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And You Should Always Ask, How Did You Find Me?

By
Real Estate Agent with Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 REB.0759001

We market for business and there should always be a thought as to how effective that marketing is doing.  Getting calls from prospective clients is what we strive for.  We do our blast emails with newsletter, market our properties and do be effective we should always ask that question.

Marketing for buisness

Referrals from our sphere should be easy as that is how a prospect may start a conversation:  I got your phone number from so and so.

Then there is the email that we get from the brand marketing letting us know there is a potential client to be had.

Calls from signs are easy as they will start with I saw your sign on a house, can you tell me about it?

We can only hope that the time we spend on blogging will bring results and those will always need to be asked.  They will probably say they read an article online, but from the tone, we are pretty sure they are referring to a specific blog.

To know are marketing is being seen and effective, that should always be among the questions we ask.  I usually leave it for the latter part of the chat so as to not deter from the intent of the call.

With the knowledge of what is working and what's not working, better focus can be spent and make better use of the resources and time available to us.

Of course, the answers may not always be traceable to something specific, as was the case for me recently.  In asking a seller how they found me, which was as the meeting was ending, they acknowledged that it was online for agents in Southington CT. They grabbed one of my Localism posts.  It was not, however the topic that got attention so much as my last name.

The husband had once worked with a person who's last name was identical to mine. He recalled how that man would always work hard, be friendly and go to great lengths to help one of his co-workers.  The seller just figured that if that man worked hard, maybe another person with the same name would be the same.  Only time will tell if that's the case.

 

And You Should Always Ask, How Did You Find Me?

 

 

 

Posted by

 

Edward (Ed) Silva
Broker Associate

Serving Central Connecticut Sellers and Buyers

My Blog
Email Me
EdSilvaCTrealestate.com


C:  203-206-0754
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O:  203-758-6440

 

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Comments (55)

David Alan Baker | Laveen & South Phoenix Realtor
Keller Williams Realty Phoenix - Laveen, AZ
Your local Expert

How did I find me?  This is a really good thing to know,what works.

Feb 02, 2016 08:20 AM
Ann Wilkins
Golden Gate Sotheby's International Realty - Oakland, CA
Oakland, Berkeley, Piedmont CA

I always ask now.  Worked with a fantastic out of area buyer who ended up buying a million dollar home. When I asked her why she called me, she explained how she found me on the internet and the other agents who I was competing with.  They called me first and I answered the phone but they had a list of agents.  

 

Feb 02, 2016 09:22 AM
Wanda Kubat-Nerdin - Wanda Can!
Red Rock Real Estate (435) 632-9374 - St. George, UT
St. George Utah Area Residential Sales Agent

Asking helps to focus on the where and why of spending money strategically. Great post Ed and congrats on the feature!

Feb 02, 2016 09:28 AM
Tammy Lankford,
Lane Realty Eatonton, GA Lake Sinclair, Milledgeville, 706-485-9668 - Eatonton, GA
Broker GA Lake Sinclair/Eatonton/Milledgeville

I ask.  It's sometimes frustrating when the only answer is "the Internet" and they don't remember what site, where etc.

Feb 02, 2016 12:40 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

I don't always remember to ask, but when I do the most common answer is "Somewhere on line." Once in a while the person will remember the search term they used, but not often.

I just started a project for an agent in Berlin - and can't seem to remember to ask him that question. I need to write myself a big note.  

Feb 02, 2016 02:18 PM
Dorie Dillard Austin TX
Coldwell Banker Realty ~ 512.750.6899 - Austin, TX
NW Austin ~ Canyon Creek and Spicewood/Balcones

Good morning Ed Silva ,

Congratulations on the well deserved featured post. I always make a point of asking where someone found me. Since most of my business is from referrals, past clients or the my market area the answers are varied but many do read my blog and comment on it. I like to ask at open houses how they learned we were open..always interesting answers..many from their apps..Realtor.com, Zillow, Redfin..the list is endless!

Feb 02, 2016 07:35 PM
John McCormack, CRS
Albuquerque Homes Realty - Albuquerque, NM
Honesty, Integrity, Results, Experienced. HIRE Me!

 I always ask how my clients find me.  Online is the usual answer but they don't recall where online.  Then after some conversation I can usually figure it out.

Feb 02, 2016 07:56 PM
Doug Rogers
RE/MAX Real Estate Professionals - Alexandria, LA
Your Real Estate Resource!

I received an ActiveRain referral earlier this week. The agent said I stood out because use to teach at the college her son is attending. Take it anyway you can get it, but always ask!

Feb 02, 2016 09:56 PM
Rain Silverhawk
Sandpoint Realty rain@lakeandhomes.com - Sandpoint, ID
208-610-0011 Sandpoint Idaho Real Estate Realtor

I always try to find out how they found me.  Sometimes they are not quite sure but often the answers suprise me.  For instance one time I did a general local information piece with a list of mines in the area.  I wasn't selling a mine, had nothing to do with real estate but I wound up with tons of people from that one post.  You never know until you ask.

Feb 02, 2016 09:57 PM
Lyn Sims
Schaumburg, IL
Real Estate Broker Retired

It's the best way to find out where your business comes from & where to possibly put in more or less effort.

Feb 02, 2016 10:55 PM
Gene Riemenschneider
Home Point Real Estate - Brentwood, CA
Turning Houses into Homes

Most of my clients find me on line.  Sadly few of them know exactly where they found me.  Sometimes I can figure it out, but often they do not remember exactly. 

Feb 03, 2016 12:29 AM
Peg Barcelo
Fluff My House! Home Staging Inc. 250.486.6369 - Summerland, BC
The FlufftasticStager from Summerland, BC

I need to get better at this... but I always seem to remember after I have hung up the phone...

Feb 03, 2016 02:10 AM
Pat Starnes-Front Gate Realty
Front Gate Real Estate - Brandon, MS
601-991-2900 Office; 601-278-4513 Cell

It's interesting that the prospects called you because of a familiar last name, and I'm sure you will work every bit as hard as the other Silva the husband used to know.

Feb 03, 2016 10:17 AM
Claude Labbe
RLAH / @properties - Washington, DC
Realty for Your Busy Life

The answer tells me 2 things:

a) it tells me which of my marketing approaches worked in this case

b) it tells me how this client approached finding a realtor

 

So, do you do much marketing to the Silva's of the world? Some agent here, who had a fairly common last name (which I can't recall) made a point of marketing to everyone with the same surname.  Likely won't do much for Silva; there are maybe 2-3 Labbe's in the entire metro DC area, and one of the others is also an agent, though we have no blood connections that we've been able to determine.

Feb 03, 2016 12:44 PM
Paul S. Henderson, REALTOR®, CRS
Fathom Realty Washington LLC - Tacoma, WA
South Puget Sound Washington Agent/Broker!

Again I never fail to track my business and what is more effective in my marketing. This just makes sense Ed Silva!

Feb 05, 2016 01:04 AM
Lottie Kendall
Compass - San Francisco, CA
Helping make your real estate dreams a reality

Most of my business is referral based, so I know at the outset how they found me. For the rest, I always ask, sometimes hear "on line" but they often don't remember more specifically than that.

Feb 05, 2016 01:50 AM
Deleted Account
Fort Myers, FL

I always ask where a client found me, as that is the only way I know where the leads are coming from.

Feb 05, 2016 08:20 AM
Jerry Lucas
ABC Legal Docs LLC - Colorado Springs, CO
Notary Training, Consulting. Colorado Springs, CO

I always ask to learn what marketing channels are working best.  A follow-up question is, did you call anyone else before me?  Often they will say yes, but they did not answer the phone, or they were not available, or could not help me.

Feb 06, 2016 04:07 AM
Eren Millam
Realty World Cosser & Associates, Inc. - Chehalis, WA
Certified Negotiation Expert

I've asked this question a few times and the buyer couldn't remember how they found me. You ever run into that?

Mar 04, 2016 07:26 AM
Lynn B. Friedman CRS Atlanta, GA 404-939-2727
Atlanta Homes ODAT Realty - Love our Great City - Love our Clients! Buckhead - Midtown - Westside - Atlanta, GA
Concierge Service for Our Atlanta Sellers & Buyers

Ed Silva 
Excellent advice - just did it with caller from Zillow and he said - "I just clicked info". One check in column 3 from that response.
All the best -
Lynn

Mar 10, 2016 05:27 AM