Unless you've sworn off virtually all forms of communications for the past year or so -- no Internet, radio, TV, newspapers or magazines -- you're no doubt aware that blogs are hot.

I mean, really hot.

From political campaigns and movie reviews, to breaking news and plain old-fashioned gossip, blogs -- short for Weblogs -- are rapidly transforming the way news is delivered, how we learn about products and services, and how opinions are formed on a mass scale.

Why are blogs the darling of the information world? Because, in essence, of their ability to level the online communications playing field for pretty much anyone who has Internet access and something to say.

Blogging:

• gives anyone the ability to publish information to the masses

• lets people be (or at least claim to be) experts on any subject, and appear highly credible to a targeted audience

• allows individuals to champion a cause they hold near and dear to their hearts, without having to wait for someone else to hand them a microphone. A blog, you could say, serves as their very own microphone to the world.

Not surprisingly, the rapidly evolving world of blogging has not escaped the attention of real estate professionals. Across the nation, growing numbers of folks in our industry are creating blogs to market themselves, their listings, or their specialty services.

A great example of this is Claudia Wicks, a 28-year real estate industry veteran as an agent, broker and trainer for brokerages such as John L Scott Real Estate in Seattle. Through her blog, AgentCEO.blogspot.com, Wicks provides a refreshing and timely look at how real estate agents nationwide are using a new business philosophy (i.e., agent as CEO) to increase sales and manage their business more profitably and successfully.

The blog features successful agents and their best practices for running their business like a CEO, as well as news, commentary and tips directly from Wicks.

For example, a posting by Wicks earlier this year was titled, "What does it mean to be an Agent CEO?" and explored why, and how, agents should act as though they are the chief executive officer of a company in their day-to-day real estate activities.

An excerpt from that posting:

"Top agents have an entrepreneurial approach. They treat real estate as their business, not as a job! They think like a CEO and plan like a CEO. Their planning most often includes these 6 Steps to Success:"

• Set Goals

• Create a Business Plan

• Develop a Budget

• Create processes and systematize

• Staff and delegate

• Evaluate for Effectiveness

Other recent posts by Wicks include, "Strategies for a Changing Market;" "The Power of Personalized Service;" "How to Convert For Sale By Owners (FSBOs)," and "Beginner's Guide to Building a Team."

"During my nearly 30 years in this business, I've had the privilege of meeting with thousands of real estate agents and brokers," Wicks said. "But I've got to tell you, blogging is the best thing to come along in many years. My AgentCEO.com blog has made it incredibly easy to share my thoughts and ideas with agents -- and even more important, it's made it easier for them to access and benefit from the information."

Citing the detailed educational and business-building tips available through her blog, SellsiusRealEstate.com recently named Wicks one of the nation's top 10 women real estate bloggers.

In our business, immediate access to information, whether about new products and services, industry news or "how to" tips, is critical. Blogging offers an immediacy and convenience unlike any other online technology, and it's here to stay. And that's a very good thing for all of us.

(For a good explanation of blogs and their history, click here)

Published: August 23, 2006

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

Blanche is a renowned author of five real estate books. Her newest, Bubbles, Booms and Busts: Make Money In Any Real Estate Market, McGraw-Hill, was rave-reviewed by The New York Times. She was also selected from hundreds of real estate experts to contribute to Donald Trump's book, Trump: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received: 100 Top Experts Share Their Strategies, Rutledge Hill Press, and is featured on page 68. Order Now Review - Honors In 2006, Blanche was selected among scores of candidates to author two consumer real estate guidebooks for the National Association of Realtors: The NAR Guide to Home Buying, and The NAR Guide to Home Selling, Wiley & Sons. She is currently planning two new books for the NAR and its members.       Known for her keen insight into real estate industry issues and for her ability to make complex subjects easy to understand, Blanche is a sought-after keynote and continuing education speaker. Real estate organizations from MLSs, to brokerages, to franchisors, to associations hire her to provide up-to-the-minute analysis of real estate industry news and advice on how to improve revenues. Her passionate delivery, peppered with stinging wit, is a huge hit with audiences and fans. Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors, Blanche Evans, Richard Courtney, president 2007, GRAR "The GNAR membership meeting last week featured Blanche Evans as the keynote speaker. Her comments and insights resonated extremely well with those in attendance and we have had many requests for copies of her PowerPoint Presentation. She was a terrific part of the membership meeting and convention program!" - Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors Coverage from WSMV, Nashville - 8-14-2007 That Interview Guy - Get Inside The Head Of Today's Generation 2007 AE Institute Session - To purchase 2006 AE Institute Session - Parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 HouseValues Mastermind call - Parts 1 2 Blanche's fireside chat with Jeremy Conaway, HAR - Click here. For more articles by Blanche, click here.