By definition, a weed is simply something that appears where you don't want it to grow. Many a gardener has spent hour after hour removing unwanted species from flower beds and vegetable patches.
But sometimes these "volunteer" plants have a special beauty all of their own. The Fleabane Daisy is one of my favorite "weeds", with it's tiny clusters of white or light purple flowers. It is a staple in my natural landscape.
In business, there are often some opportunities that are considered inconsistent with our environment, and so they are weeded out right away. It could be a customer that might not appear ready to buy, or a new system for generating more business.
Daily blogging may be considered a "weed" to some and may be culled right out of the business plan. That's because a lot of professionals don't want to allow it sufficient time to grow and to bloom.
Like anything other business tool, it takes time for a blog to take on a life of its own. It needs to be allowed to mature. Some with less patience may take the weed-whacker and summarily remove it from their business before seeing the end result.
And they may be missing out on something very special by doing so.
As for me, I allow the Fleabane in my yard to grow and manifest its lacy beauty!
Because all that is needed to reap the benefit, is time and patience.
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All content, including text, original art, photographs and images, is the exclusive property of Coweta Fayette Real Estate, Inc., and may not be used without the expressed written permission of Coweta Fayette Real Estate Better Homes and Gardens Metro Brokers, Newnan Georgia. All information is believed to be accurate but is not warranted, Copyright 2003-2009. Richard Weisser REOS, E-Pro. licensed Auctioneer. 770-827-6225.
Learn more about Coweta County and Fayette County Georgia Real Estate, and to search the entire Georgia MLS for free with no registration required. Visit CowetaFayetteRealEstate.com! Photos of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. North Georgia Photos.
Good morning Richard, I like your analogy. I'd like to add that what some consider weeds, others consider flowers and sometimes food.
My friend I think that you have hit on a point that I am trying to make with my state by state search for newbies that have done jsut a bit more than signing up.
Very good point sir and thanks for making it.
Good points, Richard. I remember being around my "farmer" relatives in south Georgia and hearing them refer to "volunteers." Some volunteers do indeed produce fruit!
Hi Richard,
Your post brings back childhood memories of when I used to pick the flowers (weeds) for my Mom and when someone got around to weeding the garden and getting rid of my "flowers", I was devasted.
Love the analogy and the photos.
My blogs are the "food" for my web pages. Web pages that a "fed" regularly grow strong.
Great metaphor Richard. As an avid gardener I too have to weed out the "volunteers". However, I planted my blog in mid-2007 and have watched it grow into the source of at least half of my business! I am so glad I didn't abandon it or forget to feed it!
Gabe...
Beauty really is in the eye of the beholder, isn't it? THX
Don...
I am trying your plan ... BTW did you know that 7000 points would make you number one in the Yukon Territory? Lol and thanks.
Gary...
I have two huge pots on my deck right now with "volunteer" peppers in them. I can't wait to see what they produce! Thanks.
Cynthia...
It drives my wife crazy ... I wont pull ANYTHING in bloom! lol and thanks for the comment.
Lenn...
Isn't that the truth. The search engines devour fresh content. THX as always.
Diane...
It's hard with a blog because it really does take time and patience, but the results can be outstanding. Thanks for the validation!
Great analogy and great photos. I am inconsistent in my AR gardening and need to get better.
HI RW! - Great analogy indeed. It is a shame some folks think blogging is a waste of time. I agree the results can be outstanding!
Richard,
Thanks for the inspiration to let my AR garden develop. My butterfly bush appeared to have died & Chip wanted to replace it; I suggested waiting and - voila - lovely growth. Without this, wouldn't have thought to apply the same patience to my bloggiing.
Beautiful pictures and a great analogy Richard.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Some weeds are nice when coming out in the Spring time. Great post
Nice analogy, Richard. Do you really not pull anything in bloom?
Well Richard, you have made clearer the point that I am trying to learn. I just haven't conditioned myself as yet to weeding more frequently and to be more selective about the efforts. I guess my experiences with Preen and Round-up are tough to overcome.
Richard, your yard must be beautiful. I love this analogy and also agree the photos are magnificent. My husband just informed me that the deer have eaten the flowers off of my day lillies. Perhaps, I should have TLW drop by and shoot a few of the dozen of deer that are in this area.
Richard...I so agree with you. In fact I have a post partuially written about the same topic with a bit of a twist. Need to finish. Have a great day my friend!
Richard: There you go getting another gold star. Congrats! I think, sadly, that too many in our business do see the blog as a weed. I'm happy to be in your camp and enjoy the benefits of it.
I never thought of blogging as a weed, but I have discovered patience and continued blogging has resulted in a big difference in my business.
Richard,
I'm picking up on your key words:
Because all that is needed to reap the benefit, is time and patience.
Note taken...I'll work on my patience part!
Nice post , nice photos , and good concept -- have a good weekend.
Hi Richard -- What kind of lens to you use to capture such incredible photographs? A macro lens perhaps?
Richard - clever analogy. Folks have very different persepctives on blogging. Those that see it as an advantage to their business and treat it as such will blossom.
Jeff
As a group I think we might get the weed whacker out and just keep it the way it has always been instead of allowing other ideas to force us to change.
Good post that allows for a refresher course in how to not waste time. Thanks
Richard - You said it ! Time and patience is key... and the willingness to expand outside of your comfort zone. Great post ! ~ Chris
Hmmm very nice post. Blogging is like gardening. I never thought of it like that. Love it!
Change is good as is patiece and tending to our garden (blog) and community.
Because all that is needed to reap the benefit, is time and patience.
And isn't that the truth? Time and patience. I love blogging ....here.
Hi Richard . . . as my mother would tell me 'great minds run on the same channel' (now a'days they are all digital!)
Anyway, your great post made me want to share mine, of a few weeks ago:
http://activerain.com/blogsview/1087837/just-by-chance-thoughts-to-ponder-in-oregon
I hope you have time to read it . . . for those of us who continue to look for the lotus in the mud (as it were).
(The real "weeds" are the spammers, who use my our info on A/R to contact me us to sell me us a SEO word, phrase, term. Love pulling those pesky, inglorious . . . )
Hi Richard, Remember the old saying: " One mans' weeds is another mans ... " Hmm, forgot the rest of it. Keeping the garden growing still requires a lot of determination and effort.
Hello Richard,
I too like your analogy. Well put..... Like Gabe above in his comment, "what some people think is a weed, others see a flower."
Regards.
Patricia Aulson/portsmouth nh real estate
As Realtors, we need to guard against giving up on things before their time, and thinking that the public will eventually be bored with what we are doing right. The tortiose and the hare could be another good analogy of your excellent point.
What a great analogy! Love the photos too!
Ricahrd, Thanks again for a great message! My grandfather, at a young age taught us to weed his potato garden, there were many casualties until we learned the difference between the potato and the weeds.
Richard - Nice photos plus I like how you tied it together... Blogging takes time to mature and start to blossum. For me, I didn't see much except SEO value until my 75th post. After that, I saw a steady increase in web traffic and prospects.
Erik...
I try to do my post the same time every morning ... 8 A.M. That makes it easier. THX
KM...
It sure works for me, thanks as always!
Irene...
Sometimes it take a LOT of patience! Thanks.
Nice post, would you kill a website after a couple months because of a lack of results? Nope, some things need more time to see it's usefullness. Or uselessness Lol.
Richard, I agree with you. My friends have been asking where I've been. Busy trying to get things in order. However, I need to get back. Your blog today seems to be aimed right between my eyes. Are you reading my mind again. We need to stay in the Rain to keep the flowers (wild or not) growing. Bless you!
I once had a weed garden when I was younger. I am always careful about what I disregard and what I cultivate, their not decisions to be made arbitrarily. Congrats on the feature my friend.
Barb...
Thanks ... I appreciate the support.
Harry...
They have a natural charm, that's for sure! Thanks
Maria...
Not even a dandelion! THX
Ed...
Are we talking about blogging or gardening? lol and thanks!
Rebecca...
We have a constant struggle with the deer here too. Thank you so much for the kind words!
Bill...
Thanks so much. I worked all day but I am relaxing with AR now!
I think blogging benefits take a lot of time. Some have had faster success but you really have to be in it for the long haul.
Hi Chris Ann...
We are doing a lot of this these days aren't we! Thanks, as always!
Christine...
It's just not something that everyone sees value in right away! And many discard it right away. Thanks for the comment!
Sheila...
Lots and lots of patience. Lol and thanks.
I've felt from the start that ActiveRain had a unique, organic element for growing a community. I don't know of anyplace else online where you can grow a community like this one. You are so right, it does require patience and consistency---and trust. Sometimes you don't see that first green sprout until after weeks of watering and caring. Beautiful pics Richard!
Hi Richard,
your words of wisdom never cease to amaze me...thanks for the post!
Interesting thing, some weeds do add a certain charm to a lawn or flower bed. Nice analogy - and thanks for encouraging all of us to be patient in awaiting the efforts of our blogging to unfold!
Ah hah! Now I know what those are called. I've always wondered. The purples are my favorite. Thanks for sharing ALL your knowledge you have here =)
There are benefits beyond financial for most of us who enjoy blogging. It is something that makes us have better self confidence and that translates inot being better able to help clients too. Good post. I love some of my weeds and would not pull them for anything,
Richard, what a great analogy. See, I LOVE the weeds. Why? They appear to be the only plants I cannot kill. YAY! THEY LIVE! Plus, without them, we wouldn't have gotten to see the beautiful photos you took!
So, like weeds, reading blogs and getting ideas keep MY business alive. Without the *weeds*, I don't know if my business would live! :-)
Richard- Outstanding analogy. I see so many of my fellow Realtors turn their nose up at blogging and social networking. They just don't get it. But when I get a call from my blogs, I totally get it. I truly believe in the soft sell of social networking. They like to have open houses. I personally don't like model house duty or open houses, but I will use the time to blog and work on networking.
Richard ....
Great analogy.....we need to be vigilant and not get rid of things too soon....cultivation can turn a plain dirt patch into a thing of beauty!
And speaking of beauty......I LOVE your photos!! Do you take pictures professionally? What kind of camera do you have?
Another AR post that's basically about nothing. Good job.
A lot of things in this business could be considered weeds. You just have to be good at deciding which should stay and which ones need to go.
Richard - Neat post! And it's so true about a weed being a plant that YOU don't want growing where it is. I'll never forget at one house I lived, I was always fighting Wild Mustard that was invading my yard from a nearby field. But, the woman that lived a couple of doors, was from the South. She came to my house and would weed for free, because she cooked up those Mustard Greens.
As for weeding out business tools there is some truth to that. Quite honestly, I've found some of my old tried and true real estate marketing tools work as well today as they did when I entered the business 27 years ago. However, I find blogging enjoyable for it's camaraderie and especially the collective knowledge of others who share our industry.
Great analogy. It goes to show there is opportunity everywhere especially where many people aren't looking. Thanks for the insight. I love dandelions by the way - they make great wine. Another "weed" that has gotten a bad rap. Danielle
Richard: Dude, you know you have at least 10 books if you just compile this AR blog...
I agree with Gary (#36)... "we need to let the unexpected take root sometimes in our lives and see where it takes us"... Like you, it suggests discovery, acceptance, and the joy of discovery!
My X use to get so impatient with me because I'd let the wild clover take over the back 40 of our lawn... but I thought there was nothing prettier than those purple flowers, and on a June eve... they smelled so devine... and the bunnies just loved it!
This is highly informative and right on point. You should write a book.