In this video I go through random Craigslist real estate ads to view how some of their lead conversion landing pages (the ones users get directed to when they click a link on their ads) hold up in terms of their effectiveness for lead conversion. If you are doing any Craigslist real estate marketing and have a website connected to your ads, then you must watch this and learn from it!
In this video I show you how to get your email leads to actually respond back to you when they contact you on a listing or anything.
Too many agents don’t capitalize on their lead conversion and the most common place this lack of conversion happens is in the way email communication occurs. Check out this video to see what you may be doing wrong and how to fix it.
One of the most common questions we receive is, “my website is great I have so many hits but none of them are filling out my form.” There are numerous reasons why they may not be converting or filling out your form. Bad IDX, too many clicks before they get what they want, asking for too much information, etc.
Make It Easy
For now, I’ll focus on the Ease-of-Use factor. If I’m somebody looking for buy real estate online is it easy to find the “Search For Homes” tab? Or is it hidden somewhere? What you want to do is highlight the feature you are offering. So if you want generate homebuyer leads be sure that your “Search Homes” icon is easily found and noticeable. In other words, if I land on your site and can’t find what I’m looking for (let’s say listings) within a couple of seconds then I’m out of there and you’ve just lost a lead.
Things You Can Do For Better Conversion
- Clutter Free Your Site. If you have bells and whistles that distract or take attention away from what you want the person to do get rid of them.
- Separate your conversion or lead capture pages. Maybe the reason why people are clicking away from your site is that you’re sending mixed messages. For example, you may be saying “view all properties here” while at the same time asking them to sign up for a home analysis. These double messages decrease conversion. Instead, have one page for a buyer, providing what they want (homes) and an added benefit for providing their information (such as listings alerts). Basically, if you want to capture a lead be precise with the message you want to convey and what you want them to do. Stealthsites are perfect examples of single conversion pages.
- Emphasize the benefit of what they receive. When you highlight what they will receive before they provide information you are more likely to gain their trust. Think about it, why would I give you any information if I don’t know what I’m doing it for? What if I don’t want what you may be offering?
Those are a few things you can do immediately that may help with your lead capture and conversion. Hec, if you’re getting loads of hits to your site and aren’t capturing leads it has to be the message your website is sending out. Try it out.
Good luck.
As I surfed the net today through various agent websites I noticed that many agents are still pulling the Gatekeeper card before I could view homes.
The Gate Keeper Real Estate Agent
What I mean by gate keeper is an agent who requires a name and phone number before the person searching is given what they are looking for. There are exceptions (such as a custom analysis) but today I am referring to home buyers and listings.
An example of a gate keeper in action would play out like this:
A person searching for real estate lands on your stealth site sees they can view homes, but before they can view the properties they must fill out information. This information then goes to an agent who will then provide access to homes. Way too long in internet time.
Remember, if it takes longer than a click or two they’re over you.
Don’t Be A Gatekeeper: Gatekeepers Lose
When you’re a gatekeeper more people will click away from your real estate website and look for one where they will get what they are looking for. Simply put, you miss opportunities for new business.
How To Capture Leads: Add a Benefit
Agents often ask, “how do you capture leads if you’re giving the homes for free?” The answer is to provide people with an added incentive or benefit so that they do provide their name and email.
For example, you let them know that they can have “new listings alerts to their email” or you can say something like “have the latest homes that match your criteria sent straight to your inbox the instant they hit the market”.
There are many ways you can do this, I’m sure you’ve thought of a few as well.
As the internet grows and more people head online, real estate agents must be careful to not get caught in the gatekeeper trap. Do not shoot yourself in the foot or put up barriers that will work against you. Give home searchers what they want and then give them an incentive.
It’s Just A Word
This will be short and sweet. I’ve run across some people (I teasingly call them bleeding hearts) who don’t like it when we use the word “lead” when referring to, well…a lead. They sometimes tell me “they are people” or “they’re not a number”. The implication being that real estate agents view people as numbers or “leads” as opposed to human beings. Give me a break. Agents know not to treat their clients as numbers; their business depends on it!
A Lead Is A Lead
The word “lead” is an industry term and concept that refers to people who may be interested in doing business sooner or later. They could easily be called a prospect, potential client, or future client. It’s just so much easier to say “lead”–It’s one syllable!
On a serious note, sometimes people are just looking for ways to make real estate agents look bad, this is one of them. It’s just a word get over it.
Am I the only one who’s come across this “lead” thing or are there any agents out there who know what I’m talking about?
Have a great day!
(told you it would be short!)
*picture source: The Accidental Salesman by Richard White
Don’t Think, Let Them Tell You
So you have a lead and think they are really motivated. What should you do? To some of you it may sound counter-intuitive but let the buyer tell you they are ready to buy.
Thinking you have a motivated buyer in your midst is exciting and nerve racking. On one hand you think, “this is mine”, on the other, “Oh, I don’t want to scare them away”. In order to convert that lead to work with you, you will have to learn to hold back and wait for their invitation.
An Invitation
I can hear it now, “but if they signed up they are motivated and they left me there phone number, so obviously they want to work with me.” No they don’t, they just want to see homes. Remember, on the internet the buyer wants to be (or at least feel) in control. Even if they left you their phone number that doesn’t mean that you are allowed to call them. You have to wait for their invitation. If they want you to contact them they will say so.
Indirectly Selling Is Key
This is where you bring the lead in. The indirect approach is the process where over a period of time and through email follow-up, you give them what the homebuyer what they want; homes and answered questions, accompanied by drip emails.
During this time you never, ever, ever, ask them to do business with you directly. Your job is to answer their questions and ask them if they would like anything else. YOU ALWAYS ASK FOR PERMISSION. You have to “kill ‘em with kindness” – indirectly building an online relationship and slowly positioning yourself to be their de facto agent.
When the time comes, sometimes a few days to a few months, assuming you have done exactly what you’re supposed to do, they will ask YOU to view a home either by email or if you have a Tizish site, via your IDX appointment feature.
Don’t be “that agent”
Nobody likes a pushy agent, especially an internet homebuyer. No matter how tempting it may be to be aggressive, always opt for the online soft sell.
Have a good one!
*Picture was take from a post by the illustrator simonnelli at http://caricaturelondon.wordpress.com/2008/01/04/cartoons-for-salesmen/
