The ActiveRain Stuff You Won't Find Anywhere Else on the Web

In a time not long ago, when the crops were dry, and communities were losing their families and neighbors, Rainmakers were the individuals that were looked up to and counted on for saving their people.  These were the folks that in spite of tough and troubling times, were the chosen ones to dance, smile, and pray for RAIN to save their people and their crops from the drought.  Despite their predicament, they chose to have a bright and positive attitude even during one of their most challenging times ever. 

"Rainmaking refers to the act of attempting to artificially induce or increase precipitation, usually to stave off drought.  In the US, rainmaking was attempted by traveling showmen. It was practiced in the old west but may have reached a peak during the dust bowl drought of the American West and Midwest in the 1930s. The practice was depicted in the 1956 film The Rainmaker." Source: Wikipedia

The Real Estate Industry has experienced a similar drought if you will.  Many of our community's crops have dried up and we are experiencing some challenging times all across this great Nation of ours.  People have lost jobs, experienced layoffs and company closures, even lost their homes and finances because of a different kind of drought.  It does no good to point fingers, place blame, or speak negatively about the situation or those who may have affected our farms and fields.  It's the clouds ahead on the horizon that are the focus...

Photo Provided and used with permission by Flickr member Beth: @MusicMuse_CA

We need to count on our "RainMakers" once again.  The folks who come to ActiveRain day in and day out, dancing, smiling, and providing "Rain" to once again save our people and our crops.  This network and community is just one small thread woven through-out the country.  It's the twine that binds and bonds us all together in some small way to collectively achieve great things out of a situation that is so much bigger than us all.  To be witness to all these great things happening around us from an on-line community is very inspiring.

In the three years I have been here, I have witnessed so many stories, so much creativity, lives being changed, and RAIN being made.  We have all been touched or moved by many of the members here in one way or another.  One day we will look back at this time and realize how much of an impact all our efforts have made in our Industry and to each of us personally.  My prediction is that one day, when the RAIN returns, and it will, that we will dance, laugh, and celebrate during the best of times, just as we are doing now during some of the more challenging times.

Is this our destiny?  Maybe this was the intention and purpose of this network all along?  Were we meant to be just another Social Network on the Internet, or an Industry of "RainMakers" making a difference?  Individuals helping to save our people, our communities, our Industry, and each other?  That's what I see happening all across the country right now.

YOU are a RainMaker.  YOU have the power and ability to lead, motivate, inspire, and help other people.  YOU are making a difference in the World, in YOUR Community, and in YOUR Industry.  YOU are the one dancing and creating "RAIN" in a time of drought when it is much needed.  The impact that YOU are making may not be realized until the day comes that we can all look back and see what an important and significant role YOU played in helping keep our people alive and strong, and our Industry together.

~RainMakers Dance For RAIN~

ActiveRain Success Stories - What Your Blog CAN Do For You

Today I was talking on the phone with a New ActiveRain member ready to become a RainMaker, but wanted to know some of the successes and benefits that other members here had experienced from being here.  I shared the "Success Stories" link located on the AR Homepage.  Then, as I started looking for some Blog posts to share with her, I discovered that there are literally hundreds, even thousands of these success stories scattered all through-out the community. 

After spending a couple hours scouring the network, I was able to come up with some really good examples of how other members are using AR to promote their business, connect with others, generate referrals, capitalize on our SEO, get picked up by the news media, grow their business, and in many cases, make hundreds of thousands of dollars just from their ActiveRain Blogs. 

I joined ActiveRain, and here's what happened...

"I have roughly $2 million in contracts and potential business at the moment which is exclusively from people who found my AR posts" - Jason Crouch

"I just received my 43 referral from the rain" - Larry Bettag

"ActiveRain has put over $122,000 into my pocket, spread over 17 different buyers and sellers" - Donna Harris

"ActiveRain Does Not Rain! It Pours! $1,300,000 Closing Because of the Power of Active Rain!" - Katerina Gasset

"Just in the last 2 months, I have closed on 6 transactions just from blogging" - Jeff Belonger

"I have already placed three homes on the market, in the last 30 days, that were direct results of ActiveRain..." - Bryant Tutas

"At this point I am reaping the rewards of ActiveRain. Thank you Active Rain, it does work!" - Tinker Hulse

"What's Better than a Referral Form from ActiveRain?" - Kathleen "Kate" Elim

"Active Rain has put me on the map. I receive at least THREE calls each week.."." - Donald Bradbury

"This is a testimony to how ActiveRain has impacted our Business" - Mariana Wagner

"NBC picked up my blog... How do I EVEN BEGIN to thank ActiveRain" - Craig Schiller

"How Blogging Put Me On the Evening News" - Janet Guilbault

"I have been contemplating my "Rainmaker" status for a month or two" - Will Goodson

"So does blogging on Activerain bring business?" YES, YES, YES!" - Missy Caulk

"Brad Andersohn and Bob Stewart may actually know what they're talking about" - Suesan Jenifer Therriault

There are so many great stories and testimonials from our members.  It seems as though a new success story or "Victory" post goes up nearly everyday.  These stories and testimonials should be persuasive enough to get you following successful members, subscribing to their Blogs, witnessing their successes, and following in their footsteps as rainmakers to create and build your own success stories here.

If you have a success story you've written about, we'd love for you to share it.  Just leave me a link to your post.  Hearing what other members have done here is great, but experiencing these successes for yourself is the REAL convincing factor, and WILL BE your motivation to Blog.  YOUR unique stories will be YOUR greatest reward.  Reading these, and seeing how and what these members did will hopefully help confirm your decision to be here as a successful RainMaker in YOUR area and community. 

Here's to your success and the rewards you obtain from your efforts here in the "rain!"  :-)

The Northern California Chapter of CRB invited us to come discuss Social Media Marketing and Networking with their group at their annual spring luncheon yesterday.  The event is held every year at the Sacramento Convention Center.  First off, I want to thank the Board Of Directors for inviting ActiveRain to speak, and also thank those who attended.  It was an honor and privilege to be part of your meeting.  I also want to thank President Earl Shuttleworth CRB, GRI and Executive Director - Joseph Banuat CRB for the beautiful plaque and for their wonderful hospitality.  Your organization is Top Shelf.

This particular presentation was to help Brokers and Managers to understand Social Networking a bit more and also the benefits of being an ActiveRain RainMaker.  Our goal is to show Brokers and Managers how a group or team Blog can benefit their company, brokerage, or them as an individual.  Also why supporting agents and their effective Blogging efforts is so important.  There was a great deal of interest by the group as we had 30+ CRB members/guests ask to be included in the upcoming webinar "How To Build A Powerful Team or Group Blog!" 

Congratulations to Gerrett Snedaker, CRB - CEO/Broker of Frank Howard Allen Realtors in Sonoma County for winning the drawing and an ActiveRain RainMaker Membership.  We're looking forward to the development and success of Gerrett's new Team/Group Blog.  For those unable to attend, I've included what was shared at the luncheon: a mind map from mindmeister, a PowerPoint presentation, and a video webinar created by Steven Graham using ActiveRains own Virginia Hepp from Mesquite Nevada as a case study.  Thanks again for allowing us the opportunity to be part of your meeting, we hope ideas for opportunity were shared and created for you in return.

UPDATE: Here's the "RainMaker" Webinar Presentation if you missed it on June 11th. This was the follow-up that I recommend any Broker, Manager, or Individual agent take a look at. Thanks Bob Stewart for helping put this together for this group, you Rock!! Click below to play the video.

I'm sure that by now, most if not all of you have heard about the Official ActiveRain Contest.  It's running the entire month of April 2009 and yes, we are giving away an "All Expenses Paid" trip to Washington State including round-trip airfare, a visit to the AR HQ, and a day and dinner with the AR staff.  We'll also have some really great prizes and gifts to award the "Winner" when they arrive.  Jon Washburn, CEO of ActiveRain is working tirelessly planning the extravaganza as I speak type.

Let me give you a hint how to WIN!!

Or at least give a small Clue:  If you can find this screen below on ActiveRain, you'll hit a Goldmine.  Could it help cinch the WIN for this contest?  That's all I can say.  Shhh... I don't want Jeremy Blanton to see this post, he'll say I cheated and that this contest was rigged.  lol~  The buttons below are located on a hidden page within ActiveRain, and the key is for you to find them, then figure out how to use them to WIN THIS CONTEST!  Have

The Grand Prize will be awarded to the member who comes up with and executes the most creative and effective strategy around new Rainmaker sign-ups.  We are looking for ANY member who can come up with the best idea or suggestion and share an example of how it was used.  Put on your creative marketing hats, get out your idea boards, dust off that thinking cap, and let us know how YOU were able to creatively sign-up a new ActiveRain Rainmaker. 

The Best Idea,  Suggestion and Implementation WINS!

The ActiveRain staff and judges will be reviewing comments both here and on the original post.  Just a reminder, If this form is not filled out, you will not win the T-Shirt, points or be eligible for Grand Prize.  See Contest Post.  You only have till the end of April, so don't hesitate to put ANY idea to work right now.  We'd love to have you join us as the "Grand Prize Winner" it will be a fun filled and memorable day.  You'll have more fun than one person should be allowed to have.  You can make it happen, here's your chance....so GO FOR IT.  

Who will it be?  Will it be YOU?  You'll never be the same, once you've been to ActiveRain!  Trust me. :-)

Here's some samples of some entries so far:
I'll continue adding to this list...

We'll be announcing the "Winner" on May-Day 2009!