May

29

How to Write a Damn Good Email Subject Line

Filed Under Email Marketing, Real Estate Marketing, blogs | 1 Comment

Stop. I know what you’re thinking.

You think email is lame, backwards and not worth your time. If that’s you, think again. I’m about to turn everything you knew about email newsletters on its head.

In fact, I’ll go so far as to prove to you that not only is email better than the “new” technology like blogging, but email newsletters are more essential than blogging. Let me explain.

Email: The Most Powerful Internet Marketing Tool for Real Estate

Don’t get me wrong: social media is important. James Carey, Columbia University journalism professor, said this about the absolute human need of community:

“Man is a diurnal creature. He’s up during the day. He sleeps at night. And he has to sleep somewhere. And because he’s vulnerable, he sleeps in a shelter. And then other people come and sleep in their shelters nearby. And before you know it, they realize they will be safer if they join together. Next thing you know, they have a police force, and someone picks up the garbage.”

This may explain why social media is so hot. Social media like blogs.

How hot?

In February 2007 the Gallup News Service estimated that 57 million Americans read blogs. Somewhat astounding in a nation of over 300 million.

However, to put that in perspective, read this: The same Gallup poll found that reading blogs is far less popular than email. Approximately 87% of Americans read emails.

That’s roughly 261 million people. And that makes email ubiquitous, relevant and one of the most powerful real estate marketing tools on the Internet.

Four Principles You Must Know Before Writing Truly Great Emails

Crafting an email is pretty easy, right? Slap some copy in a message and hit “Send,” right? Dead wrong.

There’s four basic things you need to know up front about writing compelling and powerful emails.

  • Nearly half of email readers look at just the first few lines they see in the preview pane to decide if they want to continue reading the message. Less than a third will read the whole thing.
  • People are highly inclined to skip the introductory, happy talk in newsletters. Happy talk, you know, “Welcome to my newsletter. Thank you so much for reading.”

The takeaway from these four bullets: your subject line and early sentences have to hit hard, fast and furious, or the entire email newsletter will not survive inbox congestion.

The Unique Relationship Between Email and SEO

Here’s something else to take into consideration: With more email services offering large amounts of gigabytes to store emails, users are archiving more.

However, doing this adds to their information overload. But, it enhances the value of email. That means email newsletters are now part of someone’s personal inventory.

How this can work in your advantage is that these emails will be found when people search their inboxes .

And like Jakob Nielson said, “And although your newsletters don’t need full-fledged search engine optimization, you should consider how users might want to retrieve old issues in the months or years to come.”

That’s why one of the most important components of successful email newsletters is the subject line.

Introducing the Art of Writing Microcontent

Subject lines are part of what online writers call “microcontent.”

In a nutshell, all microcontent needs to be clear, concise and compelling. Usually under 140 characters. Think summary. Think keywords. Think subject line. Think Twitter. These are examples of microcontent.

With the subject line you get about 40 to 50 characters to explain your macrocontent–what your email is about.

So no matter how persuasive and electrifying your email is, unless the subject line makes it absolutely clear what the email is about, people will never open it.

The Essence of Writing Subject Lines That Capture Attention

Subject lines should say something valuable, timely or important. It should say “If you don’t open and read this email, you’ll miss out on something big.”

Subject lines should also work in tandem with the from line. Save the From line for your or your company’s name.

Subject lines must intrigue people the same way a well written headline does. It must stroke the right emotions.

Indeed, subject lines are a major driver of click-through rates, as they “direct” people to pay attention to specific articles, offers and information. Every email you send should have an implied strategy behind it.

Subject lines must recognize this and “speak” to the needs and interests of your people as individual customers, readers or prospects.

As a result, the job of a subject line now must not only entice someone to open an email, it must discourage the recipient from deleting it as an unwanted email. You must plummet something deep into people’s psyche with your subject line. Something that makes people restless until they read your email.

To do that, follow these 13 tips:

1. Personalize
Don’t put something generic like “Loren, Your Personalized May Newsletter.” Make it specific to them, their business or their life. Know thy customer.

2. Segment
Each segment should receive appropriate and different subject lines. This is related to personalizing, but deserves it’s on line. Segmenting and creating subject lines to your readers’ interests should improve open and click-through rates.

3. Use a Consistent Style
After testing and learning what style works best for your audience, stick with that approach: humorous, provocative, incentive-based or tip-oriented.

4. Have Someone Else Write, Edit or Review Subject Lines
Have someone other than you write, edit or at least review the subject line. Use this person like a newspaper story editor who will push your copy to new heights of relevancy and interest.

5. Send Subject Lines to Yourself
One of the best gauges of the strength of a subject line is to send sample emails with different subject lines to yourself. What kind of response do they warrant when they arrive in your inbox: “holy mother of God!”, “Boring.” or “hm, interesting, I’ll read later”?

6. Watch Your Own Inbox for Good Subject Line Ideas
The greatest inspiration for writing subject lines may come from watching your own inbox.

7. Track and Measure What Works Best
Track and analyze the type of subject lines that produce the best open and click-through rates. Open rates are the most obvious measure of the success of subject lines, but click-through rates are also an important measure of how well the subject line drove people to take action and click on a specific link.

8. Tie Subject Lines Into Current Events
A news angle is especially effective when promoting real estate offers affected by current events on a daily basis.

“How to Stay One Step Ahead of the Latest Fed Rate Cut to Get a Deal of a Century” is a good example.

9. Test Short Versus Long
I’ve heard that subject lines of less than 50 characters achieve higher open rates than those of 50 or more characters. That being said, there is much debate about shorter versus longer subject lines.

If you can, test various lengths and words to see what generates the best results with you.

10. Avoid The Generic and Boring
Don’t be afraid to be very specific in subject lines. Broad and generic subject lines: Bad, terrible, lazy and emails with such subject lines deserve banishment. Your subject line should be as narrow and specific as possible to generate interest and action from a majority of people.

11. Write It First
Perhaps the most common mistake marketers make is waiting till the last minute to write their subject lines. Don’t. Jt down multiple potential subject lines for your email early in the game. Never start from scratch at the last minute.

12. Push the Frickin’ Envelope
Don’t be afraid to try subject lines that are more aggressive, creative, tantalizing, specific or controversial. Of course, test everything.

13. Test, Test and Test!
Like every facet of email marketing, the most certain way to know if something is working is to test it. And email subject lines are the easiest thing to test. Split your email subscriber list in two, send one list one subject line, the other list a radically different subject line. Once you’ve discovered the winner, continue to test and tweak that subject line.

Conclusion

Still think email’s a backwater cousin to blogging?

Consider this: outside of traffic, subscribers and click through, the real ROI of blogging has yet to be cemented. Email, on the other hand, can give you cold, hard facts about the effectiveness of your campaigns quickly.

Sure, blogging has important intangibles that you must cultivate. But I wouldn’t depend on it to feed my family.

Leave a comment if this post was helpful or if you have anything you’d like to add. And if you like what you read, subscribe to the Real Estate Marketing Blog.

Related Article

A Short History on the History of Email and Design

Why Writing Is the Most Important Thing You Could Learn

Cooking Up Persuasive Copywriting with These Two Crucial Ingredients

Feb

15

10 Easy but Essential Tricks to Persuasive Real Estate Blogging

Filed Under Real Estate Copywriting, Real Estate Prospecting Ideas, blogs | 3 Comments

Amazing, isn’t it? How when you listen to one of your favorite bloggers and you say to yourself:

“Why didn’t I think of that? It seems so obvious…so easy.”

The masters of blogging–people like Brian Clark, Leo Babauta, Hanan Levin–always seem to come up with the perfect phrase…a few words…sometimes even just one word…that grabs you by the lapels and drags you into their post.

The perfect words make you want to read whatever they’re writing before they’ve even mentioned what it’s even about.

It’s the art of persuasion. Right?

But let me assure you right now that it’s less of an art and more of a science.

The art of persuasion is something you can learn. And the good news is the fundamental building block to any good persuasive writing–or speaking–is simply rapport.

And to build that rapport, you need to cultivate behaviors that will make people trust you and make them feel it’s in their best interest to follow your lead in what Greg Swann called the larger conversation of the blog sphere.

So, with that in mind, here are some ideas, big and small, for making yourself more persuasive:

1. Before you write a blog post, ask yourself “What do I really want out of this post?”

Ask soul-searching questions to understand your true motivation: money, fame, power. You’re looking for what makes you tick, what drives you. But you’re also looking for the purpose, the plan and the result. This is really a question you need to ask yourself long before you even record your first post so you know the direction you want the blog to go. That’s planning on the micro level. Planning for each post is on the micro level.

2. Develop the knack for making the other person feel like the center of the universe.

You’re blog post is not about you. Period.

3. Be quick to compliment.

If someone leaves you a comment, thank them. Especially if they are a first time visitor. And comment on other people’s blogs. Wait, that’s the next point…

4. Train yourself to visit other people’s blogs. And leave comments.

If you want comments on your blog…you have to leave comments on other blogs. Also, making your daily rounds on the real estate blogging circuit help you to note what people are talking about…which leads into my next point.

5. Listen to anybody with an idea. And see how you can help them.

Follow the maxims of legendary 3M leader William McKnight: “Listen to anybody with an idea. Encourage experimental doodling.”

And get involved. If you come across a blog that is interested in working on joint projects, email them and share your idea. If you don’t have an idea, tell them you be interested in doing some of the legwork.

6. Try to arouse positive emotion.

When writing blog posts, avoid negative emotion. You know what negative emotion is? Just read the Fox News home page and you’ll see what I mean.

People respond better when you give them positive, life-fulfilling information. Stuff that builds on their business, their lifestyle. Granted, always harping on the doom of the housing market will attract a crowd…but it will probably be a crowd of pessimists.

You, my friend, are better off being an optimist.

7. Take a clue from your audience.

Occasionally ask for feedback after your posts. Encourage people to give you thoughts about what they’d like to here. Keep an eye on your analytics, like news feed subscriptions, page visits and posts-to-comment ratio.

Really make an effort to communicate in a manner that matches your message to the receiver.

8. Hone your sense of humor.

It really, really helps if you are witty or clever.

9. Practice being a better questioner.

Follow up all posts by asking, “What do you think? Was this blog useful?”

Better yet, ask more pointed questions at the end of posts to root out opposing thoughts. You might have a good idea, but with the help of someone else arguing for a differnt side of the coin…you might unearth the best idea.

10. Keep your perspective.

Remember: Even though you’re passionate about your point of view, lighten up. Tomorrow’s another day-and another opportunity to persuade.

Well, that’s it. Leave a comment if this post was helpful or if you have anything you’d like to add.

If you haven’t already, subscribe to the real estate marketing Blog today either by email or news feed.

Jan

16

Why Writing Is the Most Important Thing You Can Learn

Filed Under Real Estate Copywriting, blogs | 5 Comments

Did you know that not being able to write could hold you back from working with more clients, selling more homes and even making more money?

I had a high school teacher who always said that the ability to write well is the most important skill a person can develop.

[Okay, I confess: he WAS my writing teacher.]

But he’s certainly not the only one with that opinion. As I’ve made the transition from student to salesman to writer to business owner, I’ve seen it again and again.

Not being able to write can hold you back.

In fact, no matter what you want to do in life, a solid background in writing will always get you farther, faster.

Look at it this way: If you wanted to be a news anchor, you have to start as a reporter–and for that, you need to be able to write news stories well.

If you wanted to work in radio station television promotions, you have to be able to write on-air promos well.

But how does writing help a business owner, namely a real estate agent?

A World Dominated by Writers

Long time ago a television producer once said that in a world dominated by computers, writing careers will be safe.

And he’s right.

A quick look around the re.net shows computers taking over–particularly with business blogs.

But computers still demand a human to write. They can’t write by themselves. [Trust me: Writing will never be replaced by a robot.]

“Write” as in craft a story, captivate an audience, motivate someone to do something.

Some of you might be thinking, “Writing can’t be that important. I don’t read that much. Besides, I own a business. I sell houses.”

So maybe you don’t read much. But think about this: that marketing plan you promised you’d get around to creating for 2008–she needs a writer.

The half-hour listing presentation you gave last night–exceptional presentations start with a writer.

Even your favorite “unscripted,” objection-overcoming message on why you are the agent of choice, demands a person with a smidgen of storytelling skill, which is central to–you guessed it–writing.

During the commercial breaks, did you ever notice the thirty-second news spots that usually sound like this: “It’s common, it’s deadly, and it may be in YOUR child’s breakfast. Details at six.”

Somebody wrote that, too. And how would you like to have that kind of compelling power?

Think about your iPod. Lyrics don’t write themselves. And the Internet? For goodness sakes. It’s full of written content.

Magazines, newspapers, talk shows–they all need people to write for them. And of course we can’t forget good, old books–that would be missing the forest for all of the trees.

Where Else Can Writing be Important?

What about the emails you write? Do they sound like you or a monosyllabic machine. [Yes. No. Sure. I'll get back with you.]

Okay, then, how about your business plan? Or your advertisements? Or your blog?

There’s just no avoiding it.

No matter what you want to do you’ll need to know how to write effectively. You’ll need to be able to communicate clearly, persuade successfully, and entertain brilliantly.

That’s why high school and college curricula require so many courses with a heavy concentration on writing. They push the writing issue because they know it’s important–and they know it’s a tricky thing for a lot of people to master.

So when you’re at the bookstore looking for a coffee table book, pick up something that teaches writing instead. Then, find something you’re interested in, sit down, and just write about it.

Write emails that are no less than seven sentences long, but sharp and focused. Make your spouse/significant other learn to write. Create reports. Record your thoughts on a hipster pda.

But the most important thing to learn from writing is this: Writing helps you hone your critical thinking skills.

It helps you organize your thoughts. Prioritize your ideas. Create a visual representation of your best arguments. And when you revise and rewrite, you can’t help but take ownership and authority over your ideas.

So even if you never blog or write a book, writing can even improve your public, social and persuasive speaking skills.

So pick up a book on writing. Teach yourself, your spouse, your kids.

Heck, see if the family dog can pick up on it, too. It’s a crucial thing to know.

Dec

28

11 Guilt-Free Tips to Making Your Blog Posts Sexy

Filed Under Real Estate Marketing, blogs | Leave a Comment

For some reason, sex sells…and real estate agents get way up in arms over it.

Seth Godin says objectifying women is a short cut to cash [one only has to look to Hugh Hefner]…a short-cut people are tiring of.

Of course, ten, fifteen years ago [or was it thirty?] Gary Halbert, crudely and crassly…but classical in form…said the quickest ways to boost sales for a product was to put a photograph of a woman in a bikini in the ad.

Keep in mind, this will not work for all products.

Ogilvy points out in his book Ogilvy on Advertising that sex has has to be pertinent to the product.

Read: will work for Viagra. Will not work for a rotor rooter.

I lean towards the view point that sex in ads degrades women and is not a healthy strategy. I certainly wouldn’t want my daughter nor my wife posing half naked on a magazine spread or website. Or billboard.

Or a blog.

But that’s neither here nor there…

My real point about this post is how to format your blog posts so that it is attractive to your readers…

So that it captures their attention and forces them to review what you wrote.

With that in mind, here are 11 tips to help you write with flair and make your posts appealing, approachable and seductive.

1. Use short sentences. People crave brevity. Especially on the web. And like it or not, people read best at about a fourth grade comprehension. So short sentences are key. Especially on the web: in fact, people scan. Short sentences makes it easier.

2. Write short paragraphs. Copywriting is in my blood. So everything I write flows from that. Thus you’ll constantly see tiny paragraphs…sometimes only one sentence long.

This is also a trick newspapers like. Just look at USA Today.

People can scan short paragraphs. And scanning is the presiding world view for most online readers today.

3. Bold important thoughts. As the eye scans your post, it is looking for important information. Make important information abundantly by bolding it.

Also, look to have your bolded sentences and phrases tell a story in themselves. As best as you can.

4. Use Bullets and Numbers. Any lists you provide should be bullets or numbers. Think a litany or a grocery list: easy to remember.

5. Strike hard with action verbs. Start sentences, lists with verbs. And not just any verbs. Verbs that resonate, thunder, strive, yearn, force. Verbs that work hard. Verbs that will manhandle people into slowing down and reading what you wrote.

Arresting attention is what you want.

6. Confuse people. “Rub a chicken against your ear. Now go buy my book.”

Joe Vitale, the so-called hypnotic copywriter, uses this technique because “confusion will arrest people. It will cause them to stop and scratch their head. That’s why after the confusing phrase you insert the most important piece of information…and that point you know people are paying attention.”

7. Pepper your post with ellipsis. This is an ellipsis …. It’s a suggestion of a pause in speech. It’s a suggestion that there is more to come. Something you can’t do with out…

It naturally leads the eye along the path of the sentence…

And encourages the eye to clamber down to the next line. Which brings me to my next point…

8. Mimic conversations. In other words, ignore the rules of grammar. Start sentences with verbs. Rely on the implicit “you.” Abuse punctuation! Kick off sentences with the words “and” and “but” and “also.” However…

Remain within the boundaries. Otherwise it will back fire on you.
If what you write is obscure or artsy, people will turn their noses up at you.

Your best course of action is to listen to conversations. Don’t always be the person who dominates at the dinner table. Let others speak. And spy on other conversations.

9. Employ sub headlines. Sub headlines work like the sentences you bold…easy to scan and tells a story.

A reader should be able to scroll down your post and gather the important points immediately.

From the important points they’ll then decided if they want to read the post carefully.

10. Publish provocative photographs. Tech geek blogger Robert Scoble once shared his method to work effortlessly through 600 blogs in about 10 minutes…

One of the things that caused him to slow down as he jogged through his RSS reader where photographs.

The eye naturally sees something visually stimulating and tells the hand to stop. If the headline is compelling, Scoble looks for more clues to whether he wants to read more of the post or not.

What are those other clues? Read on…

11. Embed links in your posts. Greg Swann once nailed me on the absence of links in one of my posts. He said I was “inaudible to the conversation,” meaning, in essence, not sharing my sources…

And sharing your sources adds credibility.

Robert Scoble also said “It shows that someone took time to write the post. Demonstrates he did his homework.”

Links demonstrate your post was thoughtful and planned. That it is worth the time to read and not just some random brain dump.

Calculation and research, oddly enough, seduces people, my friend. Gets them to pay attention.

Final Thoughts and One Suggestion

As is shown in the Scoble video, not one single element here will make your blog posts sexy to readers.

In truth, it will be a combination. Employ more of these elements and the better you will do.

And finally, if you write and have not read The Elements of Style, read it this weekend. It’s the single greatest book on writing that you’ll ever read. And it will take you less than four hours.

Enjoy!

Dec

20

How to Settle the Long v. Short Web Copy Debate

Filed Under Real Estate Copywriting, blogs | Leave a Comment

This is a topic that has been around for awhile: long v. short articles as web content strategy.

Yet, yesterday someone new in our web department asked me what I thought about the long v. short copy debate on the web.

Of course as a copywriter who has specialized in the web for the last seven years, I had just a little to say…

…and whether you are a blogger or copywriter churning out ad pieces for your business or any kind of persuader…

You can learn something from copywriting.

Here are my thoughts.

I’m familiar with the top 8 reasons why copywriting is important to real estate, and I do recommend them.

I think what you’ll find as you dig deeper you’ll discover that people will disagree on short v. long copy on the web…but in general compelling long copy will out duel compelling short copy, even on the web.

Here’s what you have to keep in mind, though:

Test Everything

And here’s the thing about long copy: long copy for the sake of long copy is not right.

When a copywriter says long copy works better than short, what he should be saying is “I want to lay out every single benefit I can to a reader…leaving nothing behind because I have only one shot at this. And if it takes 5 pages to do that, why wouldn’t I write five pages?”

A sales man would never go into a presentation and give the ten minute version when it really takes an hour to present.

Neither would you pencil in just five minutes to rehab an alcoholic.

But if the writer can layout a compelling argument in half a page, he should do so. Most of the time the length of the copy is determined by the complexity of the product/service and the offer.

If you are giving away a free book, 3 pages might be excessive.

Where You Spend Most of Your Time…and It’s Not at the Keyboard

But if you are trying to talk people into parting with money, say for contributions or to buy a house or trust you as their agent or buy a book, 3+ pages is probably the minimum you could get away with.

Again, depending on the complexity. And you have to test and see what works.

If the 3 pages doesn’t work, then you are not hitting people’s pleasure/pain buttons. Back to the drawing board.

Which means writing compelling copy is more about research rather than writing. You can really never prepare enough.

I’ve known successful writer’s to spend weeks researching before touching the keyboard. They don’t until they have that ‘ah ha’ moment.

And usually when they have that moment, the piece writes itself. This is pretty much my process, too.

The Mindset You Must Have

Picture yourself trying to lead someone from an addiction to alcohol.

It could take fifteen minutes, half hour or hour. A day. Weeks. Probably, though, months. Even years.

But you always give them what they want when they ask for it. And you always try to figure out what will resonate with them.

The thing with print/web copy is you have to think ahead and answer all the questions you think they might be asking, most important, “What’s in it for me?”

Then in the copy you have to answer those questions with enticing benefits…because this might be your only shot at having their attention.

It might take you ten questions. 20. 30. Or even 50.

You don’t know what they are going to ask for sure. So you ask them all (maybe).

You have to have available that one question that might make them go, “That’s it.”

Why People Stop Reading Your Blog or Sales Letter

It’s likely though that most people will not read every word. Especially on the web. People scan.

That is why potent headlines and sub headlines are important. To draw in those scanners.

As far as clicks, etc. what you have to keep in mind on the web here is there has to be a marriage between reader friendly web design and persuasive copy.

Think about online newspapers.

Most articles are broken into pages. They are never a single page. (Unless the article ends above the fold.) And because readership is very important to newspapers, they probably found breaking pages up improves important metrics of readership.

Furthermore, print sales letters are broken up into pages. As are books. (Doesn’t there seem to be an argument for everything?)

But here’s the point I wanted to get to: the reason people stop reading a sales letter, article or book is not because they have to turn the page or click to the next…we lose people because the copy isn’t compelling.

You are right when you say that “the user feels more ‘accomplished’ by browsing / clicking-thru” and good web design tries to accommodate this.

See, the marriage comes when the copy is persuasive. When the monkey with the red fez can EASILY follow the banana.

Personally I find one long page of copy exhausting and intimidating. And I’m not alone, as copy blogger Brian Clark explains in his post The Death of the Long Copy Sales Letter.

But here’s the thing: I’ve clicked through 8 pages of news articles I found fascinating. I’ve scrolled through very persuasive sales letters online that when printed equal 16-21 pages.

Thing is, I’m sure these people have tested the layout, one single page v. 4 web pages…and found where they get there better response.

They tested to see what works.

To Drive My Point Home

The reason I ever bought a product online or read an entire article is not because it was long or on one page.

I bought because I got an emotional charge out of it…found it compelling…convinced I couldn’t live without it.

A great writer constantly struggles with this thought: is this the least bit compelling, passionate?

It gnaws at him.

That’s why human psychology and emotion are so important to copy.

We have to know what plucks people’s heart strings. Constantly.

That’s why, if you are going to write a five page article or letter, every sentence counts.

Here’s the thing: we are missing opportunities when we make categorical statements like long copy on one page is better than short without explaining why…and without ever testing the boundaries.

In summary, the first order of business, is to make sure the piece is compelling and passionate.

Then we can talk about layout, length or page breaks.

Dec

19

This Blog Is Ranked Top 50 Best Real Estate Marketing Blogs

Filed Under Real Estate Marketing, blogs | Leave a Comment

Thanks to the people over at International Listings for creating a list of the top 50 real estate marketing bloggers.

We ranked number 46…

Just before Renderings, a blog by a real estate marketing agency and just after RSS Piece, a firm that builds SEO enhanced web sites for real estate agents.

Granted, International Listings didn’t number based upon a ranking system. What they did very nicely was put each blog in a category and then list the bloggers alphabetically.

Very nice indeed.

Thank you very much for the love, International Listings!

Nov

28

Bloodhound Blog Odysseus Medal Winner

Filed Under Real Estate Marketing, blogs | Leave a Comment

I just learned this morning that last week’s post Naked Conversations: The Lynchpin to Your Real Estate Blog won Bloodhound Blog’s Odysseus Medal for the week of Thanksgiving.

Too cool.

And trust me when I say it is humbling because I simply love to write and to share ideas with agents and help them grow their business…and for it to come back with an honor like this blows me over.

Thank you everyone who subscribes and reads. This would be impossible without you.

It’s even more humbling to think my post The Curious Secret to Getting People to Believe You won the People’s Choice Award back at the end of October.

One thing this does is encourage me to work on this blog even harder.

It’s part of my nature to be motivated by these kinds of awards, and to then work my tail off to beat my previous accomplishments.

But not simply in self interest. These have to add value to you.

So, help me with that and let me know what you’d like to hear.

If I don’t hear from you I have to go by my gut. I have to go by what seems to be working based on my most commented posts and my posts that attract attention and awards.

I’d rather you lead me than my nose lead me [subtle hat tip there to the Bloodhound blog. Get it?]

Take care and looking forward to hearing from you!

Nov

23

Black Friday Link Mashup: Blog Strategy Happy

Filed Under Networking, Strategy, blogs | Leave a Comment

Outside the obligatory first link on Black Friday by Seth Godin, this post is about all the nice links that will help you with your real estate blog strategy.

[And by the way, happy shopping!]

Seth Godin: Create panic by making your customers uncomfortable.

Are you using the right content development strategy for your blog?

I’ve previously talked how content needs to capture attention, a scarce asset in the today’s accelerated information economy. [via doshdosh]

Value Blogging In: Less Writing, Higher Quality

How I Built 10,000 Links in 3 Weeks

Prison Break: Lessons on Blogging

Do You Have a Blog Commenting Strategy?

40 Observations about My 2 Year Old Blog by Teresa Boardman

6.5 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Blog

Writing Good Headlines for Regular Readers, Search Engines and Social Media

What Is the Future of the Real Estate Blog?

Do you have any links about blog strategy you’d like to share? If so, pop them in the comments below. Thanks and hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!