Lake Tulloch Real Estate Master

(If you can't see this video, click here.)

This post is an attempt to get two birds with one stone. I want to talk about recycling old blog posts (the second part of the title). I've read a lot about doing it on other blogs. But it really wasn't until recently that I got into the recycling business myself ~ and in the following new way: via infographics. (Another term for infographic is: data visualization.)

And I didn't really start noticing infographics until recently. And I've become fascinated by them. (How 'bout you?) A cool site to check out is: http://visual.ly/. There you'll find a searchable database of infographics / data visualizations, many of which offer html code so you can embed them on your own blog or website.

INFOGRAPHIC "HOW TO"

But I wanted to make my own infographics rather than just posting others, is really where I found myself. And so I was able to devise a way using Microsoft Publisher. I want to share that with you here as a "how to."

TWO EXAMPLES

Both of the infographics you see here are my creations and meant as examples for you. (Click either image to enlarge, then in new browser tab or window click again.)

BACKGROUND SCHEME

Each infographic is a little bit different (obviously). The first one has just a color background (tan) while the other has a Christmas tree background (clip art). So that's where you start with some kind of background scheme. (I get my clip art free at microsoft.com.)

TEXT COLORS

Then you decide on text colors that complement your background. I've got four in each (with white included). I probably wouldn't go beyond that.

BRAINSTORM TOPICS

Next (and really you could / should do this initially) is to brainstorm and research your topic. Christmas was a pretty easy one as you can see. Each of the terms is just a text box and I mostly choose to use Arial as my font while varying the size. It gives an attractive tone.

In the other infographic (at the top) I googled information on New Year's resolutions and found a good article with stats, then used Microsoft Excel to create the graphs (which is just so easy to do if you know Excel).

RECYCLING OLD BLOGS

Still in the same infographic I want you to notice the "17 Resolutions NOT to Keep in the New Year" area which is my giving that old blog post new life emphasis now. That was a blog from the past, all text ~ which, of course, I could have just re-broadcast like that, but instead I was able to package it in a different and visually appealing way.

FINAL STEPS

Final steps in completing your infographic: select all fields (Ctrl-A), then group lock. Then right click anywhere on your creation, save as a png picture file, change resolution to commercial printing (very important) and voila!

You've got an infographic (created by you) to upload to your own blog or website.

I'd love to hear if you tried this "how to" out. :)

You might also be interested in:

• 10 Commandments of Blogging [infographic]
• Recipe For A Real Estate Recovery [infographic]

On the mountain long ago Moses received God's law. I haven't been up to a mountain or anything, but I thought I'd use this pattern to make some points about blogging (and micro-blogging, too, if you're in to social media like Twitter).

So here you go with the 10 Commandments of blogging...

(click image to enlarge, then in new browser tab or window click again)

(To read the original Ten Commandments of Blogging and the 100+ comments, click here.)

Let's just cut to the chase. We like the old better. Right?

We like how we've always done things, the patterns we've set, the routine we've got going ~ regardless of if it's working anymore (bringing in business, helping us to reach a goal, positively enriching our lives).

Maybe it hasn't worked for a long, long time (or never at all)?

It's just hard to do something new. Because that would mean we would have to change. We would have to learn. We would have to adapt, think, grow. And that's uncomfortable. We don't like uncomfortable.

Neither do we like making mistakes (which when you're learning something new, the fact is it happens).

When you make mistakes or don't look like you know what you're doing, then you get embarrassed. And we don't like embarrassed either. We don't like people looking at us and thinking, "What a dope / dunce." We don't like the blood rushing to our face.

So let's just stick with the way we've always done it. Deal?

Oh, we may still be stuck in a rut. We may still not be doing much business. We may still be losing our shirt. But that's okay. At least we'll be competent with what we've got going. At least we won't make any mistakes or be embarrassed.

At least we won't look stupid.

You might also be interested in:

• 10 Ways to Put Off Procrastination
• 7 Things Not To Forget About Change

(click image to enlarge, then in new browser tab or window click again)

Source: 2011 REALTORS® Technology Survey

Lightning fast post meant to make you think...

10 Mistakes People Make Creating Infographics (plus 1 bonus):
(what might you add to the list?)

1. Make text, graphs, etc, too small to read.
2. Don't allow for a click to enlarge.
3. Forget to study other infographics for ideas.
4. Overlook citing their sources.
5. Choose colors that clash (versus enhance).
6. Don't offer embed code.
7. Allow perfectionism to prevent publishing.
8. Forget it's a great option for recycling blog posts.
9. Don't spend the time it takes. (It will show.)
10. Neglect the KISS approach (keep it simple silly).

BONUS: Save as jpg file instead of png. (Latter doesn't lose resolution.)

You might also be interested in:

• 64 Things That Come to Mind When I Think of Christmas (infographic)
• A History of Real Estate (infographic)

12 To Do's for Realtors® in 2012:

1. Touch base with past clients.
2. Invest in social media presence.
3. Schedule regular rest, refreshing, re-energizing time.
4. Know MLS inventory in your sleep.
5. Grow automatic email listing database.
6. Read (at minimum) three new industry-related and/or self-help books.
7. Partner up with another professional who you can benefit from (and he or she can benefit from you).
8. Seek out a successful real estate veteran for insight/counsel on how to better your business.
9. Determine to not neglect important relationships (family, etc) and set parameters to protect them.
10. Set a selling goal, divide it up over 12 months and map out strategy to achieve it.
11. Let go of those things that aren't adding to your bottom line.
12. Don't be so hard on yourself in a challenging market.

Have any tips of your own? Please add in comment section below.

(click image to enlarge)

Source: Interesting New Year's Resolution Statistics