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Four secrets to getting and keeping online customers

By
Real Estate Agent with HomeSmart Realty West CalBRE #01458572

Two of the first books I bought when I passed the state real estate exam were by Dan Richard: "Real Estate Rainmaker: Successful Strategies for Real Estate Marketing" and "Real Estate Rainmaker: Guide to Online Marketing." (Since I was a Manager at Borders Books and Music, I got a very good discount on them.) Although the books were published in in 2000 and 2003, what they have to say is still relevant, and probably has always been relevant to any industry at any time:

  • Get customers to your web site and keep them there. This means not only have a web presence, but having a useful web presence, one with relevant content, and lots of it, that keeps them at your site rather than wandering off to someone else's site.
  • Build your customer base by offering free items and services in exchange for contact information and feedback.
  • Produce measurable results to increase business. This means communicating, explaining, educating, negotiating, establishing rapport and trust, and, ultimately, closing the sale.
  • Be the hare to your competition's tortoise. Use new technology—Internet, digital photos, video tours, audio, RSS feeds, etc.—to run circles around that ol' tortoise. The tortoise might have won the race, but that was also a fairy tale.

In one of the books, Richard had an old rule and a new rule:

  • "Old Rule: The Internet changes everything.
  • New Rule: The Internet changes everything except the rules of business."

Service providers and retailers want the same thing they have always wanted—customers—and with the Internet and other new technology, now there are other ways to find them.

Customers want the same thing they have always wanted—good service providers and companies—and with the Internet and other new technology, now there are other ways to find them. One could also argue customers want it faster and easier.

Remember that what was new technology just five years ago is commonplace today. What is new technology today will probably be commonplace in five years, if not sooner. Don't let the world pass you by because of a "that's not going to last" mentality.

Comments (18)

Mara Hawks
First Realty Auburn - Auburn, AL
Inactive-2012 REALTOR - Homes for Sale Auburn Real Estate, AL

I totally agree! We've got to keep up!

Aug 29, 2008 03:58 PM
James Engel
Keller Williams Realty Beverly Hills - Beverly Hills, CA
KW Beverly Hills

No matter how fast or how far technology goes,we will still need the personal aspect of ourselves to differentiate peoples homebuying and selling experiences, to build long lasting relations and take houses to become homes

Aug 29, 2008 03:58 PM
Eric Bouler
Gardner Realtors, Licensed in La. - New Orleans, LA
Listening to your Needs

Sounds good to me, Don't you like those widgets? I found them and put them on my sites to direct people to the blog.

Aug 29, 2008 04:00 PM
Wayne B. Pruner
Oregon First - Tigard, OR
Tigard Oregon Homes for Sale, Realtor, GRI

That is good advice Jim. I am trying to keep up!

Aug 29, 2008 04:00 PM
Joan Whitebook
BHG The Masiello Group - Nashua, NH
Consumer Focused Real Estate Services

This business is sort of like riding a wave -- you have to be prepared for the ride.

Aug 29, 2008 04:09 PM
Ruthmarie Hicks
Keller Williams NY Realty - 120 Bloomingdale Road #101, White Plains NY 10605 - White Plains, NY

There are so many Realtors  in Westchester who ignore the internet....I and others like me will benefit from their short-sightedness.

Aug 29, 2008 04:11 PM
Tom Davis
Harrington ERA,DE Homes For Sale, $$ Save $$ Buy Today ! - Dover, DE
FREE Delaware Homes Search!, $$ Save $$ - Find Homes! Delaware Realtor

I monitor everything new and find ways to keep up... you must to be competitive!

Thanks,

Tom Davis

World Class Delaware Realtor

Aug 29, 2008 04:12 PM
Courtney Cooper
Cooper Jacobs - Seattle, WA
206-850-8841

I would say you got a pretty good sart with those books!

Aug 29, 2008 04:14 PM
Mike Wong
Keller Williams Realty Southwest - Sugar Land, TX
Realtor: Commercial, Residential, Leasing, Invest

Great information and methods Jim. Remember to always ask the client where the business came from so you know where to focus more of your efforts and what is generating results. Best of luck to you.

Aug 29, 2008 04:22 PM
Ruth Vogt
Fairway Independent Mortgage, LLS. Equal Housing Opportunity. Regulated by the Division of Real Estate. - Colorado Springs, CO
719-592-0855 www.ReverseLoansInColorado.com

I see commonplace people all the time. They just don't know they are commonplace. Heck, I'm one of them and I don't know it either! Technology is whirling by and I barely catch a glimpse of it - BUT at least I'm looking! Hoping that it will make sense someday and when it finally does, it will also most likely be commonplace! ha!

Aug 29, 2008 04:23 PM
Anne Marie Malf
Malfi Marketing Solutions ~ for real estate professionals - Yardley, PA
Real Estate Marketing Consultant/Virtual Asst, Bucks County,PA

While I think keeping up with technology is so important it is also important, if not more so, to keep in touch with your clients.  Licensed realtors are to clients as virtual assistants are to technology.  Realtors should be in front of their clients while their marketing assistants are leveraging the technology - bringing you the best of both.

Aug 29, 2008 04:42 PM
Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS
Fathom Realty Washington LLC - Tacoma, WA
South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!

Very well said Jim. I have found so many things I would have never done 5 years ago because the technology wasn't available or it was just an idea. I embrace good technology...

Aug 29, 2008 05:21 PM
Jim Frimmer
HomeSmart Realty West - San Diego, CA
Realtor & CDPE, Mission Valley specialist

Hey, everyone. Thanks for stopping by. I've already visited some of your blogs and will endeavor to visiting the rest in the next few days.

Aug 30, 2008 04:28 AM
Sherie Earley-Womack
Choice Real Estate - Monterey, TN

Great post! I totally agree

Sep 26, 2008 04:33 AM
Rick Riddell, Manager, REW™
Weichert, Realtors - Watson & Associates - Coppell, TX

I agree with the keeping part.  When I do get behind I try to borrow a co-worker's 9 year old for tech advice!

Sep 26, 2008 09:39 AM
Janna Scharf
Keller Williams Realty Coeur d'Alene - Coeur d'Alene, ID
Coeur d'Alene Idaho Real Estate Expert

I love your advice to be the hare to my competitor's tortoise!  I am an old dog learning new tricks, a true tortoise who is trying to figure out the hare thing....

Sep 26, 2008 07:01 PM
Scott Hoen
Carson City, NV
Carson City Clerk Recorder / Public Administrator

agree -- provide your audience fresh content to keep them coming back

Sep 26, 2008 07:09 PM
Edna Ledoux Jamieson
Lakeshore Rentals & Sales - Smith Mountain Lake, VA

Yes, I always ask folks where they found me to figure out what works and what doesn't.

Oct 27, 2008 07:31 AM