I've been tasked to come up with an hour of material for a class on blogging and I'm really not sure where to start. Actually, I do have some ideas, and it all starts with this post.
HAVE A PLAN
See in order to do a class I will need a plan. I need a plan for my real estate blogs and a plan for the class. Do you have a plan?
Whether you are a blogger, a Realtor, a home buyer or seller, you need to be doing things "ON PURPOSE." This real estate market is not for the "try-ers" it's for those that have a strategy to succeed.
I love what Steve Tufts said at a class, "if you can't get your brother-in-law to list his home with you, you have no business being on the internet."
Touche'
So let me ask you.... WHAT'S YOUR BLOGGING Strategy?
go slowly and use small words. I have taught classes at my office and most are comletely clueless about blogging. I would try and get a list the day before and send an invite to AR to everyone who attends.
Ya know, if you're talking to people who have never ever heard of blogging before, I'd start with talking about print newsletters and the ways in which a blog is similar to a print newsletter, and then go on to the ways in which a blog is different..... and better.
Joshua - It's interesting that you mention having a plan. I have never had much of a plan with my blog, although it does result in business for me via consumer contacts and referrals from other members. I wonder how well I could do if I took some time to strategize more.
This is why I never tell anyone how successful my blogging has been. If I did, I'd be in your shoes...trying to come up with how to teach this to others. (I'm kidding of course). Actually I sympathize with you.
This summer, the tech guy from another KW center came to our office to talk to us about marketing, specifically internet marketing. Among other things he said "Get a blog...then get to blogging". At that time I had absolutely no idea what to do. I knew I liked to write so that was a start. From there, I found Active Rain. That is my number one suggestion for you. AR is such a tremendous source of information that you would be doing a great service in less than 5 min if that was the only thing you told them!
As others have said...use really small words and remember the KISS principal. People who are new to all this get overwhelmed easily.
You might also do a live demonstration and show them how to set up their blog on AR, or any other service for that matter.
The guy who came to our office also gave us a hand out with 10 simple things to blog about.
Hope some of this helps.
Tell them it is easy to blog, it is just like talking, but with your fingers.
I highly suggest you invest in SEOmoz's guide to blogging. They have a ton of statistics that would go great in a blogging presentation: http://www.seomoz.org/article/the-professionals-guide-to-blogging
This is so funny, I find myselfin the ame situation.
I have to prepare a presentation o teach realtor about blogging.
maybe we could talk to each oterto excange ida.Whatdo you think?
808-222-1114
I talked in 3 different meetings about what this could do for everyone in our company... deaf ears. Oh well. Thats my last talk. More business for me! I was willing to spill on SEO but not any longer.
Sorry I was having problems posting here.
I was going to say just start basic and try to point out anyone can do this. You dont have to be a "writer"
This real estate market is not for the "try-ers" it's for those that have a strategy to succeed.
Good evening Joshua,
Since I'm not even registered here, yet, I'm only offering my opinion based on what I've observed over the past few months. Before you start your class, I would make your agents go online and tell them to read at least 50 of Jason Crouch's posts, 50 of Katerina Gasset's posts and 20 of Lenn's posts. You don't want to scare new bloggers away with too much hard core real estate talk. :)
Reading 120 quality posts will be like throwing them in the deep end of the pool and seeing who can swim! The ones who grasp what Jason and Katerina and Lenn are doing, I believe, will start blogging and the rest of them will opt out.
Here's what I have discovered: Just like internet leads are not for everyone, blogging is not for everyone.
Respectfully,
Bruce
I suggest you contact Steve Shatsky here at AR, he recently did a class at our office and did a fantastic job.
Thanks for all the great commments! I think I will be calling a few of you over the next few weeks. I was planning on keeping it simple but with a focus on strategy and purpose. If you know of any blog networks that I should include outside of AR, let me know.
you might want to pick up a few tips about running a meeting if you have not done that. You have great info but you have to get the audience excited!