Work. School. Family. Work…work. We’ve all got a lot going on in our lives and don’t have the time to accomplish everything we want to. In the world of social media the list of social platforms only continues to grow. Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn, Google+ …and the more time we spend on these sites (along with our normal day to day activities) the more our blogs become neglected. While it’s important to stay connected to the online world using all of the sites mentioned, the significance of providing your clients with quality blogging content is equally necessary.
As real estate virtual assistants, the one thing we continue to push for our clients is blogging. It boosts SEO, puts your name higher in Google rankings and shows your clients and followers that you can be a trusted resource for whatever they need. We know that blogging isn’t something that can be done during your 10 minute coffee break – but it doesn’t have to be completely eliminated either. If you’re having trouble finding the time to do this extremely important task, here are some ways to fit it into your schedule.
1. Write at Lunch: I know what you’re thinking. Lunch is the one time out of your day where you get to just breathe. I totally know that feeling. But if you’re anything like me and actually enjoy writing, you might find that this is a great time to organize your thoughts. Even if writing isn’t your favorite thing in the world, your lunch break is the time to reflect on the morning and jot down anything exceptionally interesting that comes to mind. As real estate agents, you have the first-hand opportunity of knowing exactly what is going on in the minds of buyers and sellers. If you received a call from a frantic client, think of a way to turn that scenario into an informative blog. If you decide to put the “lunch method” into play, you can rest assured for the rest of the day knowing this is off your plate.
2. Wake up Early: Yikes! Right away this one is a little scary. Waking up at 7am is a gruesome experience for me so imagining anything earlier is borderline unacceptable. But to get something as time consuming as blogging out of the way for my whole day – it might just be worth it. If you’re going to try this method, make sure you start writing before opening your inbox or connecting to the Internet. Your writing will be the most impactful when not distracted by emails, task lists and headlines.
3. Stay up Late: This one I think I can handle. Instead of using this time to watch late night television, try adding an extra hour onto your day for blogging. I’m not saying it has to be every night – we all enjoy vegging on the couch, going out with friends or spending time home projects. But it’s a great habit to start implementing every now and then to get some work off your plate. Just like your lunch break, the nighttime is also a great time to reflect on your day, or what is happening in the real estate business. Take your thoughts and get them down on paper before tomorrow!
4. Keep a Journal: In my opinion, this is one of the most effective blogging methods out there. Every day I carry around a pink moleskin notebook. I jot down drawings, ideas, inspiration, or ideas to share with my co-workers. Whether your inspiration/ideas are personal or professional, both can be useful when it comes to blogging. All too often we see or hear something insightful and when we go to tell a friend or remind ourselves, we forget what it was. When this happens that great idea could be lost forever. But with a notebook or journal handy, you can have pages full of ideas to help you blog week after week.
5. Get Some Help: Many business owners and real estate agents have an assistant or professional copywriter who helps them with their blogging. This is a great way to have consistently fresh content at all times. As real estate virtual assistants, we know first-hand that blogging is one of the first things to be thrown out when the workload gets heavy – we have also seen great success with agents who keep up with it. If you’re struggling to come up with ideas or find the time to blog, there is nothing wrong with seeking some assistance.
I hope these tips have inspired you to keep blogging! Once you see the results, you will have that much motivation to keep going.
Happy Blogging!
Carrie Gable and the team at RealSupport, Inc. are our “VA Quick Tip” columnists offering expertise in real estate marketing, technology and more. RealSupport’s office and team of 15 full-time staff members is located near Chicago, IL. Their successful team works virtually for many top real estate agents and brokersnationwide. Pioneers in the Real Estate Virtual Assistant industry, RealSupport offers marketing, branding, website and logo design, listing marketing, lead generation, technical support, transaction management, socialnetworking, blogging and much more… Just ask!
