realweenie

True Confessions from a facebook page pimper

By Kelley Koehler AKA @Housechick

I admit it.  I took place in the facebook page pimp fest.

I didn't bulk email suggestions to fan me to anyone, but I put it out on my wall and via twitter. I begged and coerced others to do so on my behalf. If you weren't on facebook or twitter for those 4 hours, then you wouldn't have even noticed my efforts. 

And it was fun!  Heaven forbid we have fun anymore.  I actually enjoyed being social. And at the end, I named my page wheeebacon.  Because it doesn't really matter.

I think the backlash is funny too.  Maybe if I got more spam fan-me emails, I'd be more angry.  But I'm not.  I think it's funny some well-known well-admired social media peeps were on twitter saying how cool it was that people were banding together to help each other get a URL.  Is that so wrong?

I mean, hey - I know my page sucks.  I kinda hate facebook.  It's difficult to use and all I really like are the pokes.  I just thought it'd be fun to get a URL for my page, and I was willing to help my friends get theirs too.  Even if their page provides no value to me other than it was started by someone I like.

I give the hubub a solid meh.  I can always un-fan them later if they're annoying or if I decide I don't want to be associated with that particular page.  In the meantime, I helped a friend get a URL and they helped me get mine.  And it was fun.  I could use a little fun.

Wheee!  Bacon!

Kelley can be found all over the internet and even on FaceBook - - if anyone else has a confession to make, you know where to find me.

 

The Starz-All because you play to win!

Have you ever wondered how bloggers get those nifty gold stars on the popular network that is for Realtors?

They use the Starz-all, yes the secret is out.  Those gold stars give you points and credibility.  One of our clients started blogging just last week.  He uses the Starz-all and was able to start a new business as a social media consultant.

Here is what he did.  He wrote a blog post about how to blog. It got a gold star thanks to the Starz-all.  His instant credibility enabled him to start a new business  selling his services as a blogging guru and social media expert.  

Your posts deserve this kind of publicity and traffic too, not to mention the speaking opportunities and the chance to start a new business just like Joe the rain blogger did.  Why work hard at it when all you need is the starz-all. It comes with a simple guarantee, write anything you want and get a gold star for it. 

You no longer have to put words like 'power' 'active' or 'rain' in the title either, the Starz-all will work with any kind of content.

You can own this fantastic thingy for $22.95, but that is not all But that isn't all. Order today and you will get not one but two , and  we will throw in a free weenie badge for your active rain blog, and a spatula. We have to limit how many of these we sell, only 10 per state so hurry and get yours today!

Imagine what you can do with the exposure, and points a gold star can bring you.

Branding is everything

Welcome to my hot dog stand. This post has nothing to do with real estate, but for me it has everything to do with real estate and everything else that we buy or sell.  The real estate weenie has it's own unique brand, with the hot dog motif and all.  

A couple of weeks ago a friend of mine was proud of himself because he found a 58mm snap on lens cap for $11.50. Wow! that seems like a lot of money to spend for 50 cents worth of plastic but a guy has to have a lens cap. I like to lose them so I try to buy a few at a time. Here is what the $11.50 Lens cap looks like:

 

I bought the same lens cap for the same size lens and I paid $6.50 for it. Still outrageous for 50 cents worth of plastic but not as outrageous as $11.50.  The cap is made of the same material and is the same size, and design and looks like this:

If you have hung in there with me this far I thank you and I will get to my point. I decided that if a guy or maybe even a gal would pay almost twice as much for a lens cap if it were branded they would pay even more for my lens cap.  I made a prototype and put it on the internet and said that they could be purchased for $15.00 each.  The lens cap is the same size and made out of the same 50 cents worth of plastic.  A few seconds after I posted my prototype lens cap I got a message that said: "I'll take four".  Here is a picture of the lens cap:

 

Branding IS everything.  Anyone who doesn't believe it can just bite me.

Blogs - Not Just For Realtors Any more

I am trying to spread the word again.  Blogs are not just for Realtors any more.  There are blogs out there on just about every subject I can think of.  I like to read local blogs, news blogs, technology blogs and photography blogs. I leave comments on them too if I have something to contribute of if I really like the post.

People who are not in the real estate industry read blogs too.

The real estate industry did not invent the blog.  This might be hard to believe but most of the most read and best loved blogs on the planet are not related to real estate at all. This kind of proves that there are a lot of people out there who might not be reading the conversation we seem to be having amongst ourselves on the Internet.  Instead they are reading something interesting.

As for the whole inside outside argument that I have read about on Active Rain, there are far more blogs out side of active rain than there are inside of Active Rain. Can these millions of people who prefer outies be wrong?

Taming the wild weenie

Thought that headline would grab a few people.  The weenie, as others  call this blog cleverly disguised as a hot dog stand is not so wild . . just a little maybe.

Just wanted to write a post as a reminder that the weenie does except guest posts.  It can be therapeutic and give people a chance to say what is on their minds in a place where it may be more appropriate than on their onw blog.  Todd Carpenter has written some wonderful posts on the Weenie.  Dave Smith has written so has Larry Cragun, and Bonnie Erickson too.  If I am missing someone let me know.

Writing on the weenie is easy.  Your post does not have to be funny, it can be drop dead serious.  Personal attacks are not aloud.  In general if the post is truthful, or at least reflects an honest opinion . . . even if your opinion is wrong. :) I am happy to post it.

Next time you want to vent, or just want to have fun, consider the weenie.  Personally I find it therapeutic and we all know how badly I need therapy.  It isn't easy writing the St. Paul Real Estate Blog.  People actually read it so it makes me a little nervous.  If they stopped reading it that would make me nervous too. . . yup therapy is the only answer for me.