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Youve probably heard of Dale Carnegies now famous book, How to win friends and influence people, well, that is exactly what you need to do on your blog. You need to win buyers and influence sellers. Consider your blog a tool to market YOU. In order to influence people into contacting you and feeling compelled to use your service over every other real estate agent in your area, you must establish 3 things:

you are like them

(people like people they can relate to)

you understand them

(people like people that uniquely understand their problem)

you are an expert in your field and can solve their problem

(people trust people that they consider authorities)

Now that you know what you have to establish, lets look at the 5 ways in which you can do that:

Tutorial marketing establishes that you are an expert

Buying or selling a home is a major life decision. People like to know what to expect. Prove your authority on the matter by guiding readers through the different processes of buying and selling homes with step by step tutorials.

Topics for real estate blog tutorials:

How to buy a home in Cape Coral for $50,000 under value

A Realtors secrets to selling your home for top dollar

How I qualified for a great mortgage with bad credit

Topics for real estate blog news marketing:

How will new zoning laws affect your neighborhood?

Are rising insurance rates driving Cape Coral homeowners across the bridge to Fort Myers?

How Cape Corals downtown restoration will drive your home value through the roof within 5 years

Fun marketing helps readers relate to you

Get the party started. Use entertainment like local gossip, contests, polls, quizzes, restaurant reviews or events to tickle a readers funny bone, spark participation or commenting. If you can make someone laugh or get them to participate in a blog event then you have likely won their readership for a while. Your regular readers are your best prospects and your best marketing tools since they are most likely to spread the word about your blog to the people they know.

Topics for real estate blog fun marketing

CONTEST: Best Cape Coral Christmas Decorations

What famous Red Sox Pitcher is looking for a home in Cape Coral?

Cape Corals 10 Best Restaurants

Example marketing establishes that you are a problem solver

As a Realtor, you have the unique ability to solve problems most people feel are overwhelming. Talk about your past experiences. People like to know that not only do you understand their problem, but that you have solved the very same problem for other clients. Example marketing helps you to establish your position as an expert and problem solver while also emotionally connecting with potential clients that share a similar problem.

Topics for real estate blog example marketing

How I helped a seller out of foreclosure

Sure fire ways to overcome a low appraisal

How your Realtor can sweeten up a sour seller

Fear marketing calls readers to action

Nothing engages people more than the fear that we might lose something. Create a little fear. Make people feel like if they dont read this their entire buying, selling, investing future is in jeopardy. Sounds crazy but the fear of loss is a compelling reason to dig deeper into some topic.

Topics for real estate blog fear marketing

5 Things that will ruin your closing

Are you preventing your home from selling?

Will your open house be a flop?

Using links to retain visitors & generate leads
Top 5 Easy and Effective Listing Posts You Can Write for Your Real Estate Blog
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TOP 5 SECRETS of successful blogs
Using Celebrity to Drive Traffic to Your Blog

Posted on December 05, 2006 08:23:06 by Blog Author

Mary.McKnight - View Profile

Posted in Real Estate Blogs, Realtor Web Marketing

Comment from: Ola Edvardsson [Visitor]

· http://www.realtio.com

Hi,

This is an absolutely fantastic post! :-) Especially all the headline examples you wrote.

I am curious about one thing... since we're talking about blogs and lead generation...

What's your take on a "call to action" in a blog entry?

A) Not at all. Blogs should not have any sales content.

B) Separate sales messages from the blog entries. As a compromise you could have a box separate from the posting at the end with a call to action.

C) Good copy is good copy. If it's interesting stuff people will read no matter if it's editorial or advertorial. Promote away as long as you don't offend your audience.

All the best.

/Ola

Permalink December 05, 2006 13:52:08

Comment from: Mary.McKnight [Member]

· http://www.rsspieces.com

Good question. I like call to actions. Often you can include a call to action at the bottom of each post, like "To get started on find your dream home (selling your property) today, call..."

Permalink December 05, 2006 14:00:05

Comment from: Reggie Nicolay [Visitor]

· http://www.mytechopinion.com

Thanks for this AWESOME post! This is going straight into my favorites.

Permalink December 07, 2006 11:17:14

Comment from: Brian Brady [Visitor]

· http://www.Brian-Brady.com

The basic primer for blog marketing; a must read for anyone even contemplating this time investment.

Why spend HOURS of time creating content if noone reads it? Well, Mary can teach you how to get your message to the consumer. Just take her advice

Permalink December 11, 2006 11:04:28

Comment from: Bob Sommers [Visitor]

Great tips Mary. There is nothing more important than being a caring, likable, competant real estate agent.

Permalink January 20, 2007 02:03:59

Comment from: Fred Carver [Visitor]

· http://www.1-victoria-real-estate.com

Hello Mary,

I just joined Active Rain in the begaining of February...I notice you no longer are on Active Rain...Wow, your information was so good and easy to understand.

If you intersted I'd love to know where you're blogging now, I need all the help I can get to improve my web site search postion and qualified leads.

Cheers, have an awesome day!

Fred Carver http://www.fredcarver.com

Permalink March 18, 2007 02:14:12

Comment from: Jenna Ryan [Visitor]

· http://www.the-marketing-shop.com

I also like "tutorial type" website articles because they operate under the principal of "give to get." You give free information and the visitor feels obliged to fill out your contact form or pick of the phone and call you. It's the American way, and the only way on the web with competitors a click away.

Permalink March 27, 2007 22:57:36

Comment from: Sam Chapman [Visitor]

· http://www.austinrealestateguy.com

OK, I have come to this blog before, but I obviously need to come back more often. There is tons of great information here and I need to take advantage of it.

Permalink August 05, 2007 15:52:30

Comment from: TheREMpro [Visitor]

· http://www.realestateproblem.com

Very good advice, Mary.

"Today online marketing (including, but not limited to, blogging and publishing ezines for opt-in subscribers) is about education. This method is particularly effective because it does not utilize the direct mail or image advertising tactics of interrupting and annoying your prospect. Rather, this method engages your prospect when he or she wishes to engage and give you the permission to market.

The 'Informative Marketing' approach takes the place of traditional marketing and sales methods from: "Hi, I am a Real Estate Practitioner. Can I help you sell your home" or "Hi, I am a Real Estate Practitioner. Can I help you buy a home?" to "Hi, I am a Real Estate Practitioner, we know you are interested in this service. It is here when you need it. Meanwhile, learn about the industry, the markets, and obtain information that you can use to enhance your life."

This approach hits two marks with one bullet. First, it keeps the prospect engaged with the practitioner for as long as it takes the prospect to decide to utilize the practitioner’s service. Second, it boosts the reputation of the practitioner to a point where he or she is considered to be an "expert" in the community or town, which is the most important and deadly weapon in the marketing arsenal of the practitioner."

Excerpts from the book The 24 Laws of Marketing.

Permalink August 19, 2007 20:48:05

Comment from: Sapan Behar [Visitor] · http://www.realestate-fraservalley.com

excellent post, tons of great information. I have to spend more time on this site.

Permalink September 10, 2007 18:02:56

Comment from: Antonio [Visitor]

· http://www.HotHomeSpot.com

Hello,

I'm relatively new to blogs, and eager to learn......

matter of fact we created one in our site: http://www.hothomespot.com/forum/index.php

One thing I want to share, I think it's good talking sales, because are reality and facts that go straight to the core, rather than going around the subject and talk someother things to end it up to the same matter: SELL!

Ciao

Permalink September 13, 2007 11:36:15

Comment from: David Hammond [Visitor]

· http://www.paradiseuruguayrealestate.com/

I came to your blog via NAR's blog reading list. Good information delivered in a fun manner - I've bookmarked your site to use as a reference for my Uruguay real estate blog.

Permalink October 10, 2007 12:33:33

Comment from: Ian Brown [Visitor]

· http://www.paramount-properties.co.uk

This is an excellent site. Very inspiring

Permalink October 28, 2007 08:19:38

Comment from: Joyce B [Visitor]

· http://reagentangel.blogspot.com

Thanks for your wonderful post - you are right on with pretty much all of the suggestions. I know my readers enjoy hearing the "good" the "bad" and the "ugly" of real transactions! Keep up the good work!

Agent Angel

Permalink January 25, 2008 17:45:51

Comment from: Fiona Walls [Visitor] · http://www.fionawalls.ca

Thanks. I am just thinking about starting a blog and it's great to have some ideas to start with.

Permalink February 20, 2008 16:40:30

Comment from: Carl [Visitor]

· http://www.bewareofjennaryan.blogspot.com/

This is excellent information! Thank you!

Permalink March 17, 2008 11:23:08

Comment from: Jill Wente [Visitor]

· http://www.springtexasblog.com

Mary, I really like the topic of "Are you preventing your home from selling?" I am going to write a post on this for my local area within the next month. Its a great topic that sometimes can be controversial for sellers but needs to be told.

Permalink March 31, 2008 22:57:32

Comment from: hunter.jackson [Member]

· http://www.columbiascrealestatehomes.com

I like how all the names of the posts would definately grab a readers attention. Maybe it will keep them there for a couple of seconds at least to find your search button.

Permalink June 26, 2008 18:54:04

Comment from: Brett Tousley [Visitor]

· http://www.brettsellshouses.com

Well there goes my morning Mary! I have seven more windows open now, no doubt I'll be reading your blog for the next few hours.

Permalink July 04, 2008 11:28:29

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