Probably the most common question I get from clients is “What in the world do I write in a blog?” Aside from the perceived terror of posting regularly on Facebook or Twitter it seems that blogging on any kind of regular basis strikes the most fear in people. I get that. I was a bit intimidated myself when I first began but then I just realized that I was thinking way too hard about the whole thing. Stressing for no big reason. So I just took a great big chill pill and sat down and started putting thoughts to Notepad. I decided that I was just going to have fun with my blog. And it works! Uhh, I think it works. So here’s the best advice I can offer for all you new bloggers to the world of the home building blogoshere, RELAX!

Some say that you should post to your blog at least 3 times a week. Yea! Like I have the time to do that? Maybe 3 times a week for a professional blogger but not this chap. Anyway, who made that rule? Is it written in some kind of blogger bible somewhere? Is that the magic blog number? I think not and if you’re stressing because you just can’t come up with content for 3 blogs a week, stop it! I blog when I have something to say, have an opinion to share, have a lesson to offer or even when I want to rant about something. Healthy cynicism used constructively is a good thing and people love that.

You need to see your blog as your company playground. A place to be yourself because as I’ve said a million times, people want to to see the personality behind your brand and your blog is the place to display all of your imperfect, raw and uncut glory. If all you wish to portray is your perfect well rounded self then just turn your blog off now, we get enough of that in American politics.

What to say, what to say?
Several talking heads in our industry have already attempted to fuel the flames of creativity as it pertains to blog topics so I won’t do it again. (Although I will if you wish to contact me)

But I will say this, and listen carefully, stop thinking that your blog needs to be:

1.) Perfect: You’re shooting yourself in the foot if you try to hard to gussy it up all the time. You’re not writing a 5 page school essay so stop trying to be grammatically flawless. The people reading blogs these days are the same people that are using “words” like LOL, BRB, LMAO, GTG etc in their everyday lives and I guarantee that they could care less if your sentence is grammatically complete.

2.) Relevant to the industry: Really? Who says? Where’s that written? Not only that, but how boring is this approach? Why not share something about you, about the economy, about a new product you recently bought and liked, something educational, or like I said earlier; a rant? People are looking for reasons to engage and respond and if your blog just reads like more website copy then it ain’t gonna happen. How’s that for grammar?

3.) Riddled with keywords: Again, who says? More importantly why? Ok, ok I guess if the only reason you have a blog is to help you with SEO then go ahead and litter your blogs with keywords but then it’s not really an honest to goodness blog is it? It’s an SEO machine and if that’s your bag baby then more power to ya but whose to say that your non keyword content won’t attract consumers? Personally I’d rather do business with someone that I could sit and have a beer with over the person that’s all business all the time. Wouldn’t you? I’m jus sayin.

So there ya go. Andy Rooney once said “That life is like a roll of toilet paper – the closer it gets to the end, the faster it goes.” So get to writing. The faster you start the faster you finish and the more comfortable you get.

Most of all, CHILL OUT. It’s not your company State of the Union Address.

Please share your thoughts – I wanna hear from you.

I couldn’t resist posting about some builder social media hero’s I’ve seen recently. This of course on the heels of a recent post I did about “doing social media wrong”. Call me a weirdo but I genuinely get excited when I see a home builder using social media in a way that actually generates interest in their homes in a creative and interactive way and not just the usual “We build great homes” approach. Creativity is what the public is looking for and if it gets my attention (and I’m not even looking to buy a home) then you can bet it gets the attention of those that are truly looking. So if they haven’t already heard it, allow me to say “Well done” and keep on leading the way. Take a look at these two Builder Social Media rockstars.

First stop is Home Creations.
Their most recent video was entitled “Joe & Makensie Tour Turtlewood“. Now I don’t know if this was planned or they just went with the flow but I was very inspired by its creativity. I think you will be too. Check it out and remember, this is just one woman with a video camera and her creativity.

Next up is Penn Homes and Lisa Pool. The best thing about Lisa is that she’s real and she’s raw. My favorite  kind of person anyway but what’s cool is that she’s not constantly pushing her homes but building relationships instead. She interacts on a personal level and pulls people into her daily life. Oh, and she’s always talking about the homes she selling. I wonder if those two facts have something in common?