Are we all beginning to act like Arnold Horshak?
“Ooo, ooo, ooo.” Choose me! Choose me!
If you’re not old enough to remember Arnold or haven’t seen the reruns of “Welcome Back Kotter,” read on anyway.
Although I am not a realtor, I have specialized in providing marketing services to commercial real estate companies for nearly 30 years. My job is to provide the tools for others to use in leasing their buildings. I have had the luxury of letting them find their prospects and worry about how to make them clients. Now -- call me silly -- I recently started marketing closing gifts to residential realtors at www.wevemovedgifts.com and am engaged in the hunt for prospects that I can hopefully turn into customers.
I have been researching and reading everything about finding suspects who may become prospects so that I can turn them into customers. For all of us trying to make our fortunes using the Internet in our marketing mix, I have read articles on “converting web traffic” – translation: making customers out of people who happen onto your site. The various authors all talk about building web traffic, strategic planning, implementation, and the buying cycle. But then everything falls apart when you learn about the major disconnect between website hits and the number of customers that are actually being made from those hits.
I get hits. Prospects tell me, “Your closing gifts are unique.” “I love your gifts.” “Your website is attractive and easy to navigate.” So why aren’t more buying as a percentage of those hits?
And I assume that you are getting hits too. Are your websites providing you with credible leads that result in client buyers and sellers? If yes, what’s your secret? If no, do you even know if the problem is a function of your website, Internet marketing in general or market conditions?
Now, back to Horshak. So, do we make real estate customers by screaming. “Choose me! Choose me!” How do you, especially in today’s tight real estate market, differentiate yourself? Are you converting hits into customers?
Yes?
What’s your secret?
Although I'm retired, I love sharing my knowledge and learning from other real estate industry professionals. - Wenatchee, WA
Retired Agent / Broker / Prop. Mgr, Wenatchee, WA
Diane, Welcome to the world of blogging and Active Rain in particular. Blogging can be extremely effective and profitable, with patience and persistance. Set yourself apart as "the" expert in your field and the customers will come.
Aug 18, 2007 05:04 PM
RLAH@properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital
Hey, Diana! Welcome to Active Rain! May your post be the first of many!
Now, don't be shy! Talk a little bit more about the kinds of gifts you are providing - and you might want to give us a link to your web site. Now, that is a little easier said than done - I had to get a friend to do the links to and from my other blog and Active Rain for me. And there are some instructions that are in some of the Newbie posts.
Thanks!
Aug 18, 2007 05:07 PM
RE/MAX Bryan-College Station - College Station, TX
College Station, Texas Real Estate
Diane, you have an excellent writing style and picked an excellent topic to boot! I predict that very soon you will be at 300 posts as well and you will be wondering what held you back in the first place!!!!
To answer the questions, it takes probably 500-700 hits to make a client. Many are shopping. Some have agents, some are looking for their own homes listed because their agent doesn't have a website! Sit patient and they will come!
To imbed your website put something like "my websitea' and highlight it. Then hit the chin to the right of the 1,2,3 bulleted button. Type in your website and you're on the road, about 250 posts earlier than me!
Aug 18, 2007 06:15 PM
Downing-Frye Realty, Bonita Springs, FL - Bonita Springs, FL
Bonita Springs Listing Specialist - Agent
Welcome to Active Rain. It looks like you've hit the ground running. (I remember Welcome Back, Kotter, too )
Aug 18, 2007 11:48 PM
WeveMovedGifts.com - Marietta, GA
Chris -- 500-700 hits to make a client???? Does anybody really get than many hits and make clients that way before they die??
I would be veeeerrrrryyyy curious to know how this number holds up among other realtors. And then, of course, the obvious question is how do you lower the ratio of hits to new clients?
Inquiring minds want to know.
Aug 19, 2007 05:55 AM
BrokerInTrust Real Estate - Calabasas, CA
CA Real Estate Broker
Welcome to AR. Make your website sticky so you can follow up on the leads. I use drip marketing and lots of video.
Aug 19, 2007 06:06 AM
WeveMovedGifts.com - Marietta, GA
I give up, Tracey. What is a "sticky website?" And the only thing dripping around me are my faucets.
Aug 19, 2007 06:19 AM
BrokerInTrust Real Estate - Calabasas, CA
CA Real Estate Broker
Hi Diane, a sticky website has elements that make the reader want to stay, like: polls, surveys, promotions, specials, or elements that collect data like free reports, or the MLS search.
Once you collect the name and email address of the visitor, you can put them on a "drip email" campaign that automatically emails them targeted information, like recent home sales, or listings depending on their needs.
Aug 19, 2007 12:46 PM
Comments(9)