I have been perusing some of the new posts and have to say that I am quite impressed with the quality of posts coming in. Since I was trained for four months by the #1 real estate blogger in the country, I figured that I would pass on the do’s and don’ts of the blogosphere.
- Never, ever put things like “call me for me for more information.” The blogosphere is about transparency and complete and free exchange of information. Saying something like “call me…” is very “old school” and will not be effective in this medium. Gaining trust by sharing information will be the BEST and most effective way of gaining readership and clients. If, for example, you are blogging your listing, ALL information is expected like , price, address, EVERYTHING! There are NO two schools of thought. This is a complete and total exchange of information. If you try to use an “old school” method of “closing”, the reader will CLOSE down on you.
- Blogging is about the “soft-sell”. I was recently at a conference where major players in the RE industry were chatting about how buyers & sellers habits have changed and the consensus was that consumers DO NOT want the “hard sell” anymore. Successful agents should simply acts as conduits of valuable information and in-turn the consumer will feel they need you for what is in your head, not on the paper.
- NEVER, EVER contact someone who has commented on your post anywhere but in the comments. Consumers expect all information to be provided in the public comments. If you don’t feel it is appropriate to answer a comment in the blog, invite the reader to e-mail you, and then take the discussion out of the public forum. People like blogs because they like the anonymity it provides. It is a major faux-paus to get their e-mail address and give them old-school “hard sell” techniques. Once an agent PROVES their value to the reader, they will initiate the contact to take the communication off the blog.
- Never harvest e-mail addresses from blog commenters thinking that you will “out-smart” the blogosphere. You will embarrass yourself.
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