There are several that I like and don't even mind paying for (usually the rate is VERY reasonable for GOOD links).  

http://www.abilogic.com/

This is one of the best I've seen out there and their rate for upgraded links is very good.  I've gotten traffic from it!

Janet,

This is a wee bit off-topic, but where do you find a coach?

Sharron

Lonn Dugan is a coach I think.

You have to be very careful with link directories. Some will place a link to your site that can't be crawled, rendering them worthless. Some are considered "link farms" by search engines and could do much more harm than good.

That said, some are good. I used to have a list of good ones lying around somehere, I'll see if I can find it.

It's looking more and more like reciprocal links are gradually being devalued by major search engines. They appear to still help, though not as much as in the past. They do need to be done with "related sites", and your suppliers would certainly fall in that category.

Sharron - there are several coaches listed in P2's Preferred Vendor list ( http://nls.point2.com/Content/Partners/vendorDirectory.asp ). But "coach" is a pretty broad term, so you need to be careful to select the one that can coach in the area you're interested in. For example, I'm a P2 Preferred Coaching Vendor, but I don't coach on anything and everything real estate. I know some coaches say they can coach in any aspect of real estate.... seems like a real stretch to me... find one that specializes in where you need your strength imporved..

"Imporved".... sheese. Anyone know a typing coach?  :)

That should have read "improved"

I've had good luck with careful reciprocal linking. A couple of other e-PRO's and I tried linking each other from our home pages and all of us saw results within a week or so. Just be careful who you link with.

Jay,

I did not know that you coached, but I do know that you are highly articulate and proficient with spelling. We all make a few typos.

200+ leads per day?  That's hard to believe.  If the leads were coming 24 hours a day, that's more than 8 leads an hour.  With all these leads, how does he have time to coach?

I need a good SEO person or company to help me!  I have just not had the time or the knowledge to optimize my site like it should be.  Any help would be much appreciated!

Probably has buyer-agent assistants handling the contacts.  I'd like to be there one day 8^).

My experience is that you have to be careful about who you exchange reciprocal links with --- make sure they're in the real estate industry or supporting it.

Also, don't but to many links on any one page (you or your vendor partner) -- this will dilute their value (IMHO -- and I reserve the right to be stupid ;-).  I've set mine up so it starts with a National level page with subpages for each state.  This helps to keep  the search engines from viewing the page as just a link directory.  You can see an example at: http://www.parkcitysold.com/Relocation_Network/page_1728467.html

Blackwater consulting group?  They are not even ranked number one for their name when I type them up in Google.  Sure would like to see this site that gets 200 leads a day...any idea what site it is, Janet?

Roger, I know of a great SEO person. Ron Castle. just type his name in a search. He has done several sites in my local area, but he won't do anymore here. He is a nice guy,and he knows the game. The sites that he has done here are all on the front page of google and yahoo etc...His site will give you lots of good info.

I work for Keller Williams we have coaches everyday and even homework. They never stop teaching us. I have found the drama coaching is kind of lame but I like the coaching that helps you face your fears like walking up to a FSBO home and getting the listing. I have a great admiration for a few Mentors I have found and they coach so I can become independent and successful in real estate. How to run my own business and become accountable for my actions. Ethics come naturally when you think how we impact peoples lives. We can worry about our commission or make sure our clients can afford the home and not go into forclosure because we gave them bad advice. Your good name will eventually get you business. Your face has to be trusted so I go and meet people and hand flyers in neighborhoods. I try to find new couples that need guidence.

I like computers to email and keep the business going and making you there for the consumer (mostly computer savvy proplr out there). Google status helps when they need your number thats all. Plus I am a geek :)

~Blog with Melissa

Sharron - thanks. And it really all depends on how you define "coach". Point2 has three categories of Preferred Vendors -- Graphic Artists, Virtual Assistants, and Coaches.

I am not a graphic artist. I can't draw a straight line with a ruler.

I have zero desire to be a VA. God bless those that do, and a good one is worth their weight in gold. It's just not my thing.

I do have a desire to help people with their websites. Not only to do the behind the scenes stuff -- make custom menus, optimize SEO factors, set up blogs, build custom forms, etc -- but also help people to learn the power of blogging, how to manage prospects, how to attract prospects, instruct them in SEO techniques, etc.

So in that sense, I am a coach. But if someone were looking for a coach to help build a business plan, improve their listing presentations, run a brokerage, negotiate better, improve off-line marketing, etc. then I would not be the "coach" for them. I happen to think I'm an excellent negotiator, with skills honed in years of corporate life. But I'd be a horrible teacher/coach of it. I know my abilities, and my limitations. Everyone has them, which is why the "I can coach it ALL" coaches really irritate me. No one is an expert at everything....

you are right about all of that, helping others get our websites and internet presence out there right now is important and the more we can help each other improve our sites and programs that bring clients the more effective these blogs are and the more people will really want to read them for a knowledge base. Everyone pick what they are best at and we can start from there. Have online seminars and interactive chats on the subjects. This is a good method. We are true passionate Realtors or we would not be up till all hours thinking....

Blog with Melissa~

I spent a lot of time over the years getting reciprocal links but stopped about a year ago when all the buzz said they were of little use, and it seemed a lot of link pages were uncached by google, so essentially any link from those pages were worthless from an seo perspective.

I agree that links from related suppliers work, but if you are doing it for SEO purposes, I think that the page that links to a page on your site must have a page rank that is at least equal to the page rank of the page that you are using to place a link to their site. Please correct me if I'm wrong, since I haven't been pursuing this strategy because its just too complicated to do easily and quickly.

My strategy these days is to write reports that I will publish on my site.  I'm hoping with the right press releases people will choose to link to those pages since they offer valuable information that can't be gotten elsewhere. In fact Jay, if this is an area where you feel you have expertise, I'll need some coaching around this to make sure I do it correctly.

There was a detailed list of directories floating around that was excellent. It showed the cost of the listing, the page rank of the pages where your link would be placed and a link to the directory site. Since I operate in Canada there wasn't much there for me, but it was excellent for American sites. I'll see if I can locate it and post a link to it later today.  

Janet,

What is the website URL of the agent that is getting 200 leads a day?  This I gotta see!

Well I didn't find the directory list but came across this post that seems like it will be an excellent read.

http://www.sugarrae.com/blog/five-link-development-experts-a-group-interview/

I'm with Becky, I'd like to see that site as well.

LOL.....Well Janet, I have to totally agree with you....that link doesn't work....so we really can't tell just by looking at it!

Is this the right link?

http://www.mackperryhomes.com/