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Lead Generation on the Web
After the column I did on email marketing, I had a number of requests about how to develop web leads. Several agents contacted me about purchasing names from a list company and then sending them a series of emails. Using a list company is perfectly acceptable for traditional mailing, but when you use a list company for email marketing, it's spamming. The cost of "spam" is resentment from your users as well as the very real possibility that you're ISP will cancel your account and/or shut down your web page.
Most agents distribute their web address on their business cards, advertising materials, and in some cases, on their name riders. Virtually no one, however, has a strategy to drive visitors to their website, discover relevant information about the visitor, and then have the visitor opt in to receive future communications from the agent. Instead, agents treat their web pages like a billboard or an advertising sign on a bus stop without any regard to how capture information about the lead. In fact, most visitors visit your website only once - if you don't capture their information on the first visit, you will never have another opportunity to acquire that business.
As I mentioned in last week's column, some websites are designed to capture names. Names, however, aren't very useful from a marketing perspective. Instead, the most effective way to E-market is with a custom database that uncovers important information about your contacts. Comprehensive databases are usually expensive to construct as well as requiring a high level of computer expertise to manage. Nevertheless, "mining" this type of data is a billion dollar business. For example, most agents think Cendant is primarily a real estate organization. In truth, Cendant (formerly HFS) is one of the largest data mining companies in the world. They can tell you who will be most likely to buy a Rolex, a Ferrari, and a million dollar home and when they are most likely to buy it. Other organizations "mine" your data when you swipe your super market card for a discount or use a gasoline credit card. The point here is 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's how to do it:
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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 list 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 help you to 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.
Here are some sample questions: Are you renting or do you own your own home? How long have you been living in your present property? Would you like to receive special discounts from local merchants in the future and if so, which ones? Would you like to be updated monthly on sales in your area? Would you like to be updated on special neighborhood events such as the upcoming high school football schedule or art festival? Would you like information on children's activities and if so, for which age groups? Do you have a pet?
Each of these questions provides information that can help you build connection with the prospect by providing on-going customer service. This connection is the basis for creating a strong referral database that will not only send other people to your website, it will also create more referrals for you.
The Z57 "Prospector" is an easy to use database product priced at $995.00 and can be used to implement the strategies discussed in this article. Database management fee varies based upon size of the database. For additional information, contact Customer Service at customerservice@z57.com.
To contact Bernice Ross please email her at bernice@realestatecoach.com.
