Back to Online Marketing
Online Marketing Frequently Asked Questions
How do I do reciprocal linking?
The key to having a successful linking program is to utilize something known as reciprocal linking. This is where you get other websites to link back to you, driving more traffic to your website and hopefully increasing the number of leads you receive through your website. The easiest way to achieve this is just to ask the owner of the other website if they would like to exchange links with you. The worst they can say is no.
Try to think of key people that you know would be able to link back to you. If your company has a website, more than likely they have an agent profile page that they will be able to link up to your website. Also, if you work with any preferred mortgage lenders that have assisted you in the past, exchange links with them. That way, you can refer your clients to them for a loan, and they can refer their clients looking for a real estate agent back to you.
This also improves your listing status in many search engines, including Google, who rank those websites who have a greater volume of traffic coming to them from various sources more favorably.
How can I improve my lead conversion rate?
There a couple of different ways to handle leads you acquire through your website. Of course, timeliness is the first rule. The sooner you can respond to the lead, the better.
Secondly, your online forms should all employ auto-responder functionality. An auto-responder is an email that is automatically sent out from your website once one of your clients fills out a form and submits it. This will buy you some time to follow up with your client. You should customize your auto-responders to better fit the way you do your business. If you know you will not be able to contact clients for a couple days, change your auto responder to reflect this. Here's an example:
"Hi. Thanks for taking the time to fill out my online form. I will be in touch with you shortly to review your request. You can always contact me at the following number for immediate assistance."
You also want to make sure to keep in touch with your leads, whether they are ready to buy now or not. A majority of homeowners do not even remember the name of the REALTOR® that they used in their real estate transaction! A key element is to keep your name, face, and website out there. One way to accomplish this goal is by sending a customized newsletter that can be sent out on a monthly basis to all of your contacts. For more information on writing newsletters, visit Writing Your Own Newsletter.
How can I get better placement in the search engines?
To work your way up the rankings in search engines takes time, money, and intelligence (industry pro). If you really are a do-it-yourselfer, try www.SearchEngineWatch.com for it's vast and unbiased information (he's not selling his service and is widely recognized in the industry).
If you would like more information on the Search Engine Packages Z57 offers, including BuyerLink, click here.
Why am I getting hits to my website but no leads?
The first step to success in online marketing is to drive traffic to your website. Since you are already receiving a good amount of hits, half the battle is over! Now it's just a matter of converting those hits into leads, and eventually into transactions.
Information about your visitors is literally worth its weight in gold. The first step in gathering this information is to have a strategy that drives people to your website. Here are some ideas on how to do it:
People will exchange information in order to receive discounts.
Thus, a simple way to gather information is to have e-coupons from companies such as Lowe's or Home Depot. You can obtain coupons from a host of local merchants as well. Virtually every business is eager to gain new customers and coupons are a simple way to bring the business to their door.
-
Mail your contact database information on how to obtain the coupons (i.e. by visiting your website.)
You can also provide the same service for those you meet when prospecting. In addition to e-coupons, you can also use a complimentary CMA, a drawing for movie tickets or dinner, or virtually any other idea that will get people to your website to register. The point is to match the coupon with something that is of interest to your visitor.
In order to receive what you are offering, the lead must answer some questions such as name, phone number, email address etc.
At the same time, ask other questions to help you target the specific needs of your visitors. These additional questions should be optional, since most people will answer them anyway, especially if they don't seem too intrusive. Making the questions optional also prevents users from having a negative impression of your site.
Other incentives include forms that email important community information to your website visitors, newsletter sign-ups, and content entries.
How can I increase traffic to my site?
There are a variety of different ways to increase traffic to your website. The amount of traffic you receive to your website is reliant upon the kind of marketing you are doing.
Always remember that you must provide incentives to bring clients to your website. Providing timely and relevant information on the community you work in, moving and storage coupons, and even tips for issues buyers and sellers deal with are all great ways to bring prospects to your website to leave their information with you.
One traditional marketing approach is old fashioned word-of-mouth. Let everyone you do business with know that you have a website. Send clients to your website for a specific reason. Your clients will remember your web address long before they'll remember a 10-digit phone number. Make it a local and informative resource. Give them reasons to go there and return.
The next step is making your web address more noticeable. Capitalize the first letter of key words. Your web address is not case sensitive and doing this makes your web address more readable and memorable. Examine the difference - www.realestateinsandiego.com OR www.RealEstateInSanDiego.com.
Be sure your website address is on all of your print materials, offline advertising, and voice mail. When a caller reaches your answering machine, consider leaving a message which prompts them to visit your website to view your latest listings, get contact information, or to download community facts. The more reasons you remind them to visit, the more likely they will.
How do I integrate my website into my current offline marketing efforts?
You don't need to change your existing marketing efforts when you launch a website, just expand on your current strategy. By adding your web address to your current marketing, such as business cards, print advertising, and direct mailers, it will definitely help drive more traffic to your website.
I'm interested in effective email marketing but don't know where to begin. What can I do?
Email marketing provides a different approach. Currently, most agents using e-marketing techniques ask potential prospects to "opt-in" to their newsletter or some other type of information that appeals to the prospect. "Opt-in" means the prospect gives you permission to email them and thus, avoids the issue of sending unsolicited spam. Unfortunately, most of the email pieces currently in the market place are about the agent and their services rather than about what is of value to the reader. Sending people information about you does nothing to create trust or connection, the two primary requirements for people to do business with you. Thus, the question is how to create trust and connection in an e-marketing format.
The best place to begin is with a face-to-face connection.
You can generate face-to-face connections through traditional door-knocking strategies, at open houses, or through networking. The key is to have something of value to offer to the people with whom you speak. For example, if you're door knocking in a specific area, most people are interested in knowing what has sold in their neighborhood. You could offer to send them your monthly email newsletter that contains helpful hints as well as a list of what has recently sold. If you're involved in building a referral database from a charity that raises money for medical research, you could send monthly updates on upcoming meetings as well as a monthly article with information on new advances in research. The most effective technique is to couple your offer of real estate services with something that is about the prospect's interest, not specifically about you.
Trust is created through repeated personal contact.
Until recently, we could put up a website or we could send a text only email. Both of these are fairly impersonal. Most agents have seen the nice-looking HTML emails that have the pretty borders and can even include a picture of you. The challenge again is you only see a picture and words on the screen. Just recently, however, there have been a number of advances that will allow you to deliver a personal auditory message via email. For example, let's assume that you send the following message via text email:
Good evening. This is Sally Smith from ABC Realty and I wanted to personally thank you for attending our open house today at 123 Main Street. I'll be sending an update on this week's new listings later this week. Once again, thank you for attending our open house and if I can be of assistance, please feel free to call me at 1-800-555-2222.
Now imagine the same message, but this time it's delivered in your voice with a picture of you and the house you were holding open. There's an immediate connection because the prospect remembers meeting you and giving you permission to contact them. Furthermore, since you emailed them to say thank you, you're strengthening the connection even further. Follow this up with another three or four voice emails and you have greatly enhanced the probability the prospect will do business with you. Again, a picture and your voice are much more effective than a phone call, text email, hand-written note, or a postcard.
