Andersohn Turns 85 Years Old – Watch Out Billy Joel and Elton John

Last week I was fortunate enough to get away for a couple days to take my kids and visit their Grandpa for his 85th surprise birthday party in Arizona.  It had been 8 long years since my 3 boys had seen there Gramps, so this was a great surprise and fun for us all.  I won’t bore you with all the mushy and sobby details, but I did want to share this video with you of my father playing the piano, possibly the very last time, and it was such a blessing to have it caught this on film.  Somehow I think he must have known this, and so he performed this song called “MORE” magnificently. 

So no tutorial today, no instructions or “How To” do this or that, just a simple video of Dad on his piano, with all his grand kids, son, and friends gathered around to wish him a very special 85th birthday. He is the oldest living Andersohn on the planet and he’s quite proud of that. As you watch him play this song, keep in mind that this man played and entertained his entire life for thousands, maybe even millions. Now, just for a select few.

He has suffered and survived many illnesses, has only 1/4 of a stomach left, has arthritis in all his fingers, and is being treated for Parkinson’s disease on top of his battle with cancer.  He hasn’t played this piano for many years, but you would never know it by his demonstration of passion and love for the keys that’s shown in this video. I hope you enjoy it, my father…  Gunner Andersohn at the Piano.

Happy Birthday Dad, you made it to 85!  I am proud of you and honored to be your son.  Your gift of music has now been handed down three generations and is still giving great joy and happiness to others this very day.  My gift back to you is sharing this song with all my friends and family here, so that your talents and music can live on forever. Thank you for sharing this very special day and this song with your family, your friends, and now with the rest of the world.

Musically Yours,
Happy Birthday, I love you Dad!

Improve Video and Images for Higher Ranking in Search Engines

How To Improve your Video and Images for Higher Ranking in the Search Engines.

Acquiring SEO and traffic to your Blog or Website using great content, titles, descriptions, and keywords etc. has always been a subtle yet powerful strategy in the Blogging community.  Many new businesses and individuals don’t start off blogging or creating websites with the understanding of how SEO (Search Engine Optimization) works, or why it might be important to their success. In time… they learn. We all do.

In my travels around the country teaching SEO, Blogging, and Social Networking, the one thing that is least talked about or questioned is the power of video and images. You hear “Content is King” but you won’t hear or learn that video and images are the most viewed and sought after items on the Internet.  Could this be one of the reasons Google has links to them at the top of every search results page?

How do you get YOUR Video and Images to show at the Top of the Search Engine Results?

Matt Cutts from Google explains a few ways you can accomplish this.  He shares some great ideas and tips on using and adding meta-data and user generated content.  The idea of using captioning in Video is brilliant!  You provide the transcripts and youtube will auto-align the text.

Creating captioning is easier than you may think, Matt and others do this on every video and I can show you how.

Matt also shares some great ideas on how to use flickr, he gives some great examples and says “it’s almost like crowd sourcing!”  Flickr has great SEO but you need to understand how to use tags, descriptions and some of the tips in this video will assist you in knowing how and why.

If you create and use your own pictures, images, or video, and you want to get views, traffic, and ultimately generate leads and business, it’s important to know a few key things including the SEO tips Matt shares in this video. It’s also important to know that SEO isn’t the only key ingredient that gets your material found on the web. Apply the concept that “Content Is King” to images and video, along with these tips and you’ve won 90% of the battle.

My Yahoo Email Account Got Hacked – Sorry If You Were A Victim

Hey everyone, I apologize for a previous email that went out from my YAHOO email account.
I have not used this account for months and someone hacked into it and spammed all my 16,000 contacts.

In an effort to protect this account, I have changed the passwords, contacted Yahoo,
and their spam and phishing department, they are now hopefully tracking down the culprit.

Please accept my most sincere apology, I’m sorry for the misunderstanding and inconvenience.

By the way, If I thought you needed viagra, I’d let you find the best deal on the web yourself, I wouldn’t be the
guy sending you a link.  🙂

Have a great weekend, and thanks.

The Golden Ticket – Reach Out and TOUCH Someone

The Golden Ticket RULE – Reach Out and TOUCH Someone

These past few weeks I have been spending a ton of time in the “Support Tickets” booth in the back office of ActiveRain.  It’s a dark corner and very lonely at times, but someone has to do it!  lol~  With Bob Stewart out on his Honeymoon, many of us are pulling double duty and double shifts.  I sure miss that guy!  Just know that we really do try our best to provide amazing customer service to our members. 

Today I received a complaint from one member about what another member was doing on ActiveRain. 

The details of the complaint are not important, but it’s the principle of the matter that I feel does matter.  I see many complaints come into the ticket center about what other members are doing on the network and in the community.  Some are spamming, some are plagiarizing content, some are putting links in other members comments, the list goes on and on.  Today I responded differently to a complaint…

Hi ActiveRain Staff  – There is a member doing (blah blah blah) on the network and they keep (Blah Blah Blah) and it’s really annoying and (blah Blah Blah) so could you please do something about it? (I’m paraphrasing of course) Here was my response….

Dear ActiveRain Member,

They are most likely new to our network and just needing a little guidance from one of our Ambassador Members or Staff.  I’ll try to contact them and give them some tips or guidance to assist them in “how to be” more successful on the network.  You are always welcome to do the same thing.

It’s great to see members reach out and touch someone, we do love the “pay it forward” culture here.

I know when I started on AR, I did things all wrong! I posted junk, walls of words, spammed others, plagiarized content, and even worse, but it was nice to get a call from another AR member who showed me the ropes and made me feel welcomed and at home. Sometimes just reaching out to someone can create priceless, meaningful, and lifelong relationships.  We all started somewhere and had to learn and grow but it’s nice to get a little help, love, and support from others.

Thanks for pointing this out to me, I’m on my way to try and help them out now.

Am I off base here?  Is this not a good way to handle a situation with another member?  How are you helping others?  Are you quick to complain but too busy to help?  Would you want someone to call or contact you if you were doing something wrong and just didn’t know any better?  Is the term “Love Thy Neighbor” or “Do Unto Others…” a thing of the past?  What happened to helping the elderly across the street? 

I thought sharing this might give folks a different perspective on how to handle this type of situation differently in the future.  Our first thought often times is to just report them or turn them in.  Maybe reaching out and touching them could result in something exciting and unexpected?

You have the Golden Rule Ticket – You just may not know or realize it!

Top 12 Health Tips for Busy On-The-Go Real Estate Professionals

Who can’t use some healthy tips in any Industry?  These are a few tips I picked up from our very own Lauren Bernstein here at ActiveRain that I hope to put into practice myself.  If I can do it, so can you, and so can anybody.  Live long and prosper, but to do that, there are some secrets and tips…. and here’s just a few.

Watch for more great tips and advice coming from Lauren, she’s a great resource and a health…  I mean wealth of information in this regard. Thanks Lauren, now I’m off to get some healthy lunch and snacks!  🙂

Via Lauren Bernstein (ActiveRain):

For five years I worked in outside sales and spent half the month on the road.  A typical month included 1,500 miles behind the wheel and 5,000 miles in the air. Even though I was excelling in my field, I was constantly tired, sometimes moody and always craving sugar (I became wildly addicted to homemade yogurt covered pretzels and “energy” bars). I fell out of balance and I knew that something had to change.

It is easy to neglect our own health and well being with life’s many distractions: work, family, friends, balancing schedules and numerous commitments. Staying healthy can be challenging. Through real experience, I learned that small steps really do make a difference. I committed to one of the suggestions below and within a day or two noticed a change: I felt a bit more energized and “balanced.” To strive for improved health and balance, I encourage small life changes using the guidelines below. 

Top 12 quick health tips to find and maintain balance for busy on-the-go real estate professionals:

• focus on yourself – take time for yourself: take a bath, walk your dog, read a book, take a yoga class, listen to music, take a drive, go for a run, sing in the shower, get a massage, walk through the park. Take the thing that you enjoy and indulge! You deserve it!
• exercise – it gets our blood flowing and re-energizes us. Even if you only have five minutes per day, use it! Take a brisk walk around the block, run up and down the stairs, do sit ups, push ups or jumping jacks, dance, jump rope…just move!
• drink water – hydration is so important for our cells and our skin and is critical for proper body and brain functioning. We need to stay hydrated – if you need to take baby steps, try increasing your water intake slowly. Drink one glass before each meal. You’ll feel amazing in no time!
• eat good food – we all know that whole foods are best for us. Try to avoid processed foods (anything packaged), sodas, refined sugar and pastries. Avoid hydrogenated oils and trans fats like the plague.
• sleep – if you’re short on time and the choices are sleeping, eating or exercising, sleep! Sleep helps restore your cells and even boosts your metabolism. Sleep helps increase your focus and response time and can help prevent aging.  It also lowers the risk for high blood pressure, heart disease and other medical conditions.  Get your zzzs! 
• breathe – deep breathing is a great way to regulate your stress levels and reset your body and mind connection. One of my favorite techniques is Dr. Andrew Weil’s 4-7-8 Breathing Exercise. I use this often – on planes (taking off isn’t my favorite) or when I’m feeling overwhelmed. It works!
• manage your time – find tools that help you save time and be more efficient: real estate technology tools like CRMs, electronic document management and virtual assistants. Delegate your tasks and save time!
• take naps – studies show that an afternoon power nap of 10-20 minutes can help boost energy, mood and mental performance and is great for stress management. Find a bed or couch and embrace your own personal siesta.
• get a massage – massage is great for blood flow and circulation, promoting energy movement, and reseting your alignment. There are fancy spas which can be pricey or you can choose a more affordable option like Massage Envy or a local massage school. Try to schedule one massage per month. It is well worth it!
• smile – smiling really is the best medicine. The next time you aren’t feeling great, smile. It is hard to feel bad when you are smiling. Smiles are a great way to connect with others and brighten a stranger’s day. 
• BYOF – Bring your own food – when traveling, plan ahead and bring your own food. If you’re in the car all day, pack a lunch and healthy snacks like raw nuts, carrot sticks, sugar snap peas, apples, bananas, etc. When hunger strikes, you’ll be prepared with healthy options. 
• cook – a home cooked meal tastes better and is healthier for your body and soul! The time, pride and care you put into cooking comes out in the food. Cook with others or for others and make it a special event.

I challenge you to choose one tip and try it today. Try it on your own or better yet, find a buddy and do it together. Stick to it, share it, even blog about it. Then add one more tip when you’re ready. To be healthy and stay healthy we must exert a little effort, but it is well worth it. The benefits are priceless.

Images courtesy of SuperFantastic and Brunna Peretti Loureiro

New and Improved ActiveRain Leaderboard

I reblogged this post to give some additional exposure to the new ActiveRain Leaderboard.  This in my opinion is a nice supplement to the City/State pages that use to feature the ability to find specific individuals in various States under a selected category. Great job on the post Kerrie, thanks and kudos!  🙂

Via ActiveRain Corp.:

We are pleased to announce the new and improved ActiveRain Leaderboard! We couldn’t have done it without the amazing feedback of our Community over the last couple of days. Thank you all so much!

ActiveRain wanted to create the best possible layout for all of our members.  A place where you can easily see how you rank within all of AR, your state, your professional group etc.

The new style is sleek and sexy…take a look.

As you can see, I have narrowed my search down to Real Estate Agents in All States.  You can also add state, county, and city for more localization. 

If you are roaming around and your name is in the list you can hit the “show me” button on the bottom right and it will take you to the page you rank on with your profile highlighted. Please keep in mind that if you are not a Loan Officer in New York and you have that specific search open, the “show me” button will not appear.

The new design will make it easier and more convenient to find what you’re looking for;  whether it be a referral or simply to see where you rank amongst other members.

Another great tool is that you can access the leaderboard from your main profile.  If you click “My Home” on the top right hand side of AR you then see your smokin’ hot photo with a few stats below.  The “Rank in State”, “Rank in County” and “Rank in City” all link to the leaderboard.

ActiveRain is always working hard to stay on top.  We try our best to provide you with the tools you need and are asking for.  The new ActiveRain Leaderboard is our newest addition.

We hope you like it!

Kerrie Greenhalgh

 

 

Follow ActiveRain on Twitter and Facebook

 

 

The Ultimate "LIVE" Wedding Ceremony – You're Invited!

This Friday, our very own Bob Stewart and the lovely Christa Caulk will be joining hands for eternity in marriage!  Yup, a couple of my very best friends in the World are getting hitched and permanently tying the knot.  Since I am unable (along with so many other friends and family) to make it to their wedding out in Michigan this year, we are putting together this “LIVE” streaming video to share with everyone.

And Two Become One…

On Behalf of the entire ActiveRain Team, We request the honor of your presence at the marriage of Christa Noelle to Robert Eugene Stewart Jr. this Friday, the Ninth of July, Two Thousand and Ten at Half Past Six in the Evening.
(That’s 12:30pm Hawaiian time, 3:30pm Pacific, 5:30pm Central, 6:30pm Eastern)

Gather all your friends and family, calling all ActiveRain Members, Get the Rice Ready….  This Is It!! 

Come join us for the “First Ever” Virtual wedding right here in the Rain. May these two be blessed with great fortune and all the amazing things this earth and universe have to offer them. We wish them peace, happiness, and an abundance of Joy and great health in their new adventure, Journey, and life together as Bob and Christa Stewart. 

         

Register Here Friday at 6:00pm EST, and Watch The Wedding “LIVE” With Us
STEAMING, I MEAN STREAMING VIDEO WILL APPEAR BELOW

Edited 7/20/2010 – Added Recorded Streaming Video From Wedding and Reception Below

We love you both and wish you all the very best.

CONGRATULATIONS and Thank You for sharing this very special day and time with all of us.

BTW – Bob will also be celebrating his Birthday during this momentous occasion.

RainCamp San Diego – What If All 2859 Members Show Up

I am really excited about coming to Southern California for ActiveRain’s RainCamp in San Diego, one of the best real estate events of the year.  This one is going to be extra special because Bob will be back joining us from his recent wedding and honeymoon.  We missed you in Portland Bob! 🙂

What If All 2859 Members Show Up?  Then we’ll have one heck of a party and after gathering!!

On August 5th I will be in beautiful San Diego, with three of the most influential people in real estate: Jonathan Washburn, our CEO and Founder of ActiveRain,  Mr. Ben Kinney, a Mega Agent from Seattle and now Nationally renowned speaker, and back by popular demand, Bob Stewart, ActiveRain’s Community Evangelist.

At RainCamp we’ll be talking about all kinds of strategies to improve your online presence and to help you earn business using the web.  No RainCamp is ever exactly the same because the local markets change and each demographic is unique to that geographic area.  Bringing in some of the local experts and talent is always exciting and a huge learning experience for us all.

At RainCamp on August 5th we will:

• Show you how we have helped thousands of our members rank at the top of the search engines (Google, Yahoo, MSN, etc.) for searches in their market.
• Share how Donna Harris, a RE/MAX agent from Austin, Texas used her blog to make $122,000 in commissions over the last two years doing what you can do in your own market.
• Reveal how a plan and some guidance can help you use blogging to impact your business and get the same results as Donna.
• Show you how to use Facebook, Twitter, and other social media to earn more business.
• Provide you with a day full of great info to take home with you and implement immediately!

RainCamp is brought to you by ActiveRain and we have made it possible for everyone to attend with donation based tickets.  We want everyone to have access to the information we are sharing – it’s that important for the success of your business as the internet becomes more and more, a crucial part of your lead generation.  

See how past RainCamp attendees are raving about how RainCamp has helped their business. You really don’t want to miss an event of this magnitude, plus they really are more fun than you could ever imagine a one-day conference or seminar. 

Make sure you come up to me and give me your business card with the word “RainMaker” written on it somewhere,  I’ll have a cool surprise for you if you do.
(this is the only time or place I’ll mention this, so don’t forget)

Click here to register.  Seating is limited so secure your seat today.  See you there!

The Virtual Real Estate Office – A "Live" Tour and Update

Some of you will remember my post awhile back about the “Future Real Estate Office or Brokerage.”  This post and video received a ton of attention and though many of the comments reflected a controversial and expected response, others agreed and saw this type of technology and office being the future of Real Estate in regards to the traditional “Brick and Mortar” office.

Last month I wanted to follow up with this particular company to see personally, where they are, what they’ve done, how it’s working, and most importantly, is this new “Virtual Office” technology really working for them and their clients?  It’s easy to get excited about this type of technology and many will see why after watching the video below, but the REAL question is always DOES IT WORK? 

Come join me and a few others as we explore the “Virtual Office” concept, and interview some of the Brokers and Top Agents using this technology effectively in the *NEW* on-line world of Real Estate.  We’ll be doing an update from our last interview back on December 11th, 2009, to see where this is all going except this time we’ll be doing it “Live” at ActiveRain University.  You can come along and join the ride for FREE.

I have always been fascinated with this type of technology, but it’s the service to the client that I see as an even greater value and a reason you may want to know more about this and join us for this class/webinar.  I’m giving everyone plenty of notice so there’s no reason you should or can miss this.  Believe me, my first interview with these guys was amazing, I can only imagine where they have come with all of this by now.

The “Virtual Real Estate Office” Live webinar is scheduled for Thursday, July 22nd at 10:00am.
You’ll want to “virtually” be there, the seats to this one will be gone fast.

REGISTER HERE NOW

Be sure to check out the AR University Calendar for other upcoming classes.