, 2009 06:17 AM
Lauren Briles
The Briles Company - Greenville, SC

I have been meaning to put a text me widget on our site and have had some trouble with a couple of ones.  Thanks for sharing yours!!  Looking forward to getting lots of leads!!

Feb 23, 2009 01:49 PM
Lauren Briles
The Briles Company - Greenville, SC

I have been meaning to put a text me widget on our site and have had some trouble with a couple of ones.  Thanks for sharing yours!!  Looking forward to getting lots of leads!!

Feb 23, 2009 01:49 PM
Chris Sonaggera
Yukon, OK
Keller Williams Elite, www.BuyInOKC.com

Thank you guys for taking the time to show us how to do this. 

Mar 11, 2009 12:49 PM
Ken Kelly
Benchmark Mortgage - Chesterfield, VA

Unbelieveable! What a great tool! Thanks for sharing this with us, will be putting it on shortly!

Mar 26, 2009 01:29 AM
Nancy Flanagan
Wainwright Real Estate---Virginia Beach, Va - Virginia Beach, VA

I ran across this widget on Trulia a few months ago and have found it to be a great tool. Thankyou for sharing it with everyone. I love a good freebie!

Aug 17, 2009 05:10 PM
John Occhi
AZ Veteran Notary Services - Marana, AZ
Mobile Notary Public/Certified Loan Signing Agent

Thanks for this - a great idea.  A little to late to play with tonight, but I have bookmarked and hope to get back tomorrow.

Thanks again,

Sep 12, 2009 04:18 PM
Joel Chain
Chain Real Estate - Chico, CA

Awesome - what a great addition to any site... Thanks Matt! and thanks Jeff, for posting it.

Sep 24, 2009 09:17 AM
Linda Lohman
Fonville Morisey Realty - Cary, NC
Former Teacher/Broker

You are my hero.  I had this widget and was playing around with my HTML and lost it.  I could not remember where I found it and Googled different terms.  Sure enough there it was your blog.  AR to the rescue.

Oct 04, 2009 11:40 AM
Gerry Michaels
Glasswork Media Arts - Gettysburg, PA
GettysburgGerry Social Meida

Thanks for info, I definately will be checking this out further, I love to add little extras

Feb 04, 2010 05:13 AM
Pamela Cendejas
Second Self Virtual Assistance - Kingman, AZ
Second Self Virtual Assistance (928) 692-3235

Hi Jeff - I've seen this widget before (may have even done a blog about it).  It was brought to my attention by one of my clients.  I added it to my AR blog site.  I haven't been texted through the widget yet but at least it's another convenient was for clients and prospects to reach me. 

Mar 28, 2010 09:36 AM
Terrell M. Turner Sr.
Hallmark Realty - Martinsburg, WV

this is pretty cool

Mar 31, 2010 05:58 AM
Ken Kelly
Benchmark Mortgage - Chesterfield, VA

Hey, thanks for sharing, this is great! (and pretty cool too). Wish all techie stuff was this much fun!

May 06, 2010 02:33 AM
Anonymous
Mitzie Phillips (The Residential Group)

Jeff,

Is there a way to put this on an email signature? Awesome widget!

Mitzie

Mar 22, 2011 02:06 PM
#131
1~Judi Barrett
Integrity Real Estate Services 116 SE AVE N, Idabel, OK 74745 - Idabel, OK
BS Ed, Integrity Real Estate Services -IDABEL OK

Looking for a texting widget and found your post.   It seems to have been moved.  Hope all is well.

Nov 14, 2013 09:07 PM