Last night, I got an e-mail from someone who said they were new to blogging and wanted some advice. I started writing their response and then it hit me. Kevin Costner was genius and understood blogging.
Do you remember the movie “Field of Dreams” with Kevin Costner? Well, the movie was about a man that mowed down his corn field and built a baseball field in right in the middle of corn season. He was on the verge of losing his farm in bankruptcy and everyone thought he was crazy. He kept hearing a voice that said, “If you build it, they will come.”
Well, that was going to be my advice to the newbie about blogging. Just build it and they will come, just like they did in movie. At first everyone didn’t see Kevin’s vision and only a few people came to the field, just like when you start up your blog. But, by the end of the movie, there was a line of cars as far as the eye could see to pay Kevin to watch a baseball game in the middle of an Iowa corn field, which ending up saving his family from foreclosure.
What was the difference? He believed in what he was doing, no matter what anyone else told him, and as the movie went along he had more and more followers that believed in him and eventually got money for his vision.
That is what real estate blogging is all about! You, the future blogger, have to build your blog that no one besides yourself believes in, but over time you get a few more believers. Then one day, you have a line of people knocking at your blog asking you for advice on home buying and selling and you finally get paid for your work and save yourself from foreclosure.
What is the moral of this story? Be positive, grow and adapt, and you can succeed even when others are failing, you just have to believe even if you aren’t seeing any results immediately! It really doesn’t matter what you write about either, just like books in a book store, everyone has their own preference, there is no one secret formula. People hire people they feel they know, like, and have a good knowledge of real estate.
I, personally, try to let my humor shine through from time to time in my blogs. I like to write about my family, experiences, and I also write about real estate. Does everyone write like I do, well of course not! But, does it matter? No, not really they are getting business just like I am. The key is not to plagiarize, and write from your heart, not someone else’s. If you believe in what you are doing it won’t matter and your followers will come.
I truly believe that if you blog and continue with your other forms of advertising all you dreams can come true.
Welcome to your field of dreams, build and they will come!
Todd Clark - broker
Kastings & Associates
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739
Todd@IFoundYourNewHome.com
www.ifoundyournewhome.com
Todd Clark and the Friendly Home Team
Knipe Realty
Todd@IFoundYourNewHome.com
Phone: (503)524-9494
Fax: (503)622-8739
I am a licensed Realtor who specializes in Washington County, Oregon and also work in both Clackamas and Multnomah Counties including the cities of Aloha, Beaverton, Canby, Clackamas, Gladstone, Gresham, Happy Valley, Hillsboro, Milwaukie, Oregon City, Sherwood and Tigard.
All information contained in these posts are copyrighted and cannot be used without prior written approval authorization from the author me Todd Clark. If you are looking for an outstanding agent please give me a call I would love to help you with all your real estate needs.
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One of my favorites "if you build it they will come" Thanks for reminding me!
Deanna Casalino
Todd,
Lots of agents and mortgage originators and others in the business start a blog and when they don't see instant results, they give up. Some believe by just getting one will do it and that's not the case. You have to work at it for the long haul, provide good content and they'll come.
Todd,
What humor??? LOL, Thanks, Fran
Deanna - Keep on posting!
Naoma - You are so right, you just have to keep working as with any form of advertising.
Matt - Exactly!
Larry - It really was a simple, but good movie.
Penny - I think you have to look at it like an online newsletter that you have to publish everyday! With time and it does pay off big rewards!
Jonathan - This community has given me so much it is the least that I can do to try to give back to it!
Esko - You are right, most do give up within a month or two and I also wonder why they do that. Do they do that with a farm letter? I sure hope not!
Fran - Yeah, not my problem if you are too old to understand it! - lol
Linda - OUCH! (For you that don't know what Linda is talking about, please read this blog about our bet... Hi, my name is Todd and I'm a complete loser! (Linda this is for you my friend)
My first few blog posts were lowly experiments. I re-read them and thought, "I have no idea what I'm reading... and I wrote this thing."
Can't say I've perfected the medium or found my voice. I have, however, found people who would have otherwise not found me. It took a little while to get traction but now I'm seeing results.
Your advice is great. It's true.... very very very true. The best thing to do is jump right in. And before you know it- you've arrived.
Hey Todd - loved that movie. It was so cool. I've jumped in - now I'm just learning to swim. ;-)
Chuck - Yes, if you don't jump in and wait to find your voice you will never find it! You can only find yourself if you put yourself out there!
Candy - Thank you Candy, makes me even feel better about why I wrote it!
Teri - I think you are holding your head above water very nicely and I wouldn't change a thing!
Todd - I think in your own time you will be known as your own Todd and not the other Todd, plenty off room for both of us in the field!
Howdy Todd
How very true, if you don't build how are they going
to know where to come to find ya.
Very good info for new folks for sure.
That is a very good movie for sure.
Debra - I'm glad to see you have stuck it out and hopefully I had something to do with that!
Dale - Real estate is about relationships and I think I have figured out how to build those through blogging.