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5 Tips To Dealing with Difficult Clients On The Phone

Jeremy Blanton (210 Consulting~ Social Media Advisors) — Tue, 30 Mar 2010 22:30:09 -0700

Handling Difficult Clients On The Phone

Have you ever had a phone call with someone like the gentlemant to the right? No matter how wrong they may be, the only thing they want is for you to listen to them yell & scream and tell you how horrible you are.

While the days of text messaging & mobile phone apps seem to be at an all time high, some would argue that actual phone skills don't seem that big anymore. There are now mobile apps for just about anything you could possibly imagine. Everything from restaurant reviews, paying bills, and more can be done on the right types of phones. Even though these new apps & ideas are are streamlining the amount of time we may spend talking on a phone there are still times you will need to speak to an upset customer.

Proper phone skills are crucial to any type of business that exists. It is imperative that you handle angry clients properly when on the phone. If a person becomes displeased while on the phone with you, you just lost their business forever. Plus, they will probably then pick up the phone and call all their close friends to complain as well. You have now not only lost the business of that client, but also their entire sphere of connections.

That being said, here are 5 Tips to Handling Difficult Phone Calls with consumers.

Tip #1

When on the phone with an angry person, let them do the talking. Sometimes they just need to blow off steam and get what has been on their chest for the past week out in the open. If you begin cutting them off you will just increase their anger about the situation.

Tip #2

Don't Argue! No matter how wrong the person may be, if you begin challenging what they are saying and arguing with them on the phone, you will never make any progress at solving the problem. Instead you will just intensify the situation until they probably hang up on you never to be heard of again.

Tip #3

Show sincerity and concern. I think the age old saying "People don't care how much you know until the know how much you care" is key to problemsolving. They want you to realize that their problem is a major issue to them and that they don't just want you telling them what you are gonna do.

Tip #4

Don't Patronize! Don't behave towards someone in a way which is kind and friendly but nevertheless shows that you are being condescending. People hate that and can pick up on it almost instantly.

Tip #5

Lead them to the answer. My father tells me constantly that it is not always right to be right. When dealing with difficult people on the phone, if you can lead them to the answer and allow them to discover it on their own, it will make them feel better. You may have to eat a piece of humble pie when they tell you that they figured it out and you didn't, but at least they will end the call feeling good instead of upset and wanting to end the business relationship. Besides remember, it's not about you, it's about them.

I hope these 5 tips help increase your business. If there are other tips you use that work effectively, leave them here!

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I am the Co-Founder of 210 Consulting- Social Media Advisors. I have traveled the country as a social media speaker. If you would like more information on any of the topics discussed in this blog, please contact me directly. We specialize in social media training, online consulting, and the creation of your own custom WordPress site.

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Common Mistakes A Blogger Makes

Brad Andersohn (Zillow - Natl Outreach Mgr & Dir of Zillow Academy) — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 20:10:14 -0700

Common Mistakes A Blogger Makes

These are some areas that can have an impact on you and your Blogging experience. No matter who you are and what you do for a living, if you decide to start Blogging, here's a few suggestions that might help make your Blogging experience more enjoyable and successful. These following suggestions are NOT intended to isolate any one individual, network, or community. In fact, these suggestions come from an entirely different perspective which you'll discover at the end of this post.

Finish What you Start

Some folks simply don't finish what they start. They become inconsistent and give up too soon to experience the results and rewards that can and will come from their Blogging efforts. Don't give up. Stay the course. You will only get out of it what you put into it. A quitter never wins, and a winner never quits.

Be Creative With Original Ideas

Don't try to imitate other people. Be Yourself and don't be afraid of who you are and what you choose to share. You are unique and bring something of value to the table no matter who you are. Finding your own voice is really nothing more than using the same voice you talk to others with on the phone and in person everyday. You are original, now just be creative and share your originality.

Have a Purpose and Be Professional

Networking and Blogging require some time, direction, and focus. Avoid the pitfalls of being hurried, sloppy, and unprofessional. Your Blog and content are a direct reflection of who and what you are. Autograph your work with a signature of "quality!" Always be professional, ethical, moral, and kind towards others.

Mix it Up With a Variety of Content

Only posting charts, statistics, and marketing reports etc. will make your Blog seem like a marketing machine. Add a little color and flavor by creating a variety of personal, business, and hyper-local posts. You'll find that offering a variety of content on your Blog will bring you a variety of readers and visitors.

Know Your Topics and Share Your Experience

Not being informed about subject matter can be a "Bloggers Nightmare!" There's nothing worse than getting sucked into questions you can't answer. The research and time it takes you to find out about a topic or subject matter and get answers can be consuming and discourage you from Blogging again. Better to share what you do know and your experience, than to claim you're the expert at something you're not.

Engage Your Readers

Writing with no substance can be harmful or even fatal to your Blog. Writing content that draws the reader in and makes them want to come back for more should be the goal. Often, Bloggers will post articles that share only their view point and they aren't open for discussion.

Use Visuals To Make Posts Appealing

Try not to always write articles that are just a "Wall Of Words" No visuals or photos, or even worse... bad photos can do more harm than good. Having posts that are cosmetically pleasing to the eye will help to draw readers in and bring your topics to life.c

Be Careful Overselling - Everyone's a Buyer

Purely self-promoting blogging can come across to others as not giving anything of value, even though your product or service is the greatest on the planet. Remember that everyone wants to buy, but no one wants to be sold. This in my opinion is one of the key differences between WEB 1.0, and the new WEB 2.0 world.

Protect Your Reputation

You can't please all the people all of the time, but coming across in writing like you are scolding the reader, whether in a post or a comment, can lead to frustration and discouragement to both author and reader. Sharing your opinion just as I am here is better than creating deliberate conflict. Always treat others online as you would offline and in person.

Be A Blogger, Not Just A Visitor

Not enough content or consistency will slow down your traffic and returning visitors. Try to not be repetitive or let your Blog become stale. Finding the proper balance of how many times to post each week is up to you. I suggest a minimum of 2-3 times per week. Your readers will come back as often as you post. Whatever works for you, just be consistent.

Interacting, Conversing, Dialog and Threads

Being unresponsive to the readers and their comments will have a negative impact on your Blog. If you just "post & go" never returning to engage or converse with others, then the value of a good thread or conversation will be lost. Many Bloggers create posts where the greatest value actually comes from the dialog in the comments.

What's In A Title

Everything. Not just for SEO either. Having a catchy title can make the difference of whether someone wants to read your post or not. Taking a bit more time to come up with a good title that is relevant is worth the extra effort. Don't take title's for granted, and be careful using a catchy title that has nothing to do with your subject matter or topic.

Be Part of the Solution and NOT the Problem

Complaining, writing with negativity, and using a blog to attack others may be attractive to a certain audience, the question you have to ask yourself in this case is, "Is this the audience I wish to attract?" When sharing your opinions and experiences where there is a negative or questionable subject matter, try to find the roses and not the thorns, something that will help and benefit your readers.

Write With Transparency

Some Bloggers like to cut and paste from pre-written content that may not even be their own. Not being transparent can easily be detected in ones writing. Somehow that little 10pt font has a way of revealing more than you think. Be yourself, be sincere, be honest, and just be you. Don't plagiarize! As simple as this sounds, it is difficult for some, but must be overcome if you want to be a successful Blogger.

Participate - Read, Write, and Comment

This is a big and common mistake. Taking time to read will only help you learn and grow. Taking time to write will only better your Blog post quality and increase your traffic, visitors, and business. Taking the time to comment on others posts will only build your reciprocating visitors and traffic and will do miracles for building new and exciting relationships.

I share these thoughts, common mistakes, and suggestions with you today not because of what YOU are doing wrong, but because these are many of the things I have done wrong. I've had to learn much over the past couple years of Blogging. Call it trial and error, but most of what I have learned about Blogging was learned here, and by doing it wrong. At times, I do see others doing the same things. Sharing my own experiences and shortcomings might help you save some time and frustration as you press onward toward your own Blogging aspirations and goals. Making mistakes is how we all learn and grow.

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Life With Wee People: Wee Fit

C Tann-Starr (Tann Starr Music CarolynTannStarr.com TannStarr.com) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 18:03:29 -0800

Life With Wee People: Wee Fit

Frolic with any energetic kids lately? Chasing wee people can really give you a run for your money. Rather than give 'em the evil eye while trying to make them sit down and be quiet, how about put your busy schedule on hold, pause what ever it is you are doing and get down on the floor for some fitness playtime. If you watch the miniature loves of your life closely you may discover they have no idea that they are doing Yoga, Planking, Gymnastics and a host of other practices while moving their wee bodies into position to continue their play. As a matter of fact, some of you readers may be just as clueless as your kids because no one thinks about what comes naturally to them (i.e. unless something interrupts your breath most people simply take for granted that they are breathing).

When crawling on your hands and knees to find your contact lens you may not care that you are effecting an abdominal workout known as The Bear Crawl. It happens to be a stellar body weight exercise that does not require you to purchase fitness equipment. Who wouldn't want to integrate an effective, full body core engagement targeting their shoulders, abdominals, hips, thighs and legs?

Pssst... way easier than in-line skating. Just sayin' you may want to ditch your dignity once in a while and make it your business to crawl around a bit if you don't have health issues making that a bad idea. Kids and puppies give you the perfect excuse to routinely engage in this bit of body weight mischief. Warning: do enough of them and you'll be shocked to find yourself out of breath and - dare I say it - sweating (LOL).

By the way, various forms of physical activity can be dangerous, especially if performed without medical advice, proper supervision and/or a pre-exercise evaluation. That's why it's advised you get a checkup with your doctor and engage the services of qualified instructors to teach you proper form/function. Yeah, you can learn a lot from imitating your kids and paying attention to how your body feels while you monitor your movements; however, a Personal Trainer is definitely the way to go if you can procure one. They bring science and efficiency to your workout so you can train smarter, not dangerous/harder.

If you can't swing a Personal Trainer do check out the exercise library of The Amarican Council on Exercise. It's mad useful. According to The American Council on Exercise: "Whether you’re a beginning exerciser who needs help getting started or someone who wants to add some spice to your fitness routine, our ACE Exercise Library offers a variety of movements to choose from. Browse through total-body exercises or movements that target more specific areas of the body. Each comes with a detailed description and photos to help ensure proper form."

My kids get a kick out of this site. They are visual learners who imitate what they see. Stephen the Minion Blur likes to pick the flow of the evening and I routinely let him because I figure if it's easy enough for a 6 year old to do I may actually survive the Wee Fit experience (LOL).

Tonight's quirky body weight training agenda of Wee Fit Mommy and Me floor play:

Bird-Dog, Front Plank (played for golden double stuff oreo cookies because we all need incentive to continue - LOL), Mountainclimbers, Downward Facing Dog, Supermans (it's our comic book moment) and Siderwalks (we like playing Spiderman - the highlight of his day).

Disclaimer: Any comments and contributions provided on ActiveRain.com (or other electronic or print media) does not establish an agency relationship with any third party. Blog posts are intended to be informational only. Please be advised that real estate practices vary in regions and from state to state and market to market. The information contained herein does not constitute legal advice. All parties in need of legal, accounting, tax, or real estate guidance are directed to consult with the licensed professional of their choice. Please seek specific guidance from a retained professional in the specific field(s) required to service your interests. I and/or team blog writers make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness, or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to this web site and its associated sites inclusive of but not limited to CarolynTannStarr.com MySpace/TannStarr 46486 NY Working Moms Examiner ActiveRain Group Club Chaos ClubChaosAgents.com CyberMinions.net CTannStarr Outside Blog CTannStarr Localism Blog TannStarr.net UberMental.com

© Carolyn Tann-Starr, 2008-2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from the re-blog authors (when appropriate)and Carolyn Tann-Starr is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Carolyn Tann-Starr, (the re-blog authors when appropriate) and Wordy C's Blog with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

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Stress Management through Strength Training 101

C Tann-Starr (Tann Starr Music CarolynTannStarr.com TannStarr.com) — Thu, 07 Feb 2013 10:08:32 -0800

Palm Bay Planet Fitness

Planet Fitness.com

160 Malabar Rd. Palm Bay, FL 32907

Tel. 321-327-2970

Fax. 321-473-8938

Stress Management through Strength Training 101

Moving towards balance in one's personal and professional life is never easy, especially when you have multiple factors pulling you every which way but loose and/or your personal stress indicators are off the chart. Irony is, when you work at home [like I do] life sometimes automatically becomes a "stress at work" issue [silly grin].

Perfect example: Discovering every exterior stucco wall has hurricane wind/rain/crack damage requiring $8,100 worth of cleaning, patching, repairing, resurfacing and painting [sigh]. Will write a Texcote blog later because it was mad fun watching the contractor repair and paint the house while we all kind of freaked out. Our Florida home is a 2006 Adams [with one previous owner] that hubby purchased in 2010. Turns out being a Florida homeowner is a whole new gawking New Yorker experience for us because it is a daily battle to keep the wildlife from taking up residence in the strangest places in our house and the weather down here is mad fickle.

I've discovered Winter sometimes equals freeze in the morning - cook an egg off your forehead in the afternoon, but I digress...

For approximately two weeks we were plagued by exhaustion, restless sleep, irritability about the freaky weather delaying the repair project, yadda yadda yadda, blah blah blah... insert list of stress triggers here. Then, with spectacular displays of short temper [being the 3 year olds that we are] ultimately used the issue of fixing the house as a catalyst to gripe about how we really felt about all sorts of marital baggage, resulting in us separately storming off to the gym to take it out on the free weights [and really cool, stylish exercise equipment].

Why hit the gym? Because we stress eat. Comfort food is a beautiful thing, but not if you let it cause you to become overweight. Being an unrepentant junk food junkie I know what I'm talking about. Did you know that there is a small study that indicates a way to reduce stress-eating? It was conducted at the University of California, San Francisco. Obese women learned meditation for stress-reduction, were introduced to the practice of mindful eating and how to determine the body’s real need for food rather than from other cues to eat, such as stress. Researcher Jennifer Daubenmier compared those women with similar women who were not trained. She says the trained women benefited: “They stabilized their weight during the training, and the women who did not receive the training continued to gain weight. And they gained 3.8 pounds on average, or about a pound per month.” The study in the Journal of Obesity was supported by the National Institutes of Health.

Dr. Daubenmier’s program of research "examines the effects of meditation and yoga training on psychoneuroendocrine stress arousal, eating behavior, and chronic disease processes related to obesity." Did you know new research links stress arousal to cellular aging? You guys may want to keep up with her work because she has "extended her line of research to assess the impact of meditation and lifestyle changes on cellular aging processes and to explore their relation to obesity."

I refuse to give up chocolate so of course I expanded my gym rat proclivities to include Hatha Yoga. Pssst... goes great with Yang Tai Chi and Northern 7 Star Praying Mantis. I take Yoga on Fridays from 10:30 - 11:45 at the Franklin T DeGroodt Library of Palm Bay [across Minton adjacent to the Planet Fitness Palm Bay West parking lot] as a student of the fabulous Eileen Petrovich. The classes are $5. How cool is that? Very.

Know what else is cool? The Palm Bay Planet Fitness Personal Trainers. Their exercise science expertise and strength training classes are free with your Palm Bay Planet Fitness membership.

Um... Yeah... I just exposed the best kept neighborhood fitness secret...

Oh horror!

Was that the chorus of virtual jaws from rival gym owners and trainers clattering to their concrete floors? Ooops. My bad.

Rival Dude: Don't come player hatin' on my blog because the benefits of being a happy member of a stellar club are just too good not to share. I'm simply stating the facts. I also love hanging out here with my family, friends and neighbors. FYI: I've been in the martial arts since I was 19 years old, love going to educational seminars and will save up my pennies to gladly pay people for what they are worth. I enjoy several fitness venues and would never knock anyone's business model. You throw a strength seminar that I like and I'll come if its open to the public. Never thought I'd be wild about Yoga until I took Eileen's class and she is definitely a keeper. The price is exceptional for what you walk away with. How can I not share the good news?

Wanna come out and play with me? Cool! Here's the skinny on my PF Personal Trainers: On Mondays and Fridays at Planet Fitness I'm coached by Andrew. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays I'm coached by Brittany. These two are THE badass dynamic duel of fat burning, body sculpting, start where you are now and we'll design a program to build your fitness level together.

Planet Fitness has a Judgement Free Zone® philosophy, which means "members can relax, get in shape, and have fun without being subjected to the hard-core, look-at-me attitude that exists in too many gyms." So if I wanna wear scrubs with my sneakers, don over sized headphones and burn fat while listening to jazz on my iPod I can do that. If I want to grab a mat, put YouTube on my Android and practice Yoga or Qigong exercises in the stretching area I can do that. If I want to pick a body part that's problematic and ask for help I can sign up for an available training slot and take a 30 minute class. If I want to TapoutXT in the corner with a medicine ball and exercise bands no one bothers me. I can hop on a purple box and do Jillian Michaels moves [Planet Fitness sponsors The Biggest Loser people].

Relieving stress should be something one schedules a wee bit of time for. Studies indicate it will help you live longer.

Before starting any exercise program you should talk with your doctor, get a check up, ask for a referral to a registered dietitian regarding your diet and read the government studies to get an idea of what you can do to improve the quality of your health. If you can get your hands on a personal trainer of quality then do so. I'm lucky. I have two excellent trainers I enjoy working with. So do my fellow club members.

As of this writing there are 12 classes on Mondays, 8 classes on Tuesdays, 9 classes on Wednesdays, 11 classes on Thursdays and 8 classes on Fridays. That's 48 strength training opportunities per week for 5 members per class to be assisted in obtaining their wellness goals. Best part about taking a training class? You get to meet some really nice members and make new gym buddies. Turns out I have MMA classmates that go here. We now sync our schedules so we can work out at multiple gyms. How cool is that? Very. Note to gym owners: you really should do seminars and classes. Fitness enthusiasts share their training schedules with each other. Nothing beats word of mouth.

The Palm Bay Planet Fitness is a community treasure because it is so much more than just another gym franchise. It's a safe, unique space that is a comfortable place to exercise while hanging out with some of the nicest people I've ever had the pleasure to meet. The staff assigned here are wonderful people who are knowledgeable, kind and friendly. They keep the facility clean and are very helpful and attentive to members' needs. If being pampered and feeling like you belong doesn't make you feel good then this isn't the place for you. Seriously. Stop reading and click to another page because we actually have fun here [LOL].

Last stress tips of the day [and a few facetious updates to my e-mail] then I gotta jet to class. Brittany is very prompt so I can't be late or I'll miss something really cool. I hate missing cool stuff. Seriously. My program is geared to improving daily function, fat burning and compliments my martial arts track. Am I getting better, faster, stronger? Yeah. You can too if you start where you are and simply take it one day at a time. ;-)

MedlinePlus, a service of the U.S. National Library of Medicince, National Institutes of Health (NIH), has some useful advice in regards to managing stress. My favorite government quotes are these four points of order regarding an individual stress management program:

1. AN INDIVIDUAL STRESS MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

Find the positive in situations, and don't dwell on the negative. [Positive: I'm blogging again - gonna write a bunch of fun reviews. P.S. been mad busy cranking out new music and art you know guys nothing about but will very shortly - evil grin]
Plan fun activities. [ Kinda sorta learning CrossFit (Yeah... I'm hoarding my garage training digital video - silly grin); Graphic novel illustrations are going well; 3 novel manuscripts and 2 novellas are in re-write (eyes twitching, head thunks on table - main source of major stress with deadlines that never ever end - melodramatic sigh); Gallery show art in progress (very cool portraits); Going to the Dan Inosanto seminar at the end of the month; Just finished the Pekiti Tersia Kali seminar with Apolo Ladra and Chris Notte so I have the whole "fun" thing down pat. Yeah... it's true. I really am a gym rat - happy sigh ]
Take regular breaks. [ Um... Rriiiiight... The cartoons in my head are having a field day with this one. ;-) ]

2. Physical activity:

Start a physical activity program. [Yes. It's true. Sex counts people. But it has to be really, really good and mad fun. Seriously. Hint: Men, there is a reason women love Yoga but I'll save that for another blog post because teasing readers is what I do - evil grin ] Most experts recommend 150 minutes of aerobic activity per week. [Ref: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/physical/pdf/PA_Fact_Sheet_Adults.pdf Ref: https://www.presidentschallenge.org/informed/digest/docs/december2008digest.pdf ]
Decide on a specific type, amount, and level of physical activity. Fit this into your schedule so it can be part of your routine. [ Yeah. You really do need a routine... Don't worry. It can be 15 minutes if that's all the time you have. ]
Find a buddy to exercise with -- it is more fun and it will encourage you to stick with your routine.
You do not have to join a gym -- 20 minutes of brisk walking outdoors is enough.

3. Nutrition: [ Pssst... Two words: Registered Dietician ]

Eat foods that improve your health and well-being. For example, increase the amount of fruits and vegetables you eat.
Use the food guide plate to help you make healthy food choices. [Ref: http://www.choosemyplate.gov ]
Eat normal-sized portions on a regular schedule.

4. Social support:

Make an effort to socialize. Even though you may feel tempted to avoid people when you feel stressed, meeting friends usually helps people feel less stressed.
Be good to yourself and others.

So... what are you waiting for? Come socialize and check out my fave gym. I pop in and out all the time. Catch me if you can. Dare ya. ;-)

Tann Starr on iTunes

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Kim Harrison Vicki Pettersson Jocelynn Drake Jaye Wells Amy DeZellar Lynn Rush Jeannie Holmes

Ward Nasse Gallery

Kendall Grey Jeaniene Frost Faith Hunter Stacia Kane Sherry Soule

Alicia Anderson: Touched By People Places and Things

CarolynTannStarr.com

Tann Starr on Amazon.com

Life With Wee People

Outside Blog Minion Report

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Ask me something...

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Improving Finances After Completing Short Sale or Foreclosure

Bill Gassett Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate (RE/MAX Executive Realty) — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 07:44:02 -0700

Original article source: Massachusetts Real Estate Blog

There are not many things that can negatively impact your credit score more than a foreclosure or short sale. In fact one of the more common untruths you will hear from many Realtors is that short sales don’t impact your credit scores like foreclosures do. This is absolutely WRONG!

If you fail to pay your mortgage during a short sale the credit score impact will be nearly identical to a foreclosure according to My FICO the governing body for credit scoring.

Being a Realtor myself for the last twenty five years it does not surprise me when I hear this misinformation being spewed in person or around the internet. Some Real Estate agents will paint a short sale as your ticket to the promised land and a foreclosure as a ticket to financial misery for the rest of your life.

They do this of course because they want you to list the property with them as a short sale. A true Real Estate professional should be going over all possible financial options with you and not just looking to put money in their wallet.

There are of course advantages to doing a short sale but a better credit score is not one of them unless you are able to complete a short sale without missing mortgage payments. The sad truth is that most but not all of the time a lender is not going to grant short sale approval unless you are behind in your mortgage payments. From a lender’s perspective if you are able to continue paying your mortgage why should they grant you a short sale?

The advantages of a short sale vs a foreclosure center around the time you will be able to purchase a home again in the future. You will be able to buy a home after completing a short sale much quicker than a foreclosure.

For a complete breakdown of how quickly you can get financing after both of these events see getting a mortgage after short sale or foreclosure. If you can show extenuating circumstances of why you had to do a short sale or lost your home to foreclosure you may be able to get a loan sooner. Some of the acceptable hardships that could factor into a lenders decision are divorce, loss of a job and unexpected medical expenses.

To continue reading see Improving finances after short sale

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on Improving finances after short sale or foreclosure was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356.

Have a home to sell in Metrowest Mass? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

For Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate and homes see Massachusetts Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service short sales in the following towns in and around Metrowest Massachusetts: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Northboro, Shrewsbury, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, Franklin, Framingham, Sutton and Douglas MA.

Click here to view Bill Gassett's Real Estate profile.

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Getting a Mortgage After a Short Sale

Bill Gassett Metrowest Massachusetts Real Estate (RE/MAX Executive Realty) — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 07:52:44 -0700

Original article source: Massachusetts Real Estate Blog

As a Realtor who has been heavily involved closing Massachusetts short sales over the last five years, one of the questions that I get asked quite often from home sellers is how long will it take before I will be able to buy a home again.

Of course what people really mean is how long before I will be able to get another mortgage.

The answer to this question does not have any clear cut and dry answer. There are quite a few variables involved when trying to figure out when someone will be able to purchase a home after a foreclosure or short sale.

Going through either a short sale or a foreclosure has the potential to seriously impact ones credit. Government entities Fannie Mae, Freddie Mac and FHA do not directly loan money to individuals but are the governing body that work with lenders to guarantee loans and free up money to provide mortgages.

Banks typically have the authority to lend to whoever they want but will generally follow the guidelines set forth by these entities. There are some lenders of course that will take greater risks with some borrowers than others.

In the link provided below the general guidelines that FHA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac follow when considering a loan after a short sale or foreclosure are discussed.

See Getting a mortgage after short sale and foreclosure for a complete understanding of how your credit will be impacted, as well as the time period before a borrower will be able to get financing to purchase another home under these scenarios.

The credit impact of both short sales and foreclosures are explained in depth. There is also a comparison between FHA, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans. There is a lot of misinformation online about the difference in credit impact between a short sale and foreclosure.

There are many that try to paint a picture that the credit impact of a short sale is far less damaging to ones credit when that is in fact not the case. The benefit in a short sale lies more in the fact that you may be able to get a mortgage quicker in the future. Credit scoring with missed payments is nearly identical when comparing short sales and foreclosures according to MY FICO.

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

About the Author: The above Real Estate information on Getting a mortgage after a short sale was provided by Bill Gassett, a Nationally recognized leader in his field. Bill can be reached via email at billgassett@remaxexec.com or by phone at 508-435-5356.

Have a home to sell in Metrowest Mass? I have a passion for Real Estate and love to share my marketing expertise!

For Massachusetts Real Estate information see Massachusetts Real Estate. Want to have MLS access to beat other buyers to your dream home? Sign up with no obligation at my MLS Property Finder Site.

I service Real Estate short sales in the following towns in and around Metrowest Massachusetts: Hopkinton, Milford, Upton, Bellingham, Southboro, Westboro, Ashland, Holliston, Mendon, Northboro, Shrewsbury, Hopedale, Medway, Grafton, Northbridge, Uxbridge, Franklin, Framingham, Natick and Douglas MA.

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Buying a home vs Renting - Understanding & knowing the difference - Part 1 of 3

Thu, 23 Sep 2010 10:15:39 -0700

In today's economy, you will hear many different rhymes of reason why to rent now or why to buy a new home now. Ultimately it comes down to your own decision and you should only use such news with caution.

You might have heard some say, don't buy now because home values will decrease another 5% to 20%. Remember, real estate is local. In some areas, home values have already increased by 10%. So get to know your area and speak to a qualified realtor about this. Here is a good post showing you even if home values dropped, that waiting might not be such a good idea. Home prices will drop, so wait until next year??

You will also hear so many say that right now is the best time to buy, because interest rates are extremely low and so are home prices. There is a lot of truth to this, but again, you need to look at it from both sides of the fence.

So, are you throwing money out the window if renting? Yes, but this could be a complicated topic based on so many issues. Word of advice : Be careful of such online tools as renting vs buying calculators. Each one is not the same and some lack important details.

When should you not buy a home?

If your rent is very low. (usually 20% or less of your gross monthly income) If you like the area and will probably buy in the area, maybe save for one more year.
You intend to move in a few years.

Things to think about prior to buying a home. When you buy a home, you still have expenses unlike renting.

maintenance of the home
original closing costs when buying the home
monthly property taxes & yearly homeowners insurance (both of which are usually in the mortgage payment)
sometimes mortgage insurance depending on your down payment and the type of loan

So I have mentioned some negative reasons why not to buy a house and that confuses you a little. It's because the positive reasons will outweigh the negative reasons of buying a home. Key word being usually. Your home can become your own personal bank.

Positive reasons for buying a home

You can write off the interest yearly
You will build equity in your home on a monthly basis, unlike when you rent.
You can deduct the points that you paid when purchasing, the 1st year, that's if you pay points.
Your home will usually appreciate, becoming more valuable over time. Ignore what has happened in the last 3 years with values plummeting. Values had increased to quickly and this happened for several reasons.
Pride : The home is yours. You can basically do what you want, within reason.
Once your home is paid off, you just have yearly taxes and homeowners
Creating memories - Since the home would be yours, you will creative ever lasting memories, especially if you have a family.

Conclusion : Overall, this could very well be the best time to buy. Home values have dropped in many places and they are now leveling out, stabilizing. Also, rates are still low.... anything from 4% to 4.75%. And no, you don't need 20% down or 720 credit scores to buy now. I will go over this later. You just need to have a plan, feel comfortable, know your goals, and have weighed all your options to help make your decision when deciding to rent or buy a new home.

In Part 2 : I will talk about comparing renting vs buying in dollar figures. - The pros & cons -

Renting vs Buying -- Understanding & knowing the difference -- Part 1 of 3

Renting vs Buying -- Showing the difference in payments -- Part 2 of 3

Renting vs Buying -- Knowing your loan options & what it would take to buy -- Part 3 of 3

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How in the Heck do you use Twitter for Business?

Fri, 02 Oct 2009 14:57:18 -0700

Twitter! It's everywhere! Ever since Oprah talked about it, you can't read the paper, go to a website, or even watch your evening news without being invited to follow them on Twitter. So what's the big deal, and why are so many businesses embracing Twitter?

The first thing you need to know: There is a right way and a wrong way to use Twitter, especially if you are using it to promote a business.

Every day, I'm out there talking to Real Estate Agents who can't wrap their minds around Twitter. "No one cares that I just ate dinner", they say. For the most part, they're right. But then I hit them with a curve ball. I tell them that Twitter is more about "Listening" then "Tweeting".... and I see a dumbfounded look on their face.

I go further, Twitter is about engaging people, interacting with them, and discussing common interests. At this point their face has an expression of complete confusion with a bit of frustration. They ask, "How do you engage when you are just blabbing about what you just did in 140 characters"? It's a great question - and one that after some time - I finally discovered the answer.

You see, the Twitter website is a bit tough to "get". It's not until they download a third party software like TweetDeck (www.tweetdeck.com) or Seesmic (www.seesmic.com) that most people can truly "GET" Twitter.

These 3^rd party apps allow you to set up searches (in convenient columns) for keywords that are of interest to you. This allows you to "LISTEN" to anyone who tweets your keywords. If you are a business owner, listening to your key words becomes an invaluable tool to see what your potential customers, and your competition are saying.

It's also a good idea to set up a search for your geographical area (city name) and know exactly everything that's going on in your area when people are Tweeting about it. You can "Listen" for anything, this just scratches the surface.

After you build these "listening searches" you will get a feeling for Twitter, how others are using it, and most importantly, how to INTERACT with these "Tweeps" via @Reply's, Re-tweets, and DMs (Direct Messages). Now we're really getting into the nuts and bolts of Twitter. For more details on what this all means, watch my video series on "How To Use Twitter for Business". If this lingo goes over your head, don't sweat it, it's just Twitter-speak for ways to interact on Twitter.

Here's the most important thing to remember for those of you wanting to use Twitter for business. Think of Twitter as a huge cocktail party. You would not walk into a cocktail party and scream a promotion out loud. You would be friendly, engage others, build trust, discuss different things and [eventually] work what you do for a living into the conversation. It's a VERY soft sell. Less then 10% of your Tweets should be about your business.

So remember - Go gentle, be friendly, Engage others, and occasionally remind them what you do. When the time comes to employ your services, they'll call!

If you want the soup to nuts on Twitter, watch my video series on "How To Use Twitter for Business. It talks about setting up columns to listen using TweetDeck, and goes in depth about interacting, and what to Tweet about.

------------- ©2009 - AmazingVideoTours.com - All Rights Reserved. Amazing Video is Charlotte's Premier Real Estate Videography Provider for Realtors, and other individuals with property to sell, lease, or rent. A departure from the old fashion 360 Virtual Tour, Amazing Video Tours takes online property marketing to the next level.

We Can do What Ever We Want, We're HUD

JL Boney, III Columbia, SC Real Estate (Russell and Jeffcoat) — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:46:43 -0800

Recently I wrote a post about HUD wondering how on Earth one single agent could take care of over 400 HUD listings spread across an entire state. I for one believe that there is no way that one agent can keep up with them all, but I suppose HUD and all their glory disagrees. But enough about that bone to pick, let's move on to another strike at the lack of genius that HUD has displayed.

For those of you who are unaware of it, you have to be HUD certified in order to make an offer on a HUD listing. You can procure your own HUD key, and show the homes for sale, you just can't help your client make an offer without being certified. This takes about 8 to 10 wells to do.

Now with that being said, let's talk about a funny little thing called disclosure. Would it not seem only right that a HUD listing be required to disclose this information on their listings, so people are aware of this fact? I sure think that it would be a disclosure issue in my opinion, but I could be alone.

Well, when my good friend Suzanne McLaughlin decided she would check into this, her MLS told her that it should be disclosed. She was then nice enough to call and get a response from HUD on the subject and explain to them that they needed to disclose that information in their listings on the MLS or they would be subject to fines from her local board.

Their response was basically the title of the post. They were unconcerned about the rules and regulations that the rest of us have to follow. They feel as if they are about following the rules, after all they are HUD. So what do you think? Should they be above the rules?

I take real issue with the belief that Government run organizations should be able to ignore the rules that the rest of us must follow so closely. I flat out take offense to their answer to Suzanne, but it's exactly what I would expect out of a Government entity. Sad that I would.

So here's your chance to make a believer out of me. Tell me I'm an idiot for being offended, a fool for wasting your time while reading this post, or tell me that you don't like the people your tax money pays treating us like second hand citizens. Tell me something rather than looking the other way and letting it go.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

JL Boney, III - Columbia, SC Realtor - Russell and Jeffcoat Real Estate

I specialize in Columbia, SC real estate and the surrounding areas, including Blythewood, SC, Kershaw County, Fairfield County, and Lexington, SC. If you are in the market to buy or sell a home in Columbia, SC or any of the surrounding areas, I would love the opportunity to speak with to see how I can help. Thanks for reading and feel free to contact me if I can be of service to you.

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How to Create a Blog Post for Customers and Search Engines

Brad Andersohn (Zillow - Natl Outreach Mgr & Dir of Zillow Academy) — Sat, 25 Jul 2009 09:46:09 -0700

How to Create a Blog Post for Customers and Search Engines.

There are three important audiences to be writing for: 1. Other members and friends of your Social Networks. 2. Consumers, Subscribers, and a Target Audience of readers. 3. Search Engines. I'm sure this is preaching to the choir, but this is important information to be shared if you want to get maximum exposure and results from your Blog posts with consumers, visitors, and with Google. Google Juice? I'll drink to that! :-)

Blogging for Customers and Search Engines correctly is a key component to a successful Blog.

Using these effective strategies and time tested methods when creating your post can make a huge difference. The first thing when writing a post is to determine the audience you are writing for, the product or concept you're promoting, and the geographic market you are targeting. In this scenario, we are creating a Blog post to drive readers, consumers, and search engines to your Blog which is All About Your Area. Things like "Vacant Land", "Open Houses", "Loan Modifications", "Tax Credit", "Pest Control", "Relocation", "Market Statistics", "Short Sales", "Condos" etc.

1. How to title a blog post: Use a title that a customer would type into Google. example: "Open Houses in Mesquite Nevada" Targeting Neighborhoods and focusing on Communities are best, but you can also use City/State. Most searches by consumers always include a geographic area. example: "Vacant Land For Sale in Bend, Oregon" Don't just title your post "Vacant Land For Sale" as it probably won't get indexed to a specific location and will likely get lost in the Search Engine Abyss. (SEO abyss = page 24 of Google)

2. Repeat the title in BOLD in the first sentence of your blog post. example: "Vacant Land For Sale in Bend, Oregon" and now priced better than ever! Build your dream home in Bend, Oregon!" By creating the first sentence of your post to include the title and BOLD key search words, terms, or phrases, you'll increase the potential of being found and then read. That first sentence is typically the first sentence that shows up under your TITLE within the Google search results. It's an important part of getting the search engines to recognize your topic and see it's relative content. It's also what will help a consumer decide if they want to click on your link or NOT!

3. Write your blog posts to the title...then add in good content that a customer would want to know about. It takes a bit more time to think this strategy through, but the results and rewards will be tremendous. This in NOT the only way to gain SEO and more exposure, but it's a great place to start if you're new to Blogging and are wanting quicker results from your time and efforts here.

Creating posts and Understanding Long tail and Short tail search terms: Short tail searches are just that, very short keyword searches. example: "Homes for sale" or "Homes For Sale Austin, Texas". This is where most searches begin during the early stages of research by consumers. The Long tail search comes into play the closer consumers get to making a final purchase decision. example: "Gated Community Homes For Sale With a Pool in Austin Texas" Justin Smith explains more about Long tail/ Short tail searches in his post. You can also find more details by searching Google for "Long tail and Short tail searches." Here's a video that might help make heads or "tails" about this.

4. Go through your blog post and make sure that the words of your title are repeated a minimum of at least three or four times. At least one time every other paragraph or so. You should also bold those keywords so they stand out to the reader and to the search engines. You need to be somewhat creative in doing this and remember, don't over do it.

5. Tag your blog posts with other keywords and phrases the customer may type into Google. These should be topic related and relevant to your post. Do not try to game the search engines by packing in keywords that have nothing to do with the post, this will do more harm than good in most if not all cases. Also make sure to include images and links to relative sites, this will create more stickiness and add value to your posts.

Creating a Blog Post for Customers and Search engines is not that difficult once you understand some of these basic concepts and then practice and apply them on a regular basis. This is not to say you shouldn't write about other topics both personal and business, even those can be tailored to get you better results with customers and search engines. We tested this theory on the Fourth of July Weekend and you should see some of the results ActiveRain members experienced. It really does work.

I hope you can use these tips on "How to Create a Blog Post for Customers and Search Engines."
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A caution to REO purchasers. The addenda always control the agreement.

Richard Weisser (Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate Metro Brokers) — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 08:23:06 -0700

The scenario is played over and over across the land as bargain-seeking homebuyers attempt to purchase a foreclosed property. A real estate agent constructs an offer for the home, and the offer is “acknowledged!”

But first there are a “few” addenda that must be signed before the deal is done. And while it may be true that the seller will only convey the property under their terms, buyers need to understand the absolute fact that the addenda CONTROL the agreement.

And these addenda are so comprehensive that in most cases, they override almost all of the language in the original offer. It is not uncommon for the addenda to be many pages longer than the original Purchase and Sale Agreement.

The signing of these instruments, while obligatory, is not perfunctory. A buyer needs to carefully read the addenda and understand them before moving forward with the purchase.

Because although the terms set forth in the addenda may be considered to be very seller-friendly, the purchase can still be a bargain for the savvy buyer.

And that can make all of the trade-offs pay off in a big way!

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Twitter Made Easy for Business (Part 1 of 3 - 'Listening')

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 15:06:01 -0700

If you've been hesitant to sign up with Twitter, or signed up with Twitter and don't have a clue what to do next, this video series is for you.

If you are afraid of embracing Social Media because it is too technical for you, don't worry, my video series is made with you in mind. I have distilled all the Technology down to lay-person terms and hope that this will be the final "How To" you need to get using Twitter!

If you have any doubts about WHY you should be on Twitter as a Realtor, consider this. The NAR says that baby boomers have (on average) one home buying cycle left. Generation X has (on average) 6 buying cycles left. Generation Y has (on average) 7 buying cycles left.

Now consider the fact that Gen Y'rs spend more than 3 hours per day online. If you plan on being in Real Estate for the foreseeable future, you need to be reaching out to this generation using their media - and by doing it on their terms!

Part 1 of the Series is all about ‘Listening' on Twitter. Too many people STOP in their tracks at the thought of "Who cares what I'm doing" and don't take any time to investigate Twitter any further. The reality is that you might consider using Twitter to LISTEN first! Then ENGAGE, and then start TWEETING. If this is foreign to you, then you need the video!

Enjoy!

Part 1 - Listening

Preset Columns
Setting Up Listening Columns
Listening to Your City
Listening by Industry
What NOT to Do on Twitter (for business)
How to Check another user Out
How to Follow Someone

COMING SOON:

Twitter Made Easy for Business (Part 2 of 3 - 'Engaging')
Twitter Made Easy for Business (Part 3 of 3 - 'Tweeting')

------------- ©2009 - AmazingVideoTours.com - All Rights Reserved. Amazing Video Tours is Charlotte's Premier Real Estate Videography and Photography Provider for Realtors, and other individuals with property to sell, lease, or rent. A departure from the old fashion 360 Virtual Tour, Amazing Video Tours takes online property marketing to the next level.

Should You Look at a Home Before Making an Offer?

Tue, 06 Mar 2012 07:07:48 -0800

It's got 4 walls and a roof and somebody will live in it. That's how years ago I used to describe investment property and, quite frankly, I can't believe I was so naive. In fact, up until the Easton Case, I never even looked at property before buying it -- neither as an investor nor for my investors. Hard for you to swallow, I suppose, but it's the truth.

Back when I got into real estate in the 1970s, it was a whole different world than it is today. The basics were still there, but the real estate business was run very differently. I'm not just talking about the part involving rolled-up hundred dollar bills and mirrors. I'm talking about the two-page contracts and no seller disclosures. Buyers' home inspections? What were those?

I used to hold counseling sessions with clients before I decided whether I wanted to work with them as buyers. We'd spend a couple of hours going over what they wanted to buy, where and why. Armed with a list of their assets, I'd go find the property for them. Then, I'd write the offer in my name or assignee, using a prom note as an earnest money deposit. I negotiated the contract with owner financing. After acceptance, I assigned the contract to my buyers, and I was paid a commission upon closing.

In retrospect, it's not much different than what I do now except as a Sacramento short sale agent I work with sellers primarily, and I negotiate short sales with the bank.

Sometimes, my buyers looked at the property before closing escrow, sometimes not. But I never looked at homes for or with them. Of course, back then, you could buy a single-family home in Orange County (where I sold real estate), rent it on a breakeven basis for a couple of years and make $10,000 or $20,000. Not true in today's environment.

Right now, the market in Sacramento is so hot that some home buyers and investors are making offers on homes before looking at them. There is hardly anything for sale. Multiple offers are the norm. I do check my SUPRA lockbox site to make sure buyers I receive offers from have looked at the property. It would be foolish, especially on a short sale listing, to remove it from the inventory if the buyer is likely to cancel after inspection.

Let this be a warning. If you are a buyer's agent and sending an offer to this Sacramento short sale agent, please make sure you have shown the home to your buyer. If you are a buyer, go look at that listing. Short sale homes are sold in their "as is" condition. There are no repairs. Just because the contract will let you cancel is no reason to tie up a property and potentially louse up a seller's short sale.

---

Certified HAFA Specialist

Sacramento Real Estate Listings

Elizabeth Weintraub is an author, home buying columnist for About.com, a Land Park resident, and a Land Park real estate agent who specializes in older, classic homes in Land Park, Curtis Park, Midtown and East Sacramento. Weintraub is also a Sacramento Short Sale agent who lists and successfully sells short sales throughout the four-county Sacramento area. Call Elizabeth Weintraub at 916.233.6759. Put 35 years of real estate experience to work for you. Broker-Associate at Lyon Real Estate. DRE License # 00697006.

The Short Sale Savior , by Elizabeth Weintraub, available with free shipping.

Lyon Real Estate is not associated with the government, and our service is not approved by the government or your lender. Even if you accept this offer and use our service, your lender may not agree to change your loan. Photo: Unless otherwise noted in this blog, the photo is copyrighted by Big Stock Photo and used with permission.The views expressed herein are Weintraub's personal views and do not reflect the views of Lyon Real Estate. Disclaimer: If this post contains a listing, information is deemed reliable as of the date it was written. After that date, the listing may be sold, listed by another brokerage, canceled, pending or taken temporarily off the market, and the price could change without notice. It could blow up, explode or vanish. To find out the present status of any listing, please go to elizabethweintraub.com.

Perception Is Reality in Our Industry, Too

Wed, 20 Jul 2011 14:16:10 -0700

I started a small marketing company in 1996, leaving behind the fascinating and glamorous world of retail and restaurant management. I was 25 years old, and I was tired of working for someone else. Much of our focus for my fledgling venture was on selling marketing and printing services to real estate agents. I quickly realized that many of our customers were making really good money, and some (most?) of them weren't even that sharp. Real estate couldn't be rocket science, right?

Right.

The truth is, real estate isn't all that difficult, as long as you understand a few key concepts, namely:

It's an emotional decision when someone buys a house, whether it's their first or their 51st home.
People want their agent to communicate with them....often.
It's important to be flexible. Things don't always go as you might think they will.
It's critical not to take things personally. Some "clients" will take advantage of your time and expertise. Period.

But I digress. I have a larger point I wanted to make here.

I was thinking about the current apparent upswing in our market, at least here in Austin, and the old advertising and marketing adage certainly applies to our industry:

Perception Is Reality.

What does this mean, though?

Well, in the world of marketing, it means that whatever your potential customer or client perceives to be the truth becomes the truth about your business. If you're considered to be reputable and service-driven, your business will likely grow accordingly. Conversely, if your company is known to be filled with ripoff artists, I'm sure you can guess what your long-term prospects will be.

There's one thing that I've witnessed for years in this business, and it's intriguing to me. I'll do my best to explain it within the confines of this post. Basically, our economy is simpler than pundits would have you believe. I don't intend to simplify it to the point of inaccuracy, but local and national economies often rise and fall based on one simple item: Perception.

If people think that the sky is falling, they retreat into their home and stop spending money. This applies to real estate, perhaps even more than the majority of other industries. I saw this most clearly in the wake of 9/11, when just about all non-necessary moves were put on hold for months. The stock market fell precipitously as well. Why? Perception. The infrastructure of our country wasn't destroyed, but people were understandably afraid, and it sent shockwaves through the economy.

Conversely, when the home buying public perceives that "things are getting better or "the market is picking up steam", they begin to buy again, or even to invest in property (side note: you might as well invest in real estate - it's better than any bank return out there today). When people spend, it magically gets better. Amazing, huh?

I'm not the type of real estate broker who always tells my friends and clients that things are going well. We've made it through a really rough patch and survived a downturn, and we're not out of the woods yet. Old-school real estate training taught me to always say, "Great!" when asked about how the market is going. I can't do that. I can now say, however, that things are truly busy for me right now, and I hope it continues.

Thanks for reading!

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If you're looking for a home in the Austin area, you can also visit my primary Austin real estate website at www.austintexashomes.com. Thanks!

Quick CPM Answer...

C Tann-Starr (Tann Starr Music CarolynTannStarr.com TannStarr.com) — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 15:49:27 -0800

Quick CPM Answer: Sometimes the click-through ratios for CPM-based advertising is low. According to Wikipedia, "CPM is frequently used in advertising to represent cost per mille (thousand)." You can check out the Wiki here.

The thing to remember when you start exploring methods to monetize your blog is the fact that even an un-clicked (but viewed) advertisement has the potential to play a role in promoting your blog through site indexing methodology. Interesting, well-designed advertisements tend to catch a reader/user's attention, promoting brand recognition and connects your writing to their search engine inquiry, even if the viewer doesn't click through after clicking on your blog from a search engine link. No one really knows what they are going to get when they click a search engine link. What you give them is entirely up to you.

So the discussion really hinges upon what you want to do with them... My Google Alerts have started going off for the advertising items embedded in my Blogger account which has small blurbs about what I am doing with my kids. Since shorty gave me a Thomas the Train and Polar Express moment, I shared with people the actual items by linking them in so if people want to buy them the impulse to buy can be satisfied. It is not a sales pitch, it is a conversation with perks (LOL). It appears to be working for the stats in the affiliate program shows readers clicked through, then continued to click on other items in Amazon.com... A rarely used forum has just become a bounce page to send readers every place I want them to go if they care to go there.

Writers make information available... Readers decide what to do with the knowledge gained. You don't have to be weighty and serious either. Just be yourself and have a small conversation.

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