Real estate agents now have a new tool in their prospecting arsenal - a wonderful thing called a "home valuation site". A home valuation site is an internet landing page where a consumer can enter their home address under the premise that they will receive an "instant" home value.
Many agents run Facebook ads offering the instant valuation. Several vendors offer this tool, my favorite being Listings to Leads. I like L2L because they offer several different versions of the landing page and allow you to make as many custom versions as you like, all within a low monthly fee which includes their entire extremely robust marketing suite.
Here is an example:
Once a consumer enters their home address, the system "captures" that address and emails it to the agent. This is called a "partial lead." Typically, there is a second step, in which the consumer has to enter their name and email in order to actually access the home valuation. In many cases, the consumer opts out at this point, not wishing to enter personal information. If they move forward and enter their name and email , this is sent to the agent as a "full lead." We love full leads because if the consumer is willing to share personal information, they may also be serious enough to visit with an agent to get a more accurate value. A great way to meet potential sellers.
But what to do with partial leads? The ones that don't give us their information, we only have their home address. This question comes up daily in Facebook real estate marketing groups. Should you mail a letter? Find their phone number and call? Or maybe just go to the house and knock on the door?!!
Yikes! In my opinion - you should move on and focus on the full leads.
Imagine this scenario. You go to a mall on a Saturday. You are walking around and the display in a store window looks interesting enough to you that you walk in to check it out a little further. A sales person jumps out and says "Can I help you?" You realize that they are selling only curling irons, and since you are bald, you have no reason to buy a curling iron so you reply "no, just looking" and leave the store. You get down the hall toward the food court, and another sales person jumps out and says "hey! you were just in my curling iron store - what information can I give you about curling irons?" You say, No, I'm really not all that interested in curling irons, I'm bald, I really don't need one, but thank you." and keep walking.
You get to your car and start to drive home. Your phone rings. "Hey, this is Fred from the curling iron store. "You were in my store, so you must be in the market for a curling iron, when were you planning on buying a curling iron?" Now you are annoyed. "How did you get my number?" "We have our ways". says Fred. "I was just looking, I do NOT want a curling iron!" You hang up.
You get home and the curling iron guy is sitting on your front step. "How in the world!?" you yell. The curling iron sales man says: "I just thought I would stop by and see if I could show you the benefits of buying a curling iron from me." You call the police.
This is tongue in cheek of course, but this is how a partial lead feels when you call and visit them. They enter their address not knowing it's captured. They don't want to give personal information so they don't share it with you. Plus, you have some really good Full Leads that you should be following up with because they DID give you their information and won't be surprised when you contact them.
If you feel that you need to follow up with the partial leads, have a post card made offering a home valuation and mail it to them. Address it to "Homeowner". Put your landing page URL on it. If they are interested they will contact you. Then focus your efforts on the good Full Leads that you should be following up with because they DID give you their information and won't be surprised when you contact them.
How can you make sure you get more Full Leads?
Writing good ad copy will help. I prefer the 2 step version of the landing page (PV Plus), because at least the consumer can see the "Carrot" of the home valuation - although they don't receive the value until they provide their contact information.
Here are a couple of ads that have worked well in getting Full Leads:
The Lake Front Home Value is specific and targeted, and the copy is clear that we are looking for listings.
This ad shows that prices are going up, and again, is clear that we are looking for people that are thinking about selling.
If you really don't want any partial leads, Listings to Leads has versions of the landing page that have the name, email and phone fields on the first page, so consumers know going in that they are expected to provide information. You will see less leads, but great quality leads.
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