Okay, I've been doing this ActiveRain thing for several months, now, and I've developed some routines. Let's share, because I could probably learn from YOUR ideas, and somebody might like mine. What do you think? Wanna play? I'll start with Associates and My Home:
Associates - I organized my Associates into Realtors, Lenders, Stagers, Title Companies, Home Inspectors, Vendors, Appraisers and Web Design/SEO, instead of letting them just fall into the default Associates. Now, when I add a new Associate, I just click on the appropriate box and add a comment - often as simple as "Georgia referrals" or maybe something like "REO expert".
If you receive a notice that I named you as an Associate, that was my invitation for you to play in the sandbox with me. I want you to be my friend. (I'll read your posts first when I sign in to Active Rain and, if you are a REALTOR, you're more likely to get a referral from me in your area than someone on my company roster, who I don't know.) If you don't want to play - i.e., you never reciprocate by commenting on my posts - I'll get the message eventually and delete you from my Associates, because I will want to add new people.
As far as I can tell, Associates are people YOU pick, and Associations are people who picked you. If anyone knows anything different, please correct me.
My Home - For several months, that log of comments on My Home just kept growing and growing and growing. But then I realized there was a better way to use it - as a "to-do" list.
When I see a notice that someone else commented on one of my blogs, I click on that comment and acknowledge any new comments for that post, provided there are at least three - and then DELETE notices about them on the My Home log. If there is "only" one new comment on a particular blog, I usually save it on My Home until there are more. As long as it is on My Home, I know this comment has not yet been acknowledged by me. If you have commented on one of my posts, and not yet been acknowledged, please know you are not forgotten!
As to the list of my own comments, I delete all past ones at the beginning of each new day. If I have time for ActiveRain on any given day, achieving the magic "10" is not usually an issue for me, since I try to reciprocate comments (i.e., if you comment on my blog, I'll try to comment on your blog), and I always read new posts by my Associates. These friends invevitably inspire new comments with their brilliance! You know who you are, so I won't make you blush by listing you here. However, if you are struggling to make ten comments in a day, the record of your comments on My Home might be a good way for you to keep count.
Okay, tag, you're it! I hope you will share your ActiveRain shortcuts or organizing routines in your comment so we can learn from each other. If you have already posted them as a blog, I invite you to put a link to that post in your comment.
Copyright 2007. All rights reserved. Margaret Woda
CROFTON MD REAL ESTATE: For referrals to Crofton MD or anywhere in the D.C.-Baltimore-Annapolis triangle, contact Margaret Woda at RE/MAX Vision in Crofton MD. (410) 451-1900.
Copyright 2006-12. All rights reserved.
DISCLAIMER: Information contained in this post is deemed reliable on the date of publication, but it is not guaranteed and it is subject to change without notice.
__________________________________
Margaret Woda, REALTOR and Associate Broker
Direct: (301)346-2923 or click on EMAIL
FREE home search online (No registration required)
FREE home search APP for your iPhone/iPad (demo)
FREE online relocation information
Check my reviews on Zillow
Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc., 2191 Defense Hwy., Crofton, MD 21114 (410) 721-1500
Hi Margaret!
What a helpful post...I am just starting out on Active Rain as well and it is very helpful to understand how to keep it organized and what the "unwritten" rules and courtesy guidelines should be.
I haven't figured out any shortcuts yet...but I think I'll be contributing to your future posts.
Margaret,
Thanks for the clarification. I often times miss these small nuances and are oblivious to there implications. I now am suffering from a guilty conscience wondering how many people I may have offended by not reciprocating by adding them as Associates ( friends ). Thanks again.
Patricia - You're IN! And thanks for the flag!
Michael - What's a paralax? Glad you enjoyed this, and I hope you find it helpful to use the log for a "to do" list.
Herb - Whoops! This reminds me that I should double-check MY Associations and make sure I've at least considered them for the privilege of being my Associate. But never fear... I read other posts, too, and I recognized your name right away as the Portland guy. Hmmm... why aren't you one of my Associates. I'd better fix that.
Edson - Thank you for the smile! And I enjoyed reading your first post. Keep up the good work.
Yvette - Your posts are terrific, and I have no doubt you'll be back in a few weeks with a shortcut to add - or a link to one of your blogs describing how you use ActiveRain.
Hi, Brian - Thanks for your comment. Do you have any shortcuts to share?
Allison - I have that problem, too. I think ActiveRain needs an organizing tool for bookmarks, so we can sort them a bit like we can our Associates. I'd probably have "how-to" and "inspirational" and "mortgage info", amont others, if that were an option.
Michael - See, we learn something new every day. 'Can't wait to drop that into a conversation with one of my brilliant adult children! And that is a great way of considering the whole idea of the My Home log. Thanks for your take on my post, and for the new vocabulary word.
Margaret,
Great post. It's so nice to see people sharing rather than hoarding helpful info. Our tip is to print off posts that inspire us and then challenge our newer associates to relate it to their business. Ie. your post could be used to challenge someone to organize their database (a la Buffini). This helps get our guys thinking while almost covertly introducing them to the big world of blogging. They don't even realize the respect they are growing for e-search until one day they feel they have something to say/share.
I subscribe to someones blog first (even if they added me as an associate because I get so many and I don't even know who they are) read, comment and "get to know them a bit".
My subscribed list is over 110 now and I realize it is only a "dent" in our membership although I still add and delete every couple of days if needed.
I too use my Home page as a base. I don't click on "notify me of new comments" because I can go to the home page and see where I commented and go back and see if they responded. If they have and I need to comment I will...if not, then I'll delete it from the home page. I am a fanatic about keeping the home page "clean" so I go in there and delete etc as often as I go into the rain to comment.
I reciprocate like you wouldn't believe (I learned this from the beginning from TLW's posts)...I think my comments made are almost 6500 and my comments received are almost 6400...and this is in 5 months ....I know, I know...I'm an addict...lol!
Okay, i may have missed something but this is the start of my morning (it's 7am) and I still haven't gotten through the majority of my subscribed list and I have to leave for the office in a half hour. See ya!
Hi Margaret,
I really don't use the Associate feature to its fullest. I basically use the subscribe list. I don't even use the Groups feature by checking the blogs in that. Like Sally, I go through all My subscribers, read and comment as much I can. Then when I am done there I surf the new blogs on the left hand side and try to find a newbie.
Bob, 'Sounds like a good system. I might have to try using the subscribe list the way Sally does. It sounds almost like an audition list, before making it to the Associates llist.
Sally, I'm with you on that - no "notify me of new comments". 'Looks like you have a good system down with your subscription list and your Associates. Remember, when someone adds you as an Associate, it goes on the Association list; when you add someone else, they go on your Associates list.
RE/MAX Bridge City - Who are you? I want to know your name and see your picture! And yes, of course you can use my post in your training, but thanks for asking.
Diane, 'Glad you found it helpful!
Kathy, That sounds like a great idea. I often check out the list of new members, but it's not part of my daily routine. Thanks for suggesting that.
Margaret,
Thanks for the good tips. I've just gotten started and I'm already swamped with bookmarks. Not sure if I should go back and read all that once seemed interesting, or if I should just try to keep current.
Margaret - My first stop is at Active Rain Addicts, the group that I recently started. For more about this group's concept, please check out the blog entitled Attention All Active Rain Agents. After I've responded to the posts inside of Active Rain Addicts, I go and check out the blogs of the people that I subscribe to. Since I check them regularly, it's easy enough to see if anything new came in. I'll try and post as much as possible there. Then, I'm off to the Realtor Group and RE/MAX Active Rain Bloggers group to check for anything new and interesting. Finally, I'll look at the blog general home page. By this time, I should have done my maximum responses for the day (for points), but I check back later in the day to respond to more blogs that interest me. I will check back from time to time during the day to see if I've gotten any comments that I need to respond to either on my blog or on someone else's blog. I erase the notifications in e-mail, but have kept the ones under "My Home" just in case I ever want to refer back to them. Thanks for posting this blog into the Active Rain Addicts group.
I like Kathy's idea of welcoming the new rainers!
I do just like you do Margaret, except when I make the comment on my associates I place a comment, like Choose Margaret for all your Maryland real estate needs. Because the public sees this part. I learned that from someone's post, can't remember who.
I subscribe to all the blogs that I comment on every day. I see who has a new post and go there to comment first. Then I will look at the new blog posts and featured posts to check out people I don't know yet. I make way more than my 10 comments for points a day. I am networking. My ten comments go easily to my network of agents I am currently working with and getting to know. So I need to make more than 10 to get to know new people to grow my network. Katerina
Katerina - You're right... 'Not possible to grow your personal network with just 10 comments in a day without adding another hour or two to the 24. Good idea on the comments for Associates... I should make time to do that. And thanks for sharing your ActiveRain routine.
Adam - I'm resisting the label of ActiveRain Addicts, because I like to think I am disciplined with my ActiveRain time, but I do enjoy the group. Thanks for your work in starting and maintaining it! And thanks for outlining how you deal with comments.
Roland - Those bookmarks just keep adding up, like birthdays. I wish we had the ability to organize them - until then, we just have to edit the list from time to time.
Margaret, this was a very well written and helpful post. I never thought of using my home page as a to do list, however I can see how it would really help to do so. Thanks so much for all of these great tips.
Jo
Thanks Margaret!
Being relatively new to AR I was wondering what the etiquette was for associates and you just answered my question.
Susan, That's just MY way of using the Associates feature. Other people may use it differently. so try my way if you don't already have a system - but feel free to experiment and develop your own.
Bill, This helps me keep organized... makes it easy for me to find specific individuals. As you can see from the comments to this thread, other people choose the "subscribe" feature. Whatever works for YOU! And I'd love it if you come back in a month or so to let me know what you decide works best for you.
Jo-Anne, Yes, I am SO glad I figured that out. Doing this makes my home page a really helpful tool to ensure that I never fail to acknowledge a comment to my posts.
Jeff, 'Missed you! Welcome back!
Adam and Katerina, Thanks for staying involved in the dialogue! I don't know how you have time to promote and moderate a new group, Adam! And Katerina... Did you tell me 5 kids? I can't imagine being as active on AR as you, having a full household, and still having time for business. You both are amazing!
Thanks for the good advice and information. It is very easy to get sidetracked here and wander away, eventually forgetting your way back to where your started!
David and Kristin - You are so right!
Erica - Thanks you, I hope it helps. Using your My Home page as a to-do list sure helps me.
Donna - I don't think there is any such thing as doing it wrong on ActiveRain. Everything I've learned has been through trial and error - maybe my hints will give you a head start, but don't be afraid to experiment and figure out what works for you.
Margaret...as a "newbie"...first blog coming soon.....you have some great ideas. I've posted in the Newbie section to someone else to help out with how to put pictures in Blogs, etc.
But your organization ideas for someone who is "Type A" organized are fantastic! Thanks for all the tips!
I'm all for the sandbox thing!! When can I jump in! I'll even bring my Tonka Dump Truck..and I promise to play nice!
Margaret,
Great suggestions. Can I play in your sandbox? I am still new, but I learned that I learn and benefit from reading my Associates blogs. Commenting there is my way to stay in touch.
Hello, Thom - Welcome to ActiveRain! I look forward to seeing your first blog. Why don't you send me a note to look for it, when you post - I'd like to be the first to comment!
Rick and Lynn - Now you know my routine... do you have one to share?
Faina - Thanks for the invite. If you're serious, why don't you save me as an Associate, and make it official?
Every day, I learn something new about AR. The "Associates" puzzled me, but I hadn't taken the time to figure out what it was about. Thanks.
Deborah Johnson is your Farmington Hills real estate expert.
MARGARET! I started, but did not finish, reading this entire post, and it's WONDERFUL! So many of these things I've guessed at, assumed, or just not touched out of pure fear of doing a Newbie No-No. Here, I have learned (and plan to come back and learn) more than I have been able to glean on the AR Newbie site. Thanks, Margaret. I bow to you!
Cheers, from DC!
Jaynee
Margaret,
I did save you as an Associate right then, so we are all official now. Did you get the notice? I never know if people get notified. Look forward to reading your posts.
Faina - Yes, when you "save as Associate" the individual receives a notice on their ActiveRain "My Page" and in their email. Thank you, I feel very flattered!
Jaynee - Thank you! I need to learn more about staging!
Hi, Deb - I never really found this breakdown anywhere... I just figured it out. Hopefully I did it right, and I'm not spreading any incorrect info.
Adam, thank you! I feel flattered! There are some other areas, such as "subscribe to blog" and "groups - what do you think, should I make it a series?
Shane - It's a lot easier once you do have a routine. When you're active every day, you'll find it a real necessity.
Joddie - It's so easy to get out the routine, once you have one. I've been in training all week, and I'm having a hard time acknowledging my comments in the p.m., when I'm used to doing it in the a.m.
Bridget, I don't always succeed at reciprocating one comment at a time, but is my goal to do so over the course of a week. Today, for example, I'm heading out for an all day training class, and I probably won't catch up before the weekend. It is how we get to recognizing people's names, and learning their personalities and style. If we always comment on someone new, we don't get to know them and they don't get to know us.
Adam, Thanks for your encouragement - maybe this weekend! Again, thanks for including my blog in your Top 10.
Hi, Troy - I never really thought about it either... it just sort of evolved, and suddenly I realized I had a system. 'Thought it might give some newbies a shortcut.
Jason - Feel free to add any of your ideas - I think they really help the newbies.
Patricia - There, you just made my case for me... Thanks, you're what this post is all about.