If there is one thing you can count on to spark a localized viral or word of mouth campaign for your real estate blog it is an interview or a review of a local business. Why? It’s simple. People love to see their name, their business or their picture in print. So, appeal to a local business owner’s ego and schedule and interview. Be sure to get the most out of your interview by sending the interviewee an email with a link to the reveiw review. This will help you to build a name for yourself as a local business proponent and before long you will be a hit among local businesses. Many times, a business will actually post the review/interview on their walls and people who eat there will see it and visit your site for more recommendations.

One of the most common mistakes I see on real estate blogs and websites is that they include lists of restaurants, golf courses, boat clubs, etc. but never make specific recommendations. Treat your blog like a newspaper or magazine: make a top 10 list of restaurants or review them individually like Zagats Guide would.  Appeal to people by giving them a single recommendation by just reviewing/interviewing one business at a time in the first person from your own point of view. Stay away from listing every business or restaurant in town. Don’t treat your blog as a guide to the town as a whole but as a guide to the town from your own perspective. Also, remember to be fair and maintain your credibility by being honest. You are making recommendations to your readers so you have to build credibility by reviewing restaurants or other businesses from an unbiased perspective. To show you are fair, be sure to pick some dogs and warn people against eating there. It will not only help to build your authority in the field but also help stir some controversy. If you are able to review businesses regularly, you might even be able to create your own annual award event where you pick a list of the best businesses in town.

What kinds of businesses to select

Stay away from services like your mortgage broker or real estate attorney. Go for the “sexy” businesses that have lots of foot traffic like a local boutique, spa, health club, jewelry store or restaurant. 

How to schedule interviews around holidays to drive in the most traffic

Always schedule your interview shortly before a major holiday that affects that type of business. For example:

Interview a jeweler before Valentine’s Day and ask them what gifts are hot for the season. Also, be sure to ask about gifts for various price ranges.

Schedule a review of a restaurant before New Year’s and discuss their New Year’s Eve celebration menu with the Chef. Be sure to include all the reservation information for their New Year’s Eve event.

After the New Year, when gym memberships are at their highest and everyone is still sticking to their New Year’s resolution, go and interview the owner of your local gym or a personal trainer. 

The 5 rules of interviews are:

1. Pictures, pictures, pictures. People love to see themselves and their business in print. So, do your interview in person, just like a journalist would be sure to take a picture of the interviewee and of their business. (I generally use a digital recorder for interviews so I don’t miss a morsel of what was said.)

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2. Make sure you get useful information out of the interviewee. For example, get a recipe or kitchen tip from a Chef, a weight loss secret from a personal trainer or hot style trends from a boutique owner.

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3. Be funny. Interviews should get a little personal and they should ask questions that are designed to insight a funny response. The easiest way to engage readers is to make them laugh. 
4. Always provide your questions to your interviewee beforehand and coach them on how to respond for impact and use humor to engage the audience.

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5. Include a specific call to action for the business you are interviewing. Businesses want to feel like the their time sent with you had value and somehow drove traffic back through their door, so always include a very specific call to action. If a boutique is running a sale, mention the details, store hours and location. If a restaurant is hosting an event, include the event information and the reservation number. If a gym is offering a special offer or free trial membership, provide all the pertinent information and who to contact to activate the free trial.

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