The Top 10 Reasons Why I Blog

I'm writing this with the Real Estate Agents who I've known over my 20 years from my combined title and mortgage careers in South King County.  The sky is the limit for you with blogging.  I don't know how I can get this point across...I feel like I'm trying to lead horses to water who may not realize just how sweet it is!  Especially in South King County.   There are few to none real estate bloggers that I'm aware of in your neck of the woods!   And with blogging, it just takes a few months to get rolling and you're off the races!

Here is what blogging had done for me and my business:

1. I have referrals every day from my blogs.   Better yet, they trust me and like me right from the start just from reading my advice and figuring out my point of views on various topics.  It may be better than a referral from a friend!   I'm the neighborhood resource.
2. The type of clients that I am receiving from my blogs are very high quality.
3. It has established me as an expert in my field in our fine state of Washington...plus...other states where I have referred business to other Mortgage Professionals.   Since I've started my blog in late November of last year, I've been interviewed on the local news, Inman News and I've had other Mortgage Professionals from California and Georgia create podcast interviews with me.  I've even have authors sending me their books asking me to review them!  This is "rock star marketing".
4. I am reducing other forms of marketing.   I am a sales junky and I love marketing (in addition to helping families with their financing of course).   It currently cost me around $2,000 a month to "be in business".   I'm reducing my expensive by cutting out marketing I no longer need.   All of my Typepad blogs cost about $150 a year...total!
5. I am saving time.   When clients ask questions of me that are FAQ...I post the answer the answers on the blog.  This accomplishes a couple of things...(1) the question is answered for that client; (2) the client has the opportunity to visit and maybe subscribe to my blog...maybe they'll tell their friends about their question being on the blog (may not)... (3) clients with that same question can be referred there in the future...thus saving you time!
6. You create readers and client loyalty.   Your competitors cannot compete with you.
7. Blogging creates "google juice".  I don't know how else to say it, but our websites--without a blog--are dead.   Kaput.   Websites are competing with blogs and there are a massive amount of blogs created everyday (except for real estate in South King County).   Blogs are alive since they are constantly being fed new content...google and other search engines gobble this up.   Web sites are stagnate and lifeless.   I'm sorry.   This is why I want to help you.   You can still have a website...just attach it to your blog.
8. You learn so much!  Being a writer, even if you know a topic inside and out, you still sharpen that blade between your ears by  researching, writing about and answering questions when readers comment.
9. The blogging community is incredible.  I can't think of any other forum where others help other each with marketing and support each other with blog rolls and comments.   I have made more friends in the past few months across this country--high calibur professionals.
10. My most favorite thing about blogging is that it has awoken a passion in my business that is renewed.  It does not take a lot of time.  It is just as easy as sending an email.   You can block out less than an hour a day or every other day to read blogs and to create blogs.   Once you start, it's not hard to do...it's actually harder to stop!

I will revisit this list in with follow up post.   It really is that incredible and I would not be bugging you with emails or my letters (just in case you're not getting my emails) if I did not care about you and your business.   

I am planning on rolling out "baby steps" and tid bits of information to help you get closer to taking a drink from this delicious pond.   Your first step would be to subscribe to this weblog.   All you have to do is enter your email address in the top right corner of this blog.   You'll receive an email and you will need to confirm that you wish to subscribe.   That just means that whenever I write something new here, you will be emailed with the "post" or my content.

If you don't want to wait for this blog to tell you what to do...you can start with creating a free blog at Active Rain.   More about Active Rain will follow in future posts!