Have You Thought About Publishing?
There are tons of people who say they want to be writers. Generally, what they mean is that they want to have already written something and be in the process of reaping the rewards.
The actual act of writing can be like pulling teeth sometimes, but when things finally come together (and they usually do), the creative high you get makes all of the work well worth it. You get energized to move on and accomplish other things in your business.
On a more practical note, being a good (and compelling) writer is probably one of the most powerful tools you can use to grow your real estate business.
Writing is leverage – It is selling leverage, prospecting leverage, marketing leverage… Your writing can go out to thousands of people at one time. Using leverage in your business is key to you taking your real estate business to a new level.
One of the reasons the internet is such a revolutionary medium is that it completely breaks down the barriers that used to keep someone from becoming their own publisher.
In 10 minutes or less, you can be a writer, spreading your ideas across the world with a click of the mouse.
Sounds almost too easy doesn’t it? Yet most real estate professionals won’t do it because they don’t “have the time.”
That’s good for you. It makes it even easier to eat their lunch.
One of the side benefits to writing is that being published builds credibility far quicker and more effectively than any marketing you could do yourself.
For some reason, people believe what they read. “Being published” (and I don’t mean a book deal… just start with a simple article) adds a third party seal of approval to you and your ideas. So use that to your advantage to grow your business.
Do you write to your clients? Publish a newsletter? A blog?
Do you regularly connect emotionally with your past, present and future clients on a level that is deeper than the latest glossy postcard (with absolutely no content) of the month showing your latest listings?
Writing is the key to building a strong relationship and a strong business. And it works really well in the real estate world.
That is why blogging is so important and so powerful to every real estate professional who has the vision and the self discipline to get one going and keep it going.
It is funny how we so often make fun of the folks selling the “get rich quick” type of stuff but then shy away from the “get rich slow” work that is necessary to actually make something happen.
I know I am guilty of this myself. (Those are the times I reach out and smack myself back into reality. And then I get back to work.)
And don’t worry about having to come up with ideas. Just look at your life and the things that happen to you in the real estate world every day. Your business life and the interactions you are already having give you an endless supply of things to write about.
Choosing things to write about becomes simple when you keep this one question firmly lodged in the front of your mind:
“How can I best help those I want to do business with by what I am about to say/write?”
Asking yourself that question over and over usually keeps the creative juices flowing and really makes picking one topic over another much easier.
So go be a writer… You can get started today. Actually there is no better time.
Oh and speaking of being published, here is a link to a reprint of an article I recently had published in Chicago Agent Magazine. I hope you find it useful.
