Questions and
Answers
This
is the newest section in our website just started in January of
2008. Here you will find answers to frequently asked questions about
Internet real estate marketing. We are constantly adding to this
section so save a link to this page in your favorite places.
If
you have a question send it to us
E-Mail
Question: How can I improve the lead volume from my website?
Well, there is
a whole bunch of ways but here is one that many Realtors have
missed. Today almost every homebuyer that visits your website is
looking for a "deal". Every day they are hearing the media talk
about falling home prices, growing inventories and foreclosures. You
need to put a message on your home page that tells the homebuyer
that you have access to "deals". There is any number of ways to do
it. You can offer to search for pre-foreclosures, foreclosures and
bank owned properties. Several of our Realtors are offering to
search the selling agent notes for special offers that would be
valuable to a buyer.
The important
thing is to communicate that you can find the "deals" for your
buyers.
Question: How can I attract the upscale and luxury homebuyer?
There are two
different areas in which you can accomplish this. One is within your
website. You need to have content that appeals to these buyers.
Photos of homes even perhaps a photo gallery of upscale and luxury
homes draw a lot of traffic. Include text about homes and
communities that appeal to these buyers. Descriptive terms such as
"golf course homes, waterfront homes, executive homes and luxury
homes will capture attention. In many market there are home builders
that are giving deep discounts on new spec homes and there are some
bank owned new homes that you might advertise on your site.
Another way to
attract these buyers is to use pay per click advertising. Here you
should bid on keyword phrases such as luxury homes, luxury real
estate, golf homes, waterfront homes, etc. If you have a small town
or well known subdivision that is exclusive with high priced home
you should bid on keyword phrases for that area.
Question: How can I get people to respond to my e-mails and phone
calls?
When you have
people's contact information and are trying to develop
communications with them offer them them something they want. We
have created a library of e-mail content that has information that
is of interest to homebuyers. This includes statistics on the local
real estate market, information about special "deals" on homes,
pre-foreclosures and such. We often have to send multiple e-mails
with varying information and then get a response with a thanks for
the info. Our Realtors are using an IDX system that allows them to
see what listings a buyer is looking at and the Realtor will find
one or two "special" listings that are offering buyer incentives
(picked up from the selling agent notes) and send the buyer this
information.
This is an
area requiring some creative thinking. Several of our Realtors are
offering to search the selling agent notes for special situations
that would be valuable to a buyer. Others are offering to search for
special criteria that a buyer might have.
In any event,
in today's market one has to come up with a unique approach that
compels the buyer to respond.
Question: How can I get people to give me their correct e-mail
address and phone numbers?
It is
estimated that more than 85% of homebuyers surfing real estate
websites want access to the MLS home listings. Most Realtor websites
now offer this service and require that the homebuyer provide his
contact information. Many buyers give false information and the
Realtors are frustrated by this.
This tells us that the buyers
do not want to pestered by a salesperson.
These buyers are not ready to buy
and do not want to speak with a Realtor. The answer is simple.
Give the homebuyers
what they want.
Allow them to search the home listings without being pestered by a
salesperson!! There are many ways to do this. Here is an example of
what you might do. Preface your registration request with this
paragraph:
I
understand that you may be in the early stage of your home
search and will not pester you with phone calls. Please provide
your contact information so that my automated system can send
you new listings as they are added to the system. In today's
market there are homes being offered at below market value and
we can send you these listings before anyone else see's them.
Please feel comfortable in providing your contact information.
There are many
variations of this theme but you get the idea. We have been using
this approach for several years and it works. You will still get
people who will put in false information but this approach more than
tripled the correct information.
Question: What are the differences between IDX/MLS programs?
IDX is a
software program designed to interface with a database and provides
a multi-function capability for the user. In the case of a MLS
system the IDX is used to provide MLS access from a website. The IDX
allows consumers to access the MLS via a link from the website. A
full IDX program allows the Realtor (and his webmaster) to
administer the IDX program and in this way customize the way that
the IDX works. This full program includes such elements as a
consumer account that the consumer can set up. This account allows
the consumer to save his searches, save listings that interest him
and sign up for automatic e-mail notification of new listings. The
Realtor is able to customize the header in the auto e-mails as well
as the headers and footers in the search results and the individual
listings. In this way the Realtor is able to utilize these elements
to broadcast marketing messages. The Realtor is also able to view
the individual consumer's property organizer and observe the
activities of the buyer. He (the Realtor) can see which home
listings the buyer has viewed along with the dates and times of the
viewing. This gives the Realtor a tremendous amount of information
about each buyer that he has subscribed into the system.
Not all IDX
programs give the Realtor this full functionality. Many MLS's offer
a limited IDX that lacks many of the most valuable functions.
Real Estate
Leads Home Buyer Leads
Lead Generation
