Converting,Web,Site,Home,Buyer marketing Converting Web Site Home Buyers to First Contacts

Awhile ago, I got an email from one of the "gurus" I follow and it shocked me. The gist of it was this person wanted to trade services for a household item.To say it floored me would be an understatement.What was worse was a few days later t Automation technologies represent a fundamental aspect of any modern industry. The major types of industrial automation solutions, such as DCS, PLC, SCADA, and MES, are used on a large-scale in process and discrete industries.DCS technologie

According the National Association of Realtors(R) ("NAR")surveys completed between 1999 and 2003, 66 percent of allhome buyers stick with the first real estate agent theycontact. The number one reason stated was that buyersperceive all real estate agents to be the same. This meansthat two out of every three contacts that you receive whenyou are the first contact, you are most likely to get thebusiness.There are two major items that get in the way of this nothappening. First, if you don't show them how you aredifferent from the other realtors and if you don't have aformalized conversion system.The NAR news is good news if you are the first contact. Butwhat do you do if you aren't? What can you do is a moreaccurately way of asking? Agents know there is a widedifference between experience and competence. This doesn'treally matter though, agents main target isn't selling toother agents.The key is to create a marketing process that pushes you infront of the line of other realtors.The 2003 NAR report stated that 71 percent of buyers use theInternet to gather information on buying a home yet only 6percent use the Internet to find an agent. This means that65 percent of the people visiting realty-type web sites andjust there for information. The 2003 numbers are anincrease from 41 percent and 3 percent in 2002. Keeping atthis same growth rate, the 2004 prediction would be 91percent and 9 percent.The Internet is the fifth method to find agents. The firstfour are: referrals, repeat business, met agent at openhouse or office walk-in. The fifth with the Internet wereyard signs. The least effective at 1% were advertisingtrinkets and direct mail.What type of Internet presence do you need in order to befirst contact -- or part of the nine percent in 2004? Withthe Internet ever evolving trying to keep up creates athrow-up-the-arms frustration at times if you're not techiesavvy or paying for someone else handing the site.There are four major keys for staying present and being inthe this nine percent:1. Automatic database system2. An informative, interacting, and evolving web site3. Technology support for leveraging time4. Newsletters, printed or e-delivered.I don't need to remind you that buyers are getting savvierevery year with the Internet and with home buying. And dueto this they will test your knowledge level during yourfirst contact to see if you have what it takes to save themmoney, time and headaches. The latter, headaches, beingnumber one.Just recently I called four real estate agent companies andasked them one question out of the yellow pages and it wasamazing what I discovered and the way I was treated. Oneagent took my name and number, promised to call back, andnever returned my call until the next day with kids and dogsscreaming in the background. It took me seven more tries tofind an agent that could answer the one question correctly(the way NAR said it needs to be answered). Out of 12, 8answered incorrectly, and four of them you could tell were"winging" the answer.What are you doing to make yourself different?Communication skills need to be a big consideration. Thereare three major Internet communication items that make thedetermination of whether they are going to contact you orpass you up for another web site.1. Clear communication and instructions on the web site.This happens most of the time through linking. You askvisitors to click here but all they have is an underline onthe word. Say "click here for." The other item is thatwhat are they going to get or find if they click there? Isit perfectly clear. Where are they going to go if theyclick there? Is the link taking them to another site,another page? The why, why do they need to go there, why doyou want them to go there. What is their benefit forclicking there.2. Ease of use. Is the navigational system of the siteeasy to use for visitors. Some people are very visual andby giving them an overall view of what they can find --either in words or in a diagram eases their comfort level.The more comfortable they feel at the web site, the morecomfortable they are going to be taking the call to actionsyou have designed on the site. Create Step 1, 2, and 3s tohandhold them through a process.3. Provide details. Again, something similar to what Isaid in #1. Be clear, give details on what will happen if,where they will go next, or what they can expect to get orknow by this. Remove the scariness of unknown quantitiesand expectations. Lead visitors through your site. Givethem a handshake and don't let their hand go and walk themthrough all the processes they came to accomplish. How areyou different than other agents -- spell it out withdetails. Article Tags: Real Estate