Ever wonder what the power of a feature post can do for you? Besides the warm fuzzy that it gives you to see your name and photo on the first page of Active Rain, besides the insane amount of comments (and points) that you'll receive, there is one other really good reason that you just might want to have a post featured.... CREDIBILITY.
Here's my featured post testimony for this week.....
First let me say that I was shocked to get featured. I haven't been featured in about 3 years and to be honest, I kind of gave up on the idea that it would ever happen again. Then suddenly, Marie reblogged my post. The next thing you knew, I had about 25 comments and an "AR God" gold star.
Needless to say, I was thrilled.
That same day, I happened to be in Real Estate "Success School". I'm a new FL agent (although I've had my real estate license in SC since 2006). This particular afternoon, the topic was prospecting. One of the slides included a list of websites that you may want to visit. The top one was Active Rain. I gave my little testimony on how great AR is. Needless to say, it was pretty incredible to be sitting in a room full of other new agents visiting the site only to find one of their classmates (me) featured on the home page.
But wait, there's more!
The next day, I received an email from an agent with whom I had just successfully staged and sold a home. (Home had 44 showings prior to staging, under contract after only 2 showings after staging. Oh, and incenditally, she happened to find me via AR!)
WAIT!!! I RECOGNIZE THIS BLOG!!!
Do you know who wrote it? OH that's right!! I did!!
But wait, there's more!!!!
Since I had the email address of the person who forwarded the email to Carol in the first place, I emailed him back, thanking Bruce for the kind forward. This is what I got back.
So... What's the power of a featured blog? I'm not really sure that I can completely quanitfy it, but I would say that it's pretty darn good!
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Author Bio: Melissa Marro, Home Staging Industry leader, Realtor, and entrepreneur offers a unique perspective on New Home Construction, Resale Residential Real Estate, and Home Staging
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For more information on buying or selling in the Fleming Island, Orange Park, or Jacksonville, area, visit StageListSellNEFL.com or call Melissa Marro (marro.melissa at gmail.com), Keller Williams First Coast Realty, for more information (904-466-2093).
Congratulations on your Feature! What good timing for you, too! I had dreams of moving to Florida and working there, once. So happy for you. Best of luck in the sunshine state!
Congratulations on your success ... and yes there are some benefits to being featured ... but you are absolutely spot on with the focus on credibility! Here's to your future successes ,,,
Now this post deserves to be featured too Melissa! What a powerful and timely blog and testimony for not only you and your brand but your knowledge and skill for SEO and being "top of mind" to the agents locally in your area. Seredipitous!
AR is in a way my mom's and also my legacy in some way. I've made so many connections here that I value deeply. :)
Awesome, awesome, awesome!!! K
Frances - I grew up in St Petersburg, so moving to FL was the perfect change of scenery!
Jack - Thank you!
Shanna - I popped over to your blog. Wow, crazy.
Karen - you are too sweet! I appreciate it!
Laura - I remember your mom and her posts. She is definitely a legacy.
Kathy - =)
"CREDIBILITY"... Exactly! Along with new blog subscribers, the attention of group moderators and building a rock solid audience.
PINCH ME! I need a screen print of this... I have not one but two cookies from you right now. Dang... I feel very special right now! I must be having a good week!
MELISSA! We make our own luck....doesn't always happen on schedule, but key is to keep doing what we so passionately believe in...and success begets success...you are unstoppable-and could not be happier for you!!
Hi Melissa, we agree. Firguring out the "formula" to achieve featured status seems a mystery to us. But a few have firgured it out as we see them all the time.
It's true Melissa! And sometimes I don't have time for a feature because it can go just out of hand! but always fun and appreciated!
Melissa - you deserved to have it featured! This one as well, which is why I'm hitting the suggest button (smile).
Kathy
Featured posts are nice. They generate comments and business. And I have not learned the secret yet - 14 of 600. But I enjoyed the feeling of being featured every time. Well done!
Congrats! I too am a newby to this whole blogging thing.
Congratulations, i am hoping to catch some of the Activerain magic. If nothing else I learn so much from the Activerain blogs. It also helps me clarify my goals.
Good for you. We all deserve a little recognition for our efforts and our accomplishments from time to time. Having received that recognition from your peers only makes it sweeter.
Melissa, Bravo! What a great way to start a weekend, enjoy your hard work and success.
Agreed that a featured post has many benefits beyond the obvious, not the least of which is the likely increase to your subscriber base. This, in turn, can be really helpful in garnering future business.
Melissa - congratulations on being featured. I have been AR for about 6 months and got several featured blogs myself. Not sure what I am doing right, but I am not complaining. I know you are excited and you should be. Keep doing whatever you're doing because it is working!
Laura - I'm never sure what will catch the "AR God's" attention, so I have no advice for you, but keep on blogging!
Mark - Yes, it was nice to have local agents actually know that I'm not a newbie and to see me in a different way.
Ann - Thank you! I almost didn't start here because I just didn't want to have to start over. In Charleston I had a great reputation and a strong business. Starting over is so difficult, even with experience. This was truly great timing!
Adrian - Thank you! I will!
Rob - I agree. You never know where referral business may come from either - this blog is case in point!
Pat - Congratulations to you!
Melissa,
REALLY darn good! AR is great, and you have to love how it comes very full circle.
All the best on many more features in your future, Michelle
Congratulations, and welcome to the AR/blogging world. Wishing the best in your future endeavors.
Good job, Melissa, and congratulations on the feature. Active Rain has been a great resource for me to learn to blog and to be found on the web. Good luck in FL. St A is one of my all time favorite places.
Love how the forces came together for you on this story, Melissa! Embrace them!
That is terrific, a great post and feature. Congratulations. Keep up the great blogging!!!
Melissa, what a great testimonial to ActiveRain. I think it is great your Featured post showed up in the class. Perfect. I just wonder how many signed up after seeing that...
Isn’t it funny that you get featured, your write about it and you get featured again. I guess it shows that quality will win out.
Congratulations on your success in the Rain.
Michelle - I love AR and all the friends I have met. It's funny at the first RESA convention, we were just meeting some of our fellow AR stagers but I felt like we had been friends for years - because we had!
Thank you Bud & Beth. This is actually my 799th blog here, so I've been around a while =)
Mike - I agree and even without the "being found" feature, because it doesn't happen all that often as a home stager, the credibility of blogging here has been great for my ongoing reputation.
Julia - Oh, I will!
Doug - I like that saying... I may borrow it!
Cindy - Thank you! I most definitly will!
Gary - I don't know, but I hope they do.
John - hehe. I know that's awesome, huh?
When you hit the "fame" heights, don't forget your friends....Happy for you and carry on
A feature is the cherry on top of the blog. It is an extra special treat!
Melissa - Way to go and here's another. You're on fire and unstoppable. And, I love when those little coincidences happen. Very cool.
Melissa~Congratulations on the featured blog and the positive fall-out. In AR world, it looks like there's less than seven degrees of separation!
That would be really crazy.... having the class you are attending, show your featured page... Congrats to you and more future success!
Fun! - Great, that you blogged about this crazy chain of events, I really enjoyed reading about it, and motivated me to keep blogging!
Activerain is THE place on the web to connect with people in the real estate industry and getting a featured post does a lot to raise your visibility here.
Congratulations, I only jope that some day I too will get a featured post. Does the post they pick have to be about sharing business ideas or can it be the normal everyday post that i do to attract clients?
Richie - =)
Paula - mmmm, cherries!
Thanks Debbie!
Liz - I know, that was great. Who knew?
Sandy - It wasn't on the big screen, just everyone with their laptops who actually visited the page on the screen, but still cool!
Tanja - I've had a couple great stories from my AR blogs, but this one might be the best.
Bryan - I agree!
Chris & Dick - To be honest, I don't know. I've never been able to determine what it is they use to chose, other than it's obvious that they happen to have some favorites.
But wait...wow. What a fun post and fun comments! I actually read them all! I just got my own second featured post today, and also can't tell what the magic was that made it work.
Linda - congratulations on your feature! I felt like I was writing an infomercial... but wait! there's more...
Hey Melissa...
Congratulations! Hope you're getting settled in your Florida home - South Carolina's loss is Florida's big gain! Know you will do well there.
I appreciate you,
Bobby Wallace
Melissa and the good news....wait there's more...is really true! Here's to lots more success in the rain!
Melissa, it must have really been a special feeling to have the instructor post about blogging and getting Internet exposure and then you are the star of the class. Well done
Melissa, congratulations on an absolutely stellar week!! There is Gold in blogging and it's not merely a Gold star!
Sharon
Awesome and good job! I have had a few featured posts and concur with you. Keep it up!
Melissa - It looks like it's been a good week for you, and you're right being featured does give you credibility.
Thank you Frank! Congrats on your featured posts too!
Christine - It has been a good week and credibilty when you are working in a new area is so important!
Very exciting update.... I just got another email from Bruce who has referred me to another agent!