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Point2NLS Change is Coming! It Seems The Free Ride Is Over!

By Martin Dorgan

Real Estate Agent with Prudential Indiana Realty

February 21, 2008 08:59 AM

Change is Coming! It Seems The Free Ride Is Over! It saddened me to read this today. For months now I have been working on a strategic plan to fully implement and use Point2NLS to totally dominate my marketplace. In fact today, just before receiving this email alert I just finished purchasing 75 more domain names. You can guess where they were to be used, maybe not how they were to be used.

I started my real estate career researching, researching the best product for the money. And as far as I was concerned you couldn't have found a better product/web site provider. It would be really hard to equate Point2 with any other provider for the money, after all FREE is the best you can get. Sure I started with the free site, then progressed to the Professional level, a great move on my part. Have I benefitted from the upgrade? You Bet Ya! I average 3 - 5 Hot Prospects per week, not bad by my standards.

But what is unfortunate, is that those new agents that follow, will No Longer have the advantage I have gained, a great site, and decent benefits from being a Point2 member. Maybe the recent management shakeup at Point2 had something to do with this? I wish they would rethink their strategy!

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Point2NLS announces"What is Changing"

Point2 sent out an email today to its members, in which it qualifies/justifies its corporate decision, to make it a more viable business operation.

"What is Changing."

In order to help maintain the quality of Point2 NLS listing data and Handshake relationships, and to help ensure that the reliability and speed of the Point2 NLS system are constantly improved, the Standard Point2 NLS membership is now $9.95 per month, with the first six months free.

"What it Means for You" (Current Members)

The Good news: As a member who joined prior to February 20th, 2008, you have been granted an exemption. If you wish to remain at the Standard level, your membership will continue to cost you nothing , for as long as you wish to continue using it.
Thank you for your continued support of Point2 and here's wishing you a blockbuster 2008.
Sincerely,
Point2 NLS

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I guess I will have to rethink my own marketing strategy! Just to conform with their new strategy!

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Judy Greenberg

Compass - Long Grove, IL

Compass- Long Grove -Buffalo Grove

I'm not following... if you had the professional level and pay for it currently, why does it affect you.

Feb 21, 2008 09:06 AM

Martin Dorgan

Prudential Indiana Realty - Columbus, IN

Judy, quite simple and quite elementary, I have a free site as well as a Professional site with Point2. But the key point here is that Point2NLS offered to let people have Multiple free sites! And Now "POOF!" No Longer available new members.

Feb 21, 2008 09:24 AM

Obeoman Glade Jones

www.obeo.com - Salt Lake City, UT

Martin

Well, the value of that property just went up. If you are looking for buyers-and statisitical reporting that leads the industry-check us out.

..I think you will be surprised!

Steve

Feb 22, 2008 12:57 AM

Hank Roeters

Platinum Partners Realtors - Darien, IL

Kind of reminds me of the old saying about there being no free lunch.

Feb 22, 2008 01:12 AM

Martin Dorgan

Prudential Indiana Realty - Columbus, IN

How true Hank! It was nice while it lasted. I feel sorry for the new agents though, some just can't afford to be putting out money while just getting started. Fortunately they are offering 6 months free and only $9.95 per month.

Feb 22, 2008 02:19 AM

Martin Dorgan

Prudential Indiana Realty - Columbus, IN

Obeoman Steven Stearns, I checked out the site, very good! I can see how it would be beneficial to listing agents. Makes for a great stand out presentation.

Feb 22, 2008 02:21 AM

Renae Bolton

Marketing 4 Realtors - Garfield Heights, OH

I'm your Professional Real Estate Marketing VA!

Thanks for posting this. I'll make sure all of our clients know what's coming down the pipe with Point2!

~Renae

Feb 22, 2008 02:36 AM

Martin Dorgan

Prudential Indiana Realty - Columbus, IN

You are welcome Renae. Thanks for stopping by, and commenting.

Feb 22, 2008 06:51 AM

Lanre-"THE REAL ESTATE FARMER" Folayan

Samson Properties - Bowie, MD

I don't make promises.I deliver results.SOLD HOMES

This sucks big time. I never got to take advantage of Point2Agent being free. I mean I have a website through them. But like you,I should've registered for more sites. But I was thinking. Thanks for the info. I like FREE too. Why pay for something you can get for free. Great post.

Feb 22, 2008 08:58 AM

Angela St. John

Classic Properties - Gainesville, FL

REALTOR Classic , Properties ~ Gainesville, FL Re

Martin, in your post you said "Have I benefitted from the upgrade? You Bet Ya! I average 3 - 5 Hot Prospects per week, not bad by my standards.".

I have been toying with the idea of upgrading but wasn't sure what it was really going to do for me. I don't care about the drip marketing or any flashy stuff since I already have 3 drip sources. What i DO care about is getting prospect leads, to which you're doing very very well with. When you buy the upgrade, is there some type of search engine optimization done to boost you towards the front of google? I think what I'm really wondering is: WHERE are these prospects coming from?

I currently have the free site and I absolutely love it. My main traffic to it is coming from people seeing the link in my e-mail signature, my print advertising, and my other websites. I have never received a "lead" from my site, however, and I'd love to change that.

Also 75 domains?!?! I bought 2 additional domains that point to my free site, but I don't think they've done a thing for me...unless it takes a while. When you search in google (assuming your domains are keyword rich), do you actually see your domains come up somewhere higher in the search?

Thanks for reading my question. Any feedback you have would be greatly appreciated!

~Angela

Feb 22, 2008 11:02 AM

Mike Bowler Sr.

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood - Lansing, MI

CRB, GRI, ePRO, RECS, SRES

Martin, if you check the free sites that are your so called hand shakes, you'll discover that about 75% of them don't even have a listing loaded up on the site and didn't do anything to improve the site after signing up. FREE causes everyone to signup. Look at active rain and you'll see a similar pattern. I love the Professional version, use just one domain name, and market the site to all the search engines. Maybe with the changes taking place at Point2 they will enhance the Premium version to make it more attractive.

"Expect the Best" Mike

Feb 22, 2008 10:52 PM

Martin Dorgan

Prudential Indiana Realty - Columbus, IN

Well Lanre, I guess we will both have to be satisfied with having at least one free site. Had I known their policy was going to change I would have registered at least 5 more, maybe more? So take advantage of what you have. Thanks for stopping in and commenting.

Feb 22, 2008 11:58 PM

Martin Dorgan

Prudential Indiana Realty - Columbus, IN

Angela, The one thing I've noticed is that most of my leads are coming from the local area.

It appears that if you utilize the system and load listings, you get more traffic, more contact, and consequently more prospects. Along the same lines as Mike Bowler states, if you don't use it, you won't get anything. But, If you do utilize the website traffic will come. Provided you personalize it toward your own community, market, etc. Suggestion? I currently have, I think 10 other domains pointing at my 2 Main domains, but I don't think they are benefitting from the pointed domains. Try turning the pointed domains into real websites with different content, then you may gain exposure and better utilize the domains.

As for the 75 domains, kind of like closing up the market share by eliminating competition from having alternative sources to compete. Rarely do I see one of my 10 pointed domains show up on google because my main domains take most of the action.

Feb 23, 2008 12:13 AM

Martin Dorgan

Prudential Indiana Realty - Columbus, IN

Mike You make some great points! Which I made reference to while replying to Lanre. The saying from the "Field of Dreams"??? "If you build it they will come" Doesn't work unless you personalize and utilize the site, generic doesn't cut the mustard. Yes, I have noticed about the same percentage of usage in either format, whether its Point2 or Active Rain, so needless to say complacency or procrastination, won't get you anywhere.

My free site just sent me another prospect yesterday(that makes 2, now) and there is not a listing on it. So it must be the personalized content, driving people to contact me.

Mike I've often considered the Premium platform, over the Professional, really ownly because I could offset the cost through advertising. But I would only go for that option if I could guarantee which advertisers were used. Among some other considerations. Thanks for droping by and commenting.

Feb 23, 2008 12:25 AM

Angela St. John

Classic Properties - Gainesville, FL

REALTOR Classic , Properties ~ Gainesville, FL Re

Martin,

Thank you for your response. Oh boy...I've definitely personalized it and geared it for my working area! I guess it just takes some time to have leads actually come from it.

I think what I really want to know is HOW I might actually benefit from a point2 upgrade. I don't care about bells and whistles; I just want to get higher in the google search, more traffic to my site, and actually get LEADS from it like you are. Do you think the upgrade acheives those things, or am I better off sticking with my free site and saving the money, in your opinion?

Feb 23, 2008 07:16 AM

Martin Dorgan

Prudential Indiana Realty - Columbus, IN

Angela, As for benefits from standard to Professinal level, I really can't answer that question, because I don't know if its the bells and whistles or added content? There are a number of Point2 groups on Active Rain, (http://activerain.com/groups/WEBDIRSTIBUTOR or http://activerain.com/groups/Point2 and http://activerain.com/groups/point2 maybe it would be better posed to the groups or check out Point2NLS forums via your Office connection on your website?

Feb 23, 2008 07:51 AM

Mike Bowler Sr.

Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood - Lansing, MI

CRB, GRI, ePRO, RECS, SRES

I like this discussion and would like to continue it in some fashion. I think the Professional version is worth the extra money for the Blog alone, it gets you up on the search engines. My site has skyrocketed since I started blogging and pinging my blogs and site. I visit http://seobook.com often and bought his ebook for $79.00 a while back. It was worth the price within a few weeks. Mike

Feb 23, 2008 12:31 PM

Angela St. John

Classic Properties - Gainesville, FL

REALTOR Classic , Properties ~ Gainesville, FL Re

Thanks, Martin. I'll check those groups out and sift through some old threads and see if I can learn a little more about what you get with the update. If I don't see what I'm looking for, then I'll make a new thread. :)

Feb 24, 2008 04:13 AM

Scott Guay

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services PenFed Realty - Ocean Pines, MD

Associate Broker. Ocean City and Ocean Pines MD

There are so many point2 sites where the "owner" has done nothing to enhance their site I feel it makes sense to charge a minimal fee to keep things real.

Feb 24, 2008 10:13 AM

Martin Dorgan

Prudential Indiana Realty - Columbus, IN

Scott, you are quite correct, there are many that don't do their Do Diligence with respect to personalizing their sites. That is typical for all walks of life but reflects why 20% get 80% of the business. Thanks for your coment.

Feb 24, 2008 11:27 AM