google: Half of Agents Don't Respond to Online Leads
- 08/28/07 08:57 AM
Great video from Trulia interviewing the lead generation division of Weichert Realtors. Michael gives the following stats (don’t know where he got them from but I like it!) Of the customers that submit their information online: 21% Expect Instantaneous response44% expect a response within 40 minutes100% expect a response withing 1 day The typical agent only responds 48% of the time - and the average response is 2 1/2 days. For those fast responders - guaranteed job security. Click Here to View the Video>> … (27 comments)
google: Is your INBOX making your sales efforts INEFFICIENT?
- 08/28/07 01:53 AM
Increased response time—the best way to keep conversions from competitors. Every Agent should recognize how critical customer response times are. They’re absolutely key to converting leads before your competition can. This is especially true in today’s ultra-competitive “email-it-now” business environment—where prospects and customers expect almost instant responses. That’s why one of any Realtor’s worst enemies is a cluttered and unorganized email inbox. I know (from experience) that it’s not the easiest thing in the world to stay organized—and ready to pounce on hot leads—if you can’t even tell which message is your top priority. And with all your daily tasks, reminders … (7 comments)
google: Papers losing real estate ads to online
- 08/17/07 08:11 AM
These articles keep popping up. Check out this one by Seth Sutel from the associated Press. Read Full Article>> Here are some snippets: What’s worse is that a lot of that advertising may never come back to newspapers even if the real estate sector recovers. That’s because a significant chunk of those advertising dollars are moving — you guessed, online. “Is newspaper a high priority? No,” Antal said. “I don’t believe my buyers and sellers are going to be in that market.” … (9 comments)
google: Would you like an appointment with that?
- 07/24/07 07:02 AM
“O.K., I admit it—I worked at McDonald’s once…” Like an estimated one in eight U.S. workers, one of my first jobs was at the local McDonald’s. It wasn’t that bad; I even spent quality time sporting the Hamburglar costume for the kids (which paid an extra 20 bucks, by the way). Plus, I got to spend most of my day in the drive-through window, which I enjoyed because A) I didn’t need to touch the food, and 2) I got to interact with customers all day. All in all, a pretty sweet gig for a 15 yr old. Now, when most … (6 comments)
google: Less Paper - More Web
- 07/20/07 08:42 AM
Bloomberg.com reports New York Times Hit as Housing Moves to Web Smith, president of Realogy Corp., the largest residential real estate broker in the U.S., said the portion of his Coldwell Banker and Century 21 branding budget devoted to newspapers will shrink by as much as two-thirds next year from 2006 as spending moves online. Newspapers will receive 70 percent of Realogy’s home-sale advertising by 2010, down from 84 percent this year. “It’s going to be bloody,” Smith said in an interview. “The newspaper industry is going to have to adjust.” There seems to be a general shift in all real … (10 comments)
google: Our Days are Numbered
- 07/17/07 02:28 AM
Visit http://www.builtaroundyou.com/ by Wilshire Homes and you’ll see why I’m looking over my shoulder. OK, maybe I’m not that worried about my job but this is a cool feature! They created a microsite to encourage interaction with a “Virtual” Online Sales Counselor named Sheila. Wilshire reports that online leads have increased by %13.54. Not too shabby, and if anything - it is an innovative feature for a homebuilder. I took a test drive acting as a customer - the end result produces a housing report (view my report) that you can email to a friend, email to a wilshire associate, or … (5 comments)
google: Housing Slump - Yes or No? Make up your mind.
- 07/11/07 05:40 AM
I thought this to be a little ironic. I am burning through my feeds from all of the latest real estate news and at the end I see 2 articles. Just a tiny bit contradictory. No matter what the market does - the recent leveling off has required agents to tighten up their processes. One of the areas with the biggest room for improvement seems to be the online sales and marketing. How does your program fair in these competitive times?
… (2 comments)
google: Have you shopped for a home lately?
- 06/27/07 07:46 AM
You might think about jumping online and searching for a new home in your area. One of the benefits of marketing online is the rate at which you can change directions and strategy, but it is a double edged sword. If you fail to keep up with the market you can easily be left behind in a cloud of technology dust. This also gives you the opportunity to make sure your online efforts are running smoothly. Here are a few quick tips that every manager/OSC should be doing on a regular basis. Search Google for a New Home Do a … (3 comments)
google: Online Marketing - Quick Start Guide
- 06/19/07 06:10 AM
I am often asked “How and where should I spend my online marketing dollars?” With so many options - I wanted to give a “quick start” guide for builders. After you decide on a budget (I would recommend at least 25% of your total marketing budget) you need get to work on the areas that will drive traffic to your site. If outside expertise is needed, higher a reputable SEO firm to handle the details for you. A recent survey of homebuilders and new home buyers shows a gap between consumer and builder marketing behaviors. Of the builders surveyed, the total … (9 comments)
google: Do you have to be under 30 to use technology?
- 06/13/07 01:10 AM
The National Association of Realtors recently announced the "30 under 30" awards and one of the main criteria was the use of technology in their business. You can read the whole article here: REALTORS® Under 30 Remake Real Estate Services The vibe of the article is that the younger Realtors seem to be embracing technology faster and better then their mature counter parts. “These Realtors, with their fresh perspectives and enthusiasm for their chosen profession, are creating and adopting innovations that are revolutionizing the practice of real estate,” Well - I'm under 30...but I still take some offense to the tone. I know a … (15 comments)
google: Estimated home sales from the Internet
- 06/11/07 06:11 AM
Most builders and Realtors have the same questions about the success rate of an Online Sales Program. How many leads do you get each month? How many of those are converted to an appointment? How many appointments end up on contract? What are your statistics etc… I would like to share what numbers I have seen personally and also what many other successful programs experience. Keep in mind, every market, builder or Realtor is different. Use these statistics as benchmarks but your numbers may vary slightly. 1-3% Leads captured from online sources You will have many sources to drive traffic. What … (3 comments)
google: How to list your homes online for free
- 06/10/07 03:40 AM
Looking for ways to drive traffic to your listings? Try posting in one (if not all) of the free listing services available online. The leader of the pack is Craigslist. It may not be pretty but it has a large amount of traffic. I have seen great results through our posts on Craigslist and high conversion rates. It even rivals some of our pay-per-click campaigns. And the best part is - it’s FREE. All it takes is a small investment of time and some creative titles to capture the browsers attention. This is a great place to post those new listings … (27 comments)
google: Home shoppers do their hunting online - who needs a Realtor?
- 06/08/07 02:49 AM
A recent USA Today article “Home shoppers do their hunting online” details the journey one couple had purchasing their home online. It is an interesting article on many levels. One of the first observations made in the article: "Technology is shifting knowledge and power to buyers and sellers." This is a sentiment that has been gaining steam over the past couple of years. We are just now seeing what is truly possible online and the real estate markets are taking notice. As more shoppers have easier access to the Internet, it is transforming the way they shop for their home. Besides … (13 comments)
google: Increase Online Sales by using the Phone
- 06/08/07 12:55 AM
With an effective Online Sales Program in place – you will see a good amount of phone-in leads from your exposure on the web. Just because they found you online doesn’t mean they will always communicate via email. There will be an occasion when you exchange a few emails back and forth and they set an appointment, but keep in mind that you are trying to invoke a response from those internet leads. Almost all online sales begin online, develop over the phone, and are finalized at the model home. Do not underestimate the power and value of a personal conversation … (9 comments)
google: Why your builder should love the internet
- 06/07/07 04:10 AM
Hopefully, you do not need convincing as to why you need to implement or improve your online sales program. However, it is always good to look at the facts and forecast the future to adapt your program for things to come. Let’s take a look at a few of these facts directly related to the homebuilding industry: Over 80% of homebuyers start their home search online That is a large percentage of your exact market. Shoppers are also frequenting the website more often to research a potential purchase and to look for additional information over their entire sales cycle. Over 27% … (10 comments)
Great video from Trulia interviewing the lead generation division of Weichert Realtors. Michael gives the following stats (don’t know where he got them from but I like it!);)
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