Within a few minutes of my first contribution to the HomeGain Blog, I got two emails and a phone call from acquaintances in the real estate blog world asking me why in the world I would do such a thing.
My initial response was “why not”?
“But they are {gasp!} a lead seller…” was the follow up I received.
Yep, HomeGain is considered by many to be a “lead seller” (though really, they do more than just sell leads). Lead sellers often have a bad rep amongst real estate bloggers and others in the business. Some probably deserve that distinction, others not-so-much.
I don’t use lead sellers. Heck, I don’t even like the word “lead”. Hate it actually. People are not “leads”. They are… people. People visit this blog for a plethora of reasons. Some are potential real estate buyers and sellers. Some are looking for real estate info, some are looking for local info. Some have no idea why they wound up here and some may just be here for the brilliant writing and insightful commentary (hey, a guy can dream can’t he?).
Why not contribute to HomeGain’s blog? They are trying to get “some of the industry’s leading bloggers” to contribute. (Their words, not mine.) I have no idea if I qualify as one of the “industry’s leading bloggers”, nor to be honest do I really care. It does however, stroke the ego a bit. I’m human, and humans like ego stroking (and if you say you don’t, I don’t believe you).
I do enjoy writing, and I enjoy helping people out. You know what else I enjoy? Exposure. I’ll admit it, I’m not doing the “blogging thing” just for fun (though personally I do find it enjoyable, most of the time).
Blogging on a platform like HomeGain’s blog exposes me to more people. Granted they are (for the most part) other agents who I’ll never sell a house to. But a big portion of this business is networking. What better way to expand the network than to blog for a previously untapped source of agents and real estate industry professionals?
If I can gain exposure, meet new people, expand my network, teach and learn, then how is that possibly a bad thing? HomeGain isn’t going to change my need (or lack thereof) for a lead sellers services. They aren’t trying to “recruit me” as a client. They’ve got plenty of clients without me.
Besides, if Brian Brady and NikNik are doing it (and apparently others yet to be announced), it can’t be all bad.
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Technorati Tags: Homegain, real estate blogging, networking
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Charleston Real Estate Blog 02.07.08 at 4:27 pm
Jay, you make a great point regarding networking. If I knew of anyone who was moving to Phoenix, I would certainly give your name and/or JD’s depending on what part of the Valley they were looking.
I just helped a friend I met at Reliberation list a condo he owned in Charleston. I’m even more excited to say that we got a contract in one day. Yes, one day, despite market conditions. Of course, when you price it right, you can get “lucky”.
Louis Cammarosano 02.07.08 at 4:58 pm
I am increasingly of the view that the HomeGain guest blogger program http://blog.homegain.com/category/guest_bloggers is a great thing.
By doing so HomeGain is exposing our thousands of agents to new ways to market themselves, and the guest bloggers, like Jay bringing many of their followers to HomeGain where we can show them there is nothing evil about getting a little marketing help from a company whose primary mission and focus is to do just that.
Louis Cammarosano
General Manager, HomeGain
Lance 02.07.08 at 5:35 pm
Hey.. that’s a pretty neat idea. I just read a tomato article that said you should “run into oncoming traffic” … I think what you’re doing with Homegain pretty much is what they were getting at!
In fact, I’m out on the web specifically to “run into oncoming traffic” so the Homegain tactic seems to have some merit.
Missy Caulk 02.07.08 at 5:39 pm
Jay, I have been a homegain subscriber for years, I am grandfathered in to not pay a monthly subscription. I do about 3-7 deals a year through them. I have had no problems except for 2 times when a client was already in my data base from another web-site and they still made me pay the 30%.
Ugggg,
Now I am really, really careful when I submit a proposal.
Why not? I would guest blog if they asked me.
Jayson 02.07.08 at 9:18 pm
Jay I think getting extra exposure for yourself is a great idea - congratulations on earning the opportunity.
I don’t think there’s anything wrong with selling referrals and am not sure why others would. If someone doesn’t want the referral don’t pay - pretty simple. Isn’t getting paid for allowing advertising on your blog or website e.g. AdSense, the same thing?
I have read many posts from Realtors about HomeGain and got the feeling that some people don’t like them; they can have their own opinion.
Natalie de Guzman 02.07.08 at 11:12 pm
True. Getting exposure is a good idea. ‘Why not?’ Nothing wrong with networking, with meeting new people, and learn and share to the community you’re building.
NikNik 02.08.08 at 7:49 am
Welcome aboard Jay!
So far I’ve had a great experience with the HomeGain crew. As a former teacher I have the natural tendendacy to want to share helpful information with the world….so why not at HomeGain. They have a pretty great following, a rockin blog (Go Jessica!) and they REALLY know how to throw a party!
Steven Stearns 02.08.08 at 9:14 am
Jay!
Well, aside from the blogging platform, more market exposure and larger network, did you get a free HomeGain t-shirt?
I mean, what do we blog for, if not t-shirts?
Steve
Jason Brown 02.09.08 at 8:32 am
Free exposure = good. But they don’t include t-shirts, they include a HomeGain hat - you know, the trucker type that sit very high on your head and has mesh on the back side.
Steven Stearns 02.09.08 at 8:38 am
w0w. Head gear!!!!
Is it the mesh the same general color of the cap, or is it contrasting? The coordinated, matching mesh helps me choose the right colors when I am getting dressed-kind of like Garanimals for grownups.
After I am dressed in the right colors, I go and play in traffic.
Daily.
Steve
louis cammarosano 02.09.08 at 8:42 am
Jason
I’ve already arranged to send steve some other HomeGain branded items (and he has graciously returned the favor with some Obeo items)
Let me know if you would like something other than a HomeGain hat and I’ll send them your way.
Regards
Louis
Jason Brown 02.09.08 at 8:59 am
Louis:
I will gladly trade you one of our finest “Jason Brown Premier Realty Group” flourescent orange tank tops for one HomeGain hat. If the hat has a contrasting two-tone color to it, I will happily include a 2005 Jason Brown Premier Realty group calendar.
The Phoenix Real Estate Guy 02.09.08 at 9:36 am
I didn’t get a hat. But that’s OK, I can’t wear hats. My head is too big. Seriously. I wear a hat size of 8. The “one size fits all” doesn’t (ever) fit me.
What I’d really like is a t-shirt. I’m a real estate t-shirt hound.
louis cammarosano 02.09.08 at 9:40 am
Jay I’ll get you a HomeGain tshit-we also have polo shirts if you are interested.
Louis
Jason Brown 02.09.08 at 2:29 pm
… and to think I thought Louis was kidding about having a shirt to give away! I guess I’d better fess up that we don’t really have flourescent orange tank tops to give away - it’s humerous though (at least to me) to think about a Realtor giving away a flourescent tank top with his name on it! That would surely be the craziest Realtor marketing ploy. And negative return on investment to boot…
Have a great weekend all!
REBlogGirl 02.21.08 at 8:46 pm
I’m glad you are blogging over there, Jay. You have a terrific voice and valuable opinions (even though we may often disagree) that should be heard by more. I got those same calls, but I believe, like you, that HomeGain is a great place for us all to get more exposure. Good luck and look forward to reading many more of your posts here, there and elsewhere.
Joseph Ferrara.sellsius 02.21.08 at 8:52 pm
How’s the water Jay?
This post makes perfect sense. People will do what is in their best interests. If the site helps them, that is success. And who can argue with success.
BTW, you are one of the industry’s leading bloggers.
Jim Boyer 02.21.08 at 8:55 pm
Hmmm, will have to look at that. Was not aware that Homegain was in the blogging business now as well. What are they trying to replicate Active Rain or something.
Louis Cammarosano 02.21.08 at 9:00 pm
Hi Jim
We are not trying to get into the blogging business. We are using our blog to connect with our existing customers. We communicate with them through our blog and we offer marketing tips to our customers provided by other HomeGain agents, HomeGain employees and our guest bloggers.
Jay is getting exposure to HomeGain’s thousands of agents many of whom may not have been familiar with is work.
Terry Smith 02.22.08 at 9:20 am
I was surprised to see Homegain blogging too, but after reading Pat’s article and seeing the contributors, I think homegain has found a unique way to participate and get more agents involved and understand the benefits. I’m sure Louis will believe in Web 2.0 very soon.
Gregory Bain 04.02.08 at 8:37 am
Jay, I always found you gave good advice without any of the hooks. I have been a member of Homegain forever and have gotten zero results. The folks here want me to contact them and do this or that to better market myself. I am not a fan of paying someone else for customers that should be contacting me directly. But this is all the un-doings of the other bandits at the NAR. Did you know they want me to continue to pay them for the right to use the ABR title I earned? My college would like me to pay them every year so I can put a BA and the end of my name. It is all BS, but like the lottery; you got to be in it to win it. This may look like I am stalking you, Jay. I miss you over there at P2A. Come back and I will only say nice things about desert flowers.
James Boyer 05.07.08 at 2:02 pm
blog blog blog everyone wants into it now. I put out a blogpost over at realestatewebmasters yesterday http://www.realestatewebmaster.....5163/show/ , and wow, within a hour or so Louis of Homegain was all over it. Shows the power of reaching out and touching someone, or kicking them in the butt so to speak.
Jay - The Phoenix Real Estate Guy 05.07.08 at 3:03 pm
James- Please don’t mistake what I’m doing with blogging at HomeGain’s Agent Blogs. I am not a Homegain client, nor do I blog on HomeGain’s recently released Agent Blogs.
I contribute to HomeGain’s corporate blog. (for the reasons outlined above)
While I am not a HG client, I think HG serves a valuable purpose for some real estate agents. Certainly not all, nor do they pretend to be a solution for all.
Yes, it does seem like many want to jump on the blogging bandwagon. I’ve been doing it for three years now. So I’m not new to this thing. As I’ve said dozens of times, blogging works, but it is clearly not for everyone. No prospecting or marketing method is.
Doesn’t surprise me that Louis quickly visited your site. I’m sure he has all sorts of Google alerts set up. He’s also become very engaged in real estate social networking. He’s a good guy, regardless of one’s stance on lead companies.
James Boyer 05.07.08 at 7:38 pm
Oh no, I did not think you were a Homegain client. I am not one ether, though I have seen what they do, and have to say, I would be extremely interested to see actual homegain REALTOR retention statistics. I bet they are not above 30% annually. I had read a few years ago that just to maintain the same number of REALTORs housevalues had to recruit 150% new REALTORs every year. Quality service they were providing.
Louis Cammarosano 05.09.08 at 11:49 am
James rather than hoping and betting that HomeGain fails and speculating about the value of our services, why not visit the homegain blog and contact some of our agent customers and see how they like our service.
We have good customer satisfaction and retention despite what you wish and hope to believe.
Would it make sense if I incessantly posted speculation about how many homes you do or don’t sell a year? And then based on that speculation, advised people NOT to use your services?
Bob from Foreclosure Listings 09.18.08 at 9:59 pm
Great blog, I’ve lots of good information on there. Plus pretty knowledge agents are on there.