7 Reasons Why Your Local Real Estate Blogging Peers Are Not Your Competition
Because the clients we work with have such a positive experience with their blogging, they commonly express the concern that they would prefer us to not educate others in their geographic areas of focus. Sometimes they ask in jest, other times they are actually dead serious and willing to pay for exclusivity.
As unwise as this is from a business growth standpoint for us, this is not the reason I discourage this manner of thinking. Below are 7 arguments in favor of the growth of the real estate blogging community, in your town. And, selling more custom blogs and training is not one of them.
1. Coke Needs Pepsi. McDonalds Needs Burger King.
Why? Because the consumer should not be discouraged to get more of what they want, just because they can’t have their preferred product. Coke can’t be in all places at all times. So Pepsi is there to provide the thirst quench. Just as McDonalds can’t be on every corner, BK is there is fill the void. This keeps the consumer perpetually satisfied.
The consumer still prefers Coke over Pepsi (or vice-versa), but in a time of need, is at least able to get more-or-less what they are looking for.
Your Blogging Audience will react in the same manner. If you get their attention with relevant, interesting and regular content, you will earn a fan. For those days when you are not there, the consumer wants to be able to continue to satisfy the their need for local real estate blog content, at the same time, wishing it was yours.
Sure you risk losing them to another neighborly blogger, but only if you put out an inferior product. Trust your fans. Let them go, and be confident that they will come back to you when you publish again.
2. Build Win-Win Relationships
Show an interest in your neighbors real estate blog, and they and their audience will show an interest in yours.
This is such a foreign concept for many agents that have been fighting for client loyalty for so many years. But the truth of the matter is that it is precisely this reciprocating effort that will be the difference between a good blogger and a great blogger.
Initiating conversations in emails and in the comments of your peers’ blogs will both establish the recognition of your name and your blog as well as help you earn their trust and their visit.
Bringing local Realtors and their audience to your site to contribute to the discussions on your platform is the reward. But, you’ll need to make the first (or many) effort(s) by playing nice on theirs.
This is certainly another instance of:
Keep your friends close, and your enemies competition even closer.
Pay it forward. It will come back to you.
3. Blogging Is Not For Everyone.
Although there may always be more agents then ready-to-act buyers and sellers at any given time, there will always be fewer bloggers.
I can’t imagine more than 1% of agents in an area becoming truly active bloggers. In an area like Chico where there are no more than 500 active agents, it would surprise me if there were ever to be more that 5 very active bloggers.
So, if that’s the case, you’ll have to admit that the arena is quite small. It would be best to acknowledge and encourage each other, as opposed to making the effort to deny that they exist.
4. People Gravitate Towards The Unselfish.
Acknowledging the resource that others offer shows confidence in your own message and service.
The air with which you treat others is a huge part of your personality. People gravitate towards the unselfish. Your worth grows in your acknowledgment of others’ worth. Being the central connector has all roads leading back to you.
5. You Are Delusional To Think That Your Audience Is Only Reading You.
Have you not noticed that once you uncover the world of blogging, you immediately look for more and more writing to consume that meets your interests and needs? For some it even gets to the point where you get information overload and need to shed all the noise and just get back to the best and preferred messages.
Aim to be a preferred messenger.
6. Larry Bird Needed Magic Johnson. Magic Johnson Needed Larry Bird.
..and the NBA needed them both.
Competition keeps you sharp and keeps you driven.
But, most importantly, it keeps the audience interested.
Imagine running a race, by yourself.
Now imagine that same race with a few others breathing down your neck.
You run harder, they run harder, and the crowd shares in the emotion.
7. Learn From Them. Be Inspired By Them. Disagree With Them. Compliment Them.
I’m certainly no plagiarist… but I can tell you that if my posts aren’t inspired by the questions from, and conversations with, our clients, then it is a safe bet they were inspired (at least in part) by a blogger I respect.
Observe the ideas that you see your peers blogging about and improve on them.
Find the holes in arguments and then bring the more refined message to your audience.
Help yourself stay on top of local topics by tuning in to your peers.
Acknowledge a great article, then add your two cents.
Traditionally, real estate is a dog-eat-dog industry. Blogging can be and should be a refreshing divergence from this attitude. Embrace your neighbor, and it will only make you better.
