I've invested heavily in ActiveRain and I have gotten a good ROI. I get those calls that are blog leads and I love them. They don't require anything other than "will you work with me". There is never a hesitancy to provide a phone number, email and address of where the contact can be reached. AHA Moment! Oh Yeah!
How long does it take you to find or gain this information from a cold website lead? Could be months or years...right? Been there and Done That!
I love Blog leads because they already know you and who you are. I just got a $700,000 client looking for property on a major fly fishing river in our area and I got that lead due to my efforts on blogging to fly fishing in the Redding and Shasta County area. I blogged on Clear Creek and the Salmon Spawning and I have a new client.
LOCALISM SO ROCKS. I sometimes do things that I don't fully understand. Somehow I knew that Localism would be BIG TIME and I've made a serious effort to blog about the benefits and glory of living in our area. I built a blog site dedicated to "The Shasta Lifestyle" and why people love to live here. I've been working hard to build market data for our area.
I also just got two new first time home buyers from my Localism work and the niche market for "First Time Home Buyers". All are blog related. I told my husband....build it and they will come. We are seeing the result! Thank you ActiveRain for the leading edge technology and social networking leadership that you provide.
I am Jeanean Gendron. You can reach me at 530 276-7417. I answer my phone. Visit our website or our blog and learn about Shasta County and real estate in our area.
Hi Jean,
Good to hear about your Localism successes. No doubt your readers understand your knowledge and expertise in Shasta County. I've loved reading your community posts myself.
Keep up the great work.
Hi Jean, Congratulations on your success. Good luck in 2009. I enjoy your posts.
Nice to hear about success from your Localism efforts, I believe it's something that will give back over time!
you are motivating me to check out localism!
I am just begining to write localism content. Build it they will come. I can't wait for may first client from this. I am more eager now, that I have read this post. Thanks!
Jeanean, this is a great post. Just when I am sitting here asking, "is it ok to write about..." I read this. Perfect. Congratulations on the business, the leads and your success.
Jeanean, Congratulations on your success. I'm sure you will have much more to report!
Jeanean, thank you so much for sharing
Jeanean - You are so right!!! Localism is really great and I too have gotten leads that closed due to Localism. And they do already know you when they contact you - they know you, your family etc.
Thanks,
Kathy Carson
Congrats Jeanean - Write about what buyers want - info about the area and your market and they will come!
I guess what has been holding me back is the stress of the local content and thinking it should be perfect. I like your Shasta lifestyle idea!
Jeanean, I hope you're right. I'm doing the localism thing, but I'm still pretty new (3 weeks) here at AR, so nothing yet, but I'll keep posting and hoping.
It's important to blog about specific interests such as fly fishing. You can capture an audience easily that way.
Localism ...I love Localism :)
Jeanean - Congratulations on your success and paying it forward almost always reaps big benefits.
Congrats on your success! Still new to the localism blog but I appreciate the motivation!
I'm hoping to follow in your footsteps.
Thanks for inspiration! I will keep going.
It is inspiring to hear of these stories because I am new to blogging, but I have hopes for a good ROI. I know that most people are online, which is the place to be. I also liked how you said with honesty that sometimes you don't know what you are doing, but you are still doing it and plugging away. Being there. Isn't that half the battle?
Dear Jeanean,
Thanks for the post!
I have played with Localism. Sounds like I need to get into the game!
Barbara
Jeanean - you have done a marvelous job in promoting Localism and your blog site about Shasta County. Congratulations on your deserving Gold Star! BTW, I love your blog and video about the frogs :)
Hi Jeanean: I picked up a client last week who lives in Kauai. I blogged about my Christmas vacation in Kauai last year, and this buyer wants a loft in Sacramento. He found me on the Localism for site for Kauai, of all things.
I also love localism and I am waiting for my first call...it will come! Congrats on your feature..
I just sponsored two areas this week and wish other areas were available. I'd sponsor them in a heartbeat!
Hi Jeanean - Congratulations! This is a very motivating and inspiring post!
Lynda, nice to hear from you. Your Localism rocks....I love to visit and see what's going on in your area. With papers closing and going on-line....we are right on for helping our clients. Thanks Lynda for the visit!
Gita, thank you for coming in on this and the nice comment. Sometimes I think I'm in a bell jar. I appreciate your visit.
Russell, just look at it this way. You are building a base of knowledge for the consumer. When they contact you regards an area or just base knowledge, your posts are available to email or repurpose to fit the need of your client. You are building a Dynamic Knowledge Repository (DKR). It is "Think Tank" way of say you are building a knowledge and information system that is dynamic and changes on a constant basis due to your efforts in blogging. Having a systematic approach to your blogging brings about the result of a repository of posts that you can send or direct your client to....how cool is that. Thanks for coming in on this.
Lise, I encourage you to do so. It will be the way of the future. Our clients are responding to the work we do in Localism. The vision of the Jonathan Washburn was so on and he's so connected with this business. It takes time and dedication, however write about what you love and make your Localism fun for you. Then it turns into something you love to do...not just a task or another load. You will love it, I promise.
Tere, we've been building for three years and I alone have been working on Localism since it rolled out. Not sure how long that is. Read the comment above and just make it fun. We were at the Sundial Film Festival mid March and I have a whole series to do on the Cascade Theatre and the Festival. We had a wonderful time and I was snapping photos the entire time. Localism is about living and that is the cool thing. Through your eyes your cllient sees the world in your area....not just cold real estate....but about living in you area. It is good integration and for me raises the bar for our clients.
Kelly, as in the comments above, write about your passions and love. Your clients connect with the information you provide and your knowledge or certain areas. In this case, my husband and I are both fly fisherpersons and we love to go to the rivers and look for spots to fly fish. On this particular day, we were exploring Clear Creek to the West of Redding and the Salmon Spawning. The creek leaves Whiskeytown Lake and enters Clear Creek. There is a dependable release through the year. It is also a great kayaking place with some white water. We love the exploring part and while we are out learning the history and how it looks and flows, we gain knowledge that helps our clients. The entire effort of Localism changed us and integrated what we love to do with learning more and more about our area. The result ends up helping our clients.
Barb, thanks for the visit and read. I hope it was interesting. Localism will be great for Realtors in all areas.
Kathy, so glad you are having results from Localism. I love the leads because they just want to do business with you and it's so rewarding. I have come to hate website leads....they are so different and the people so hesitant to provide information......I'd much rather build my business around people that identify with you and may share the same interests or appreciate your knowledge. I have a short sale in escrow now where the gentleman simply said....I so appreciate all the knowledge you have put out there on short sales, I don't want to work with anyone else. Will you help me buy a short sale property? I like those calls.
Jessica, I so agree. It such fun to boot!
Kristi, read the above comments and while you should spell check....just write about something that you have an interest in or something that you love to do in your area. You knowledge is already there. I always pick up the literature for the area we are exploring just to make sure that I get the facts and contact information correct....I'm snapping and grapping all at the same time. You'll have fun....go for it!
Mike, it takes a while to build that repository of knowledge. Read the above comments. Pick a couple of areas that you like or are knowledgeable about and write extensively about them. As times goes along add another topic and so on. Pretty soon you have started to build little knowledge centers on your subject matter. When you get a call that came off one post, you can point them to where they can read more or you can email them addition posts. Good luck....hang in there and they will come.
Linda, you are right. We are also artists and so our community interest lie in that area. I cover the Arts in Shasta County and all the events. It's wonderful to meet those people who have similar interest. It all great fun! I love it when work is fun on all levels.
Hello Sally, Thanks for the visit. You rule when it comes to Localism.....You Go Girl! You are an inspiration to me in particular and to AR as a whole. Thanks for all you do to make AR a positive environment for us all to grow and evolve. Setting the standard is a good thing and you do it well.
Norma, thanks for the visit and read. I hope it help people see that it will pay off in hugh dividends. For me the sweetest thing is that I meet cool people interested in the same things we love....how cool is that.
Jessica, just do it....you will be glad and be sure to find the fun in it...that comes through in the work you do.
Stephanie, well this is a good tutorial on how to get started....just read the above comments and time block time to do a piece a week. It is the thing I look forward to the most!
Barb, it does not happen overnight, however because you so love what you are doing....it doesn't seem to matter and then BINGO that call comes. I have to tell you that I would much rather work with people that have the same interests that we do....it developes into lasting relationships. I need to start writing about our plane and get some pilots for clients. I have a long list of subject matter to get to....I love it! Thanks for the visit and read.
Colleen, thanks for coming in on this and commenting. I have to say that AR has provided great ROI for me on every level. Localism is particularly fun for me because it establishes a knowledge base for me to help my clients on a "real time" basis. I was at an Open and a prospective couple came by to discuss selling their home. I was able to send them to the market reports on their community for the last 6 months. Obviously, it sealed the deal and helped them have instant visibility to the market value and the dynamic change occuring in the market. We had a basis for conversation and exploring opportunity for them that no other agent in our area could offer.
Barbara, jump in there and make it part of your business plan. It's part of mine. It takes some hard work but then I'm nuts and go full on for things I love. You don't have to do it that way. Just make a plan to do one Localism piece a week and start lookng for those opportunities. I carry my small (good) camea with me everywhere so that I never miss the opportunity to snap something that is exciting and I want to write about. Make it Fun!
Yo Bryant....many prayers have been coming you way....not for business, however. We all know that there is no need for that. Kisses to TLW and to you! You so rock in this business on all levels. Honey you set the bar for us all. I'm dancing with delight that we have her coming home already. Buzzing with love for you both!
Petra, thank you for the visit and nice comment. I love my froggies also. It's been so fun to showcase our area. We live in such a beautiful area...that I have a lot to work with. Thanks again for your kind comments.
Elizabeth, you so rock girl! I love getting those clients like your Kauai client. When you both have a common love or interest....it just seems to be such a cool transaction....goes so smooth...I love it. You go girl. I want too talk to you about your last post on short sales. I'll give you a call or email.
Rebecca, hand in there. It does take a bit of time, however when you are building the base wide and deep...believe me it will come. It's coming from all directions for me now. I had to have faith in what I was doing and the encouragement I received from AR on believe us....it will happen. It has happened. Thank you AR! Thanks for the visit and for commenting.
Christianne, good for you. I have about 12 areas that I sponsor and that I do market reports on. I'm changing my plan to do quarter end market reports on the communities and monthly market reports on the Cities surrounding Redding. It is the local color Localism that I love however. Build your base and you will be pleased with the result. Good luck and good posting!
Maria, thanks for the visit and commenting. I hope it helps and can provide you with enough inspiration to have some fun with Localism. Thanks again for the visit!