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Website Registrations -- Yes or No?

By Chris Hendricks

Services for Real Estate Pros

December 13, 2006 06:22 AM

I just weighed in elsewhere on this issue but wanted to make an opinion known directly here. After seeing thousands of websites for Realtors® while at HomeGain, I have a definite point of view on this one.

If you have something on your site that your visitors truly perceive as being valuable, asking them to register minimally shouldn't be a bad thing. Ask for a name, an e-mail, and make a phone number optional. If they give you one, CALL IT and say what you'd normally say to an inquiring prospect! If they don't give you a viable number, or if you get a bogus e-mail address, don't panic or worry. Move on with your day and do something otherwise productive rather than obsessing about 'bad leads' on your site. Most internet visitors aren't prepared to speak to a sales professional (or someone they perceive as trying to 'close' them) when they first visit. Most start researching many months before they're ready to have a quasi-serious conversation. Have that conversation when they are ready for you, not when you are ready for them! Bogus registration information doesn't mean you won't be able to close them later when they have 'ripened' and it also doesn't mean they won't come back to you months later with a real name and number as they feel more comfortable volunteering that level of personal contact. If your site has what they need, they'll eventually make themselves known to you so you can develop a true relationship beyond them lurking on your website!

A good strategy is to have a well-crafted auto-responder thanking them for registering on your site, hoping they found what information they expected to find (and found it valuable), inviting them to pass along feedback on their experience, inviting them to bookmark your site and take advantage of it as often and as thoroughly as they choose, letting them know how to reach out to you directly when they have a more urgent need or request, and setting some expectation as to how you plan to follow up with them in the future.

And one final note: if they ask you to STOP sending them material, STOP sending them material....

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Jay Thompson

Zillow - Seattle, WA

Whooo boy, I could go on and on about this subject! I'm not a big fan of requiring MLS registration on our web site. There are just too many local (Phoenix) agents with no registration. I think if you have enough other "calls to action" and provide visitors with what they need, they will at some point contact YOU. When that happens, they aren't a lead or a prospect, they are a CLIENT.

Tons more thoughts on this, but I must be off. I'm on a mission!

A world record for blog commenting!

http://www.ThompsonsRealty.com
http://www.PhoenixRealEstateGuy.com

Dec 13, 2006 10:41 PM

Chris Hendricks

Walnut Creek, CA

And, following expectations, there seem to be few people that walk the middle ground on this topic. As with most things, if it's working 'for you' then you're doing something right! Thanks!

Dec 14, 2006 04:47 AM

Chris Tesch

RE/MAX Bryan-College Station - College Station, TX

College Station, Texas Real Estate

Thanks for not being one of the people that bash HomeGain! I've found it to be extremely valuable to me.

Dec 28, 2006 04:47 AM

I got tired of the bashing years ago when the 'old crowd' of folks that were convinced a company like HomeGain would run them out of business were doing anything possible to rail against the internet model [in any form]. There are still those that believe they have some kind of natural entitlement to search traffic that might want information about homes in a particular town. Seems the search engines are fully prepared to deliver that to anyone willing to pay for it-- and often that's HomeGain instead of the local agent. Why? Because another agent in that same town is willing to pay more for it from HomeGain rather than managing their own website with all the SEO tricks and other activities necessary to receive the traffic. The old guard think that being outbid by a HomeGain is sinister somehow-- I just don't see it that way. See my comment elsewhere on AR for the whole line of reasoning. And, for what it's worth, congratulations on your success!

Dec 28, 2006 07:50 AM

All Cary

AllCary.Com - Cary, NC

i believe that i can let those who arent at least willing to minimally register "spill over the dam". as much as i try to get on top of my schedule, lead generate, call, etc., i still cant seem to shake my severe case of 'headless chicken syndrome'. so in the short term, i am happy to let those who arent going to be bothered at all with any sort of entry to just evaporate.

for the record, i am one of those who will bail at the first sign of a lengthy or difficult entry into any sort of internet service. hypocritical? i dont think so. i just know what i am after at the moment.

i am finding enough success via homegain to at the very least justify paying for the leads.

www.trihomewiz.com

Jan 04, 2007 01:34 PM

I bet, though, that once you've set your mind to something you'll do what it takes to navigate the process (whether on the internet or elsewhere) to get what you went looking for. Internet buyers are similar... they may 'graze' at first, but when they're ready to act they'll self-select themselves into the 'more active' pool and help you better focus on keeping the chicken dance to a minimum. Glad what you're doing is seeming to work out for you!

Jan 05, 2007 03:34 AM

Tanya Kulaga

Realty Executives, Hedges Real Estate - Lawrence, KS

REALTOR CRS, ABR, GRI

Chris,

I am curious how you keep your potentials in the pipeline? I am getting folks signing in on my website, and they get a response offering further services, etc. However, I am not sure where to go when I don't hear back from them. Do you send something every week? How do you keep it from getting boring? Any advice would be much appreciated!!

Feb 01, 2007 12:57 PM

I'm not a REALTOR® so my approach is a little different but the advice and counsel I've given hundreds of folks in the industry is to put the prospect on a 'relevant' drip campaign that electronically touches them with a message on average of once each month. If you try and reach out to them too often, especially early, they'll bail on you and never become a client. Too little and you miss them remembering who you are and why you matter when it really counts. I'd start with an auto-prompt reply (and a personal phone call if you're fortunate enough to get a real number-- don't worry if you don't!) that invites them to bookmark your website and encourages them to return to it often as they see the need (to check your IDX feed and see listings... whatever) and specifically asks them to contact you with things they believe they need or want but don't find readily on your webpage. Then, make absolutely sure what you have on your website has interesting, relevant content. If you have an incredible home come on the market that's a screaming hot deal, write them and ask them to look at it online and give you feedback on it. If it sells right away, no problem. You at least TRIED to make them aware of something that was a great deal in an area theyhad somehow expressed interest in. They'll remember the effort... and eventually you'll get rewarded for it.

Feb 01, 2007 02:49 PM

Thanks for the tips. It is so difficult to find that fine time line of how often to touch base. I'm sure each person has a different circumstance/timeline. I invited everyone who'd logged in to come meet me in person at my open house this weekend. I didn't see a single one of them, at least not to my knowledge. It will take me some time to perfect this skill, but I am working towards that goal. I appreciate your feedback!!

Feb 03, 2007 02:12 PM

Don't lose hope because they don't step up and identify themselves to you right away-- their goal in remaining anonymous is to have their needs met 'while assessing' your candidacy to be their agent-- in other words, they're trying to remain in control of the timing and the timeline for dealing with what they perceive as a 'sales' person. If they perceive you as someone who is a mentor, a guide, a 'bringer of value' through the information you make available to them before they agree to meet you directly (as potentially their agent) you increase the chances that you'll be perceived as an ally in their search!

Feb 05, 2007 04:37 AM

Website Registrations -- Yes or No?

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