Critique my first article

[CIMLS.com]

Hey I was wondering what you guys think of my first article I wrote. I am interested in what I can do better and if you think its a good article. I realize I am a little rusty and it might not be the best, but its a start.


Selling Commercial Real Estate By Maximizing Exposure

Author: James Van Boxtel

One of the hardest parts to selling commercial property is getting your property out on the market and seen by investors. Individuals and small business owners often find it hard to get the word out without spending enormous amounts of money. This article presents three ways to expose your property without shelling out lots of dough.

1) Put Up a Sign
Putting up a sign on your property is a good way to get local interest in your property. Many people are sometimes looking for property to move their businesses to but are not aware of the property around them and do not have the time to go looking. By placing a big visible sign on your property you can draw their attention and possibly get a lead. This technique is very effective if your property is located near a major road.

2) List Your Property Online For Free
There are many sites online that allow you to put your property online for free. One of the best free sites out there is <a href="http://www.cimls.com">www.CIMLS.com</a>. This site allows you to list your property for free just by signing up for a free account. They have no restrictions on which listings can be searched as many of the other listing services have.

Many times listing properties on these types of sites can get you exposure quickly without paying a dime. The sites also provide more marketing and advertising options for a little more money. Sometimes it is worth putting a little money into some ads if it means the difference between not having to pay a commission or not.

3) Put Your Property in Free Real Estate Publications
Many cities have free local publications that include real estate in the area. Contact all these types of publications and see if they allow you to add your property information for free. Since most are looking for free content to add to their publications they are usually willing to work with you.

If all else fails you may need to contact a broker and work with them to get your property sold. Many sites provide information on property brokers in different area. For example, CIMLS has a “Find a Professional” directory with lots of brokers throughout the United States.

Finally, don’t get discouraged! It can sometimes take quite a while to sell your property depending on the area. Continue to put your information out in publications and websites and keep on it.

BIO:
James Van Boxtel is the webmaster for <a href="http://www.cimls.com">CIMLS.com</a> the leading free online commercial real estate multiple listing service. CIMLS serves 1000's of real estate professionals daily.

[Search Engine Book]

Hi James.

Nice article. I have one small technical tip for you that will add a lot of SEO benefit. If you're going to syndicate this article online through the various article directories, be sure to hyperlink one of your key phrases in the author's note area.

As a general rule, I include two key phrase hyperlinks plus one URL hyperlink. If the directory only allows two links in the resource box, I just remove one of the keyword links.

You could easily do this as such:

James Van Boxtel is the webmaster for CIMLS.com, the leading free <a href="http://www.cimls.com">online commercial real estate MLS</a>. CIMLS serves 1000's of real estate professionals daily. Learn more by visiting <a href="http://www.cimls.com">http://www.cimls.com</a>

When you publish it through EzineArticles.com, leave the HTML on the second hyperlink. When you publish it through GoArticles.com, remove the HTML from the second link (they'll auto-convert it for you when they detect the http).

And be sure you read the guidelines of each directory. I noticed a hyperlink within the body of your article ... some don't allow that.

I recommend:

• EzineArticles.com

• GoArticles.com

• SearchWarp.com

• ArticleDashboard.com

Good luck!

-Brandon

[Ryan Ward]

Hey Search Engine,

Are these good places for any of us to publish an article?

[Gerry]

It's very good for what it is - it's lucid, moderately helpful, and not spammy. There are a few edits to be made, like this one:

Many sites provide information on property brokers in different areaS.