by Donna Noyce
Let’s face it, if you don’t have an online presence, you’re simply not conducting good business practice. It makes no difference whatsoever whether you use the Internet a lot or not. There are millions of people every day who do, and if they can’t find YOU, they’ll find your competitor.
Today it’s not enough to hide behind (or within) your company’s website. You are an independent business person and therefore you should have an independent website and do independent marketing. After setting up your own site, all your marketing efforts and results will follow you wherever you go. So if for some reason you change companies, you simply update your website and your customers and prospects will still find you just the same.
I use the term “online presence” very loosely. You can build a profile on a networking site (like ActiveRain) and have a presence. And you can put up a totally free profile at places like Zillow and Trulia, but you still want to have a website to link to that will drive prospects to your own site when they find you there. Then you need to deliver fresh content, tools and resources for your potential clients. This will help you earn their trust, build a rapport and ultimately get more business.
Did you know that the majority of people today begin their real estate search online? As a matter of fact, according to the NAR, buyers start shopping for homes online 18 to 24 months before making a decision to purchase. You'll serve yourself well to let them find you online, capture their information and stay in touch!
A good website can be a very costly expense or a very affordable and worthy investment. Try not to get too caught up in “you get what you pay for.” As a real estate marketing consultant and trainer, I have seen many website companies come and go. I personally have searched long and hard for the right ones that I can recommend as valuable resources for my customers.
I help real estate agents, brokerages or appraisers, as well as mortgage originators and other industry professional to get set up with their own personal website, complete with all the bells and whistles they can possibly need. There are several options to choose from, starting with an agent site that is completely free.
Like I always say, it’s imperative to your success to differentiate from the masses, and it’s equally important to brand yourself. Remember, what you’re really selling is YOU, real estate just happens to be your product. So focus on selling you and the product will practically sell itself.
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