Blogging Coaches

Most people don’t know this but SPAM was invented, and is produced right here in Minnesota.  Thanks to Hormel in Austin, MN.  A processed meat product unrelated to weenie’s may seem inappropriate for this blog disguised as a hot dog stand.  I get it but as both of my readers know it like to be creative.  At least this time the graphic is related to the post.

I got an unsolicited email today and  thought I would share some of the details of it because I am thinking every agent in North America got the same email.

A blogging coach sent out a note about a free training session.  Nice, I guess the price is right.  He included a kind of testimonial from a blogger who claims that after 6 weeks of blogging he generated 3 sales.   Blogs mostly don’t work that way, but I guess they can.

The coaching is free because they want you to try their blog platform, which I can’t find any examples of or links to in the email.  A business blog is a business blog, Real estate professionals need the same tools as any other small business owner.  Try WordPress, typepad or blogger, they have been around for awhile and have large groups of users who complain if something doesn’t work right and constantly ask for new features. They want to keep ahead of the competition so they keep it all running nice and smooth and add features, often before anyone asks.  My blogs are on typepad, which means they are not free.  I am worth every penny of the $149.00 a year subscription I pay and more.

Please think before buying a special product for Realtors, in most cases they are dumbed down attempts at blog platforms that don’t work very well.  If you need a blog and can’t set it up yourself there are people who will do it for you.  Don’t buy into the idea that real estate blogs are different and that it takes a community.  It takes a committed blogger who has something to say.

Writing a business blog is not one of those get rich quick ideas where a person can just do it right and get business as a result.  The email was like all of the other magical seminars, tapes, books and systems that are the secret to success with links to the typical gaudy, cheesy web site, that serves to remind us all of what poor web design and 1980’s style marketing looks like, and  leads agents to believe that they can be as rich as Bill Gates in a short period of time by buying a product.  Bill had to work for his dough, and it took time and persistence and a few failures.

There was only one thing that bothered me about the email. (hard to tell by reading this)  I could not find a blog for the coach or the agent who is having phenomenal success after six weeks.  I asked Google for help and found some blogs, they have short posts on Active Rain that don’t seem to be getting any traffic or comments.  Active Rain which is a free social network for real estate professionals, is a great place to meet people, practice and learn, but not a substitute for a business blog unless real estate professionals are your target market.

If the coach is so good why is he sending me spam?  He would get my attention and respect much more quickly with a blog, using the product he is trying to sell rather than an email.  Does he understand web 2.0 or did someone get him excited about “dripping on leads”?

I would suggest that persons who are looking for coaching do a little checking up on the coach.
Do a little research.   The group of people in the real estate industry who have had success with real estate blogs as far as making money, as opposed to getting traffic, high technorati ratings, winning carnivals and awards is very small, so small that I think I know most  of them.  Of that small group of successful real estate bloggers I would suspect that even a smaller number would have the ability or the desire to coach other agents.  A successful coach does not have to be in the real estate industry but it helps if they understand the business, what it takes to attract buyers and sellers and how we work.

Sales do not come from blogs, appointments come from blogs.  There are many steps between the time someone contacts the real estate blogger and the time a sale is made.  Even the best agent does not get a closed sale from each appointment. Blogs take hard work, persistence, consistency, imagination and maybe even a little talent which is exactly why most agents give up or never start because there is no get rich quick by writing blog posts.