Bliss Sawyer's Marketing Blog

To blog or not to blog?

Blogging.  It's the craze in the business world right now.  Many loan officers are asking if their business needs a blog.  From my personal experience, I have had a great time with my blog and feel it has a huge impact on my business.  With a blog, readers can get to know you on a more personal basis and you are able to strengthen your reputation as an expert.

The most difficult part is keeping your content fresh and up to date.  If you are interested in starting a blog... I recommend you get some help.  Bring the Blog is run by my friend Dan Green and is specifically designed to help you have the perfect blog.  Bring the Blog bills itself as an "Associated Press for Blogs", adding daily content to help you fill your pages.  And it's not generic, either -- it's pretty terrific stuff. You can see a live demo of the content Bring the Blog pumps out every single day at:  http://demo.thewrittenblog.com/.

Add in some personal stuff, testimonials, local housing news, etc. and you have a fabulous blog to attract business.  What are you waiting for?  Get blogging!

Mortgage Girlfriends

Another exciting idea from Karen Deis.  If you are a woman in the mortgage business, this blog is for you!  MortgageGirlfriends.com is a site where you can exchange ideas, get advice from other women and pretty much let everyone know what's on your mind.  Sorry men, but mortgageboyfriends.com just didn't sound right. 

Register and let's share ideas.   Karen is also developing a series of forums for women in the mortgage industry  planned throughout the country and when you register, you will be notified when and where they will be held. 

Blogging made easy!

Blogging has become popular with mortgage lenders looking to increase their visibility and become known as an industry expert.  (see even more reasons why you should blog in my Mortgage Originator article.)

For loan officers that want to blog but don't want the hassle of learning a new technology, a new service called Bring the Blog (http://www.bringtheblog.com) makes blogging easier than ever before.

For $399 annually, Bring the Blog gives you your own Web site, the easiest Web interface I have seen, and they even go the extra mile by writing new content for your blog every business day.  If you've ever said "I'd love to blog, but I don't have the time" -- Bring the Blog is your answer.

As a company, Bring the Blog offers a completely free 15-day trial and they also make a "demo account" available where you can give the product an actual test drive.  https://www.bringtheblog.com/login.php?user=demo&password=blogging. 

Once you test the product, I know you'll love it.  You'll also love the $100 discount you get as a reader of my blog -- be sure to use referral code BLISS07BLOG.

Click, click, click and you're done.  Blogging has never been so simple.

Thanks for the feedback on blogging!

I wanted to share an email I received this morning from Chris Crowe on his blogging experience.  Great stuff to hear if you are thinking of starting a blog.  Thanks Chris for sharing!

Bliss, Thank you for the inspiration you provided in your MOM online article about blogs. I've created my own blog (www.chris-crowe.com) as a result of your ideas in your article. Dan Green and I have communicated and I'm considering his service (Bring the Blog)  I couldn't believe how easy Typepad was! Anybody who is committed to updating regularly should do this, just not the loan officers in my area!

Last week at my Rotary meeting, we had a speaker who gave a presentation on a 900 unit development they are in the process of getting off the ground. After the meeting, I went up to him and asked for one of his cards. Instead of being a typical loan officer and asking for business, I told him about my blog and who my target audience was (customers and realtors). I said that I wanted to feature his development in a blog entry and link when he gets the project approved. Well, I don't have to tell you that I stood out from probably anyone else he talked to that day. The moral of the story: A blog is a good excuse to talk to someone and a way to stand out from the competition.

Thanks again for all you do for the industry, through your company and MMG.

Chris