- For those of you who do not believe in blogging?
- For those of you who do not believe in Social Networking?
- For those of you who do not believe in Internet Marketing?
- For those of you who do not know who would contact you through Active Rain?
- For those of you who do not believe you can get business from Active Rain?
I have one thing to say it works. I have been on Active Rain for over a year now, and really was not a huge believer at first. However, that quickly changed when 3 months into blogging on AR I received a contact. it went something like this:
"My wife and I are looking for a 4 bedroom single family home in Boca Raton. I am relocating to the area, and heard that Boca Raton has a great school system, and a great place to raise a family as I have 2 small children. I do prefer a pool, and I prefer a gated community. I do not want to spend more than $500,000, and am looking for a real estate agent that knows the area, and can point me in the right direction."
When I received this contact I almost did not believe it. All the work I have been putting into my websites, and all the money I have paid to put me on the first page of google, and I received no internet leads like this. How can AR make that much of a difference? Needless to say I found them a home within 3 weeks, and closed 45 days thereafter.
I have found a wealth of information on AR from widgets, to cool websites, to copywriting to a lot more. I expected to find information, I just never expected to close now 10 customers and over 3 million in volume in just over a year on Active Rain.
I also have 1 more closing coming up next week from AR, and 1 buyer.
I guess the point I am trying to make is that if you utilize Active Rain or any other forum you may be surprised of the outcome. In order to receive business from Active Rain:
- You have to participate in blogging. You must at least post 2 blogs a week.
- You must tag these blogs to the keywords you are targeting.
- You must network with fellow bloggers.
- You must read at least 10 bloggers posts a week.
- You must add pictures to your posts
- You must be less promotional in your posts and more informational.
- Do not be afraid to share your ideas with the world.
I am wishing you a very Good 2009! Lets Blog Away in 2009!!! Good Luck to all!!
David Serle
Vice President/Managing Broker
RE/MAX Services
561-912-3500 Office
561-912-3502 Direct
561-756-3104 Mobile
Kuddos to you. Now how about sending me a referral?
Great post & great news! I am encouraged by your success! I have only been on Active Rain about a month, and have been bending over backward to get my blogs up weekly. I appreciate the tips!
David,
That's great, congratulations! And thank you for the tips at the end, I think people will find them helpful! Good luck in 09, and again...great job using AR!
Chad
Good for you - great pointers.
Angelia, thank you for your comment. That is funny. They say make sure you make a call to action. If I have anyone traveling your way I will think of you.
Lori, thank you for your comment. Welcome to AR you will find great success here. I wish you very well.
Chad, thank you for your comment. I wish you luck as well!!!
Penny thank you for your comment. It was not too much about me, and more about how you can have AR work for you. Have a great 2009
I'm so impressed I've subscribed to your blog. I've been at it for 9 months and only got one buyer who got cold feet and backed out. I hope to learn something from you about how to do this right.
Great! I am looking to ramp up my blogging and photo usage in 2009! Thanks!
Your message is clear. One will get out of ActiveRain what one puts into it.
Very comprehensive. Consistancy is the key. Blog for business and you'll get business.
David - congratulations on yet another closing. That is awesome. I agee with Lenn's comment above, being consistent is very important.
Hey Dave, great post to inspire us newbies to AR less then 3 months to keep at it and get the leads coming in. Keep up the good work. Do you know anything about private waterski communities? Just thought I would ask sence you are from Flordia.
Cheers!
That is great. Congratulations and just keep on blogging. I've only been active for a couple months, I hope it pays off.
David....Congratulations on your success. Thanks for sharing these great tips.
David! how cool! AR is a top priority in my marketing plan. I have been so busy the last week with buyers that have found me online that I am having AR withdrawls.
David - Congratulations on your success! Thanks for your tips and words of encouragement :)
Okay, I'm taking your lead. I've been a member here for some time but am just now digging in and really using it. Your post gives me encouragement!! Thanks for sharing.
David- rock on! Congrats on your transactions and I can see that happening for me in the very near future too!
Congratulations! I luv to hear inspirational stories like yours. It's give me encouragement and hope.
Thank you for all your comments.
Robin, I think Lenn said it best when she says you get what you put into it in the comment 2 below you. Active Rain is just 1 tool to get you businees. I am going to post a series of posts on how it has worked for me, but remember we are all different, and we work in different markets so you have to tailor your blogging theme to your market you are targeting. Good Luck.
Josh, good luck in posting more, and using photos more. They say pictures are a 1000 words.
Lenn as always the Voice of Reason. I should hire you so I do not ramble, and get to the point. You summarized my post in 11 words. Thank you for your comment.
Sharon thank you so much for your comment. That is the whole jist of everything if you do not put the work into it you wont get the business.
Chris, thank you for your comment, and welcome to AR. I am sure you will love this forum. In South Florida I cannot think of any private waterski communities. We do have a few parks near residential communities that many waterski in, but none that have a lake large enough for that. Thanks for the question. If you need me to research it I can with you.
Cindy & Diane thank you for your comments, and good luck in 2009
Jo, I have the shakes too. lol. Anyway, thank you for your comment. It sounds like you are very busy we love to hear that our colleagues are doing well so I wish continued success for you.
Thank you Maria for your comment.
Michael, thank you for your comment. I am sure you will find continued success here as long as you put the consistent work in.
Ken, thank you. I also love to receive comments, and thata to me is the best encouragement I can have. Good luck to you.
Congrats on your 10 closings David, and thank you for the blogging tips.
That is an amazing accomplishment. Since the overwhellming comment is consistency I guess I just need to keep doing what I'm doing!
Who's the wench on the mat? Just curious. Now I will keep typing just to get my 25 points.
And finally:
You must not use someone's photo without permission especially if they live within the same state and if the photo is of Twitterzilla. YIKES! Run before it is too late.
Wow! Success doesn't free one from snatching photos! Let's ask Lenn what she thinks...
That is FANTASTIC!!! I hope it is contagious! :) Great points as well.
David,
Congrats of the feature and on the success. I believe if we blog they will come and you have proved it!
David, thank you for your great tips and AR success story. I just started blogging and you've inspired me to do more!
David – That's great on your succes. Congrats!
Missing the snatching photo reference. Is that from Chris? : (
Who's that passed out on the mat? Hmmmm, if only there was a photo credit...
David,
Thanks for the post. I have just started on Active Rain and have tried to be an active participant. I hope to improve my writing skills and connect with my fellow Real Estate Professionals. Thank you for letting me know that I am not wasting my time. I will stick with it and any additional pointers you may have for a newbie would be greatly appreciated!
Boy, oh boy! This is like playing Russian Roulette with pirated images!..... Leave town while you can!
Good for you!!! I just sold my listing because I blogged about it on AR. Two of the buyers came via my blog. It does work.
Congratulations!!!
Lesson #1 of blogging: Stealing other people's content and/ or photos destroys your credibility!
Rich,
I think it's too late. I heard that Chris has already started up her car and is heading in that direction.
What's that line from 'The Godfather?'...."Going to the Mattresses?"...... wonder what size of cement shoes Dave wears?
Congratulations to you. I have been at this for about 3 mos. now and I am really seeing the benefit and learning a lot!
Why does that picture look so familiar? hmmmm.
Hi Chris - Sorry I haven't visited your blog for a while. It's good to see you!
Wait - where am I?????
Fired up her car? Are you kidding, she's taken the broom!
kk
Good story....bad image choice. Just sayin.
OMG! Featured post with great pointers and in a very up spirit to motivate the others. thanks. I think you missed the posts about using photos that are not yours? Yikes
::Parked::
Oh, silly blogger. It's not nice to use someone else's copyrighted material!!
Eating popcorn...
Where is T?
Checking Copyscape right now...
Oh boy...
::pulls up seat, pops popcorn, ducks under desk and eats said popcorn while keeping an eye on this thread::
I didn't know there'd be popcorn! (Can I have some?)
The heck with the popcorn. Someone pass me a drink.
@Twitterzilla is way too quiet. I'm afraid. Very afraid. Although the popcorn is quite good.
Great Job and hope you get the next 10 closings soon
Great Job and hope you get the next 10 closings soon
David - What a great success story to share! I've had 3 closings thanks to AR - I'm a believer!
Hey...I think I recognize the person in that picture also! :-)
I took a week off and now I see faces on comments is that new, and congrats on the deals
Very proud of you. I guess I just don't have the blogging technique down as I have gotten nothing close to a closing from AR. Love the branding, as that is awesome.....and that is my MO for AR.
OK how did YOU ALL know to get here? Is there a code word for this on Twitter? If it was not for an update on a Carnac post I'd be oblvious.
Great photo!
I just researched it. Linda, I am very sorry. I actually looked it up through money on active rain, and it just listed the site as active rain so I did not go any further, and I thought it was Active Rains. My huge apologies. I am going to take it down now. Again Linda I do not usually do this. So again please accept my apology.
Okay I suck. At least you all had a laugh at my expense. I am very Sorry Chris. I won't make that mistake again. Maybe next time I should make sure the picture was not posted in the forum that I am posted. Just kidding. Thank you all, and I am the egghead of the month.
Hey David, I want to offer you a viatical settlement for your life insurance. ;->
Whoever has the popcorn now please pass it along.
Take a deep breath, it will be ok. There are no hard feelings. Pa-ching, another 25 points.
Great post and popcorn! Congrats on the success and rats on the blooper---but you fixed it okay...well done!
Thank you so much for the informative information! You gave many good ideas that I will be doing from here on out. Congratulations on your success with Active Rain. Hopefully, I will have the same success.
OK, so we can keep up this BS and keep the 25 point meter spinning.
Where is that darn popcorn?
I expected to find information, I just never expected to close now 10 customers and over 3 million in volume in just over a year on Active Rain.
Hi David,
Congrats on your awesome ActiveRain success! I love reading stories like this. I just wish more of my clients would participate.
I hate wasting good popcorn. Now if someone brought M&M's I'd probably just camp here. Wait...David, can you provide the M&M's please? It's only fair.
P.S. Congratulations on those sales. Active Rain is a pretty cool place.
that is awesome. although late on the blogging bandwagon, I am working with my designer to add it to my site now.
Hopefully those would be Peanut M&Ms.
Wow, that's 25 points just asking for a snack.........cool.
ActiveRain is great on so many fronts. I am taking out a buyer that was referred to me by an AR blogger. She found me on Activerain.
This is SO helpful -- thanks!! I'm just getting started and trying to decide whether to part with the $29 a month (what I get for delaying my debut into AR.) You've helped me make my decision!
I need to do more localism posts to get more attention
The more buyers and sellers you receive will ultimatley encourage you to post more and do more of the same posts that got you the customers. Congrats on the success!
Crisis averted! I just got home and am glad to see it all worked out. My theory is no matter what you do consistently for your business you will see that clients find you.
As for the photos, my suggestion is always clip art or your own photos! much less stress :-)
I have been on AR for only a few weeks. Already have one referral which turned into a signed very marketable listing!
I'm just getting started with AR, so it's good to know it works & it's also good to get some good pointers! Also, it makes me feel better to know that even AR pros can make mistakes too! Perfect people scare me!
This is great. Thank you for reaffirming what many of us already know.
OK I have hogged the popcorn long enough... Jim here. (and 25 more points...I'll hit 100,000 sooner or later)
I think I have seen that Active Rain picture someplace before? just kidding.
Dave, nice job on the closings. This place has some influence.
I am kinda glad they started to restrict the jackals that enter this place for free. Maybe this can spark the fun and creative environment back that a lot of the "Founding Members" created back in the day. I have been away from this place all too long. Rich turn up the Crap-O-Meter...I'm making a come back to rightfully gain my ranking in MD.
Where are the instruction to get my picture in the comments...do I have to pay a fee? Feels like Jet Blue. :)
Linda I am in
Here are the M & M's for a Belated Valentines Day!!!
Why Bob, of course you have to pay; lolol. And btw I bought awful nacho sauce. It's sweet yuk! if anyone has a better stash at home I'd appreciate it.
PS: Bob, AR needs to decide that the really early bloggers were founders but use a different name. Then they can reward us with photos even if we don't pay :-)
AR rocks so I'm hoping they realize this is all in fun. It is, isn't it? lol
Thank you David. There will be no sharing. The rest of you enjoy the popcorn.
Great Post - Helps to inspire us newbies out here. Just gotta keep at it.
That is so encouraging for a new blogger like me! Thank you so much! I'm working on my next blog post right now!
Bob don't gotz no picture, Bob don't gotz no picture. Maybe it's because you don't have enough gray, @BobnoGotz
I keel you
Congratulations, David. That's the power of the 'Rain for ya!
I keel you after I'm done choppa broccholi. You talk to much and type too slow. I find other friends who have the Mavis Beacon software and USE it.
I am inspired, thanks for sharing and giving us all the motivation to keep going.
Its tough out there at we all need quality leads to make a sale or get a new listing.
Why not become a property reporter at Property News Today and tell the world your local property news by posting a blog, video or plain old news in the section of site.
Buyers and Sellers trust agents who know what is going on in there local community. Help our website visitors learn about the latest information in your area and in turn gain there trust to use you to move.
It takes a few minutes to become a reporter and post your first blog, news or video and get on our home page to drive traffic to your site.
Sign Up Now its FREE
Regards
The Editor
And that Infomercial was brought to you by Property News Today...no points for you.
I hope rich is still watching this thread and blocks that bouchdoggles ip address. What a spam hack.
ahh david....the only thing missing from these comments was spam; now you have it all. hope your delete button is working :-)
Rich is always watching.
Wow, 10+ closings from AR - You can't argue with results!! Keep it up!!
Best, Dan
Cool and so sweet of you, glad to see the success here in the rain. Pass it on it is contagious.
David, thanks for acknowledging what is possible and what we need to do at a minimum to potentially achieve this. Congratulations on all the success.
Thank you so much David for the information! I'm (very) new at AR and am trying to learn as much as possible. You've inspired me to press on to spite my being hesitant. I'm hoping all my work will pay off. I'm subscribing to your blog...and please feel free to send any referrals to me if you know anyone coming to the ATL!
Hi David;
Congratulations and wishing you many more. Active Rain is a great place to be.
I have been blogging faithfully since July last year and have over 60,000 points and have tried to make all of my posts interesting and with pictures, etc., but so far have received no leads from it. Your story is encouraging and I will just keep at it.
David: Congratulations!! I just began blogging here on AR recently and am doing everything I can to improve my site. My eternal optimisim tells me I will one day have the same fortune you are now experiencing. Take care - Carrie
David - very well said and you make great points at the end. ~Rita
Congrats David! Keep on blogging!
Great post! I have yet to close my first deal from AR, but I am hoping with a lot of hard work it will come. It is great to hear other people's success stories. It motivates to do more blogging.
David,
This is great news. I have been on AR for over a year but never took it seriously. I, like you, have spent a lot of time and money on SEO and pay-per-click. But over the past month I have really been putting in time on AR and look forward to some of the same results you are reporting.
Keep up the good work!
John
i just want to know where you found that cool Property Listing Widget
Damn good job David!!! Can't belive I missed the picture fiasco. That's what I get for not being a tweet, twit, twoot......
David, You couldn't have timed this post any better, what with heads rolling right now over the paid memberships. Active Rain DOES work if WE work Active Rain. Wow, 10 closings in a year? That's incredible! Congratulations to you!
Did I hear popcorn? I've been begging for popcorn for 3 days...I'll have buttered popcorn please!
Good for you, blogging on AR does work. If folks will just commit the time and energy they will get busines and take their business to the next level. I bookmarked this to send out when I recruit.
Excellent...I was just talking about this on my blog sites! I hope to find a lot of success on here....as well as much success for all of my fellow ActiveRainers! Cheers!
Wow, well worth your time. 10 contracts and another on the way is outstanding! Congratulations.
HI, I WAS CURIOUS WHAT DO YOU BLOG ABOUT FOR YOU TO RECEIVE THESE CONTACTS?
David, Congrats and thanks for posting. I never get tired of hearing the success stories. And thanks for a good laugh as well. Looks as though you will not be convicted of your crime;)
David-Congrats to you, it's always a beautiful thing when you see the fruits from your labor! Best to you~
Wow! That's great.
Conratulations, David!
That is So wonderful! I hope that it will work for all of us one day soon too.
Could you please tell me more about the key word target thing? What do you mean by that? How do I do that and what words should I use?
Also do you have any ideas on what topics work best for blogs?
Any help wouud be much, much appericated- I am still very new to this whole "blog" thing and I feel as if I am spinning my wheels most of the time ;(
Congrats again!
~Alisa
Congratulations - Stories like these gives us hope!
Thanks
Hi David
That is outstanding, blogging does work.
Good luck and success
Lou Ludwig
Congratulations on your huge success with AR. That is so encouraging to all of us who haven't had the same happen to us yet. I am going into escrow tomorrow because of my blog (on my own website) - not AR - but I believe that that will happen. I love to hear about others' successes with Active Rain.
Wow, you got a little bit of everything in this comment thread and you even lived through it. :) Good for you and your successes. Good for you for inspiring others.
Here, Here! I must agree with you! My belief in AR was strained at best, but after my third real estate agent/broker found me directly via this little website (!), I have been blogging more generously over the past month and today, I found myself on the HOME PAGE "Featured Member" Section!!! I was floored! Keep up the great work, David! I'm off to blog about my claim to fame now!
Congrats! I know how well you can do with a good blog site like AR as I have had tremendous success as well. You hit the nail on the head when you said to write about things that people are looking for.
What a POWERFUL message... Congratulations on your 10 contracts.. that is Awesome !
David: Great success stories like ours keep me motivated and focused on the importance of blogging. Active Rain provides so much information on so many levels. Active Rain is a essential tool for all Realtors. 10 closed deals is outstanding. You hard work and dedication is starting to payoff. Congrats on the gold start!
Congratulations on all of your success. It's taken longer for me, but I am seeing some success.
Great Job David! I am a newbie and trying to find my way around here. Your post is a source of great inspiration. Thank you.
Got a referral my first day (less than a week ago). Wrote the offer today, fingers crossed! Awesome, kudos to you, I'm looking to follow your footsteps!
Congratulations! Ain't it Grand? I got a listing from my very first ActiveRain blog, and another listing about a month later. Today, a counter-offer was accepted by my most recent blog success story - for a $975,000 waterfront home. In between, I've had about a dozen other folks that I never would have met without ActiveRain and Real Estate Tomato. (I really can't separate them, because most people seem to find both sites when they're looking online for real estate in my area.)
Awesome, David! Thanks for sharing your Active Rain success stories! Great job!
Great Post. When I first found Active Rain I was on it all the time. I have slowed down but this post makes me inspired! Congratulations and thanks again. AR is a great resource!
Good Tips. Thanks. My broker is a believer in blogging. At first he didn't think so but has changed his mind and has encouraged his staff to start blogging. That's why I am fairly new to blogging and your post said it all. Looks like you do more than blogging on AR. Thanks for sharing.
My props to you for removing the photo and for making the apology public. Good man. Good post. Good info.
David- Congrats on the 10 closings and the featured gold star, well deserved. These kind of posts encourage others to continue on.
I find the biggest reason members do not get biz out of AR is because they do not blog with keywords that searchers are using. They assume that the keywords they are blogging with are going to just work without doing any research on them. As soon as they do it right, they close biz! Katerina
David,
Thank you for the inspiration,...it's posts like these that help us all see that with a little effort we all can all achieve greatness here in the rain...:-)
Hi David - Congrats on reaching double figures in closings! And it was great to see how both sides handled the photo issue. Some of the long-time Rainers had fun with this (and they're all great bloggers to follow), and it was impressive how you confronted and resolved it head on.
Congrats on the closings. I need to get going on the posts!