Maybe if you vote and reblog this post, we’ll find out…
– What’s the Easiest and Fastest Way for YOU To Learn? –
Is it reading? Is it just listening? By Watching Video? On-Line Webinars? Hands on training Classes?
Your ActiveRain Staff and Community Builders want to know?
Please take just one second and vote, thanks. 🙂
Today, Jorgen Hahn announced the *NEW* Chameleon “Theme” for ActiveRain Outside Blogs. Unlike all the other themes available, this one has CSS Styling capability. STOP! Don’t PANIC. We’re here to help you understand what CSS is, how it works, and how to use it. DO NOT CUSTOMIZE your CSS enabled template or Outside Blog Theme until you absolutely understand how it works and what it does. You could really mess up your Blog. This is for ADVANCED USERS with knowledge of CSS Styling. Having said that, I’ll try and break it down, make it simpler and easier to understand, and help you feel comfortable with this new feature.
Those of you who are proficient with CSS styling, you’re free to go, have fun customizing your Outside Blogs.
So What Is CSS?
This in simple terms just means the formatting and style of your page or Blog and how it will appear to visitors. It allows you the ability to customize your Outside Blog to be unique, and look any way you choose. It’s a very powerful and advanced tool for those using the new CSS Styling theme. If you want to know more details about CSS Styling, you can go to http://www.w3schools.com/css/css_intro.asp for some basic details. Before trying to understand CSS, you should try to have a basic understanding of HTML / XHTML.
You can set your background color or use an image. You might want to change the color, font size and font type of your text. You can customize borders, outlines, margins, padding, tables, dimensions, classifications and a ton more. Take a breath, relax, and count to 10.
This tutorial walks you through each of these areas.
WEB3schools.com is a great site that I have referred to on many occasions to learn what I can about this stuff, and then share with others. It’s an easy way to get started understanding this techy stuff. Though this may be making your head spin at this point, It is worth every bit of your time and effort to at least understand what it is, what it does, and how it works. Another option is to have someone else you know and trust just do this for you. 🙂
Try It Out For Yourself – You Can’t Break This Part!
Let me show you some samples of what changing your CSS Styling can look like.
I’ve added this link so you can practice – CLICK HERE.
Finally, don’t be intimidated by this NEW POWER offered on ActiveRain, instead, try to harness it and use it to enhance and better your Outside Blogs. I will be testing out this new theme in the days ahead, and seeing what I can do to provide you more clear and concise instructions with some samples on using CSS to maximize the look and feel of your NEW customizable Blog Theme.
Beginning CSS – Tutorial from FREETutorials (Part 1of 5)
Sometimes in an effort to make improvements , the lightning and thunder (which create the rain ) can also cause some small inconveniences.
As many of you may have or will discover today, we are experiencing some issues with commenting, posting and even uploading photos to your Blog posts. We have narrowed down some of these unfortunate problems to be issues with the Internet Explorer Web Browser for the most part. Photo uploading is not working with either web browser currently. We are aware of ALL these inconveniences.
We’re working hard to get it resolved quickly and thank all our members for their patience. 🙂
This post will self-destruct 60 seconds after the storm has been weathered and all repairs are completed!
This event will potentially be the Largest REBarCamp ever! The BIG DADDY of them all! Last I checked there were over 450 RSVP’s, and more than 30 Corporate Sponsors. I remember attending the very first REBarCamp in San Francisco, then is was Seattle, Texas, New York, and now it’s made it’s way to Denver Colorado. What is it about REBarCamps that has them popping up all over the United States? Is this the next biggest Real Estate Industry Phenomenon since Twitter or what? Have you been to an REBarCamp? Half the battle is just getting there.
What is REBarCamp? – See Kristal Kraft’s explanation On TV~
“REBarCamp is a One-Day event where passionate real estate industry experts come together to share their knowledge peer to peer. Sessions evolve based on whatever topic one wants to share and whoever wants to learn.”
REBarCamps are successful and growing because of one simple thing…people! It’s the “people” that make these things happen. It’s the “people” who sponsor them, and the “people” who put it all together. It’s the “people” who show up and share with others at their own expense. It’s also the social networking aspect that has turned these REBarCamps into a “must attend” the for the Real Estate Industry. REBarCamp is more than just learning and sharing WEB 2.0 Real Estate Technology and tools, it’s meeting and mingling with some of the finest experts in the Industry.
REBarCamp Denver Attracts Headliners!
There will be a “LIVE” streaming video from Broker IPTV, and a Twitter feed (#REBCDEN) so you can be there in “Virtual Real-Time.” I have a gut feeling about this one, it’s going to be huge! So Pack your bag, get in a plane, train, or automobile, and get your butt over there. You don’t want to miss “The Largest and BEST REBarCamp” in the history of these events.
I’m flying out to Colorado tomorrow to be part of this spectacular event. I hope to share some photos, videos, and podcasts while I’m there. Kristal Kraft and others have poured their heart and soul into putting this all together. Please take a moment to stop and thank her and the others including all the great sponsors.
My prediction is that there will have been an REBarCamp in every state by the end of 2009.
It’s not just the sessions, presentations, and the event that make these REBarCamps so valuable, it’s the connections and stuff that happens in the hallways, before, and after that can bring the greatest opportunities, value, and fun. I’m looking forward to seeing you there, and if not physically, then virtually! 🙂
http://rebarcamp.com/denver/
Friday, May 22, 2009
The DPPA Event Center
MAP & DIRECTIONS
2105 Decatur Street
Denver, CO 80111
TIME: 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
RSVP Here!
COST: FREE!
How do you keep up with all that’s going on in RE and the ActiveRain Community? One way is to just login each day and read the posts on the feature board, or check out the blogs of members you subscribe to, maybe pop into the groups you’ve joined for interesting topics, or just use the AR Blogroll to seek out today’s newest posts. This is typical of how most members are trying to keep up with all the content that’s available each day in the rain. Talk about having your finger on the pulse of the Industry, it’s about 2000 BPM. lol~
Another way is to just read the “Daily Activerain NewsPaper!” Activerain has a newspaper? Well, kinda…
Everyday our staff and team are not only looking for featured posts, we are also looking for articles to include in the AR Newsletter that goes out to our members every evening. The AR Newsletter is another great resource for getting member information and ActiveRain Blogs out to our members. I use the newsletter to forward to friends and others who are interested in AR or what it’s all about. There are posts, videos, featured members and more. It’s convenient, easy, and FREE. It’s like a trickle of rain delivered to you daily.
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May 16, 2009
Are You Using Real Estate Tools, or a Jig Saw?
 Featured Blogs
Featured Video
Real Estate “Blogging for Dollars” – Darrin Friedman, Part 1
Member Spotlight
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| Your Daily Dose of Rain, for the Storm, click here. |
The newsletter makes it easy for those on the go who may not have the time to check in each day to see what’s going on around the world and in the Real Estate Community. If you’re not getting the newsletter, and would like to be added to the list, you can subscribe on my sidebar over on the right. It’s not about adding another task or email to your day, it’s about keeping you up to speed with just a portion of the wide variety of content and information that might be useful to you. The Newsletter is just one more way to help members reduce the fatigue that comes from trying to keep up with it all.
NOTE: If you subscribe and are NOT receiving the Daily Newsletter, it may be going to your spam folder. Be sure to accept email coming from AR and add it to your approved senders list.
How about a wall of video instead of a wall of words for a change? :-O Did you know there are folks out there who have never heard of these networks and concepts before? These videos will hopefully enlighten those who have an interest in learning about Social Media Marketing and some of the tools and sites available for Social Networking.
I’m looking for a “Verdict” on this one, and need your help.
Do you use Yahoo for searching the web or for any other reason? Do you advertise on Yahoo? Do you pay for your Yahoo.com email address? Are you in on this Yahoo Real Estate thing? I was not aware the Yahoo was in the business of selling Real Estate and quite honestly I was rather shocked this was available. I received this “spam” email and it really got me thinking wondering…
I’m just curious what your thoughts are about the idea of Yahoo trying to capture the “Buyer” market? Just because they have the presence, power, money and ability to do this on the web, does this mean they should? I was spammed to boot. Don’t get me wrong, I believe in equal opportunity, just wondering how this might affect those who are using their tools and paying for some of their services only to have them trying to take the very business you’re after away. I’m a big fan of the many Yahoo tools and services, but this one, I’m not too sure about.
The jury is still out on this one, will you be the Jury?? What are your thoughts and wonders….I’m parked!
If you’re a REALTOR®, Broker, or an Agent and member of ActiveRain, this is a MUST READ! Last month, over 100,000 consumers searched ActiveRain for Real Estate in specific cities using the “Search For Homes” feature. I was just in a meeting with Bob Stewart and Doug Ching going over the stats and analytics reports. Folks, this is no joke, consumers flock to AR and used this tool in their quest for finding homes.
So why is this so important and why should you care? We’ve discovered that most of our Agent and REALTOR® members DO NOT have “Hit Router” Campaigns setup. That means these searches are NOT going to your IDX lead generating sites. WOW, look at these numbers and stats. I’m sharing this with you because while you are out there searching for tools to better your SEO and Blog, consumers are searching our network interested in homes in your area, and in most cases, we have very few members with campaigns setup in these areas.
And the list goes on and on and on… in fact, there are 600+ cities that had more than 100 searches.
If you’re a REALTOR® member here, please don’t miss out on this crucial opportunity to take advantage of the Hit Router Campaigns that each of you have access to. If 487 people searched San Diego last month for “Homes For Sale” and not a single member has a campaign setup there, this means those possible leads are lost to another company that may in fact be selling them off.
The key to making this work for you is:
#1 – Setting Up Your City Search Campaigns, and
#2 – Making sure you have a good lead capture IDX site where this traffic will land.
After researching some pay per clicks sites out there, Brokers and Agents are paying upwards of $3.00 per click to capture these leads from other sources like Google. AR campaigns start at .49 cents per click. I can’t emphasize enough the value and gold mine you’re sitting on here. Please take a few moments to look into this, the urgency here is that if our members aren’t interested and don’t take advantage of these “campaigns” fairly soon, they will end up being sold to the larger companies who are already willing, able and want to capitalize on these Clicks.
ActiveRain members need to be aware of this while you have the opportunity to jump on it. This is HUGE!! We want our members to get first shot at directing these home searches to your IDX sites, and will do everything we can to get this information out there to every REALTOR®. Bob Stewart is doing a price comparison of some other pay per click sites to show you the difference in value here, I’ll add that link shortly. I would also assume that the home searches conducted here are of higher “quality” than they may be on some of the other generic pay-per-click sites.
This is one of the most important posts and announcements I’ve written on ActiveRain. Home searches are taking place on Activerain right now, these stats are proof. We want YOU to be able to help complete the process in finding these people homes. Please, contact Bob or myself if you have any questions or need more information regarding these stats, or if you just need help setting up your hit router campaigns.
This should be given priority consideration today. Thanks.
Today I was reading Russell Lewis’s post about “The Trials and Trepidations” regarding Business Cards. The video “Your Business Card Is Crap” he has posted is very interesting and is actually what sucked me into the “Think and Wonder” tank today. How valuable is your business card these days? What do people do with them? What do you do with yours that you’ve collected? I have hundreds, maybe thousands, all rubber-banded together, sitting in boxes located under my desk.
Now don’t get me wrong, they are very important, and I would never throw yours away, but…..
All the important folks I know or have met in life are either in my phone, in my email contacts, or available via the web. Heck, I have a database right here on AR with over 145,000 and it’s so much easier to access them on-line than it would ever be trying to find their business card in one of those dusty buried boxes. It’s time to re-evaluate the most commonly used marketing piece in business, your business card. Here’s the card I like to use when I DON’T want to be contacted by an acquaintance: lol~
What is my idea of the ultimate business card in a web 2.0 world? Here’s my thought: Do you want to drive traffic to your Blogs or sites? Do you want Google to know your name? Do you want to be the ONLY ONE that shows up on pages of the search engines with NO competitors? You can, and here’s a unique and creative way. If you must give out a card, getting people to remember your name is the key. If they lose the card or forget your website, or even parts of the conversation you had, hopefully they will never forget your name!
Here’s my NEW WEB 2.0 business card and it actually works so don’t laugh at it.
So the next time someone asks you where you work or for your business card, just say Google.com. First off, they’ll be shocked thinking that you work for Google, (love that shock factor) then they’ll most likely ask you if you really do? At this point, get them to know and remember your name, then hand them the above card, and just say “Google Me!” I know this is different than the typical business card exchange, but that’s exactly what makes it more impressionable. Try this yourself and test the results. The card will be destined for the same place it ends up normally, but the concept, delivery, and message hopefully won’t be forgotten.
Go ahead, Google me!!
Disclaimer: Sorry John Smith and Mary Jones, you may have to find a better way… or change your name. 🙂
I remember what it was like to be let go from my company where I had over 20 years with them. It’s not only a shock, it is devistating. Looking back, it’s probably the best thing that ever happened to me because now I am with the greatest company I could ever ask for, ActiveRain Corp.
I’m reblogging this post for obvious reasons. A fellow AR member (and very dear friend) Missy Caulk has experienced some major turmoil in her life with her husband losing his job as a teacher. We are all reaching out and supporting the Caulk family by asking for not only your positive thoughts and prayers, but for the World of Social Media of family and friends to pull together and help find her Husband Mike a job in the Tennessee. Read her post below…..
Please take the time to reblog her post, twitter your followers, facebook your friends, and get Mike LinkedIn to a position he has worked hard for, been dedicated to, and most certainly deserves. Let’s show the World and the Caulk family the power of Social Media Networking and the hearts of friends who really care. Help! Thanks.
Tuesday my husband was given a pink slip from Belleville High School. He is history teacher and social studies teacher. He is tenured.
I was shocked
The schools in Michigan are handing out a lot of pink slips including: Flint 257, Detroit 600, Pontiac everyone, Lansing 170.
Last year at Belleville High School, (where he teaches) they didn’t let enough teachers go so in October after the enrollment count they had to redo classes. Mike was not one of them.
When they change the class sizes some students go and some classes are dropped and it is disruptive. So this year they are letting 90 go and then hiring back.
If you are pinked slipped and hired back you can still be let go in October after the enrollment count.
Can you stay unstable?
I don’t want your sympathy but your advice, prayers and help.
I want to see if Social Media (which we all hail) can get my husband a job.
In Tennessee
Most of you know I am from the South and we have hoped to move back there when we retired if not before.
So I am asking you if you know anyone in Tennessee, the Nashville Area to please pass along my husband’s name. We have looked and there are 5 History teaching positions available in the Nashville, Williamson County Area, which he is applying for.
However, it is not what you know but WHO YOU KNOW.
A little bragging:
My husband is an outstanding teacher. Every year his classes fill up and if a student is removed for scheduling issues…mom and dad demand they be put back in Mr. Caulk’s class.
Mike does all of his lesson plans on Power Point, uses YouTube and the news this week by Uncle Jake. He is a fun, and an engaging history teacher. Making the subject come alive for his students.
Everyday at school for 5 years, he would check out the over-head projector so this year, the administration bought him one. I can count on my ONE hand the days he has missed in the last 6 years, even returning the day after he had stints put in his heart.
Social Media is more than Twitter, more than FaceBook it is like attending a Chamber of Commerce meeting that extends outside four walls.
Can Social Media help find Mike A JOB?
They say if you want to adopt a baby tell everyone you know. So I am telling everyone I know. Any help would be so appreciated, especially if you know anyone in the Nashville area that teaches, a principal or works in Administration. ( If you do I will email you his resume.)
When one door closes, another one opens so we are thinking and hoping this might be an open door to move and settle in TN. First of all we are believing God will open a door if we are to move forward with a job in Tn. But, we know He works through people, so hence my appeal to you here on Activerain.
I figure if Jay McGullicuddy can find his birth mother and Brad Andersohn his brother,….
ALL things are Possible on Activerain.
AnnArborRealtor@gmail.com
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