Change the font size of the articles
Blog Lead Tips Blog SEO Tips Blog Marketing Tips
Blog Participation Tips

Grab Chiclet



Legal

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution - NonCommercial - NoDerivs 2.5 License.
©2006 RealEstateTomato.com

Category Archives

Click the titles below to read the full post or use the drop-down menu in the sidebar to select a different category:

May 29, 2008: Teresa Boardman Asks: Who Are You?
Comments: 15 | Categories: Blogging Advice , Guest Author , Teresa Boardman
I have written this post a few times and in a few different ways. I meet other agents on the internet because of their blogs. Sometimes I contact them by email or phone. Yes there are people who still use the telephone and have a two way conversation, but that is the subject for another post. Try contacting some of the real estate bloggers. I go to a blog and search and search before I figure out who the author is. After I find the author getting the contact information is often next to impossible. It may involve clicking on a form that sits in a queue somewhere, or a general office number where I don't actually get to talk to the person I am trying to contact. It is as if the person is saying that they are just too darn important to talk with but for some reason...

April 30, 2008: Finding Time To Blog As A Real Estate Professional
Comments: 32 | Categories: Blog Discipline , Blogging Advice , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging , Teresa Boardman
This might just be the most ironic post we’ll ever publish here on the Vine. Teresa Boardman, the real estate blogging goddess from St. Paul, sent over this post to help us get some fresh content on our pages. It couldn’t have come at a better time. With all of my time spent on the recent growth of our company and the development of some very exciting projects, including an entire Tomato Makeover, it’s nice to have a few reliable contributors. Finding Time To Blog As A Real Estate Professional By Teresa Boardman I am contacted by people from all over the country who would like to start a business blog or who already have one but are struggling with it. People make the same type of comment about not having enough time, not understanding how I find the time or saying that is takes too much time. Marketing and...

April 15, 2008: Exactly Why You Should Bore Blog Readers With Real Estate Statistics
Comments: 33 | Categories: Blog Content Creation , Blogging Advice , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging
Things have been a bit quiet here at the Vine for the last couple of weeks, and that only ever means one thing: We’re Growing Again. We’ve recently brought on 3 additional members to our team in order to bolster our strengths in design, service, and training. Our publishing pace always suffers when I have to be so “hands on” in training and transistion. Look for a surge next week! Fortunately, we have the support of guest bloggers. This week, Margaret Woda (FocusOnCrofton.com) makes her Real Estate Tomato debut with an excellent post on her person experience with blogging about her local real estate statistics. Take it away Margaret! Why Bore Blog Readers With Statistics? By Margaret Woda My community real estate blog “for and about Crofton, Maryland” is picking up steam with more hits and page views each month. Creative, articulate, helpful – these are adjectives I’ve read or...

March 30, 2008: Writing Your Real Estate Blog Primarily to Google is a Squandered Opportunity.
Comments: 29 | Categories: Blog Marketing , Blog SEO Advice , Blog Writing Tips , Blogging Advice , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging
Thanks to the recent frequency and quality of guest posts, I’ve had the pleasure of taking a little time off from shouldering the content on the Tomato. Keeping in stride, we have another treat for you. Todd Carpenter, ubiquitous RE.net participant, and owner and author of the globally appreciated mariah.com (a web 2.0 real estate network of websites), just emailed over this solid piece weighing the value of blogging for Search Engine exposure. Writing Your Real Estate Blog Primarily to Google is a Squandered Opportunity. By Todd Carpenter What’s the difference between a blogging expert and a real estate expert? Blogging experts may or may not understand how the real estate industry operates. Take, for example the theory forwarded that, for the sake of superior Google search results, bloggers should not write about their community. That instead, they should stick to posts that are only about real estate itself. You’ll...

March 26, 2008: Can My Real Estate Blog Help Me Talk Like a Woman?
Comments: 27 | Categories: Blog Writing Tips , Blogging Advice , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging
John Coley, still my favorite Lake Martin, Alabama blogger, sent over this gem, and I couldn’t wait to post it for your enjoyment. Can My Real Estate Blog Help Me Talk Like a Woman? By John Coley I recently got rejected on a listing presentation, and it hurt. Unless you're a realtor that signs up 100% of your listing presentations, you know what I mean. This one was particularly painful because it was to list a couple's lake home and help them buy another. The combination of the two homes would have been about $2 million in gross sales, which buys a lot of groceries in Alabama. It also hurt because I felt I had a really good relationship with the husband. He contacted me out of the blue. We talked a lot. He liked the way I marketed other homes in the area. So I was surprised to hear...

March 20, 2008: Blogging on a Saturday - How Rewarding It Can Be
Comments: 10 | Categories: Blog Content Creation , Blogging Advice , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging , Teresa Boardman
Blogging everyday is not easy. I know. At best, I’ve got a pace of 3–4 times a week. However, Teresa Boardman, our resident real estate blogging goddess, is pretty darn consistent. Looking back through her archives it’s rare to find a day left unblogged. So how does she find the motivation and creativity to keep it up? Here’s a peek into the history behind Teresa’s Saturday offerings (to the gods). Blogging on a Saturday - How Rewarding It Can Be Jim and I have both said this a million times, well now a million and one times: it is content that makes our blogs work. It is nice to have a pretty blog, and a blog that wins awards but if the intent is to meet people who have real estate needs then content should be a priority. Saturday's are my lowest readership day. At one point I considered not...

March 12, 2008: Ask For A Guest Post From John Lockwood, and This Is What You Get!
Comments: 6 | Categories: Blog Participation , Blogging Peers , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging
13 months ago, John Lockwood dropped a post here on the Tomato that inspired 40 comments from our audience. Now a year later, he’s looking for as many as 101 of you to help him reach a lofty, but attainable goal. Read on. 101 Subscribers in 30 Days by John Lockwood My original title was "Strategic Blogging, Going Beyond Real Estate, and Getting 101 Subscribers to a Brand New Blog in 30 Days or One Long Title, Whichever Comes First." I shortened it considerably out of respect for my host. Who am I to stand in the way of my own self-improvement? Jim Cronin was good enough to ask me to rematerialize here on the Real Estate Tomato. He mentioned that people enjoyed my earlier post, Seven Myths About Real Estate Blogging. Egomaniac that I am, that praise would normally be enough to get me to start typing up a...

January 31, 2008: Are You IN or OUT With Real Estate Blogging?
Comments: 30 | Categories: Blog Marketing , Blogging Advice , Guest Author , Marc Grayson , Real Estate Blogging
Our resident Internet Marketing Specialist, Marc Grayson of Webographers fame, has just sent over his first Tomato contribution of 2008, and it couldn’t have been more timely. I hadn’t told him when he submitted the idea, but I have been meaning to write on this topic for the last week. You snooze, you lose. Perhaps I’ll save my banter for the comments along with y’all. Are You IN or OUT With Real Estate Blogging? By Marc Grayson You may have thought I was referring to, "are you in with blogging or out with blogging". Actually, what we seeing today are differentiations in blogging and communicating online given: your peers (Inside) and to consumers (Outside). Should real estate professionals stick to one audience...having more than 1 blog? Why is this important? Let's take a look at what service providers are up to. What were seeing today in Web 2.0 are lines...

January 29, 2008: Recycle to Get The Most Out of Your Real Estate Blog Articles and Pictures
Comments: 11 | Categories: Blog Content Creation , Blogging Advice , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging , Teresa Boardman
Because of the global exposure Teresa Boardman receives, and the fact that she is a regular contributor here, I am regularly asked how she is able to continually keep up the vigorous posting pace on her real estate blog. I can’t speak for her, but I can say that the article she just sent over give us some tips on how to get more than one life out of your blog articles and the pictures that you snap for them. I Already Said That By Teresa Boardman My blog has a lot of words in it. There are almost 1000 posts. Posts that I wrote a couple of years ago are still out there marketing for me. They work hard and people contact me because of them. Last week I got two inquires from posts I wrote in October of 2006. Writing words and taking pictures does take time. I...

January 23, 2008: Finding Your Voice as a Writer of a Real Estate Blog
Comments: 3 | Categories: Blog Content Creation , Blog Discipline , Blog Writing Tips , Blogging Advice , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging
Former real estate blogger Derek Burress who left blogging nearly four months ago to devote time to writing novels has kindly dropped by the Tomato to offer his advice on helping others find their writing voice. Writing at the Crossroads: Finding Your Voice as a Writer By Derek Burress Toni Morrison once said, "If there's a book you really want to read but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it." Have you ever found yourself wanting to write a book or blog but found yourself not knowing what to write? If so, I have some good news for you. What should I write about? The answer to this question is simple; you should write about what?s been in front of you the entire time: the same stuff you enjoy reading. Write about the things you enjoy: If you enjoy reading romance novels, you should write romance novels....

January 22, 2008: Three Letters I Don't Think About When Writing A Post For My Real Estate Blog
Comments: 24 | Categories: Blog Content Creation , Blog Dos and Don'ts , Blog Writing Tips , Blogging Advice , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging , Teresa Boardman , Topics and Opinions
Our favorite “Tell-it-like-it-is” correspondent from the real estate blogosphere, Teresa Boardman, is back with her first Tomato contribution of 2008. Recently there has been some discussion as to what approach we should take when it comes to considering the search engines with a real estate blog article writing style. Teresa, a proven success with her straight forward approach, serves up a spoonful of perspective, keeping us all in check: The Three Letters I Don’t Think About When Writing a Post For My Real Estate BlogBy Teresa Boardman There are three letters that I don’t think about when I write a blog post, they are S, E and O. I consider my posts and photographs to be a kind of creative endeavor and I can’t be creative if I am thinking about Google. I do need to attract search engines but my main goal is to attract the people who are...

November 22, 2007: 40 Observations By Teresa Boardman Regarding Her 2 Year Old Real Estate Blog
Comments: 39 | Categories: Blog Participation , Blogging Advice , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging , Teresa Boardman
I was thrilled to find the following post in my inbox yesterday. It being Thanksgiving today, it makes for an appropriate time to say that I am thankful for Teresa Boardman, and all the other generous guest authors that have contributed to the Real Estate Tomato this year. 2 Years Later… By Teresa Boardman My business blog is now two years old. Not the oldest blog out there by any stretch but older than many of them. This is a kind of short re-cap of experiences I have had because of the blog. My blog is my business, or my business is my blog. My blog is my number one and most valuable business asset, and prospecting tool. My marketing costs have gone way down, but I have less free time. The amount of time I spend on the keyboard has gone up, and my neck hurts. The amount of...

November 9, 2007: What Is The Future Of The Real Estate Blog?
Comments: 29 | Categories: Blogging Advice , Blogging Peers , Collaborative Articles , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging , Topics and Opinions
This past week’s Collaborative Article topic has been focused on the Future of the Real Estate Blog. Inside the Tomato Forum, the gang hashed out 2 specific questions: 1. What do you see as the future of the real estate blog? 2. What do you fear about the future of the real estate blog? Before we jump into the article that is the highlights of the Tomato Forum discussion, I just wanted to paint a picture of the very near future of real estate blogging I see: Imagine for a moment you are sitting on your couch, feet up, remote in hand. You scroll through your Tivo’d favorites looking for updates from your favorite topics… San Diego Luxury Real Estate being one of them. The console that sits 10 feet away is tomorrow’s television, an all-in-one entertainment center merging Internet, TV, Computer and Game Console. Tivo has selected and recorded...

October 29, 2007: The 7 Reasons Why Your (Future) Clients Should Care That You Are a Real Estate Blogger
Comments: 26 | Categories: Blog Lead Generation , Blogging Advice , Collaborative Articles , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging
Our Monday Collaborative Posts are back (we were on vacation last week) with a topic that proved as interesting as it was slippery: Why Should Your Clients and Potential Clients Care That You Blog? In the collective discussion that took place on this topic, there was lots of writing on why blogging helps you gain the trust of your audience, and how blogging helps you connect to your potential clients, but pinning down why they should care took some time to uncover. Paula Henry from IndyRealEstateTalk.com broke through with the concept that a well executed real estate blog gives clients a sense of the agent “beyond the slogan.” Many real estate agents use slogans such as: “Knowledge Is Power” “Service You Deserve. People You Trust” “Experience Is The Difference” “Always There For You” “We Care” “Your Local Expert” …and so on. Without the substance to back up these slogans, they...

October 15, 2007: Looking For Ready To Act Buyers? Blog These Proven To Succeed Real Estate Topics
Comments: 27 | Categories: Blog Content Creation , Blog Dos and Don'ts , Blog Lead Generation , Blogging Advice , Collaborative Articles , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging
As promised last week, Monday Real Estate Blogging Advice Posts will now be the result of the collective collaboration from our own Clients, the Tomato Bloggers. This Week’s Collaborative Blogging Advice Topic: What Should Realtors Be Blogging About In Order To Attract Ready To Act Home Buyers? As a disclaimer, I don’t know that there is an objectively correct answer to the question, given that every target market is different, be it urban or rural, or beach front or mountain living. Nonetheless, it made for a fascinating conversation in the Tomato Forum. Here’s what we made of it: The Internet Lead is generally considered to be a lead that is going to take some time to incubate. The length of time thrown around is usually 6–18 months. Can real estate blogging help a lead develop more quickly, or rather can blogging attract leads that are further along in their own...

October 7, 2007: Kick the Pay Per Click Habit: 7 Reasons Why Real Estate Blogging Is Better For Your Business
Comments: 30 | Categories: Blog Marketing , Blogging Advice , Collaborative Articles , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging
Our goal here at the Tomato is to educate Real Estate Professionals on the fine art of successful business blogging. Now that our Active Vine of Blogging Clients has grown well past the 100 mark, it's obvious we have an army of savvy real estate bloggers. In an effort to bring real, first hand knowledge to our readers, we will be collaborating with the Tomato Bloggers in the form of a weekly post. Monday's articles are now the result of the collective writings of our clients around a Blogging Advice Topic that we discuss in a private forum. This weeks topic: What Makes Real Estate Blogging Better Than Pay-Per-Click Campaigns? 1. Longevity Online Presence and Self Preservation Pay-Per-Click advertising is an effective traffic generator while you are paying, but as soon as you stop paying, the traffic ceases, as does your increased presence online. There is a direct correlation between...

August 30, 2007: Photos and Real Estate Blogging, It'€™s What Makes This Fun and Easy
Comments: 14 | Categories: Blog Content Creation , Blog Dos and Don'ts , Blogging Advice , Blogging Peers , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging , Teresa Boardman
Before going up on stage in front of 3500 Realtors last week, I was speaking with Teresa Boardman about what she enjoys to most when it comes to posting on her St. Paul Real Estate Blog and her ActiveRain blog. “Photos I shoot and my Fridays Are For Fun posts,” she quickly responded. “I know that I need to be posting about the local real estate market and other topics around that subject, but I really enjoy the pictures and the fun stuff.” “I also know that my audience enjoys them a ton too.” So when I got back from the big event, to an over-stuffed, under-managed inbox, I wasn’t surprised to find the following article from Teresa, ready for the Tomato. Photos and Real Estate Blogging, It’s What Makes This Fun and Easy By Teresa Boardman It has been fairly well established that through our business blogs we build...

August 13, 2007: How Many Hits Does It Take To Get To The Center Of Real Estate Blog Lead?
Comments: 21 | Categories: Blog Lead Generation , Blogging Advice , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging , Teresa Boardman
As I attempted to bring clarity to the commonly asked question: How many hits should I expect to my real estate blog? the theme that has percolated to the top of the discussion both here and on ActiveRain was all too clear. "It's business, not hits that I want from my blogging." "What correlation is there between traffic and leads through blogging?" Teresa Boardman is passionate about the subject, knowing too well that it is the business that she garners from her blogging efforts, not the readership, that makes it so worth it. So, after a quick email exchange with her, we aimed to tackle the topic together. My point of view comes from hundreds of hours of blogging, geared to be enjoyed by Realtors, and Teresa’s, from twice as many hours of real estate blogging directed towards the consumer. Jim’s Perspective What we learned from the last article: #1....

July 25, 2007: The Real Estate Industry Does Not Understand Real Estate Blogs
Comments: 23 | Categories: Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging , Teresa Boardman , Topics and Opinions
The Real Estate Industry Does Not Understand Real Estate Blogs By Teresa Boardman Our industry is made up of over a million Realtors and some other people too. When it comes to blogs our role models and industry experts seem to be a collection of technology and media companies that are some what removed from the business of buying and selling real estate. They understand how blogs work and even have awards for innovative blogs like the Tomato. Even though this tomato blog is not a real estate blog it is considered an industry leader. I would agree, mainly because Jim is one of the few in our industry that understands real estate blogs and how they can help individual agents attract clients. Jim attracts clients of his own through his blog because it is an excellent example of a business blog. It is focused and never preachy and he...

July 19, 2007: You Can Lead an Agent to Technology, But You Can’t Make ‘Em Type.
Comments: 17 | Categories: Elizabeth Weintraub , Guest Author , Marketing Solutions , Topics and Opinions
A special treat today! One of our original guest authors, Elizabeth Weintraub from About.com, is back with a bold message. You Can Lead an Agent to Technology, But You Can’t Make ‘Em Type. By Elizabeth Weintraub “You can lead an agent to technology, but you can’t make ‘em type.” I made this statement to the marketing director at my company, who roared and then realized the seriousness and truth in that statement. My company announced today that it is withdrawing all advertising from the Sacramento Bee come September 1. It spends, corporate heads estimate, $2 million a year in major newspaper advertising. Part of the problem, the way I see it, is our local paper’s Web site is in direct competition with my company’s Web site for identical eyeballs. The driving force behind that decision likely has to do with the down real estate market in Northern California. Corporations need...

July 14, 2007: Dear Apprentices Of Project Blogger
Comments: 11 | Categories: Blog Discipline , Blogging Advice , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging , Teresa Boardman
Some thoughts from our Real Estate Blogging Goddess, Teresa Boardman, on Project Blogger. I have been wanting to write this for some time and I hope that the apprentices see it. I want to say that I admire you all and I mean that sincerely. There is not one of you in the group that could not have a successful blog if you don't already. If I had been an apprentice I would not have made it through the project. You all did and I admire you for it. I have read the critiques from various judges about your blogs and about your posts. If I had been critiqued as much I am not sure that I would have had the passion for my blog that I have today. I am not sure that I would have found my voice either. There is more to it than a voice, after...

July 5, 2007: Food For Fodder – 101 Real Estate Blog Topics
Comments: 30 | Categories: Blog Content Creation , Blogging Advice , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging , Teresa Boardman
Teresa Boardman, in response to comments in her most recent article, has whipped up a tasty treat for all real estate bloggers. Grab a fork, and enjoy. Food For Fodder – 101 Real Estate Blog Topics By Teresa Boardman In my last post on the Tomato I wrote about writing being the biggest obstacle for real estate professionals who want to have a blog. Some of our readers commented that figuring out what to write about poses the greatest challenge. It is hard for many to come up with topics so I wrote a list of 101 topic ideas for real estate professionals who want to have a blog to expand their internet presence and to meet the home buyers and sellers who live inside their computer. Potential clients are in your computer right now and are looking for great agents and lenders to work with. The idea is to...

July 3, 2007: Part 2 - Real Estate Agent2.0 Defined - The Drive To Be The Best
Comments: 4 | Categories: Guest Author , Marketing Solutions , Stats and Trends , Topics and Opinions
Steven Groves is back with the second installment of his growing definition Agent2.0. Take it away Steve: Agent 2.0 - Defined – The Drive To Be The Best By Steven Groves So far in the rollout of the Agent2.0 model, I have talked about social media and the resulting social capital. Now I need to tell you that once you get in front of a prospect, none of that matters – it mattered to get them there, but once a prospect / client has requested contact, the needs of the Agent2.0 changes gears. From that point forward, a whole other set of tools / tactics come into play; we'll cover the personal drive to be the best first. The Drive to Be The Best "It’s a funny thing about life. If you refuse to settle for anything less than the best, that’s what it will give you." - W. Somerset...

June 29, 2007: What Is The Biggest Barrier To Real Estate Blogging?
Comments: 22 | Categories: Blog Discipline , Blogging Advice , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging , Teresa Boardman
Teresa Boardman, our resident Real Estate Blogging Goddess, is back with some personal insight on what she has uncovered as the biggest roadblock to blogging. What Is The Biggest Barrier To Real Estate Blogging? By Teresa Boardman Earlier this week I conducted a kind of survey, and asked 25 real estate bloggers, which I defined as practicing real estate agents, mortgage, title and staging pros who blog, what they see as the biggest barrier to real estate blogging for agents. The answer was writing, and it was almost unanimous. What to write about and how to write it. That came as a surprise to me because so many agents believe that blogs require technical skills. This myth is perpetuated here and in other places on the internet as blog writers discuss SEO and merits of various blog platforms, and the rules of blogging. I would have guessed that they found...

June 25, 2007: Real Estate Agent 2.0 - Defined
Comments: 19 | Categories: Guest Author , Marketing Solutions , Topics and Opinions , Web 2.0
It seems the more I try to participate here on the my own blog, the more I am presented with great content that I know our readers will enjoy. Today, we are introducing yet another new member of the Vine, Mr. Steve Groves. His topic: Agent 2.0. Grab a coffee, this is another great ride. Agent 2.0 - Defined By Steven Groves Jim Cronin and I have connected at various levels and he’s allowed a posting of the manifesto of Agent2.0 here at the Tomato and I am grateful. Premise of Agent2.0 – the ‘Duh’ Statement The sale of real estate is / has changed significantly in the last several years. The major shift is the immediate and widely available access to multiple listing service (MLS) data. MLS data was at one time the exclusive domain of the real estate professional, who acted as the gatekeeper of the data to...

June 23, 2007: Should MLS Brokers Be Allowed To Blog About Other MLS Broker's Listings?
Comments: 26 | Categories: Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging , Topics and Opinions
New RET contributor, Edde Anderson, of CF Anderson & Co., jumps into the Tomato Patch in controversial form. Edde and I were talking about the topic of this post the other day, and figured it would make for great blog fodder this weekend. Enjoy, and thanks Edde! Should MLS Brokers Be Allowed To Blog About Other MLS Broker's Listings? By Edde Anderson Wow! Let’s give all give a hand for the question of the year. A recent article posted by Inman News on June 12, 2007 reported that the controversial discount real estate brokerage Redfin revived its Sweet Digs blogs after having to shut it down due to an MLS rule violation. The rule basically prohibits brokers from advertising other broker’s listings. So that leads me to heart of the question: Should MLS brokers be allowed to blog about other MLS broker’s listings? In order to answer the question, we...

June 21, 2007: Blog Chiclets: What Are All Those Colorful Banners In Your Sidebar?
Comments: 11 | Categories: Chris Hotz , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging
Chris Hotz, the director of our education division is back with a handy overview of why bloggers use so many chiclets on their real estate blog. Blog Chiclets: What Are All Those Colorful Banners In Your Sidebar? By Chris Hotz I love candy. If you read my last article, then you already know that. So it shouldn't surprise you to hear I like chiclets. No, not that kind of chiclet. I am talking about this type of chiclet: You've seen them. Every blog seems to have at least one. The weird, orange icon that represents a site offering an RSS Feed is universally recognized by all who participate in blogging. This did not occur by accident. On December 14, 2005, however, Microsoft (are they still the authority?) decided to adopt the icon originally introduced by Firefox. So What Is A Chiclet?According to Wikipedia a chiclet or chicklet "is a small...

June 18, 2007: White Hat SEO for Real Estate Blogging and the Reciprocal Link
Comments: 22 | Categories: Blog SEO Advice , Blogging Advice , Chris Hotz , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging , Search Engines
Chris Hotz, the director of our education division is back with some insight on a topic that has turning up quite regularly lately: Reciprocal Linking and it’s effect on Search Engine results. White Hat SEO For Real Estate Blogging By Chris Hotz I never played on a baseball team growing up, but I loved when the little league baseball season started. I loved baseball games because of the easy access to candy. Every year when baseball season arrived I would hop on my bike, ride to the fields for the opening day pitch and dart straight for the club house to use up all my allowance on Big League Chew, Bottle Caps and Fun Dips. I loved the sugar candy! But by the last pitch of the season I was so sick (sometimes literally) of candy that I could not look at another Fun Dip bag full of red sugar....

June 14, 2007: How Google Reads Your Real Estate Blog
Comments: 6 | Categories: Blog SEO Advice , Blogging Advice , Chris Hotz , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging , Search Engines
This article has been provided by our Director Of Education & Training, Chris Hotz. Thanks, Chris! Everyone wants their real estate blog to appear on the first page of a Google's SERP. Why not? You're the best real estate agent in your area on the web, right? Of course you are... Yet when you consider that a search of "real estate" in Google currently brings up 312,000,000 results you must realize that you will have to do a little more than just throw your site into the mix. The Oompa Loompas in the mysterious Google factory work hard everyday to make sure users are returned the most relevant search results when a query is created. Much like Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, few outsiders are allowed within the confounds where Google engineers are constantly strategizing better methods to organize data and spit out the best results for your queries. Until now......

June 11, 2007: The Little Real Estate Blogger That Could
Comments: 9 | Categories: Blog Discipline , Blogging Peers , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging
One of the biggest advantages to breeding A-List Real Estate Bloggers, is that now I have an army of talented and savvy bloggers willing to contribute incredibly useful content to the Tomato. Today’s debut comes to us from Denver, CO; Jennifer Steck is the author of new launched CentralDenverBlog.com. She has put together a piece relating her anxieties of trying the wrangle the blog as a real estate marketing tool. I think most looking into real estate blogging for the first time can surely relate. The Little Real Estate Blogger That Could By Jennifer Steck I think I can...I think I can... After doing a lot of research on technology and rainmaking for real estate, I decided late last year that a blog was the way to go to become a valued community resource in my area. A link led to an article from Inman News about blogging. Who's name...

June 9, 2007: Two Blogging Widgets That A Real Estate Blogging Goddess Can't Live Without
Comments: 8 | Categories: Blog Syndication , Blogging Advice , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging , Teresa Boardman
Jim is not a fan of putting a lot of bling on the blog. I agree with him but would like to mention two widgets that I can't live without. One of them is the MyBlogLog widget. To get this widget sign up for an account, follow the instructions, grab the code and paste in in your sidebar. It is a bit more complicated if you have a self hosted word press blog but the MyBlogLog site has instructions for those too. Why do I like the MYBlogLog widget? Because it shows me the faces of my friends. I can see that they have stopped by. I know people read my blog I can tell by the number of visits it gets. Yet it makes me smile when I see a familiar face on the widget. Seeing those faces encourages me to do my best. When I see an avatar...

June 8, 2007: Real Estate Blogging Tips From A Rural Real Estate Blogger
Comments: 8 | Categories: Blog Discipline , Blogging Advice , Blogging Peers , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging
One of the biggest advantages to breeding A-List Real Estate Bloggers, is that now I have an army of talented and savvy bloggers willing to contribute incredibly useful content to the Tomato. Our newest contributor, Daniel Bates of MyMcClellanville.net, has had to take the load less traveled in the real estate blogosphere. Rather than spoil it, I’ll let him tell it: Real Estate Blogging Tips From A Rural Real Estate Blogger By Daniel Bates Bright Lights, Big City The 2000 census reports that 94.6% of the US is rural open space, yet 79% of the population live in that remaining 5.4% (Don’t you guys feel cramped?). We can’t all live in the big city, and I gladly represent the 21% that said “thanks, but no thanks”. My home town of McClellanville has a population hovering below 500 and relies on shrimping as it’s main source of income. We draw a...

May 23, 2007: Open Source, Freely Taking Over the World
Comments: 8 | Categories: Guest Author , Internet (Sites and Tools) , Jason Benesch , Real Estate Blogging , Web 2.0
1. We support the democratization of local governments through the use of digg-style lawmaking. 2. We believe social media websites represent the future of participatory governing. 3. We believe traditional voting processes should be augmented with secure web-based voting systems. 4. We want to see open source software, formats and philosophies replace proprietary products such as the ruling Microsoft monopoly in public agencies. 5. We demand that all politicians keep regularly updated blogs, with open comment systems, to maintain contact with their constituents. (That one is my favorite!) 6. We want to see wiki-style collaborative writing of proposed laws and bills. 7. We demand that all governing bodies publish Youtube-style video of all public meetings and votes. 8. We support a total reform of patent, copyright and intellectual property law to reflect free and open Creative Commons-style licensing. 9. We are against the implementation of Draconian DRM systems. 10. We...

May 15, 2007: The Use And Consequences Of An Avatar As Your Blogging Identity
Comments: 7 | Categories: Blog Dos and Don'ts , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging , Teresa Boardman
Our friend the Tomato Man took liberties with my face and included it as a graphic on my last post, The Unintended And Unexpected Consequences Of Writing A Real Estate Blog. He did ask my permission, probably because he knows me well enough to know that I don't always appreciate surprises on his blog while I am drinking my morning coffee. The two hour time difference between St. Paul and California means that I would be calling him at 3:30AM to express my displeasure, before his bed time but annoying just the same. The graphic Jim used more or less hi-jacked the post. Graphics can enhance a post, or they can become the post. Most comments were aimed at the graphic not at the words. My observation, led to a rare conversation with the fruity guy. I tried email but as he often does he responded by indicating that he...

May 14, 2007: How F Street Will Have Readers Returning To Your Blog
Comments: 9 | Categories: Blog Writing Tips , Blogging Advice , Chris Hotz , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging
The methodical organization of your blog content can make all the difference when engaging a reader to entirely consume your articles. Today’s article is the introduction of yet another Tomato author. Chris Hotz, our very own Director Of Education, steps up on to the soapbox to deliver his first piece of blogging advice. Chris plays a very important role for our team, and we’re thrilled to have him on the Vine. How F Street Will Have Readers Returning To Your Blog By Chris Hotz Rules of the Road There are certain rules of the road that we all learn when looking to pass our driver's exam. The rules help us anticipate the direction others are going to take, preventing us from crashing into one another. Without rules, the road most traveled would quickly turn into chaos. The destination, never reached. Three rules that I learned in driving school are: Read...

May 11, 2007: Donald Trump is in Real Estate. You're in Marketing.
Comments: 13 | Categories: Guest Author , Marketing Solutions
Our friend Landon from MoonRay is back with his latest Tomato offering. Donald Trump is in Real Estate. You're in Marketing. By Landon Ray It’s a fundamental mistake of so many businesses, and professional service providers are the most guilty. We think we’re in the real estate business. We think we’re in the accounting business, or the lawyering business. It’s true that, as service providers, we have checks written to us in exchange for specific services, so it’s understandable to think we’re in the business of providing the service. When someone at a party asks what we do, we naturally say “I’m in real estate” or whatever it is that we do. So when we look at growing our businesses, we look at what we do for the levers. And that’s the mistake. You’re not in Real Estate. You’re in Marketing. When you really get that this is the reality...

May 7, 2007: Blogger Idol, Where's Simon Cowell When You Need Him?
Comments: 19 | Categories: Blogging Peers , Guest Author , Jason Benesch , Real Estate Blogging , Topics and Opinions
Jason Benesch presented me with the following article and I felt it was so timely that not only did I have to post it, but I decided to contribute some editorial as a 'second half' to the piece. Blogger Idol, Where's Simon Cowell When You Need Him? By Jason Benesch I have to come clean. I have watched every episode of American Idol this season. It's still extremely hard for those words to roll off my tongue, but I believe the first step to recovery is admitting that you have a problem (so I've heard). I have never before watched a full season of American Idol. Matter of fact, I have never even seen one episode. Before the girlfriend, I was never so compelled, but I have since learned that with relationships, certain TV watching habits must change. But even before the dedication to watching every minute of this season,...

May 6, 2007: The Unintended And Unexpected Consequences Of Writing A Real Estate Blog
Comments: 12 | Categories: Blog Participation , Blogging Peers , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging , Teresa Boardman
As the Tomato had mentioned, blogging is a marathon and does take commitment. By now everyone knows that my blog is for lead generation, and that it seems to be working. Our market in the twin cities is a bit slow, and we have plenty of Realtors, if not for the blog brining in business I would be considering a new career at Wal-Mart as a greeter. This post isn't about lead generation. it is about what I call the unintended and unexpected consequences of writing a real estate blog. 1. Speechless In St. Paul There is not need to talk anymore. I just direct people to one of my blogs. Clients send emails with questions I send a link to a post on the subject. It wasn't until I started my blog that I discovered talking is highly overrated because I can't use pictures, tags or links. I can...

May 3, 2007: Real Estate Blogging: The 80/20 Rule Applied
Comments: 9 | Categories: Blog Writing Tips , Blogging Advice , Blogging Peers , Guest Author , Jonathan Greene , Topics and Opinions
Jonathan Greene is back with a very insightful look at defining the growing success he is experiencing with his Real Estate Blog: Real Opinionated. Real Estate Blogging: The 80/20 Rule Applied By Jonathan Green You've probably heard of the 80/20 rule. It's a contemporary theory related to management, economics, and many other applications that states "20 percent of actions/causes/inputs, etc. will lead to 80 percent of consequences/effects/outputs." The idea is sometimes attributed to Italian economist Pareto who developed the theory in 1906 after observing the unequal wealth distribution is his country. Here are some examples: 20% of Realtors make 80% of the sales. 20% of Families hold 80% of the nations wealth. 20% of your daily tasks net 80% of your best results. You get the point. The theory is surprisingly pervasive. I wondered if the idea applied to blogging, so I set out to make some observations about the...

April 20, 2007: Young Blogs Be Free Tonight
Comments: 14 | Categories: Blog Discipline , Blogging Advice , Blogging Peers , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging
John Coley, my favorite real estate blogger in Alabama, has been making strides since his blog launched earlier this year. His strategy has been simple: Write about local topics to attract local interest traffic; Uncover an audience searching for the content he delivers. John’s blogsite content focuses on the interests of a somewhat small community around beautiful Lake Martin. His commitment and consistency to that aim inspired me to invite him to take a stab at calling it like he sees it when it comes to real estate blogging technique. Young Blogs Be Free Tonight By John Coley Are you considering starting your own blog, but think that you have to be a huge national player to make an impact? Wrong. One of the great things about web 2.0 is that anyone with good content can make a difference. Anyone that is willing to work hard and play fair can...

April 4, 2007: Authenticity Is The New Black
Comments: 5 | Categories: Guest Author , Landon Ray , Real Estate Blogging , Topics and Opinions , Web 2.0
Landon Ray, of Moon-Ray.com is not only one of our latest clients, but he is also our latest member of The Vine. Landon’s direct experience with the online real estate marketing industry makes him a perfect fit for our soapbox, as well as a trusted peer. His marketing savvy is obvious, and his delivery sound. We hope to have him around for a while. Authenticity Is The New Black By Landon Ray Everywhere I look, businesses are beginning to embrace a new strategy for connecting with customers: getting real. Fed by the blogging explosion, sales and marketing organizations are looking at how to drop their corporate masks of sameness and grow real relationships with people. This month’s cover article in Wired Magazine is about authenticity, though they sex it up by using the word ‘naked’ instead. Of all people to profile, they chose Glenn Kelman, CEO of.. Redfin Corp. Love...

April 2, 2007: One Username And Password For All Online Real Estate Applications
Comments: 10 | Categories: Guest Author , Internet (Sites and Tools) , Marc Grayson
This week, Mr. Marc Grayson, our resident Internet Marketing Tool Specialist brings yet another insightful offering. Marc examines the value of developing a single ‘sign on’ username and password for your many (and growing) online real estate services. One Username And Password For All Online Real Estate Applications By Marc Grayson Yes, that would be nice, considering many people now-a-days have 10 username and passwords for all their online accounts and identities. You're not only inundated with many user accounts (agent profiles, logins and passwords), but moreover, many distinct, monthly or annual subscriptions with online RE Applications. Whether talking about your MLS, online forms provider, transaction management tool, agent website, virtual tour provider, Podcast provider, your many email accounts, and of-course social media websites (i.e. ActiveRain, RealTown, your own blog)…you're swimming in many online RE applications. Problem - More RE Applications Coming Guess what, more online real estate apps are...

March 25, 2007: Real Estate Blogging And The Art Of War
Comments: 20 | Categories: Blog Content Creation , Blog Lead Generation , Blogging Advice , Guest Author , Jonathan Greene , Real Estate Blogging
Jim once wrote a post about how your blog is an Army, which got me thinking. If blogs are comparable to armies, and posts to soldiers, then the time-tested rules of employing an army may have some relevance. To this end, I recently undertook yet another study of “The Art of War,” the Taoist mantra of the genius Sun Tzu. I came up with a few good points of time-tested strategy made applicable to blogging. Enjoy. Master Sun on Strategic Assessments: “Structure your forces accordingly to supplement extraordinary tactics. Forces are to be structured strategically, based upon what is advantageous.” When Sun Tzu says “forces,” read it as “blog posts.” Then it begins to make sense. Bloggers use “extraordinary tactics” every day of the week. Think of how convention says that we should go about winning strategically important key words. For example, if I wanted to win the keywords “Tampa...

March 8, 2007: Who Took The Fun Out Of Blogging?
Comments: 22 | Categories: Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging , Teresa Boardman , Topics and Opinions
Who Took The Fun Out Of Blogging? By Teresa Boardman In my last Tomato post, Jim counted my questions and there were 21 of them. He answered them in 9 words. “Find your focus, Write your articles, Go to bed” Not a bad answer but he left out an idea that I think is important: Have fun! Jim is an all around fun kind of guy so I am sure it was an oversight on his part. One wild and crazy Tomato . . . . There are several words I could use to describe the missing idea, the word Joy comes to mind, because that is what I feel while I am working, but I’ll use passion instead because it sounds more business like. Either way it all leads to fun, which is where this is going. If you love your business, and have a business blog, it will...

March 2, 2007: Beam Me Up Jimmy - A Look At Tomorrow's 1st Time Home Buyer
Comments: 12 | Categories: Guest Author , Jason Benesch , Technology - Gadgets , Topics and Opinions , Web 2.0
Jason Benesch, our resident twenty-something, distracted by something he stumbled across online, looks to paint the picture for what Realtors’ future clients are bound to ‘look’ like. The message is clear, this maturing generation of First Time Home Buyer’s is not enticed by the “Old School.” Beam Me Up, Jimmy By Jason Benesch As I watched this video on Web 2.0 and the shifts occurring online, it made me wonder what it was like before the telephone was invented. You mean I had to write someone a letter; with a pen (or was it a quill?)?!?! Once the video had ended, I quickly switched windows (control + tab) over to my iChat with my head still beating to the rhythm of the hypnotic techno that was playing over the screen cast. I wanted to show Jim the video that had just inspired me with a million Web 3.0 ideas. After...

February 28, 2007: The Most Literal Home Page In The History Of The Internet
Comments: 6 | Categories: Guest Author , Marketing Solutions , Web 2.0
A cameo appearance by one of the more active mortgage industry bloggers, Dan Green was a must after reading an email he sent regarding the online showcase of his home for sale. Dan may not be a Realtor, but his savvy to leverage the Internet as the prime marketing medium for his own home is outstanding. Here’s his account: The Most Literal Home Page In The History Of The Internet By Dan Green I can say with 100% certainty that I created the most literal Home Page ever in the history of the Internet. http://www.2502nsheffield.com. It's my home. And it's got it own page. Single property listing Web sites are nothing new, of course, but ours is taking a different tactic. Rather than have a MLS-like Web site, we are instead hosting a "We're Moving" blog, complete with photos, fears and funny stories. Now, I disclaim all of this by...

February 26, 2007: Our First Home, An Editorial
Comments: 5 | Categories: Guest Author
In a mitigated effort to return the favor to Teresa Boardman, who delivers a weekly article here on the Tomato, I was handed the St. Paul Soapbox over the weekend. Because her site is focused on actually talking about real estate, I stayed true to her aim and chronicled the story of my wife and I’s journey to home ownership. To read how much of a big fan I am of our Realtor, and what it is like for a computer savvy, real estate marketing professional to buy their first home you’ll have to put on your snowsuit and head over to the St. Paul Real Estate Blog.

February 22, 2007: Stop Acting Like Blogging Is Rocket Science
Comments: 21 | Categories: Blog Discipline , Blog Dos and Don'ts , Blogging Advice , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging , Teresa Boardman , Topics and Opinions
(Bear with me.) The avant-garde trend of Blogging Evangelism in real estate blogs has ironically turned quite blase in their ubiquity. What? Let me try that again. It seems that the giving of advice, and the posture of expert, has become so fashionable that it’s impact is lost. What? Let me try that again. Everyone thinks they need to share their expertise, no one is being heard. Oh. Teresa Boardman, our resident real estate blogging goddess asks us 21 questions, less as an effort to gain answers, than to point out how irrelevant the concern is. It seems lately everyone wants to learn from Teresa’s success by assuming they already know where it is coming from. Fancy talking interviewers are clouding the true point and focus of Teresa’s efforts in their own need to explain it all away. It’s not about being an expert; blogging is not rocket science, it’s...

February 19, 2007: Localism: Winning the Hearts and Minds
Comments: 10 | Categories: Blog Content Creation , Blog Writing Tips , Blogging Advice , Guest Author , Jonathan Greene , Real Estate Blogging
It’s ironic that newest member of the Vine, Jonathan Greene, chose to write an article that completely defines the reason we want him here in the first place. Jonathan writes with a clear understanding of how he wants to educate and delivers his knowledge in a refreshing and compelling manner. Jonathan also happens to be one of our newest re-design clients. Look for his grand re-opening later in the month. Localism: Winning the Hearts and Minds Jonathan Greene I read lots of local blogs. Mostly, I read for the purpose of gathering intelligence. I can’t help it. My days as a shadowy secret agent type in the military have made me a perpetual seeker of targeted information. I want to know what works. I’ve stumbled upon an unspoken truth in my web travels: You don’t have to be a nationally recognized pundit to offer quality, readable content for your viewers....

February 15, 2007: Will Blog For Food
Comments: 12 | Categories: Blog Writing Tips , Blogging Advice , Guest Author , Jonathan Greene , Real Estate Blogging , Topics and Opinions
We’ve established and train, that the most crucial step to “finding your blogging voice” is by focusing on core categories and delivering regular content to your audience. That strict approach leaves no room for ‘Blogging Big Picture’ essays if your audience is expecting content about the [your town here] real estate market. It’s a shame if you have a great understanding that you can’t contain and have no appropriate soapbox to express it. The Real Estate Tomato is that soapbox; a destination to shape knowledge and discussion about the real estate blogging big picture itself. Our Vine is growing quickly with real estate bloggers that need to share their understanding of how to approach the blogging as marketing effort. For them it seems therapeutic, for us, it’s both a blessing and an honor. Today we are thrilled to slide the Tomato Soapbox over to Jonathan Greene. What has impressed me...

February 14, 2007: Let's Talk About Your Face
Comments: 23 | Categories: Guest Author , Marketing Solutions , Teresa Boardman , Topics and Opinions
These days introductions are hardly needed for Teresa Boardman here in the Real Estate Blogosphere. She’s sassy, honest, insightful and clear. We love her contribution, calling it as she sees it each week. This week the real estate blogging goddess knows it’s not her face that has you recognizing her name, it’s what you’ve learned from her. When a consumer, or potential client goes to your web site what is the first thing they see? Let me guess, is it your face? If you are like most of the 2.8 million real estate professionals out there I guessed correctly. I’ll bet you have a wonderful face and you are very proud of it too, and so is your mother. Where is my face? Other agents ask that question, when they visit my real estate web site or blog but I have never heard a potential client or consumer ask. My...

February 9, 2007: 7 Myths About Real Estate Blogging
Comments: 41 | Categories: Blog Dos and Don'ts , Guest Author , Real Estate Blogging , Topics and Opinions
I have dedicated today, and the rest of the weekend, officially as “Guest Author Soapbox”. Marc was first, Roberta second and now we have the honor of presenting a controversial piece from a (self-proclaimed) dedicated reader, Sacramento area Realtor, John Lockwood. I expect this piece to generate some discussion, so don’t let me down. And now, John’s piece: 7 Myths About Real Estate Blogging I've been thinking of submitting an article to the Real Estate Tomato for some time. The Tomato is probably the only real estate blogging related blog that I read regularly. Webmaster Jim Cronin and his frequent contributor, Teresa Boardman, do a really good job of putting up with my somewhat twisted world view, and this tolerance has emboldened me to twist it up into a more full length article form. I've been blogging for awhile, since the launch of the web site that now accounts for...

February 9, 2007: If Move.com Were To Murder HouseValues.com
Comments: 4 | Categories: Guest Author , Topics and Opinions
Today we feature a very special guest: Roberta Murphy. Her distinction is that she is the first Real Estate Tomato client to make the Vine. In a conversation yesterday, Roberta revealed to me that she was spitting mad at a certain weak point in Top Producer’s recently upgraded product. Her observation seemed that it would be of great interest to our audience here, so I sent over our soapbox to her immediately. Below is what she hit us with. If Move.com Were To Murder HouseValues.com Here's How I Think It Should Happen: I don't think Move.com has a murderous eye on HouseValues, but perhaps it should. If Move.com wants to meet its ambitious goals, it must. HouseValues with its drip system is/was one of the dominant players in the home valuation field and is one of the more aggressive players in the listing alert market. With their software program (acquired...

February 9, 2007: Is This The Most Powerful Listing Tool?
Comments: 9 | Categories: Guest Author , Internet (Sites and Tools) , Marc Grayson , Marketing Solutions
Mr. Marc Grayson, our resident Internet Marketing Tool Specialist has returned with another insightful weekly offering. This week Marc examines the value of promoting properties for sale with the singular listing website. Thank you Marc. - Today, we see a number of sources to place listings on-line: your agent website, broker website, MLS/Association website, vertical search engines like Trulia, Propsmart and online classifieds such as Oodle, LiveDeal, GoogleBase, Realtor.com, Point2NLS, Zillow, Postlets, VFlyer etc. Given these numerous outlets to list properties to a nationwide audience, I'd like to present a listing tool that is a return to your "local" scene. Return to what is good and local Besides agent/broker websites, we've seen many posts on the Real Estate Tomato about being "Local" vs "National". Teresa Boardman talked about Keeping Local Real Estate, Well...Local, and how blogging can support and express your local knowledge and expertise within the microcosm of your...

February 2, 2007: Interview With A Real Estate Blogging Goddess - Teresa Boardman
Comments: 23 | Categories: Blogging Peers , Guest Author , Interviews , Real Estate Blogging , Teresa Boardman
Our regular readers and seasoned real estate blogosphere readers all know Teresa Boardman. Recently she has gained some broader exposure in national publications as an example of a locally focused real estate blogger that is firstly generating business from her efforts and secondly gaining respect from her peers nationally. Along with this success has also come some misinterpretation of who she is, why she does it and how it’s done. We have enjoyed having Teresa here on the Tomato Soapbox, and felt that her articles have brought some much needed clarity to our voice, so in turn, we would like to return the favor and bring some clarity to hers. Below is an interview we held with Teresa that focus on the reasons why she blogs, why it works for her and her outlook on the phenomenon of the real estate blog itself. 1. What prompted you to start a...

January 29, 2007: Of Blogs And Bricks
Comments: 9 | Categories: Blog Content Creation , Blogging Advice , Blogging Peers , Elizabeth Weintraub ,