NOT THE RESPONSE I EXPECTED...
I emailed several agents in our area this morning to say that I was currently using a canned site just like them - and wanted to spend 10 or 15 minutes discussing how they were customizing their site and what widgets they are using.
I felt pretty darn comfortable with this - because I felt certain most of the agents in this area that are using this canned site are not customizing it and don't know what a widget was (none of them are on AR and I intended to invite them!)
BOY WAS I IN FOR A SURPRISE! (hence my BFO - Blinding Flash Of The Obvious!)
I've always signed my name
Eleanor Warren-Thorne
My parents were both in the business in the Cary Market and so I felt like it was a good connection to the community in a lot of different ways... Here's one of the responses I got back from an agent:
"And when I quickly googled your name... an obituary of someone came up 1st... and nothing regarding your site. I don't know what to recommend to you about that but thought I'd let you know."
HUGH?!?!? Anybody on AR knows that if you blog and keep your website up to-date and do all of those things we are all doing you should be in there somewhere!
AND BESIDES! WHEN I GOOGLE MY NAME I'M THE ENTIRE FRONT PAGE!?!?! Okay - so I thought - maybe she misspelled my name. It happens.
But alas... that wasn't the problem.
You see I am Eleanor Thorne on Active Rain and on my website with my husband Steve.
I signed my emails, and my cards are printed to say:
ELEANOR WARREN-THORNE
Lesson learned??? Use the same name on everything!! Even the most simple of things can cause your SEO to be in Danger!
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I see myself differently than most loan officers in the Cary/Raleigh market. As a rare Cary native, I see myself as an expert on the area, on mortgage industry changes and factors that affect rates!
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I'm one of those people that doesn't use my whole name... In fact, I don't use my first name. But, I do everything with the same name... ok, my car stuff is under a different name.
interesting stuff - hopefully you got a few more tips, too?
Good advice. It is the simple things that mess us up.
Lane: Yeah - but you're the cool car guy!
Courney: I'm meeting with 2 or 3 people this week who responded so I'll let you know!
Matt: Ain't it the truth brother!
I had a name issue with my company. I have never used my first name and seems over the last 3 years the multiple was having some issues with people not using their license names so they wanted me to use my first name - no one would know who that was so I sent a letter off to the state and had them change my license - all back to good now. I also have a hyphenated name but I don't use the "married" part for business. Glad you figured it out :)
But... but... I don't know who I am from one day to the next...
LOL
Eleanor,
I use "Mike," and sign agency paperwork, "Mike." When I get "Michael," usually I'm being spammed or called on the carpet by Sweet Thing...
Great post - I am Rebecca Savitski -- I answer my phone Becca out of habit, I have had several people hang up and call again!!
Great post - so what about our Meetup?
Eleanor~ this makes afraid to even start checking- Lisa, Elizabeth??
It's the simple things that can trip us up!
Michael, Becca, Elizabeth - you need to check and make certain that you are using the SAME NAME all over the place!
Hey we are going to get together here in teh Triangle after Valentines (and Family Reunion!)
Great post! We are all still learning SEO, but this is a great reason to pick your "keyword phrases" properly! LOL
Sorry to hear you've passed.
Ed Nailor loans Charlotte
Okay, Eleanor, no more aliases. Just when I was having fun, too!
Eleanor, great point! I often have trouble too as I go by my middle name, Christopher. Everything legal is in my full name or my first name Mark. I gotta consolidate!
Eleanor - Phew! Glad to hear the rumors of your early demise are false. Great tip... thanks for sharing.