4Realz vs BHB: Un…imaginitive
The recent wankathon between everyone in the world and Greg Swann was a blast. Best I can tell, Swann doesn’t care–at least not at the finger wagging level of everyone else. Fun pissing contest, but beyond that, being in one camp or another makes no sense. Like him or not (and I think he might have low grade Asperger’s ) Swann has been good for the conversation here and elsewhere, and good for the standards on the Internet. Generation Y? Get a thicker skin.
The RE Net played too nicely for too long. There are too many milquetoast, unsalty, unflavorful noncontributing blogs. “Now’s A great time to buy. Seth Godin is King.” The trivial many. Who wants to be in that category? Most of us are–no doubt. People that are only mentally able to generate one or two posts a week feel obligated to post every day and more. Wattered down expansion pitching. The desire (which I myself have had) to be accepted vs. the desire to contribute pull against one another. The RE.NET has developed a lunatic herd mentality, and playing nice is the ultimate problem.
If we want to go all “Seth” on everyone–the beginning of purple cow: What committee churned out good ad copy? Why be homogeneous?
Fitting In, Vs. Making Money: Different, But Not Exclusive Choices.
To fit in, there are the nine Rules for the RE.NET. (Oh, I have been guilty of seven of them, minimum)
- Obviously, you have to profess your love for Seth Godin, Linking to him at least monthly.
- You must to be into social networking.
- You have to really blog, daily.
- And you can’t disagree too strongly, no matter how stupid the idea. (News Flash: Push marketing, well executed, works consistently and makes people happy.)
- You have to have contempt for push marketing.
- Any cause that’s supported by a few cool people deserves badges and buttons on the sidebar of your blog (ah,but don’t REALLY give any dough, just be recognized as ‘caring’).
- Any new or different 2.0/social site is a must join, regardless of the fact that we are all already tumbling, twittering, linking, facebooking.
- You’ve got to contribute to a big damn multi author blog.
- Oh, and you must mention Zillow, Truilla and/or Redfin.
Nothing wrong with plain’ nice….but if the herd is traveling in one direction, how do you stand out? What are you giving? The above rules are subscribed to with zeal. How do you make any cash doing what everyone else is doing? You can’t post more. You are working against a big lead. Why would they pick you against someone else? Your personality doesn’t even shine through much…because most people try to gain the approval of the RE net, rather than doing things for the people that close deals.
OK, OK, it’s not JUST About Money
There are a million valid reasons to blog–for me, right now, it’s personal development/improvement. The cash is an ‘asisde,’ Since 2004 and I’ve made $118,000 from web 2.0 tools, and another $81,000 from first generation referrals. 4th quarter, 07, I generated $17,000 alone. If I was in a more expensive market, it would double; remember: in Central Ohio, you live like a pharaoh in a $350k house (if you don’t mind freezing, humid winters and sticky hot summers). Not my only source of income, but a welcome spoke on my wheel of business–you know?
WHY though, do people blog for approval? The approbation of some 26 year old somewhere will NOT cure the hole in their soul. Talk about a path that I damn near went down. How much can you earn for being approved of by a Real Estate Blogger 1200 miles from your home town? Blogging is still novel and new enough that it’s profitable to cover a hyperlocal market–if you do it with a ton of style. Betcha Joe gets business from his blog, and I’ll betcha the “RE Bloggers that blog for others” don’t. But it feels like work. It non trivial to churn content. It’s easier to seek the weak praise of people by moaning the same ‘me too’ content. Posts (like this one) delude good agents into thinking they are working…because the reward at the end is an attaboy from someone they digg.
So–and I want to know–why are you blogging? Because you’ve been TOLD to? Because you HAVE to be web 2.0? Because you’re afraid to call your customers, and you want to do something that feels like work?
Blog with a purpose that you care deeply about. Doesn’t matter what your passion is–if it’s worthwhile, if it’s interesting, everything else will follow. Seek Ye First…and all shall be added.
So…I ask you all: What are you here to give?
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Bob in San Diego 02.25.08 at 10:27 am
Well stated Chris (that was not to be construed as an “attaboy”).
It amazes me how many don’t like to be challenged. Too many write simply for validation.
Jay Thompson 02.25.08 at 1:52 pm
Fabulous post Chris.
“So–and I want to know–why are you blogging?”
Primary reason — It’s the single best way I know to learn. Mostly by reading blogs, but partly by writing to them. Part of that learning also leads directly to teaching / informing. It’s pretty much what you said, personal development/improvement and hopefully helping others with same.
Secondary reason — for business. It can be a great way to prospect.
I only need “approval” from two groups of people. My family, and my clients. However, to your question “How much can you earn for being approved of by a Real Estate Blogger 1200 miles from your home town?” the answer is quite a bit — through referrals. While I suspect most people refer out clients to agents that are good agents as opposed to say good people, there is some component of “likability” that factors into anyones decision on who to chose as an agent. Like it or not, likability matters in a people oriented business. An agent or a lender that is a complete ass will probably have difficulty in this business.
That doesn’t mean you have to suck up to every Tom, Dick and Harry on the Internet. In fact, being artificial and hokey is a bad idea. The vast majority of people have a pretty decent bullshit meter and will see right through that.
As an aside, about your “Rule #6″. I’ve put “buttons for causes” on my sidebar. Not because a few cool people support them, but because I believe in them. You have no idea if I have (or have not) REALLY given any dough to these (I have). I’ve also given time to some of these causes, managing and distributing the contributions. A lot of folks have REALLY contributed. Of course, far many more have not. But if one person gives that learned about it on someone’s blog, doesn’t that count for something?
chris 02.25.08 at 1:56 pm
Jay Thompson » JT: the buttons for causes was me just being snarky. There are some agreeable causes, and some stupid causes. Anyway–I don’t know if the people have a bullshit meter, or if people gravitate towards the bland. I’m thinking it’s the other.
I’ve made money through prospecting as well…just not as much.
John Lockwood 02.25.08 at 11:25 pm
Well, as a blogger for many years and an outsider to RE.net, as well as the Anti-Seth and the founder of the Real Estate Johnosphere, I must admit I found your remarks:
1) Refreshing.
2) Confusing.
3) Erotic.
4) Hyperbolic.
and
5) Magically Delicious.
The answer one of your questions: I don’t make cash doing what everyone else is doing. I make cash doing what I’m doing.
I do appreciate your question about why it should be so important to have approval from everyone who’s doing what everyone is doing.
The wankathon by the way wasn’t between everyone in the world and Greg Swann. There were a few of us who were free agents.
As for what I’m here to give, I think the typical response is “others a headache.”
chris 02.26.08 at 12:10 am
John Lockwood »
Well, welcome to the blog. And, like Yogi Berra–I didn’t say half the stuff that I said.
Jay Thompson 02.26.08 at 10:48 am
Chris - What are you using for your “quote rotator”? I like it, even if I am looking at a Seth quote as I type this. ;)
John Lockwood 02.27.08 at 11:27 am
Chris,
Thanks for the welcome. And don’t worry about only saying half of what you said. I only read half of it anyway.
I always try to keep the reading down to a minimum before I start flapping my mouth about me. It saves time, since that’s where I know I’ll end up. :)
chris 02.27.08 at 11:50 am
John Lockwood »
if this comment was important, please repost so I can read i. I like people to post twice whenever a comment is supposed to be read.
Rhonda Porter 03.01.08 at 10:59 am
Great post, Chris.
Why do I blog?
I guess I’m needy (or maybe nerdy).
It all depends on that specific post. Sometimes it’s a question that I’m asked over and over again in the process…so I’ll answer it with a post.
Maybe I need to vent about an aspect of my business…a form of therapy!
My blogging has been very rewarding not just financially but moreso by attracting the type of clients that I enjoy working with. My life is easier. I’m not courting real estate agents, clients (including agents) are coming to me.
I believe blogging has made me a better mortgage professional. You are forced to stay at the top of your game. Readers will ask questions, or I want to learn about the very latest guidelines and what impacts our business. I’m not “waiting” for things to happen before I learn about them.
There is a social aspect to blogging that is amazing to me. In school, I had many friends from all sorts of groups…but I was NEVER in “clique” (sp). I see the bloggosphere as a bit “high school” socially at times AND I will also say that I have made some incredible industry friends whom I greatly respect.
Even if and when RE blogging loses it’s appeal…perhaps some new web invention will be created that pushes our blogs out of google site much like our old websites have become obsolete…I can’t imagine not doing it.
Trevor Smith 03.01.08 at 1:30 pm
Good enough for Letterman. (of course you would have to come up with a tenth)