Note to Mr. Telemarketer From Homes.com

I normally don't answer my cell phone when I see the call originates from a toll-free number because it's normally a vendor trying to sell me something (usually search engine placement or lead generation).  But today I let one of those 800 numbers go to voice mail.

Most vendors do not leave a message because they know you'll most likely not return their call.  But this one did.  I could tell it was some kind of company but they called about a property they were thinking of selling and gave me the pin number and wanted a quick idea of value.

I did some quick research still believing it was a lead generating company.  I believe it was some kind of investment company that wanted to dump a parcel of land.  We talked for a couple minutes and he actually gave me a price they were considering and I felt it was reasonable.  Unfortunately, it was in an area I'm not that familiar with. 

The gentleman thanked me and told me if they decide to put this on the market that he'd give me a call.  If they do follow-up with me I might take the listing myself or refer it out to another agent in my office.  That call took about 5 minutes of my time.

That call set me up....

Following that phone call I got another call with a toll free number and I actually hesitated before answering.  I should have let it go.  I was getting ready to run out for an appointment and I let the guy know.  This was my first telemarketing call I have ever received from Homes.com.

I have nothing against this gentleman, who was a very good telemarketer.  He told me he got my information from Active Rain.  What a great free database resource for these kinds of companies!  And the fact that I was an AR member, I thought I'd at least give him a little courtesy of listening a bit instead of hanging up immediately. 

He proceeded to tell me things I already knew.  He told me how his site shows up first on a search for several different keywords that I am most likely optimizing for (he didn't use those terms because he probably didn't think I'd know what he was talking about).  However, his statements did not ring 100% true.

He said his site comes up 1st on the search engines for keywords such as real estate Orland Park.  He knew what I was optimizing for because of my AR membership  Actually, a few searches I did had his site trailing behind Yahoo's home search page.  I just got a mailing from Yahoo about paying for Featured Listings - they're #1 on the datacenter I'm looking at, so I should pay them before I pay Homes.com, right?  And for the keywords I've worked on, I'm right under the two of them.

Of course, there are many datacenters and they all vary.  But the thing is,

I don't care if they're a spot or two ahead of me.

I know from experience that many consumers don't care for these large portal sites.  Some consumers will keep searching down the list for a local real estate agent's site that they like.  I have many "double entries" where one site shows up with another page from the site indented under it.  It has been proven that these double entries get more traffic than single entries, even if they're farther down the page.

Because I have multiple websites I sometimes have 2 to 3 sites on the first page in Google for some phrases, such as Southwest Chicago Suburbs real estate, where I show up in 7 positions on page 1 of Google.  I have double listings for 3 of my websites plus a blog post I made on REW.  It's not the most searched kw's in the world, but these will give me targeted visitors instead of buyers looking in areas I don't work in where I have to refer them out.

Telemarketer vs. REALTOR

What timing that I received an oversized postcard from Yahoo selling me what I think is what Mr. Homes telemarketer was trying to sell.  I'd much rather look over a mailing piece that looked very nice instead of volleying over the phone with a pushy telemarketer.  Of course, every objection I had was answered.

He had the pushy sales tactics we expect from a good telemarketer.  But see, I don't work that way with my clients and I don't like having to deal with it myself.  In fact, the sellers of a listing I took yesterday kept saying to each other, "Isn't Judy different than any other agent we've ever dealt with?"  They couldn't believe my soft sell approach, the empathy and professionalism I showed, the respect I showed them and I could go on and on with their testimonials.

And that's why I don't need no stinkin' portals

I hired an assistant this year and am forming a team.  And it has nothing to do with paying for lead generating companies or for any real estate portals with the exception of Realtor.com.  I do pay for Showcase Listings (and with the amount of listings I have it's a pretty penny) and I do get prospects from that.  I also use it in my listing presentation and it is popular enough that sellers ask about it. 

Realtor.com and one of my multiple websites automatically feed my listings to many other real estate portals and online marketing sources.  I show this huge list to sellers as part of my listing presentation.  I've never had anyone ask me about Homes.com nor do they care if their listing shows up on the top of that portal.

Sorry for hanging up Mr. Telemarketer...

but I did tell you I was leaving soon for an appointment.  You weren't going to let me leave until I accepted your offer or hung up.  I was going to save you from wasting too much of your time and I didn't want to be late for my appointment.  So I had to end the conversation that was not going to help either one of us.  Sorry, maybe you did better with your next prospect.

That'll teach me not to answer those 800 calls anymore!