We are happy to offer a playback of Week One Webinar, Develop a Blog Business Plan.

There is still time to register here for the remainder of the session. This is the final eight-week series in 2008; the price for No Blogger Left Behind will be $297 starting in January, 2009.

Here is a handout for Week One.

We are pleased to announce that we are making a $25 contribution for each No Blogger Left Behind registration to CARE for humanitarian relief.

Sites and sources referenced in the Webinar are hyperlinked in the PDF handout. Other sources mentioned in the Webinar include:

• Mary Pope-Handy's award-winning blog, Live in Los Gatos
• Mary Pope-Handy's Haunted Real Estate Blog

White Mountains (AZ) REALTOR Yvonne Coelet has a web site, a blog, and a foreclosure resource page and she wants to tie things together for a more cohesive Web presence. Yvonne is Treasurer for the State Chapter of the Women's Council of REALTORS.

We talked about these things during a Laser Blog Coaching session last week.

Listen to the session here.

The next eight-week series of No Blogger Left Behind Webinars starts August 29, 2008.

It's been a year since Australian real estate coach Karin Hanna posted an entry on her I Love My Agent blog. She's been travelling around the world, teaching real estate agents on three continents how to build their reputation.

Today she engaged in a 12-minute Laser Blog Coaching session that rejuvenated her neglected blog.

Listen to the session here.

We will watch this blog closely as Karin accomplishes a general blog makeover next week.

The next eight-week series of No Blogger Left Behind Webinars starts August 29, 2008.

Q.  What tool can I use on Internet Explorer to check the keywords of another blog or web site? 

A. At the top right of the browser there is a toolbar. Click on Page, then click on View Source to discover the code that the site uses to attract the search engine spiders.

Q. How do I add buttons and otherwise customize my RealTown blog?

A. The Blog Manager offers configuration settings. You can customize your RealTown blog using the Edit Template button. Blog template settings are changed with HTML codes. Each RealTown template varies and it is not possible to provide a one-size-fits-all answer at this time. If you have some basic HTML knowledge, you can make these changes easily. Otherwise, it is worthwhile to consult with a techie who has some background in HTML.

Q. What are the Group Access Key and Invitation Key to access the private RealTown group?

A. There is a special RealTown group that is a PRIVATE group for No Blogger Left Behind attendees and alumni. Just send us an e-mail and we will send you an invitation so that you can access the group.

Q. Can you send the link to the ActiveRain Breakout that you did a few weeks ago?

A. Unfortunately, the Webinar platform had a snafu with the recording device. We are in the process of switching to the Webex platform to take our delivery up a few notches! Stay tuned. August will be an exciting month for No Blogger Left Behind attendees. There are some more exciting Breakouts coming up that you will not want to miss.

Webinar Handout

Podcast (Audio Only)

Yesterday's Webinar with Blanche Evans (Realty Times) and Hilary Marsh (Realtor.org) offers valuable information about online publishing rules, including copyright considerations and new Blogging Guidelines being developed by the National Assn. of REALTORS. One of the most interesting issues in the guidelines is the position that the NAR legal eagles are taking about comments. They are insisting that the NAR blogmasters moderate their comments: 

"If you have a blog, accept comments. Develop a comment policy outlining the types of comments you WON’T publish: e.g., those that are offensive, illegal, irrelevant, or are sales pitches."

The webcast, podcast, and handout contain information that real estate agents and brokers will find valuable in developing a Blog Business Plan.

The following resources are mentioned in the Webinar: 

• RealtyTimes
• Articles for Rookies
• Economic Research
• Build a Better Web Site
• Start a Podcast
• Architecture Guide
• Handouts for Buyers and Sellers
• Field Guides
• 8-Step Personal Marketing Plan
• Download e-Mail Banners
• Fill--In-The-Blanks News Releases

The next 8-week Blog Coaching Webinar program starts next week. Join us and take your blogging to the next level at No Blogger Left Behind.

 -- Frances Flynn Thorsen and Joeann Fossland

Tired of Negative Headlines? Write Your Own!

Hilary Marsh of The National Assn. of REALTORS offers a preliminary peek at NAR's new Blogging Guidelines in next week's FREE No Blogger Left Behind Webinar. Real estate brokers, agents, and bloggers will gain valuable insight into an online publishing tool that is changing the face of online real estate. The Webinar will be held June 17.

Hilary joins Blanche Evans ofRealty Times, Joeann Fossland, Master Certified Coach, and Frances Flynn Thorsen, RealTown.com. (Joeann and Fran are the Co-Creators of the No Blogger Left Behind Blog Coaching Program.)

Hilary Marsh, Managing Director, Editorial Development for Realtor.org, is a Web content guru. Before joining the National Assn. of REALTORS® , Hilary led Content Company, an online consultancy specializing in Web content strategy and management. Among the clients were the American Hospital Assn., the University of Chicago, and the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation. A frequent national speaker on Web content issues, Hilary founded NetContent/Chicago, an organization for the online content community, and is a founding member of CM Professionals, the content management community of practice. She is a graduate of Syracuse University’s S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications. (Courtesy Realtor.org.)

Register here.

I have been writing a step-by-step Web site creation chronicle at one of my other blogs, RealTown Report. Recent addition of online discussion forums at my new Point2 Agent web site has sparked some questions about the basic how-to's of adding a discussion forum to a web site or blog.

Q. "Frances, I really like your community Blog. My question is, I have a RealTown blog, how do I go about doing a community Blog? Do I have to get rid of the other one? Also, where can I find instructions on how to build one with links to my site as you did? Thanks for all your help!