As a big believer in the value of blogging I would say that the answer to the question in the article title is an emphatic yes!
You will read about some of the reasons for why that statement is true in the article below that was written by Joshua Lyons at SVN-Southland Commercial.
But first, let’s examine some of the reasons why there are those among us who choose not to blog. Maybe there’s a fear of committing to writing something on a reasonably consistent basis. Or maybe some feel that they won’t be able to develop topics that any potential reader would have an interest in. Or maybe, some people think that the actual act of writing is not in their particular sweet spot.
Mere Excuses!
In truth those and other excuses are merely just that and all obstacles, whether real or perceived, can be overcome in one way or another.
And as you will read below, the benefits of blogging far outweigh any minor potential roadblocks.
‘Is Blogging for CRE Really Worth the Time?‘ by Joshua Lyons
Yes. It is. I’m writing this blog post about CRE and blogging right now, so this is a pretty clear indicator that I believe in the value of blogging. But, let me tell you why blogging is worth the time to do. Blogging for CRE is so helpful because it helps establish your brand, it gives you local and national exposure, it increases your credibility and it’s a hook to attract new prospective clients. Those are all very good reasons for why you should probably blog.
Blogging Helps Establish Your Brand
Each time you publish a blog post, you are getting your name out there. Your name is your brand, as a commercial real estate broker or service provider. Let’s say you specialize in office space, and you continually write about that property type. By writing on that topic over and over again, people begin to associate your name with that type of real estate. That’s a smart move for you, because when someone decides to find new office space, you have already branded yourself for the job. This is also applicable for branding your firm. If everyone in your company contributes to your blog, then your company is getting exposure, which is good for your overall brand. Let’s play a quick recognition game. This may help demonstrate my point. Can you guess what all of the following CRE people/companies do on a regular basis? I’m not telling you the answer. You have to figure this one out on your own. I believe in you! =)
- SVN | SouthLand Commerical (of course)
- Bo Barron, CCIM
- Allen C. Buchanan
- theBrokerList
- CREOutsider
- CRE Radio
- Sperry Van Ness LLC
- Apto
- Duke Long
- Coy Davidson
Blogging Gives You Local and National Exposure
This goes hand in hand with the last point, about establishing your brand. When you write a blog post, you want people to recognize you. When you write a blog post and start sharing it with the world, that branded recognition can be seen in both the local market and the national market. Share your blog posts with your local industry contacts. If you write a story about development taking place in your downtown area, then share your article with the developers and investors. They will get a kick out of the free publicity and being talked about. They will tell their friends about it. That’s good for you. Share any news relevant stories with the local press. That’s good too. Use theBrokerList to share your articles to the national audience. theBrokerList is very good about helping bloggers get publicity. As long as your blog quality meets their standards, and as long as your content is commercial real estate specific, they will probably be happy to work with you. Contact Linda Harrison if you want look into working with the theBrokerList. She’s great, and by the way…. SHE BLOGS TOO! Huh, imagine that. Who else can promote your content and get it out there? Local developers, the local news and theBrokerList aren’t the only ones who will share your content.
Blogging Increases Your Credibility
This is really simple. If a client has a choice between two different brokers or CRE service providers, and they both look about the same. However, one of them is an active blogger and has plenty to say about making commercial real estate deals, and the other option doesn’t, then the credibility of the blog writer will break the tie. Who wouldn’t want an edge over his or her competition? All it takes is an hour or two of writing what you know about, from time to time. Role up those sleeves and share some of your expertise.
Read the rest of the article here.
Michael Haltman is President of Hallmark Abstract Service in New York. He can be reached at mhaltman@hallmarkabstractllc.com
Google+