Blogging is taking the nation by storm. In case you haven't noticed...they're everywhere! Infact, according to Technorati, a leading aggregator of "all things blogs related," over 175,000 new blogs are being created every day.

Blogs are becoming a part of every type of business. They span the relm of politics, religion, education, sports, real estate, retail, electronics, medecine...you name a topic or interest...someone, somewhere in the world is blogging about it.

Perhaps, you have wondered how to start a blog. You may have even bought a book or taken a class to help you get started. But you still find yourself stumped. You're paralyzed at the prospect of starting or...maybe, you just need a little personalized direction to help you to develop your blogging voice.

Don't worry. Help is on the Way! We have developed two Training Options for professionals who want more in depth instruction about blogging. These tools are designed to:

1. Help you to overcome Your Resistance to Getting Started

2. Evaluate the Focus of your Blog.

3. Suggest Topics to Write about

4. Enable New Bloggers to Find their "Voice."

5. Provide helpful critiques to enhance the effectiveness of a blog post

6. Teach Blogging Etiquette.

7. Make Your Blog an Effective Lead Generation Platform

The following class options are available:

Blogging Therapy^TM ~ Individualized Coaching Sessions (one hour) These sessions are designed to allow for individual attention. They are available for Brand New Bloggers and more experienced Bloggers.

Sessions are tailored to address specific issues such as: Creating an Effective Blogging Style, Making a Blog Post Attractive, Cultivating a Blogging Community, Developing a Blog Theme, Optimizing & Expanding your blog's Reach On Line, Generating Leads & Profits from your Blog.

Requirements: Access to a computer, phone and Internet connection. Highly recommend high speed wireless connection to make the best use of the session training. Payment for all sessions must be received in full prior to commencment of training.

*Training for Individual coaching sessionswill be conducted via telephone by appointment. Live coaching sessions are available.  Please call for price quote.

Cost per session: $120. Call or e-mail for quote regarding a Package of 3 Sessions.

Option #2 ~ Blogging Boot Camp^TM~ This option is available for groups ranging between 5-10 individuals per session. Group Sessions are 2 hours in length. Topics covered include many of the topics available in the Blogging Therapy^TM  option. Group sessions can also be customized by written requests recieved at least 1 week in advance of the session. Customized requests are not guaranteed.

Group sessions can be conducted at client's premisis. These sessions will require participants to bring a laptop. A room rental fee of $150 will be assessed in addition to Blogging Boot Camp^TM costs for groups of 6 or more individuals unless suitable accomodations are available at the clients premisis to include access to computers with high speed internet availability.

Blogging Boot Camp^TM Costs: $100 per person for a 2 hour session. A Non-Refundable $100 Fee is required to reserve a date for Blogging Boot Camp^TM. Payment must be received in full prior to the commencement of training. An Advance booking of at least 2 weeks is strongly suggested to reserve a date for Blogging Boot Camp^TM.

Cancellation policy: Full refund 10 days prior to the event, 50% refund 5 days prior to the event. All other cancellations less than 5 days prior to the event will be charged the full fee. A Non Refundable Deposit of $100 is required to hold and reserve a date for the Blogging Boot Camp^TM.

NEW OFFERING 2008!

Marketing Your Brand in a Web Connected World!

Did you know that "Who You Are" online has become a very valuable commodity?  Your online Branding is key to your success in the emerging business marketplace.  Learn how to create a Successful online presence and connect to new opportunities for business and networking in this interesting and interractive course. 

Time:  2 hours

Cost:  $75

For further inquiry or to book a Session, please e-mail: laudu@grar.com. or call 616-791-0511.

To Read articles that Lola has written about a Variety of Blogging Related issues...Click here

Visit Lola's Blogs on line:

http://www.activerain.com/blogs/auduhomes

http://laudu.realtownblogs.com

*Policy is subject to change without notice.

The Truth About Easy Money...

One of the most unfortunate consequences of "easy money" is that it makes otherwise healthy, and intelligent people lazy...just plain lazy. I'll be upfront with my position on easy money. It's a myth, a trick...an exercise in smoke and mirrors that produces financial hallucinations. It doesn't exist...and never has.

The myth of hitting the easy money jackpot or reaching the easy money Nirvana persists for a number of reasons. Most notably, our intense desire to wish it to be so. Deep within the human spirit there exists this relentless drive to make things easier.

I think it started when Adam was driven out of garden of paradise and had to toil and sweat to make a living. Ever since then, it seems that mankind has been trying to figure out a way to reduce sweat and toil by any means possible. We're constantly inventing gadgets to make our lives easier and faster...and usually succeed in simply giving ourselves more to learn how to do!

Easy money could more aptly described as "Lucky money", Lazy Money and even sometimes Stolen, Dirty Money. Money that just seems to materialize without much effort on the part of the receiver. Money that arrives by virtue of the eternal lotto system of good fortune. Money that has us continuing to stand in line; putting life on hold while we hope that fate will smile our way and dump easy money into our laps.

Many practitioners jumped into real estate because of the lure of Easy Money. Stories of real estate fortunes captured the ears, eyes and minds of millions of Americans. The final result was 1.4 Million real estate agents nationally. Local Boards exploded in membership and dues receipts. Companies that promised to help you create the magic spell by buying the latest gadget or product to help agents capture the Easy Money Market experienced exponential growth. Home owners also jumped on the Easy Money bandwagon and raked in oodles of money. Most turned around and bought homes they could scarcely afford because money could be made effortlessly.

I remember talking with someone who was literally salivating at how cheap this Easy Money was. Rubbing his fingers and literally smacking his lips in anticipation of future profits. But that's the thing about Easy Money. It's a Mirage...a desert mirage. Glistening in the distance, the promise of fulfillment waits...beckons. Upon arriving at the mirage, one finds that all that is left is sand...just plain, old ugly sand.

The truth is that what looks like Easy Money was never an easy catch. Yes, we all love to talk about the overnight success...exclaiming "When did he get that?'" or Where did she come from?" The question which is rarely asked and even more rarely answered is HOW. How does Lady Luck smile on an individual. The hard truth is she rarely does! Every "over night success' story can tell you that from their perspective, it was one LONG, LONG Night. Hard work, tears, failures, start overs, discouragement and sometimes penny pinching extraordinaire. If you listen and delve deep enough, you'll learn the truth. There was nothing easy about the process. Often, it wasn't quick either.

As a child, I scrubbed floors, learned to cook, do laundry, sew, and run a little kiosk business. My parents showed us, by example, what it took to earn money. And then, they allowed us to give it a try. These are lessons I treasure to this day. They always reminded us that "Hard Work never killed anyone." There were days, I was sure they were lying. Today, I am grateful. Perseverance and Hard Work will deliver what Easy Money never can. A sense of accomplishment.

Today, the Easy Money real estate days are long over. No longer is it possible to simply stick a sign in the yard and load up a listing on the MLS and expect 2-3 offers to magically appear. Home owners who persist with the delusion that they can over price their homes and skimp on cleaning and sprucing up are discovering that buyer's hard earned cash will not be parted with easily. And...the most annoying thing about easy money is that it seems to develop wings. Like a lottery winner loosing all his earnings...most of the easy money aficionados are not in good financial shape today. Easy come...Easy Go.

The good news is that Hard Work is still paying Big Dividends! Real Estate agents who are willing to work hard, to update their skills and to continue to learn and grow will prosper. Gone are the days when it will be possible to rest on past laurels. Hard Work is no respecter of persons. It pays dividends to who ever is willing to earn them. In our increasingly transparent world, the illusion of Easy Money is doing a Fast Fade...into lights out. That's not necessarily a bad thing.

Copyright 2007 Audu Real Estate All Rights Reserved

Click Here to Read More about Grand Rapids, Michigan

I just completed a search to see what was popular on the topic real estate on digg. I am preplexed that so many real estate submissions on this network have such an incredibly low rate of diggs. (Diggs are votes cast about the popularity or relevance of a article/blog post.)

With the Exception of an article on "Real Estate in Dubai" which had over 1400 diggs, most other blog posts on real estate looked a little lonely and forlorn...1-2 diggs.

And...the guy who wrote the fascinating article on Dubai is NOT even a real estate agent. It seems like we may be missing a huge opportunity to get our own stories out! What do you think? Do you Digg?

If you're perplexed by all the DIGGING going on...read Elizabeth Chris Griffin's article and the comment thread about feeling as though she was suddenly being digged to death!

Other Digg Notable Mentions about Real Estate

New Commercial Real Estate Web 2.0 Start-up - 11 diggs

Article by RIS Media on Launch of Zolve.com - 2 diggs - I found this low number surprising as RIS is a major Internet media outlet. Digg obviously has different rules about what is considered popular and worth reading. But the fact remains, this medium is shaping the context of the conversation about a number of topics...real estate included.

After going through page after page of real estate related digg submissions...there were more than 500 in all with 1,2 or 3 diggs...it became depressing. I'm wondering, why aren't real estate professionals supporting ourselves on this forum, yet we continue to submit articles. It seems to me that we've chosen to allow other people to tell our story on a forum which has tremendous amplification potential.

The photo in this post is from my experimentation with a new photoshop program. It's unfinished. Is this what we're doing by submitting hundreds of articles to digg without supporting other real estate writers...particularly bloggers who we know write good stuff from Active Rain? To me it feels like we're posting an unfinished picture...not entirely committed to what it will take to be truly relevant in a Web 2.0 world. Hey, I'd digg your thoughts...

Copyright 2007 Audu Real Estate All Rights Reserved

Click Here to Read More about Grand Rapids, Michigan

Recently, I attended a fabulous Birthday Party. The Celebration wove it's festive strands throughout the grounds of the lovely home. The deck & gazebo were festooned with brightly colored streamers and guests could catch the strains of the jazz band playing whimsical sets below. A large tent was the setting for the buffet stations which featured traditional favorites from Europe, North America, North & West Africa, Asia and the Caribbean.

As I meandered through the grounds, savoring the visual artistry with which items were arranged, I was struck by some playful and elegant twists. Lo Mein noodles were being served on the Asian display; the stir-fry was ladled and dispensed into miniature take-a-way containers. The dessert table featured crepes which had been prepped in advance and were seared on a skillet and then filled with a colorful garni bouquet of fresh, tropical fruits.

From the African table, the succulent scent of savory meats & fish wafted into the air. A sizzling burner nearby was deep frying a hot pastry style puff served with a delicious shrimp paste. The display featured tropical fruits and flowers against a backdrop of authentic African masks!

Now, No party would be complete without burgers...yet the twist on the traditional American burger was miniature buns and burgers served with regular sized chicken wings complimented with an assortment of dipping sauces! An artful display of fruit and cheese encircled the Brie on the European table where guests could also enjoy Polish specialities like perogies and kielbasa. All the dishes were traditional favorites but the presentation was artfully staged!

Later that evening, I had an opportunity to speak with the chef. He has recently retired after two decades of service with the Hyatt Regency and is exploring several options which include setting up his own catering business and a restaurant. I was fascinated as he described his vision...for which he used the term "FUSION"...a blending of flavors & traditional regional specialties in flavorful and interesting combinations which allows diners to experience something NEW within the context of a familiar menu item.

For instance, the Lo Mein noodles are served in Chinese restaurants every day, but most party goers don't expect to be able to watch them prepared fresh and then served to them in miniature take away containers. Creative Presentation is a skill set which has many applications in business.

Often, it's the little unexpected twist which can deliver the most bang for the buck. It can also create raving fans from a 'ho hum seen it all before audience." At a time where cynicism about the real estate transaction is at an all time high, the door is wide open to incorporate a New Twist in the ways we serve our clients. Making real estate fun and engaging is something that every professional in the industry can do with just a little effort, creativity and imagination.

A few years ago, our team went to the dollar store. We had about $250 dollars to spend. We bought laundry baskets, several yards of inexpensive gauze netting, and everything that we could think of which a new home owner might not be able to find during the first few days of their move...paper plates & cups, napkins, utensils, toilet paper, tissue, detergent, dish soap, screw driver, extension cord, pencil and paper, flashlight, cleaners, small broom set etc. We arranged these items in the laundry basket and delivered this to our client at the closing. This gift continues to give rave reviews...clients still refer to it and refer others to us because they remember it. A simple twist on what could be considered the mundane and dull aspects of moving.

Another meaningful gift that I have given over the years is a Brand New copy of a book which I've read and enjoyed. Giving someone a book in which you highlight specific areas which have been meaningful to you with a brief note in the book cover transforms this gift into a special memento. I have been surprised by how this simple gift has been so deeply appreciated. A handwritten note, a call of appreciation or encouragement...these simple touches are the elements which elevate a routine transaction into an experience that people remember and cherish. I'm curious...I'd love to hear some of the simple ways in which you are elevating the Ordinary into the Extraordinary.

Copyright 2007 Audu Real Estate All Rights Reserved

Click Here to Read More about Grand Rapids, Michigan

NEW, EXPANDED BLOGGING SEMINAR!

Featured Speaker: Lola Audu, Associate Broker, Audu Real Estate

Featured Speaker: Sara Bonert, Industry Relations Specialist ~ Zillow.com

Seating Limited! Register Early! November 7, 2007

TIME: 9:00 a.m. - NOON

Pre-Registration: $35 At the Door: $40 *Payment in advance by check or credit card must be received to confirm registration.

Grand Rapids Association of Realtors Auditorium: 660 Kenmoor SE

Click Here to Read & Watch the First Blogging Seminar in April 2007!

This Seminar is Being Sponsored by the Following Companies: