Technology is our friend. Technology is our friend. Technology is our friend. It seems as though no matter how many times we say it, people still find it difficult to assimilate comfortably with technology and to be more accurate, blogging.
I can’t blame people, everyone has their own reason to obstain from blogging but in the end theres always one reason to participate. If you don’t, you’ll miss out on valuable relationships and business. Blogging can be arduous if you make it. Though, your environment may be the big culprit. Text editors can be bloated with settings and features we'll never need or use. If distraction is the reason you don’t blog or blog infrequently, we’ve discovered just the solution. OmmWriter is a great tool for bloggers who need to weed out distractions that might prevent them from getting to work. Microsoft Word 2010 or 2011 are equally effective tools to focus on the task at hand, blogging!
It's early, we can still consider 2011 a newborn and the terrible twos are months away. In terms of Social Media, that gives all of us plenty of time to strategize, dedicating ourselves to what we find valuable. We at ActiveRain had an opportunity to pick the brain of analyst, Jade Sepolen who works with Banyan Branch, a social marketing company. These guys have a proven track record for delivering results to Paramount Pictures, Guilt Group, and Microsoft, just to name a few.
Stealing Jade for a few precious moments was incredible, I had to ask her a couple questions. First, how can we better utilize Facebook and Twitter, two brand name Social Networks 99% of us are utilizing and second, what are some emerging social networks worth a second look.
Check out the video below. If you don’t have 4 minutes and 19 seconds to spare, here’s a summary of what’s suggested.
When you engage on any social network, make sure you know your audience and the channels they use to communicate and find information. This will maximize the use of your time.
"Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country". It’s easy to ask your peers and potential clients for business but what motivates them to work with you is value in the relationship. This boils down to thoughtful and useful content in anything we contribute online. The awesome rate on your SOC is important, but no ones needs three automated e-mails a week regarding it.
Lastly, video, e-mail marketing and Facebook will continue to shape the way we do business. Facebook will likely give us more customization on how individual fans see business pages, allowing you to choose which demographic sees what. YouTube will continue to dominate in terms of video and the social aspect of e-mail marketing will grow more prominent.
Passive Rainer. That’s usually what I call any user that’s still on the blog bench. Learning how to blog on your own can admittedly be time consuming and downright discouraging, but you don’t have to learn on your own.
We’ve spent quite a bit of time dissecting Google and identifying what works and what hurts when it comes to total blog domination, and we’ve cracked the code. Its 2011, and you have waited far too long to get going on this initiative.
What I find humorous is that most of you are already blogging and all we need to do is alter your understanding of what a blog really is. I know you all e-mail, and if you don’t, shame on you… I know you’re fibbing. A blog is just an answer to a question that you’ve most likely received numerous times before.
Think of a blog as an email hundreds of people will see, instead of just one. If I asked you to explain the risks of selling my home in this market and to support that with some data, you would be able to send me an answer a few paragraphs long, right?
That’s what we call a Market Report folks, something you can pump out once or twice a quarter that can be an asset in your blog portfolio.
If you take the risk to blog, go through our live webinars that Steven Grahm leads, and actually adhere to the path he suggests, you WILL be happy. Regardless of whether or not you like blogging, you’ll continue with it because the results will justify EVERYTHING.
For now enjoy this brief vlog which is a version of what Steven has in store for you.
For good, bad, or worse, you are influential. You wake up in the morning and check your smartphone for fires that need suppressing. Some of you will send your kids to school, then clothe yourself in an outfit of choice (a slim pair of dark Levi’s, unique graphic tee, and a pair of All Stars for me). You’ll succeed or fail to eat a breakfast nutritionists swear is the most influential meal of the day, then head to work. 
You may or may not be taking advantage of your potential influence on ActiveRain. In terms of Real Estate content, our website has the media equivalent of the summit of Everest. Here’s some advice... you can’t conquer or tame it! However, you can leverage the platform, influence other members, and most importantly farm new clients with your blog.
Focus Rally America
So, if you haven't already heard my girlfriend and I are currently finalists for this web reality series called Focus Rally America. Coming from the producers that created the hit show 'The Amazing Race', viewers should be in store for quite an amazing journey. From what we've pieced together so far the show will cast six teams of two, and have each team command a 2012 Ford Focus in an all out dash across America.
Here's the kicker...as cast members and competitors in Focus Rally America, we will be allowed to call in favors from our online network of friends. Leveraging Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, our blog and other forms of Social Media will be crucial in our domination as team, Willitney!
Ford has a huge steak in Focus Rally America as well as the new Focus. Though the new Ford Fiesta, (recently reintroduced to the American public over the summer) continues to dominate in global sales, the new Ford Focus will attempt to secure its footing over rivals like Honda, Toyota, and Hyundai.
To do this ford is stepping its game up. Focus Rally America will essentially introduce potential consumers to Ford MyTouch (formerly Ford Sync), technology pioneered as a joint venture between both Ford and Microsoft. The technology essentially allow the driver complete control over focus amenities like air conditioning, phone calls, navigation, even text messages! Introducing this level of technology in a car of this segment will absolutely put Ford at the top of the list for many potential buyers. Imagine the Delorean from 'Back to the Future' but even cooler. Whitney and I will certainly have a geekgasim!
Many teams are vying for their spot on Focus Rally America. The carrot dangling at the end of the race will be hefty. $100,000 dollars and a Focus will be given to the winners. There’s something in it for everyone though. 10 Ford Focuses will be trusted to the winners to give to the 'pit crew' (their social networking friends) that helped the most along the way.
Whit and I would be great on Focus Rally America! I think one of the greatest attributes is our geek prowess and faith. We both work in careers that are heavily rooted in Social Media. I teach Real Estate pros how to blog effectively and one of Whitney’s many crucial roles is to cultivate, add and maintain her twitter congregation. This all comes naturally to us, we truly care about the people we follow online and we’d like to say our network cares about us too!
Focus Rally America, I assure you will bring out the best, the not so great, and from us... the most humor you’ve ever seen from two geeks online.
Please help us attack this dream. Click the link below. It would mean a ton if you liked our Focus Rally America Fan Page and followed along. The more followers the closer we get to the big race!
Facebook @ Team Will & Whit
More info @ Our Official Release
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