Do you recall Garrett Morris' Saturday Night Live character Chico Escuela? His famous line was "Baseball has been very, very good to me." Let me borrow from that sentiment to say, "Blogging has been very, very good to me!" My own experiences with blogging testify to the positive effect it can have in marketing and growing a real estate business. For the past couple of years I have been talking about real estate and mortgage fraud on my Flipping Frenzy blog (www.flippingfrenzy.com). I was frustrated with the lack of attention given the subject by the media, and felt a blog would be a good way to educate the public and, hopefully, curb the problem. Little did I know how powerful an impact blogging could have. The media started visiting the blog and began to use me as a source for feature articles on the subject. The FBI started referring people to the blog and judges used it in two separate cases. As a result, I am now considered an international expert on mortgage fraud. That was only a trickle of the torrent of opportunities that blogging opened up to me. I have been asked by the producers of ABC's Super Nanny television show to do one on real estate and, thanks to blogging, I am now writing a book for Wiley Publishing called Flipping Frenzy For Dummies! Further, I have been given the opportunity to be a keynote speaker at many top-level real estate conference and events. So powerful has been the effect I have now incorporated blogs into my Ralph Roberts real estate site (www.ralphroberts.com), and on a philanthropic site called The Big Nail (www.bignail.com). I am also a contributing blogger on the official real estate industry blog, RealBlogging.com (www.realblogging.com). My Macomb County Community Blog from Blogging Systems, LLC (www.bloggingsystems.com), which is located on the web at www.macombcountyvoice.com, keeps me networked with my local community like no other marketing tool can. From a business standpoint, blogging has given me the ability to establish myself as an expert in mortgage fraud, created many opportunities for interviews, speaking engagements, and has helped me build my personal brand better than any other tool I have ever used.

Now, do you understand why I say blogging has been very, very good to me?

Blogging has had great effect on my personal life as well. Following the untimely death of my daughter Kolleen, I set up a blog www.kolleenroberts.com in tribute to her life, inviting those that knew and loved her to leave a comment. There was no way I could have prepared myself for the overwhelming response. To date, nearly 1,400 comments have been submitted. I know of no other Internet publishing tool that would allow for that type of direct, personal interaction. Kolleen's blog has been a tremendous source of comfort and healing to my family and has given me a way to let others know about the wonderful, albeit brief, life she lived.

I firmly believe blogging should be at the top of every Realtor's marketing list. The Internet is no respecter of persons. What has worked for me can work for you as well. If you want a low-cost way of being out there in the marketplace every day, try blogging. It will be "very, very good" to you too!

Ralph Roberts30521 Schoenherr Road

Warren, Michigan 48088

586-751-0000 Phone

586-751-2177 Fax

www.ralphroberts.com

www.aboutralph.com

www.flippingfrenzy.com

www.bignail.com

www.kolleenroberts.com