If I were a real estate agent...

I would definitely have a blog.  I think it's crazy not to.    I've had my blog for a relatively short period of time (about 6 months) and it's all ready impacting my business for the better as I've mentioned here before.   As a real estate agent, I think you have even more potential for attracting clients that you like to work with.   I probably spend about an hour a day blogging.  Usually very early in the morning when I'm drinking my coffee and collecting my thoughts.

It's not too hard to get started.  It's probably a lot like trying out a computer for the first time or even riding a bike.  For us "mature" folks, we need to relax our brains a bit and try not to scare ourselves out of blogging.    Your first few posts may feel a bit awkward--don't over analyze it.   Just do it.   Blogging is really no different than sending an email.

So, if I were a real estate agent (IIWAREA) who is passionate about my career and the community that I serve, I would have a blog.   I like Typepad because it's easy to use and you can set up "feeds" so Google and other sites can find you once you have enough content (posts). 

My blog (IWAREA) would include the following (after your first post...of course):

• Stories about past transactions that have an important meaning or lesson that others can learn from.   Some of these posts, you might need or want to change the names...others, with your clients permission, you can include their names and even add a photo to make it more real.
• Current events in your local area.
• If you "farm", I would absolutely write about the area.   What makes it unique, etc.
• Holidays are easy and fun posts.  And you can schedule them to be published in the future.
• You can also include topics that interest you.   My husband and I love wines and recently I wrote about Mollydooker.   Would you believe that this week, the CEO of Mollydooker read The Mortgage Porter and sent me an email?   Blogging is huge!
• Think of things that you explain over and over again during a transaction...this is great blog material.   Then you direct your clients to the blog post or send them a link to the article.
• Listings, I would post.  Except I would write more about the home as if I were talking to a friend about it.  I don't recommend posting it in the "classic" listing style.

Last but not least, I would...

• mail a post card to your farm area to announce the blog as a "community service".  You can offer to promote garage sales, events...even allow neighbors to write for the blog (if you want).
• I would also mail a letter or post card to my database (please tell me you keep a database) announcing your blog.
• I would have members of my real estate team write posts on my blog, too.  I would ask my Mortgage Professional, Title Rep, Escrow Officer, Home Inspector...you get the idea!
• Add your blog to your signatures (email, letters, etc.).

And, once your blog is rolling...you can submit it to Citizen Rain.   This is a blog from King 5 that posts bits of blogs on it's site.   Many people visit Citizen Rain since you can scan down the page and see what's recently been posted.   

During these historic times in the mortgage and real estate industry, I strongly recommend blogging to real estate professionals because consumers will be searching out professionals they can trust more than ever.   They hunger for information that's not sanitized or spun by the evening news.   They want "the scoop".   When I work with a client who has found me from my blog, they feel like they know me and trust me instantly from reading my blog.   It's powerful.

Want more?  Here's another post worth re-visiting.