Just because Something Isn't Happening for You Right Now, Doesn't Mean that it Will Never Happen

As some of you already know, my better half, Mary Kennedy, is a RE/MAX Realtor here in Las Vegas. Part of my mission in life is to handle her Internet Marketing, which includes Email Marketing Social Networking/Sharing as well as publishing "The Las Vegas Valley Real Estate Update" There are also some great platforms and tools built for the Real Estate Industry that we integrate into our Email Marketing & Social Network Platforms like Facebook and Twitter.

I also run the Internet Marketing for my own Printing/Ad Specialty business at Kennedy Advertising also known as KennedyPromos.com on the Internet. Two very different businesses!

Now I'm not writing to tell you that I'm the Grand Guru of Social Networking. That's the furthest from the truth. In fact, I kind of wince when I read a profile where the person claims to be a Social Media Guru. This medium is so new and fast moving that it's hard for me to believe that any one person is capable of maintaining expert status on a consistent basis. I will also offer that I have been wrong before and maybe I'm wrong now. I'm not out looking for a self proclaimed Social Networking Guru... We have had moderate success with both businesses and I'm happy just learning the way I am. Until I learn enough be dangerous, I'm happy!

I have spent most of my time learning by trial and error. After reading and listening to all the articles and books, I have come to the conclusion that if you are to be moderately successful at first, you need to:

1. Identify & share information, with Commentary, that readers will value.
2. Track link performance.
3. Keep tweaking as you go.
4. Stay focused and on task and mostly
5. Don't give up!.... No matter what!.... Don't give up!

Now! Moderately successful may mean something different to others than to me. Just to Clarify! My friends, clients and business partners wouldn't mention the word patience in the same sentence with my name. I always like good things to happen faster than they do.

This process has tried my patience and as I have become frustrated along the way, it seems that I read a book or article or listen to a webcast that charges me up again with a few Ideas to try and tweak by trial and error. I have found that as I continue, a small snowball is now rolling into something bigger.

In the end, the bottom line is what counts. Is there a payoff to all of the invested time and  little money when you look at the big picture. I can tie this effort to about 8 home sales over the past 2 years with 5 coming in 2013. So there may be some momentum building. Am I sure? Nope!

I have over 1000 LinkedIn connections..... Is that good??? Jury is still out, but I tend to think that the 80/20 rule applies. Has it led to new business and new long term clients? ..... Yes with moderate success. Is there momentum?..... Yes, but a different kind of momentum on LinkedIn. This platform helps me spread my message and share valuable links, with commentary that readers value. It allows me to share opinions and values that help build my online character. As I continue to post and share, the connection decide whether to interact and share opinions with me or even ultimately decide whether I may be a good person to do business with.

Remember the 80/20 rule I mentioned in the previous paragraph? Of my roughly 1050 LinkedIn connections, 20% are truly engaged on a consistent basis the other 80% are present on the platform with a profiles as they should be. They may have time constraints that don't allow them to engage or they may not have grasped the full concept Social Networking...... Yet!

At this point, all I can say is don't feel bad because I'm still working on it!