I happened to have reason to want one of the images on it, and I pulled up the very first webpage that I ever built today...Boy have I learned a lot about website design, SEO, etc since I first built that page!
I'm almost too embarrassed about it to show you, but since I see my clients' sites day in and day out, I suppose it's only fair...So here it is: My very first website and please keep in mind when you look at it, that I was probably only 19 or so when I built it, and I added the last picture to it before I came to work for Z57.
So don't laugh too much...
I'm exposing my past website blunder because it is a perfect example of what NOT do when designing a web page. If you don't know what I mean, check out The Top Ten Worst Website Mistakes that I posted on my site a while back, for a refresher in the basics of good design.
Incidentally, I pretty much just keep that old site around as a reminder of what I have done, and where I've gone from there.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Blogging and SEO
This is just a quick post because it's about 4:00 am and I'm still awake reading about Search Engines and SEO.
I used a tool from yahoo to check how many links I currently had to my website KimMorlan.com and I was surprised at how many of them had come from my blog. Why am I telling you this? Because I really haven't been actively linking to pages on my website, yet my blog of course is a great source for links to my site.
You should also read this article that explains the differences between the various Search Engines. It's really good. Here's another page he's written, with a section (you have to scroll down) called General Theory on SEO and the Web.
Ok well it's now approaching dawn...I think it's time for bed...
I used a tool from yahoo to check how many links I currently had to my website KimMorlan.com and I was surprised at how many of them had come from my blog. Why am I telling you this? Because I really haven't been actively linking to pages on my website, yet my blog of course is a great source for links to my site.
You should also read this article that explains the differences between the various Search Engines. It's really good. Here's another page he's written, with a section (you have to scroll down) called General Theory on SEO and the Web.
Ok well it's now approaching dawn...I think it's time for bed...
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
How to List a Home So It Sells Fast in a Down Market
Here are some tips to sell those listings faster...
U.S. median home prices have been falling and the inventory of existing unsold residences rising. About 4.6 million homes are currently on the market. That's nearly a third more than a year ago and it would take 9.6 months at the current sales pace to sell them all, according to the National Association of Realtors.
Make sure listings are priced appropriately.
- Keep your seller's expectations realistic regarding price and what upgrades are needed to make the home marketable in the slow sales environment.
- Don't use dated comparables. A home that sold a month ago was probably put on the market 5-6 months ago, before the downturn, and doesn't accurately reflect what the home should be priced at today
- Sellers need to expect to pay for expertise, experience and aggressive marketing (making now a bad time for agent commission discounts). If anything, now is the time to pay an extra commission, especially to buyers' agents. In this market, it is often taking two good agents to make a deal go through.
- Buyers may be having a tougher time getting a good mortgage, due to the recent tightening of credit, so sellers should be willing to consider financing a part of the deal themselves, if possible.
- Remember PEA: Price, Maximum exposure through advertising, and Accessibility. If the listing isn't hitting all three of these points, the chances of it selling go way down.
- Make the property shine for showing: make sure repairs have been made, and if necessary, have the property pre-inspected prior to escrow to make sure that the seller has the chance to identify and fix any problems that might prevent a sale.
Don't forget traditional sale practices:
- Make sure the MLS and any web exposure involves detailed descriptions, and great photos.
- As a Realtor, make sure that the property is seen by as many eyeballs as possible. This means listing it not only in the MLS and on your website, but on classified ad sites such as Craigslist, Trulia, Google Base, etc.
- A great flyer is a must. Make sure the flyer box is always stocked.
- Make sure people are seeing the property. Invite neighbors (who might have friends interested in moving to the area, have a broker's open house, and several buyer open houses.
- Make sure your sellers are able to have the home accessible and in a condition for showing seven days a week (between 9 am and 7 pm daily).
U.S. median home prices have been falling and the inventory of existing unsold residences rising. About 4.6 million homes are currently on the market. That's nearly a third more than a year ago and it would take 9.6 months at the current sales pace to sell them all, according to the National Association of Realtors.
Make sure listings are priced appropriately.
- Keep your seller's expectations realistic regarding price and what upgrades are needed to make the home marketable in the slow sales environment.
- Don't use dated comparables. A home that sold a month ago was probably put on the market 5-6 months ago, before the downturn, and doesn't accurately reflect what the home should be priced at today
- Sellers need to expect to pay for expertise, experience and aggressive marketing (making now a bad time for agent commission discounts). If anything, now is the time to pay an extra commission, especially to buyers' agents. In this market, it is often taking two good agents to make a deal go through.
- Buyers may be having a tougher time getting a good mortgage, due to the recent tightening of credit, so sellers should be willing to consider financing a part of the deal themselves, if possible.
- Remember PEA: Price, Maximum exposure through advertising, and Accessibility. If the listing isn't hitting all three of these points, the chances of it selling go way down.
- Make the property shine for showing: make sure repairs have been made, and if necessary, have the property pre-inspected prior to escrow to make sure that the seller has the chance to identify and fix any problems that might prevent a sale.
Don't forget traditional sale practices:
- Make sure the MLS and any web exposure involves detailed descriptions, and great photos.
- As a Realtor, make sure that the property is seen by as many eyeballs as possible. This means listing it not only in the MLS and on your website, but on classified ad sites such as Craigslist, Trulia, Google Base, etc.
- A great flyer is a must. Make sure the flyer box is always stocked.
- Make sure people are seeing the property. Invite neighbors (who might have friends interested in moving to the area, have a broker's open house, and several buyer open houses.
- Make sure your sellers are able to have the home accessible and in a condition for showing seven days a week (between 9 am and 7 pm daily).
Thursday, September 06, 2007
Increasing your website ranking - Content & Links are Key
My clients ask me all the time how to increase their ranking in the search engines. While you can indeed take steps to improve your placement, it really takes patience and the willingness to devote the time, in order for you to see results. Ulitmately, you will probably want to hire an SEO company to do the work for you (if your goal is to be on the first page of the major SE's), since maintaining a website's SEO can be a full-time job in itself, but if you would like to give it a try on your own, read on...
There are two keys to getting good rankings:
1. Content
2. Linking
What kind of content is good Web site content?
- Sticky content-meaning unique, relevant content that makes your prospects stay at your site.
- Content with lots of images and/or multimedia.
- Local, relevant content that changes not only day-by-day, but hour-by-hour.
- Highly visual and/or functional content.
- Viral content that people want to share with their friends, family and
colleagues.
Some ideas to increase quality/quantity of content:
- Write a monthly article about your topic
- Write a page about your keyphrase/product/service
- If your headers don't have your keyphrase in them, then be sure to add it Make sure the titles on all your pages relate to the content of the page Write, write, write (and then write some more!).
Some other things search engines consider when determining ranking:
* links to your site,
* what is written in those links,
* who is linking to the site that links to yours,
* what are the keyphrases used in those links,
* what is the quality of the site that is linking to yours,
* how many other links does that site have,
* how many links out (and to what sites) does your site have,
* and other such criteria.
How do you get links?
It all starts with having good, unique, content on your site. No one will link to you unless you offer quality information about your subject. If you are in real estate, you must offer information about the area you work in. If someone wants to buy a home, first he/she will want to learn about it, so you will need to have good local resources about it.
The next step is to find other sites that would benefit from your site's information; sites whose clients would potentially want to buy or sell real estate in your area.
Some potential types of site to link solicit links from:
- sites that promote activities in the local area and the nearby areas
- nearby water parks and ski hills
- nearby towns
- lake and boating associations
- local construction web sites
How do you solicit links?
Be prepared to spend some time, and have patience. Send out personalized emails instead of mass emails (spam) to the sites that you want to have link to you. Be friendly, and point out the benefits of linking to your site. If you are lucky, maybe 1 in 3 emails will get a response. It can be frustrating and discouraging, but is ultimately worthwhile in the long-run.
Many sites don't ever update their content, so your site won't get the link because simply because no one ever makes changes to the site. If you can tell that a site hasn't been updated in years, don't waste too much of your time on them.
Follow-up is very important as well (just like in working website leads). Until you get a flat-out rejection, keep saying "Hi", and keep it personal. Use a spreadsheet to keep track of what sites you have contacted, and what you have written or said--you want it to seem like they are the only person you are contacting.
Finally, don't forget to submit yourself to as many legitimate directories as possible, such as the Open Directory Project (www.dmoz.org). Getting listed in DMOZ and other directories counts for a lot in all the big search engines.
When submitting to directories, take your time and choose the right category to submit to. Make sure you read how they want their descriptions and titles written, and then write them that way. This is the key to getting into the directories.
Soliciting links is a very time-consuming (and frustrating) venture, but it is essential to getting good rankings in the search engines. It takes a lot of patience and a lot of time. Getting your first link is like getting your first sale. It is just as hard - and just as satisfying.
I drew from these sources when creating this post:
Content Is King, But Linking is Queen
Content is King: Online Content to Attract More Consumers to Your Website
There are two keys to getting good rankings:
1. Content
2. Linking
What kind of content is good Web site content?
- Sticky content-meaning unique, relevant content that makes your prospects stay at your site.
- Content with lots of images and/or multimedia.
- Local, relevant content that changes not only day-by-day, but hour-by-hour.
- Highly visual and/or functional content.
- Viral content that people want to share with their friends, family and
colleagues.
Some ideas to increase quality/quantity of content:
- Write a monthly article about your topic
- Write a page about your keyphrase/product/service
- If your headers don't have your keyphrase in them, then be sure to add it Make sure the titles on all your pages relate to the content of the page Write, write, write (and then write some more!).
Some other things search engines consider when determining ranking:
* links to your site,
* what is written in those links,
* who is linking to the site that links to yours,
* what are the keyphrases used in those links,
* what is the quality of the site that is linking to yours,
* how many other links does that site have,
* how many links out (and to what sites) does your site have,
* and other such criteria.
How do you get links?
It all starts with having good, unique, content on your site. No one will link to you unless you offer quality information about your subject. If you are in real estate, you must offer information about the area you work in. If someone wants to buy a home, first he/she will want to learn about it, so you will need to have good local resources about it.
The next step is to find other sites that would benefit from your site's information; sites whose clients would potentially want to buy or sell real estate in your area.
Some potential types of site to link solicit links from:
- sites that promote activities in the local area and the nearby areas
- nearby water parks and ski hills
- nearby towns
- lake and boating associations
- local construction web sites
How do you solicit links?
Be prepared to spend some time, and have patience. Send out personalized emails instead of mass emails (spam) to the sites that you want to have link to you. Be friendly, and point out the benefits of linking to your site. If you are lucky, maybe 1 in 3 emails will get a response. It can be frustrating and discouraging, but is ultimately worthwhile in the long-run.
Many sites don't ever update their content, so your site won't get the link because simply because no one ever makes changes to the site. If you can tell that a site hasn't been updated in years, don't waste too much of your time on them.
Follow-up is very important as well (just like in working website leads). Until you get a flat-out rejection, keep saying "Hi", and keep it personal. Use a spreadsheet to keep track of what sites you have contacted, and what you have written or said--you want it to seem like they are the only person you are contacting.
Finally, don't forget to submit yourself to as many legitimate directories as possible, such as the Open Directory Project (www.dmoz.org). Getting listed in DMOZ and other directories counts for a lot in all the big search engines.
When submitting to directories, take your time and choose the right category to submit to. Make sure you read how they want their descriptions and titles written, and then write them that way. This is the key to getting into the directories.
Soliciting links is a very time-consuming (and frustrating) venture, but it is essential to getting good rankings in the search engines. It takes a lot of patience and a lot of time. Getting your first link is like getting your first sale. It is just as hard - and just as satisfying.
I drew from these sources when creating this post:
Content Is King, But Linking is Queen
Content is King: Online Content to Attract More Consumers to Your Website
Friday, July 20, 2007
Why Proper Staging Is So Important
[click on image to view large version]
If you're not staging your homes these days, you may be losing out on sales...
Ok I admit, this is pretty much just a shamelses excuse to plug one of my favorite web comics (The Unfeasible Adventures of Beaver and Steve) but staging IS important....
Thursday, July 12, 2007
5 Tips For Creating Good Landing Page Copy
(this is inspired by http://www.copyblogger.com/landing-page-makeover-seomoz/, with my own spin on it for Real Estate specific landing pages) 1. Remove all the extraneous material from the most valuable real estate on your landing page - the area “above the fold”, the visitor’s first screen view.
This actually is just a good rule of thumb to follow when designing ANY website. Keep in mind that not everyone has a huge widescreen monitor or a high resolution setting, and put the most important stuff where everyone will see it without having to scroll down.
2. Add a compelling, benefit-rich headline.
3. Start “building your case” with a strong, introductory paragraph.
4. Eliminate the passive 3rd person voice from your copy.
5. Too much content paralyzes and confuses.
Keep the page clean, simple, and easy to follow. You don’t want people getting lost or confused and leaving. Make it clear what you are offering, and what the prospect will get in return for giving you their information. If you are truly providing something of value in exchange for requesting a bit of personal information, most people will comply, as long as they understand how that information will be used.
1. Remove all the extraneous material from the most valuable real estate on your landing page - the area “above the fold”, the visitor’s first screen view.
This actually is just a good rule of thumb to follow when designing ANY website. Keep in mind that not everyone has a huge widescreen monitor or a high resolution setting, and put the most important stuff where everyone will see it without having to scroll down.2. Add a compelling, benefit-rich headline.
Use a headline establishing the promise to the visitor right up front. You need a central headline that encapsulates the value proposition of the product offering. Remember that you always need to answer the question, “What’s in it for me?” This is especially critical for the “cold” visitor who has no prior relationship with you, such as you will get from advertising traffic.
3. Start “building your case” with a strong, introductory paragraph.
Always focus on creating a need (such as the desire to easily search all area homes without hassle), then explaining why they need to go to YOU to get it satisfied (you let them search everything in the MLS by simply clicking a button). Remember, you are selling the sizzle, not the steak. Orient them, empathize with them, give them the context as to why this service will make their lives easier and make them happier. Your job is to show them why they need your product/service - and need it from YOU. Again, these principles are good rules of thumb for marketing in general.
4. Eliminate the passive 3rd person voice from your copy.
Passive voice, 3rd person writing drains energy and excitement from your copy. Change every “they” to you. Don’t tell me about a feature, tell me how I’d use it, how I’d benefit from using it. You want to create urgency with your words and create calls to action, not bore people to death.
5. Too much content paralyzes and confuses.
Keep the page clean, simple, and easy to follow. You don’t want people getting lost or confused and leaving. Make it clear what you are offering, and what the prospect will get in return for giving you their information. If you are truly providing something of value in exchange for requesting a bit of personal information, most people will comply, as long as they understand how that information will be used. Monday, June 04, 2007
Save Time and Effort: Host a Tour Of Homes
Traditional Open Houses are not effective at selling homes--less than 1% of homes are sold as a result of a traditional open house. Open houses can be a huge waste of both your time and your client’s. In the vast majority of cases, they don't benefit you, the seller, or the buyer.
Instead, give a Tour or Parade of Homes. A Tour of Homes gives buyers the opportunity to view several homes in one afternoon (saving them time), and represents a great way for you to easily showcase several of your listings at once (saving you and your clients time).
Here's how to do it:
Advertise the tour as running during a set period of time—for example between 1:00 and 3:15 on Saturday. Find about 5-6 homes (in a similar price range) to put on the tour, with each home "open" for a specified 10 minute period of time (allowing about 15 minutes between each time to get from home to home). For example, house #1 might be open from 1:00-1:10, house #2 from 1:25-1:35 etc., depending on the distance between each home. Tell your Prospects that they can meet you at any home on the tour during its specified time.
There are several benefits to this approach for both you and your sellers.
The tour of the seller’s home is over quickly, so they don't have to give up a whole afternoon of their weekend (and neither do you!). - The tour format will attract a larger number of motivated buyers than a traditional open house, and buyer prospects are generally better qualified.
- Thirdly, a tour of homes tends to set up an auction-like atmosphere, as multiple buyers all viewing the same house at one time tends to create a fear of loss in those buyers who are interested in the home. This will end up benefiting your clients by leading to a faster sale with a higher price.
Ask another agent (or two or three) in your office and if you can "borrow" their listings for the tour. Specifically, ask them if you can hold an open house of some of their listings during your intended weekend.
The agents may ask why you want to do this. Explain to them that it will give you an opportunity to get face-to-face with some prospective buyers. In return for giving you this opportunity, you'll be giving their listings some bonus exposure. You'll find that the agents are usually more than happy to let you do this.
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Baby Name Optimization
Why stop at optimizing your website/business? Today's web-savvy parents are naming their children with SEO principles in mind...
The tips below are excerpted from the (funny) article Baby Name Optimization by David Berkowitz.
Below are ten tips for baby name optimization. Note that while this is tongue-in-cheek, these best practices can be applied to your business. You'd want to research potential business and product names for what listings come up in major search engines, and you'd often be wise to apply many of the baby name optimization tactics that follow.
1) Write a press release the day your baby's born with the baby's name in the headline, and optimize the entire release. As soon as the little one takes its first breath, he or she can even appear in the body of Google's natural search results thanks to universal search.
2) Buy all potential domain name misspellings of your baby's name. If you're blessed with ample foresight or come from an ages-old tradition of arranged marriages, buy versions of the last name of any potential suitor you have in mind. Redirect the names to your baby's main dot-com domain.
3) Film the birth and syndicate it to dozens of video sites. One of those sites will have to be around by the time of your kid's communion or bar mitzvah, right? On your primary domain, optimize the video by tagging every second of it so those clips are accessible to search engine spiders.
4) Blog as if you're the baby. Then, when your kid is old enough to blog, you can hand it over to your child, or you can go on blogging as if you're his or her therapist.
5) Tag your baby.
6) Create a Wikipedia entry for your baby. If it's rejected, claim that one of the parents is Britney Spears, Angelina Jolie, Paris Hilton, David Arquette, Oprah, or all of the above.
7) Googlebomb your baby's domain around the phrase "world's cutest baby," "future Nobel laureate," or "Harvard class of 2025." It reminds me of an old joke, where a parent is asked how old her children are and responds, "The doctor is three and the lawyer is two." The scary thing: some parent is reading this column right now and starting such a Googlebomb.
8) Digg your baby.
9) Be sure to update meta tags every so often, as your kid's prom date would be horrified to see "spitting up" and "potty training" as some of his or her most relevant keywords.
10) Every few years, change your child's name to something new that has less search competition. Though beware... this will bring an entirely new meaning to the phrase "your baby's in the sandbox."
More On Developing Your Niche...
SRES (senior real estate specialist); ABR (accredited buyer representative); commercial properties; new construction; land development; luxury homes; vacation homes and condo/co-op markets....
All of these are common niches that an agent may decide to specialize in. I've written in the past about how to Use Niche Marketing to Increase Your ROI, but here are a few more things that you should do if you are going to focus on a niche market...
1. Acquire all possible accreditations relative to the niche
2. Become a member of, and active in, any groups, societies or organizations, both locally and nationally (internationally,) who cater to the specialty
3. Create professional-looking marketing pieces and an have an Internet presence that articulates your qualifications in the niche of choice
4. Know the folks in your marketplace who are involved in your niche. For example, if your specialty is SRES, you want to introduce yourself to senior centers, assisted living facilities, and attorneys that specialize in estate planning, as well as participate in senior activities, offer relative seminars, etc. Cultivate ongoing relationships in all areas.
5. Network with other real estate professionals within neighboring communities (not necessarily those served by you) who also pursue your niche. There is nothing more powerful than a committed mastermind group to move all members forward.
Based on an article from Broker Agent News
All of these are common niches that an agent may decide to specialize in. I've written in the past about how to Use Niche Marketing to Increase Your ROI, but here are a few more things that you should do if you are going to focus on a niche market...
1. Acquire all possible accreditations relative to the niche
2. Become a member of, and active in, any groups, societies or organizations, both locally and nationally (internationally,) who cater to the specialty
3. Create professional-looking marketing pieces and an have an Internet presence that articulates your qualifications in the niche of choice
4. Know the folks in your marketplace who are involved in your niche. For example, if your specialty is SRES, you want to introduce yourself to senior centers, assisted living facilities, and attorneys that specialize in estate planning, as well as participate in senior activities, offer relative seminars, etc. Cultivate ongoing relationships in all areas.
5. Network with other real estate professionals within neighboring communities (not necessarily those served by you) who also pursue your niche. There is nothing more powerful than a committed mastermind group to move all members forward.
Based on an article from Broker Agent News
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Your Real Estate Humor for the Week
Sometimes I just need to push away from the grind of the computer and laugh a little...I hope you enjoy these as much as I did. Happy Hump Day!
Some Realtor Humor
When they say ___ and what they really mean...
* SOPHISTICATED CITY LIVING - Next to a noisy bar.
* OLD WORLD CHARM - Has some woodwork, needs cleaning.
* CONTEMPORARY FEELING - Has no woodwork, needs cleaning.
* CLOSE TO LAKES - Impossible to park from April to October.
* WIDE OPEN FLOOR PLAN - Previous owner removed supporting walls.
* SECURITY SYSTEM - Neighbor has a dog.
* NEEDS TLC - Major structural damage.
* UPDATED KITCHEN - Sink no longer overflows.
* MOTIVATED SELLER - Has been on the market for 14 years.
* CONVENIENT - Located on freeway entrance ramp.
* MINT - Someone has spilled mouthwash on the carpet.
* NEUTRAL DECOR - No murals of nudes, or Elvis, but has brown walls.
* MOVE IN CONDITION - Front door missing.
* COZY - No room larger than 9 x 6.
* LOWER LEVEL FAMILY ROOM - Ping Pong table over sewer opening.
* LIGHT OPEN SPACES - Many holes in walls and ceiling.
* OUTSTANDING - Painted purple, sticks out like a sore thumb.
* A WEALTH OF PERIOD FEATURES - Yourself, dry rot, rising damp and an electrical circuit best operated in rubber gloves and wellies.
* BOX ROOM - Suitable for accommodating one or two large cardboard boxes ... folded.
* BY PRIVATE TREATY - If it went to auction it would never reach the reserve price.
* COMPACT - Tiny.
* COUNTRY GENTLEMAN'S RESIDENCE - No longer suitable for agricultural tenants.
* DECEPTIVE APPEARANCE - It looks terrible.
* DELIGHTFUL RURAL LOCATION - In flight path of nuclear bomber base.
* EASILY MAINTAINED - Requires at least two gardeners and live-in maid.
* EXTENSIVELY MODERNIZED - Former DIY owner had a breakdown under the strain.
* FOR THE GARDENING ENTHUSIAST - Grounds like a jungle.
* LOCAL AUTHORITY GRANTS AVAILABLE - About to be condemned.
* MUCH SOUGHT AFTER - It's been on the market at least twice before and still no one wants it.
* OWNER EAGER TO SELL - If it goes within a week the subsidence cracks won't be noticed.
* PARTIAL CENTRAL HEATING - The room above the boiler can get warm in summer.
* PERIOD RESIDENCE - Built in the last two years.
* QUIET, SECLUDED SETTING - On site of proposed dormitory town.
* RARE OPPORTUNITY TO BUY - No one else want's it.
* SELECT NEIGHBORHOOD - Beside sewage works.
* SOLD - Unless idiots like you offer a higher price.
* SUBJECT TO NEW INSTRUCTIONS - They have just discovered death watch beetle.
* UNSPOILED - Planning permission granted for field next door.
* UNUSUAL FEATURES - No roof.
* UNUSUAL LOCATION - In the path of a projected motorway.
* USEFUL OUTBUILDINGS - No inside toilet.
* WELL SITUATED - In full view of the neighbors.
* WITHIN EASY DISTANCE OF - Next door to a pub and opposite a sex shop local amenities.
Some Realtor Humor
When they say ___ and what they really mean...
* SOPHISTICATED CITY LIVING - Next to a noisy bar.
* OLD WORLD CHARM - Has some woodwork, needs cleaning.
* CONTEMPORARY FEELING - Has no woodwork, needs cleaning.
* CLOSE TO LAKES - Impossible to park from April to October.
* WIDE OPEN FLOOR PLAN - Previous owner removed supporting walls.
* SECURITY SYSTEM - Neighbor has a dog.
* NEEDS TLC - Major structural damage.
* UPDATED KITCHEN - Sink no longer overflows.
* MOTIVATED SELLER - Has been on the market for 14 years.
* CONVENIENT - Located on freeway entrance ramp.
* MINT - Someone has spilled mouthwash on the carpet.
* NEUTRAL DECOR - No murals of nudes, or Elvis, but has brown walls.
* MOVE IN CONDITION - Front door missing.
* COZY - No room larger than 9 x 6.
* LOWER LEVEL FAMILY ROOM - Ping Pong table over sewer opening.
* LIGHT OPEN SPACES - Many holes in walls and ceiling.
* OUTSTANDING - Painted purple, sticks out like a sore thumb.
* A WEALTH OF PERIOD FEATURES - Yourself, dry rot, rising damp and an electrical circuit best operated in rubber gloves and wellies.
* BOX ROOM - Suitable for accommodating one or two large cardboard boxes ... folded.
* BY PRIVATE TREATY - If it went to auction it would never reach the reserve price.
* COMPACT - Tiny.
* COUNTRY GENTLEMAN'S RESIDENCE - No longer suitable for agricultural tenants.
* DECEPTIVE APPEARANCE - It looks terrible.
* DELIGHTFUL RURAL LOCATION - In flight path of nuclear bomber base.
* EASILY MAINTAINED - Requires at least two gardeners and live-in maid.
* EXTENSIVELY MODERNIZED - Former DIY owner had a breakdown under the strain.
* FOR THE GARDENING ENTHUSIAST - Grounds like a jungle.
* LOCAL AUTHORITY GRANTS AVAILABLE - About to be condemned.
* MUCH SOUGHT AFTER - It's been on the market at least twice before and still no one wants it.
* OWNER EAGER TO SELL - If it goes within a week the subsidence cracks won't be noticed.
* PARTIAL CENTRAL HEATING - The room above the boiler can get warm in summer.
* PERIOD RESIDENCE - Built in the last two years.
* QUIET, SECLUDED SETTING - On site of proposed dormitory town.
* RARE OPPORTUNITY TO BUY - No one else want's it.
* SELECT NEIGHBORHOOD - Beside sewage works.
* SOLD - Unless idiots like you offer a higher price.
* SUBJECT TO NEW INSTRUCTIONS - They have just discovered death watch beetle.
* UNSPOILED - Planning permission granted for field next door.
* UNUSUAL FEATURES - No roof.
* UNUSUAL LOCATION - In the path of a projected motorway.
* USEFUL OUTBUILDINGS - No inside toilet.
* WELL SITUATED - In full view of the neighbors.
* WITHIN EASY DISTANCE OF - Next door to a pub and opposite a sex shop local amenities.
Monday, May 14, 2007
The Keys to Using Internet Marketing to Help Make You Money
Kim’s Tips and Tricks for Real Estate Marketing Online
For most real estate professionals the market has changed dramatically. Several years ago, a simple presence in the field was enough to be successful and earn a good living; but today a much better strategy needs to be utilized, just to stay on the playing field.
The most critical objective of a Real Estate website is to capture the contact information from a visitor so that a pipeline of prospects can be developed.
Additionally, web leads then need to be worked effectively and in a time-sensitive manner, to see a successful ROI.
Building a pipeline begins with attaining contact information (email, phone, what they are looking for/what they are selling). [If you have a traditional direct mail program in place, then a street address is vital as well. While direct mail can still be of value, e-mails can be powerful, better targeted and less expensive.]
For example, by grouping your prospect base into categories (like single family vs. condo buyers or buyers vs. sellers), you can send out e-mails that are tightly aligned with someone's interests. You will experience a much better response rate by segmenting in this manner.
Here are some ideas to boost the effectiveness of your Website and online lead generation efforts.
1. Take advantage of the opportunities of online marketing: Search Engine Optimization (SEO) and Search Engine Marketing. 
- SEO, also know as Organic or Natural Search is the process by which a site is designed to get good placement in the search engine results, for the keywords that you are targeting.
Key ingredients of SEO include having interesting and unique content on your pages, search engine friendly website design and effective back-linking and reciprocal linking (getting other websites to link to you).
- Each major search engine has a paid component to its search results as well. This involves paying for site visitors on a per click basis (pay-per-click or PPC).
There are a series of variables that need to be considered when starting a campaign. These include keyword selection, geography (where do you want your listing to show up) and bid strategy (how aggressive do you want to be? What is your budget? etc.).
While a PPC program can be a good way to drive traffic to a site, the average agent doesn’t have the time to manage such a campaign on their own.
When free-time is limited, I suggest that the agent use our Buyerlink program instead of PPC, to drive targeted buyer traffic to their site by city of interest. Buyerlink is similar to search engine PPC, but it does the work of finding the buyers for you (through PPC, organic placement in the search engines, and web ads) and it allows you to simply sit back and let the buyer leads roll in.
2. Keep the content on your site fresh, accurate and specific to your targeted market and area.
For example, it's a big turn-off to arrive at a site with inaccurate information, generic text, or links that don't work. Additionally, people want to work with someone that they see as an expert in what they need. Create a compelling reason for someone to search for properties on your site, rather that just going to realtor.com. [Check out the article Keep Web Visitors Coming Back For More for more information about creating good content]
3. Make it as easy for someone to contact you via e-mail as by telephone. Prompt follow-up is also critical. The statistics tell us that most web visitors expect a response within an hour from a web inquiry, and that they will end up working with the first realtor that they come in contact with, so make sure you get back to them before they have a chance to reach out to a competitor.
And as already mentioned, make sure you get complete information from each person, as you personally communicate with them, so that you can maintain multiple contact points.
4. Utilize a contact management program. There are a number of these programs on the market today that will allow you to keep in close contact with those who warrant it, schedule others for contact later on, and also segment the database for mailings (as described above).
5. Study your competitors’ sites and learn from their mistakes. Although most sites have similar attributes, others are unique with varying degrees of success. Look at other agents’ sites as if you were the client, and see what you like and don’t like.
Also, many Realtors have sites through the companies that they are representing (Prudential, Century 21, etc.) and think that this is enough of a web presence. The truth is that unless you have your own personal site, most people will never find you online [try trying to find yourself without searching for your name on your broker’s site, or Realtor.com]. A personal site allows greater flexibility, and will help to increase your online visibility and number of leads.
If you are just relying on a page on your broker’s site, you will get lost in the dust, and will miss out on leads. Having a site of your own is essential for both creating your own personal brand and funneling leads into your pipeline.
The conclusion: Lead generation is in your control. Hard work, strong organizational skills and a willingness to embrace e-mail/the Internet, are important ingredients to attaining impressive results in a tougher marketplace.
Monday, May 07, 2007
Using Niche Marketing to Increase Your ROI
Are you throwing your marketing dollars away by marketing to too broad a segment of the housing market? The key to successfully seeing a return on your marketing investment is to find a niche market that you know well, and making yourself the expert.
Attempting to market yourself to an entire geographic region is the fastest way to waste money in real estate because you will never sufficiently differentiate yourself to any one market to be top of mind when the consumer looks for an agent.
Niche marketing is the process of focusing on a defined segment of a much larger market.
Within Real Estate, there are thousands of different niche markets a real estate professional can identify and serve. Some examples of a niche market include marketing to a specific neighborhood, horse farm owners, first time home-buyers or beach front properties.
So, how do you develop your niche?
Step 1: Identify your niche.
- Write down all the possible niches you could serve based on your location, expertise and interests.
For instance, if you choose to focus on a neighborhood, write down the 20 or 30 neighborhoods (with approximately 500 homes each) closest to where you live and work.
- Consider your expertise.
Do you speak a second language? Do you understand a new home owner's issues? Are you also a mortgage broker? Do you love animals? Do you have a connection to senior citizens? What are your hobbies (music, cars, sports, traveling)?
Every one of these things can evolve into a powerful niche for you.
Local school parents could be another great niche. For example, lets assume you have three kids in the local schools. The needs and concerns of parents with kids in the same school may be a great niche. It narrows down your focus from the whole town, to 500-1,000 families. You can easily get involved with the school and your target consumers by starting a parents newsletter or being active in school functions. Over time, the community will begin relying on you for this information and understand you are a real estate agent with their best interests in mind. When these parents (consumers) consider buying or selling a home, or giving a referral, you will be at the top of their mind.
Step 2: Define your niche market as specifically as possible.
- Ideally you should be able to generate a list of addresses, resident names, phone numbers and emails for your niche market.
- In addition, you should write down as many of the niche market attributes as possible.
This detailed description of your niche will help you reach them in an efficient, effective manner. If you don't know them, how can you deliver value? Additionally, by working on this definition, you will know what areas to educate yourself on to be effective. Remember, your goal is to add value to everyone in this niche through every interaction you have with them.
Step 3: Develop A Marketing Plan.
Before taking action, develop a marketing plan to serve this niche. Initially, you may ask yourself, "what do I have to do to become valuable to this niche?"
Maybe you need to attend HOA meetings, learn about local politics or learn about the tax advantages of a second home. Whatever it is, become an expert.
Next, determine how best to reach this niche.
- Where does this niche get its information?
- Is it through meetings, via email, with a targeted website or postcards?
Third, develop the specific marketing materials that will appeal to this niche. You have to cut through the clutter, so be specific.
Talk directly to their needs and concerns. Don't go for typical real estate marketing collateral and content. Be creative, push the envelope, give them something to remember. If designed successfully, your read and response rates will be much higher than anything you have sent out previously.
Finally, continue to educate yourself about this niche. Write down your plan and stick to it. Be in it for the long term.
Taking the time to work through these steps will pay huge dividends. Your focus will help you clarify what steps you need to take, who you need to talk to, what you need to learn and how to improve your communication to this audience.
You will know that you are on the right track when consumers begin to react positively to your messages. They will thank you for the information, pass it along to friends and, best of all, they will be happy to refer you to others for their real estate needs.
source: Broker Agent News
Attempting to market yourself to an entire geographic region is the fastest way to waste money in real estate because you will never sufficiently differentiate yourself to any one market to be top of mind when the consumer looks for an agent.
Niche marketing is the process of focusing on a defined segment of a much larger market.
Within Real Estate, there are thousands of different niche markets a real estate professional can identify and serve. Some examples of a niche market include marketing to a specific neighborhood, horse farm owners, first time home-buyers or beach front properties.So, how do you develop your niche?
Step 1: Identify your niche.
- Write down all the possible niches you could serve based on your location, expertise and interests.
For instance, if you choose to focus on a neighborhood, write down the 20 or 30 neighborhoods (with approximately 500 homes each) closest to where you live and work.
- Consider your expertise.
Do you speak a second language? Do you understand a new home owner's issues? Are you also a mortgage broker? Do you love animals? Do you have a connection to senior citizens? What are your hobbies (music, cars, sports, traveling)?
Every one of these things can evolve into a powerful niche for you.Local school parents could be another great niche. For example, lets assume you have three kids in the local schools. The needs and concerns of parents with kids in the same school may be a great niche. It narrows down your focus from the whole town, to 500-1,000 families. You can easily get involved with the school and your target consumers by starting a parents newsletter or being active in school functions. Over time, the community will begin relying on you for this information and understand you are a real estate agent with their best interests in mind. When these parents (consumers) consider buying or selling a home, or giving a referral, you will be at the top of their mind.
Step 2: Define your niche market as specifically as possible.
- Ideally you should be able to generate a list of addresses, resident names, phone numbers and emails for your niche market.
- In addition, you should write down as many of the niche market attributes as possible.
- What are the homes like? (new, old, expensive)
- What are the residents' concerns? (safety, a new park)
- Where do buyers come from for these homes?
- Where do the residents get their information? (TV, magazine, HOA newsletter, online)
- Where do they go to school? (private, parochial or public)
This detailed description of your niche will help you reach them in an efficient, effective manner. If you don't know them, how can you deliver value? Additionally, by working on this definition, you will know what areas to educate yourself on to be effective. Remember, your goal is to add value to everyone in this niche through every interaction you have with them.
Step 3: Develop A Marketing Plan.
Before taking action, develop a marketing plan to serve this niche. Initially, you may ask yourself, "what do I have to do to become valuable to this niche?"
Maybe you need to attend HOA meetings, learn about local politics or learn about the tax advantages of a second home. Whatever it is, become an expert.
Next, determine how best to reach this niche.
- Where does this niche get its information?
- Is it through meetings, via email, with a targeted website or postcards?
Third, develop the specific marketing materials that will appeal to this niche. You have to cut through the clutter, so be specific.
Talk directly to their needs and concerns. Don't go for typical real estate marketing collateral and content. Be creative, push the envelope, give them something to remember. If designed successfully, your read and response rates will be much higher than anything you have sent out previously.
Finally, continue to educate yourself about this niche. Write down your plan and stick to it. Be in it for the long term.
Taking the time to work through these steps will pay huge dividends. Your focus will help you clarify what steps you need to take, who you need to talk to, what you need to learn and how to improve your communication to this audience.
You will know that you are on the right track when consumers begin to react positively to your messages. They will thank you for the information, pass it along to friends and, best of all, they will be happy to refer you to others for their real estate needs.
source: Broker Agent News
Are You Wasting the Leads That You Get?
How long does it take you to follow-up with your website leads? If you wait longer than 24 hours, you could be throwing them away. Here are some recent stats that should give you pause:
- 73% of consumers who use the Internet to search for homes expect a call from an agent within four hours, according to the California Association of Realtors
- Of those, 23% expect a call within a half-hour
- Another 21% expect a call immediately
Internet buyers want and expect a responsive agent to call them as soon as they show interest in a property.
- In fact, the expectation for immediate response is so strong that the vast majority of Internet buyers work with the very first agent who calls them, our research has found. If you don't give them the fast response they expect, then they will give their business to whichever agent calls them first.
source: RISmedia
- 73% of consumers who use the Internet to search for homes expect a call from an agent within four hours, according to the California Association of Realtors
- Of those, 23% expect a call within a half-hour
- Another 21% expect a call immediately
Internet buyers want and expect a responsive agent to call them as soon as they show interest in a property.
- In fact, the expectation for immediate response is so strong that the vast majority of Internet buyers work with the very first agent who calls them, our research has found. If you don't give them the fast response they expect, then they will give their business to whichever agent calls them first.
source: RISmedia
Thursday, May 03, 2007
8 Ways To Instantly Drive Traffic Away From Your Website
I was just reading Z57's Marketing Insider post on How To Lose A Real Estate Website Visitor in 10 Easy Ways and it got me thinking about the elements of good website design, especially from a marketing point of view. This is a subject that I am constantly discussing with my clients, as there are some pretty horrible Real Estate websites out there.
I have previously written and posted articles (my own and from other marketing sites) about having an effective website, but here are some more things to think about as you work on improving your Real Estate site...
How to Drive Traffic Away From Your Website...
1. Give Web-visitors Too Many Options and Choices
Studies have concluded that the more choice that you give people, the less likely they are to make a decision. Some choice is good, but too much choice creates confusion.
A well designed website explains, directs, guides, and focuses visitor attention on the things that are of real benefit to your visitors and to your company.
Every business provides a variety of products, services, and information to their customers, but these things are not all of equal importance. Your website is a place to focus attention on your core marketing message, not a place to provide a shopping list of everything you are able to do and every product or service you may be able to offer.
2. Give Web Visitors Too Much Information & Text To Process
Good website design is about more than technology and aesthetics; it's about deciding what information needs to be presented and what information needs to be left out. If you are truly an expert in your field, you should know what information is important to your customers in order for them to make a decision. Too much information or text that is too wordy, is like too much choice--it confuses rather than clarifies. Focus on delivering meaningful content in an easy-to-scan format, or risk having your visitors hit the exit button.
3. Give Web Visitors Too Much Non-relevant Content
The only thing worse than overloading your website with more information than visitors can absorb is confusing them with useless and non-relevant content.
Non-relevant content is content that doesn't advance your major purpose: to deliver your marketing message in an informative, engaging, entertaining, and memorable manner. If it isn't relevant, dump it.
4. Give Web Visitors Too Many Irritating Distractions:
You cannot sell someone a product or service they do not want. A real prospect is one that needs the same information you want to provide; the art of sales is directing potential clients to relevant information, and presenting it in a way that visitors see your product or service as fulfilling their needs.
5. Give Web Visitors Too Many Red Flags
Website visitors are constantly looking for red flags that tell them that the site they are visiting should be skipped as soon as possible.
If you want to make sure visitors WON'T deal with you, make sure you don't provide any contact information. Not providing contact names, phone numbers, or a mailing address is a sure sign that you won't look after any problems that arise from a transaction.
Your website must be designed to build trust and foster a relationship, not scare people away.
6. Give Web Visitors Incomprehensible Page Layouts & Make Your Pages Stretch Into Infinity
Good design, proper page layout, easy and consistent navigation, and well organized information, helps visitors find what they're looking for and provides a pleasant, efficient and rewarding experience for the website visitor.
Website designs that rely on technology and gimmicks, rather than focused content, coherent organization, and articulate presentation, are designs designed to chase traffic away.
7. Drop the third-party ads.
On the surface, third-party advertisements and banners may seem like a good way to make some extra cash from your traffic, but these ads become so distracting, visitors either get fed-up or click on one of the links that takes them away from your site. Whatever few bucks you earn from these ads, you are loosing by chasing real customers away.
8. Give Web Visitors Too Many Reason To Click-out
If you really are determined to fail, make sure you provide website visitors with as many reasons as possible to leave your site: irrelevant links to your favorite sites, links to your broker because you're too cheap to put IDX on your own site, or any combination of the reasons mentioned above, all contribute to driving traffic away from your site.
Based on Jerry Bader's article 11 Ways To Drive Traffic Away From Your Website
I have previously written and posted articles (my own and from other marketing sites) about having an effective website, but here are some more things to think about as you work on improving your Real Estate site...
How to Drive Traffic Away From Your Website...
1. Give Web-visitors Too Many Options and Choices
Studies have concluded that the more choice that you give people, the less likely they are to make a decision. Some choice is good, but too much choice creates confusion.
A well designed website explains, directs, guides, and focuses visitor attention on the things that are of real benefit to your visitors and to your company.
Every business provides a variety of products, services, and information to their customers, but these things are not all of equal importance. Your website is a place to focus attention on your core marketing message, not a place to provide a shopping list of everything you are able to do and every product or service you may be able to offer.
2. Give Web Visitors Too Much Information & Text To Process
Good website design is about more than technology and aesthetics; it's about deciding what information needs to be presented and what information needs to be left out. If you are truly an expert in your field, you should know what information is important to your customers in order for them to make a decision. Too much information or text that is too wordy, is like too much choice--it confuses rather than clarifies. Focus on delivering meaningful content in an easy-to-scan format, or risk having your visitors hit the exit button.
3. Give Web Visitors Too Much Non-relevant Content
The only thing worse than overloading your website with more information than visitors can absorb is confusing them with useless and non-relevant content.
Non-relevant content is content that doesn't advance your major purpose: to deliver your marketing message in an informative, engaging, entertaining, and memorable manner. If it isn't relevant, dump it.
4. Give Web Visitors Too Many Irritating Distractions:
You cannot sell someone a product or service they do not want. A real prospect is one that needs the same information you want to provide; the art of sales is directing potential clients to relevant information, and presenting it in a way that visitors see your product or service as fulfilling their needs.
5. Give Web Visitors Too Many Red Flags
Website visitors are constantly looking for red flags that tell them that the site they are visiting should be skipped as soon as possible.
If you want to make sure visitors WON'T deal with you, make sure you don't provide any contact information. Not providing contact names, phone numbers, or a mailing address is a sure sign that you won't look after any problems that arise from a transaction.
Your website must be designed to build trust and foster a relationship, not scare people away.
6. Give Web Visitors Incomprehensible Page Layouts & Make Your Pages Stretch Into Infinity
Good design, proper page layout, easy and consistent navigation, and well organized information, helps visitors find what they're looking for and provides a pleasant, efficient and rewarding experience for the website visitor.
Website designs that rely on technology and gimmicks, rather than focused content, coherent organization, and articulate presentation, are designs designed to chase traffic away.
7. Drop the third-party ads.
On the surface, third-party advertisements and banners may seem like a good way to make some extra cash from your traffic, but these ads become so distracting, visitors either get fed-up or click on one of the links that takes them away from your site. Whatever few bucks you earn from these ads, you are loosing by chasing real customers away.
8. Give Web Visitors Too Many Reason To Click-out
If you really are determined to fail, make sure you provide website visitors with as many reasons as possible to leave your site: irrelevant links to your favorite sites, links to your broker because you're too cheap to put IDX on your own site, or any combination of the reasons mentioned above, all contribute to driving traffic away from your site.
Based on Jerry Bader's article 11 Ways To Drive Traffic Away From Your Website
Monday, April 30, 2007
Differentiating Yourself in a Crowded Marketplace
Are you communicating to all of your clients and prospects with a one-size-fits all methodology? If so, you may end up losing out on business due to an inability to capture the individual needs of your clients.
I have preached the value of niche marketing to my real estate clients for years, as a way of differentiating themselves in the crowded real estate marketplace, and yet still too many Realtors end up marketing themselves and their services as if all real estate prospects have the same needs and wants.
Differentiation is key.
Differentiation of yourself from other Realtors, that is, by demonstrating your understanding of buyer's/seller's needs and their areas of pain. People buy from people who understand them and that kind of differentiation is rare.
So how do you differentiate yourself? Here are some suggestions:
1. After giving a brief overview of what you do, hold back the rest of your pitch and start asking questions about how they currently handle the issue that your service addresses.
2. With your questions, help them to describe where their source of pain lies. (i.e. what is too costly, what is time-consuming and inefficient, what's not generating results).
3. Reiterate their pain and outline the implications of maintaining status quo.
4. Paint a picture of an ideal world for them that addresses their areas of pain (the world they would have if they used your service).
5. Ask them if they would be interested in learning more about what you have to offer.
Ultimately, a conversation that reflects your understanding of their needs is the differentiation that will capture their attention. It's important to listen to your clients & prospects before you start to sound like everyone else and you lose them.
Based on the article What Makes You Different?
I have preached the value of niche marketing to my real estate clients for years, as a way of differentiating themselves in the crowded real estate marketplace, and yet still too many Realtors end up marketing themselves and their services as if all real estate prospects have the same needs and wants.
Differentiation is key.
Differentiation of yourself from other Realtors, that is, by demonstrating your understanding of buyer's/seller's needs and their areas of pain. People buy from people who understand them and that kind of differentiation is rare.So how do you differentiate yourself? Here are some suggestions:
1. After giving a brief overview of what you do, hold back the rest of your pitch and start asking questions about how they currently handle the issue that your service addresses.
2. With your questions, help them to describe where their source of pain lies. (i.e. what is too costly, what is time-consuming and inefficient, what's not generating results).
3. Reiterate their pain and outline the implications of maintaining status quo.
4. Paint a picture of an ideal world for them that addresses their areas of pain (the world they would have if they used your service).
5. Ask them if they would be interested in learning more about what you have to offer.
Ultimately, a conversation that reflects your understanding of their needs is the differentiation that will capture their attention. It's important to listen to your clients & prospects before you start to sound like everyone else and you lose them.
Based on the article What Makes You Different?
Monday, April 23, 2007
Are you likeable?
Being likeable might mean the difference between a lot of business and none. Read below to find out what makes a person likeable, and find out what the 7 components of likeability are...
(excerpted from Broker Agent News)
What makes you likable?
We find a plethora of opinions as to the specific elements that contribute to likeability. Tim Sanders in his book, The Likeability Factor notes these 4:
1. Friendliness: your ability to communicate liking and openness to others
2. Relevance: your capacity to connect with others' interests, wants, and needs
3. Empathy: your ability to recognize, acknowledge, and experience other people's feelings
4. Realness: the integrity that stands behind your likeability and guarantees its authenticity
7 Components of Likeability
Through research and experience, these seven elements are integral for "likability":
1. Positive mental attitude
Likeable people exude a positive mental attitude. That does not mean they are silly or giddy. They don't ignore hardships or failures, but consciously reframe those difficulties and negative emotions to healthier positive ones. Positive means that you can find a better direction out of a problem, rather than wallowing in the problem or negative emotion.
2. Non-judgmental
The truly likable are non-judgmental. They recognize that everyone is trying to get by the best they know how, and they treat everyone with respect and understanding.
3. Open
Passing critical judgment is a sign of inflexibility, a highly unlikable trait. The opposite of that is what we call "openness." The truly likeable are open to new people, other ideas, and different ways of doing things. They demonstrate openness in their behavior, the tone of their voice and in their language.
4. Secure
Likeable people are, "comfortable in their own skin." They don't feel the need to talk over, correct, constantly make jokes or laugh nervously. They don't brag, talk incessantly or hide behind details or humor.
5. Vulnerable
One of the most likeable characteristics is vulnerability. People who can say, "I don't know," who are able to admit mistakes or show a sensitivity, are seen as more likeable.
6. Able to get outside the Self
Those whose primary focus is on themselves rate low on the likeability scale. Conversely, those who are secure in themselves and able to turn their focus outward rate much higher. It's part empathy - our ability to recognize, acknowledge and experience other people's feelings, which is a key attribute of likeability. This is more than the ability to be empathetic. It is the exercise of this ability. It is about becoming relevant. We become relevant in the lives of others when we learn about their interests, wants and needs.
7. Like me
We like people who like us. We also like people who are like us. As humans we are constantly seeking points of similarity. We look for and are attracted to people who are like us in terms of values, interests and experiences. Studies suggest we are also attracted to people who physically look like us.
More Exposure: Familiarity Breeds Likeability
Recent studies have shown that more exposure is sufficient to increase the likeability of a person (or an object). In short, we are more attracted to and tend to like people who are familiar to us. So, in a selling situation, if the prospect likes you a little when you meet the first time, he may like you even more the second time and so on. With that in mind, your objective is to continue to increase the numbers of exposure to your prospects.
(excerpted from Broker Agent News)
What makes you likable?
We find a plethora of opinions as to the specific elements that contribute to likeability. Tim Sanders in his book, The Likeability Factor notes these 4:
1. Friendliness: your ability to communicate liking and openness to others
2. Relevance: your capacity to connect with others' interests, wants, and needs
3. Empathy: your ability to recognize, acknowledge, and experience other people's feelings
4. Realness: the integrity that stands behind your likeability and guarantees its authenticity
7 Components of Likeability
Through research and experience, these seven elements are integral for "likability":
1. Positive mental attitude
Likeable people exude a positive mental attitude. That does not mean they are silly or giddy. They don't ignore hardships or failures, but consciously reframe those difficulties and negative emotions to healthier positive ones. Positive means that you can find a better direction out of a problem, rather than wallowing in the problem or negative emotion.
2. Non-judgmental
The truly likable are non-judgmental. They recognize that everyone is trying to get by the best they know how, and they treat everyone with respect and understanding.
3. Open
Passing critical judgment is a sign of inflexibility, a highly unlikable trait. The opposite of that is what we call "openness." The truly likeable are open to new people, other ideas, and different ways of doing things. They demonstrate openness in their behavior, the tone of their voice and in their language.
4. Secure
Likeable people are, "comfortable in their own skin." They don't feel the need to talk over, correct, constantly make jokes or laugh nervously. They don't brag, talk incessantly or hide behind details or humor.
5. Vulnerable
One of the most likeable characteristics is vulnerability. People who can say, "I don't know," who are able to admit mistakes or show a sensitivity, are seen as more likeable.
6. Able to get outside the Self
Those whose primary focus is on themselves rate low on the likeability scale. Conversely, those who are secure in themselves and able to turn their focus outward rate much higher. It's part empathy - our ability to recognize, acknowledge and experience other people's feelings, which is a key attribute of likeability. This is more than the ability to be empathetic. It is the exercise of this ability. It is about becoming relevant. We become relevant in the lives of others when we learn about their interests, wants and needs.
7. Like me
We like people who like us. We also like people who are like us. As humans we are constantly seeking points of similarity. We look for and are attracted to people who are like us in terms of values, interests and experiences. Studies suggest we are also attracted to people who physically look like us.
More Exposure: Familiarity Breeds Likeability
Recent studies have shown that more exposure is sufficient to increase the likeability of a person (or an object). In short, we are more attracted to and tend to like people who are familiar to us. So, in a selling situation, if the prospect likes you a little when you meet the first time, he may like you even more the second time and so on. With that in mind, your objective is to continue to increase the numbers of exposure to your prospects.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Why Aren't You Blogging Yet???
I jumped on the blogging bandwagon last year, and since then I've been hearing nothing but good things about how blogs can help you with your real estate business. That said, I have precious few clients who are actually blogging.
So, in the interest of increasing interest about blogging, here are some reasons why you should be blogging about real estate:
So, in the interest of increasing interest about blogging, here are some reasons why you should be blogging about real estate:
- You'll enhance your branding by giving people a more dynamic way to find out about you and your services.
- You'll increase your search engine positioning for your website.
- You'll give people a reason and a way to interact with you.
- You'll become known as an expert when you use your blog for a specified purpose or to give information to a defined niche.
- You'll learn a lot from the other bloggers who are generously sharing ideas.
- You'll become part of a bigger community of online people who are demonstrating what Web 2.0 is all about.
Monday, March 12, 2007
Marketing 101: 2 Things To Remember If You Want To Be Successful
1. It's not all about you.
I hate to break it to you, but today's consumers don't care about you. All they care about is what's in it for them. In fact, research on web behavior has shown that if you put your picture on your website, you will lose up to 50 percent of your visitors (and the younger the person is, the more likely they are to be turned off by your face).
What does this mean?
2. Sell Benefits, Not Features
When writing your marketing pieces, you must identify the emotional reasons that someone would want to purchase the property, and spell these out--not the features such as bed/bath count, amenties, etc.
Why is it better to offer problem-solving information than a straight sales pitch?
Because nobody who bought a drill wanted a drill. They wanted a hole. A clean hole. An accurate hole.
Therefore, if you sell drills, you should advertise information about making holes, not about drills!
Or take lipstick, for example.
What woman out there buys lipstick because of what it's made of? (If they did, I assure you that there would be a considerable decrease in lipstick sales!) Instead, they are buying it's beauty-enhancing ability, and it's long-lasting, won't-kiss-off staying power.
***NEVER mention a feature without mentioning its benefit to the client.
Features are qualities or characteristics of your product or service.
Benefits are the favorable results that your prospective customers gain by using your product or service.
***Benefit statements are often referred to as selling the “sizzle”, not the steak.***
Keep these tips in mind, and you will see your success soar!!!
I hate to break it to you, but today's consumers don't care about you. All they care about is what's in it for them. In fact, research on web behavior has shown that if you put your picture on your website, you will lose up to 50 percent of your visitors (and the younger the person is, the more likely they are to be turned off by your face).
What does this mean?
- You can still use your picture on your website, but put it on your "about me/us" page.
- Always remember to write your copy (either website text, emails, or marketing materials) to answer the "What's In It For Me?" question. If you can't tell them why they should care, you need to rethink what you are trying to say.
2. Sell Benefits, Not Features
When writing your marketing pieces, you must identify the emotional reasons that someone would want to purchase the property, and spell these out--not the features such as bed/bath count, amenties, etc.
Why is it better to offer problem-solving information than a straight sales pitch?
Because nobody who bought a drill wanted a drill. They wanted a hole. A clean hole. An accurate hole.
Therefore, if you sell drills, you should advertise information about making holes, not about drills!
Or take lipstick, for example.
What woman out there buys lipstick because of what it's made of? (If they did, I assure you that there would be a considerable decrease in lipstick sales!) Instead, they are buying it's beauty-enhancing ability, and it's long-lasting, won't-kiss-off staying power.***NEVER mention a feature without mentioning its benefit to the client.
Features are qualities or characteristics of your product or service.
Benefits are the favorable results that your prospective customers gain by using your product or service.
***Benefit statements are often referred to as selling the “sizzle”, not the steak.***
Keep these tips in mind, and you will see your success soar!!!
Thursday, February 22, 2007
The Internet Buyer/Seller's Clock is Different From Yours
One of the most frequent complaints that I hear from my clients is that the leads from their website never pan out into anything. People fill out their lead capture form, but when they try to call or email them to follow up, they are met with disinterest or silence.
But internet leads are fundimentally different from traditional real estate leads, and unless you start developing a long-term follow-up strategy to handle them, you will lose out on this very important and valuable source of business.
One of the more popular recent statistics claims that only 3% of Internet leads turn into closed deals.
Does this mean that only 3 percent of Internet seller leads sell their house?
Of course not. It's more like 30 or 40 percent…but only if you follow through with your follow-up.
According to realtytimes.com, of more than 1 million leads captured online:
7.3% sold within 3 months
22% sold within 12 months
40% sold within 28 months
Rory Wilfong and Dave Conklin, founders of GetMyHomesValue.com, have this advice:
"Agents just have to remember there's a door to every house and if it's not knocked on, they have no idea if it's a good or bad lead," cautions Wilfong, "You have to shake that person's hand, then be the judge."
"If Rory & I were to become active agents again, we would subscribe to a lead generation service," adds Conklin, "but we wouldn't expect to make any money for six months. The problem is most agents expect to make money next month with the people they meet today. It rarely happens that way. The Internet has made it easier for buyers and sellers to find agents very early in the game, whereas a person used to just come to the real estate office when they were ready to act."
What does this mean for you, as a real estate agent? Persistance is key in making internet leads pay off for you. Internet leads will close, but not necessarily in the timeframe that you are expecting. In order to incubate the lead until they are ready, it is imperative that you have good lead follow-up systems in place.
Drip email campaigns are a MUST!
But internet leads are fundimentally different from traditional real estate leads, and unless you start developing a long-term follow-up strategy to handle them, you will lose out on this very important and valuable source of business.
One of the more popular recent statistics claims that only 3% of Internet leads turn into closed deals.
Does this mean that only 3 percent of Internet seller leads sell their house?
Of course not. It's more like 30 or 40 percent…but only if you follow through with your follow-up.
According to realtytimes.com, of more than 1 million leads captured online:
7.3% sold within 3 months
22% sold within 12 months
40% sold within 28 months
Rory Wilfong and Dave Conklin, founders of GetMyHomesValue.com, have this advice:
"Agents just have to remember there's a door to every house and if it's not knocked on, they have no idea if it's a good or bad lead," cautions Wilfong, "You have to shake that person's hand, then be the judge."
"If Rory & I were to become active agents again, we would subscribe to a lead generation service," adds Conklin, "but we wouldn't expect to make any money for six months. The problem is most agents expect to make money next month with the people they meet today. It rarely happens that way. The Internet has made it easier for buyers and sellers to find agents very early in the game, whereas a person used to just come to the real estate office when they were ready to act."
What does this mean for you, as a real estate agent? Persistance is key in making internet leads pay off for you. Internet leads will close, but not necessarily in the timeframe that you are expecting. In order to incubate the lead until they are ready, it is imperative that you have good lead follow-up systems in place.
Drip email campaigns are a MUST!
Monday, February 19, 2007
Testimonials: Selling Yourself with Authority
5 Tips for Getting And Using Testimonials in Your Business
Tip #1: "How do you get testimonials?"
Well, the answer is easy. It starts with your commitment and willingness to get them. Once you make the decision you're gonna go after them, the rest is almost an afterthought. No kidding.
The first step is to put the "testimonial gathering process" into your business sequence. What does this mean? It means that sending a testimonial request letter should be part of your post-closing checklist...right next to "send a closing gift" and "change the home status in MLS."
The second step is simply to ASK. The trick is when and how to ask.
I personally recommend asking for testimonials immediately after a successful close - especially if it was a difficult close that required a lot of your attention and skill to complete successfully. This is the time when your client's "happy gas" is flowing and they're really excited about buying or selling their home.
Tip #2: How do you ask?
That's simple too. Create a simple one page letter (with a second sheet attached for their testimonial) that explains WHY you want a testimonial. Open your letter with something like:
Dear [client name]...
" In today's world it's difficult to know who's a true professional...who you can trust...and who's most competent to help with your home buying/selling needs. My strategy is not to talk about myself or my company, but to share comments about my service performance from my best clients.
And that's why I'm writing to you today. Would you mind sharing some of your thoughts about your experience in working with me? Your comments will help others who were in your situation to better understand why I am their best choice for real estate services."
Next, you'll want to lead them into how they should write their testimonial - so you get strong comments. Do this by sharing questions with them: How much money did I save you? Did I help make the process easier for you? Was my knowledge helpful? Did I go above and beyond to help you? The more specific they make their testimonial, the better.
Next, you want to include with your request a Pre-Address, PRE-STAMPED envelope so they can simply drop their comments back to you (and by enclosing the pre-stamped envelope, they're not about to throw a good stamp in the trash - so they'll be more motivated to fill it out. Psychology at work, my friend.)
And here's another idea: A lot of smart agents will meet their clients and take a photo of them in front of their new (or now-sold) home. Then they'll ask for a few comments they can use. Now you have a photo, AND a comment - even more power.
Tip #3: Make your testimonials believable.
Don't get a great testimonial and weaken it by putting their first and last initials. It causes skepticism in the reader. Put as much information as you can get away with in your testimonials: first and last name, photo, city, state...some agents even put in their client's phone number. WOW! That's a real, believable testimonial, don't you think?
Tip #4: Accumulate as many testimonials as you possibly can.
You can never have too many testimonials. Also, your testimonials will each demonstrate a different benefit or experience people had with you. So you can sort your testimonial bank by the type of benefit people received from you: Saved time, saved money, arranged special financing, solved a specific problem, revealed how you are different, etc.
Tip #5: When you get 'em, FLAUNT 'em.
Don't be shy with your testimonials. Use them in as many places as you can imagine. Want a few ideas to stimulate your mind? OK, how about...
• Use them in your ads, farming letters, post cards, articles you write, etc.
• Put them on your business cards, stationary, and other visible places.
• Put them on the wall in your office: create a "Wall of Fame."
• Use them in all your sales letters - especially farming letters or newsletters
• Integrate testimonials into your listing presentation - many agents use a "success book" that's a 3-ring book of testimonials they leave with their client after their presentation (if they don't get the listing right there). It'll force you to go back, plus your clients will be amazed at all the positive comments and benefits (proof!) of working with you.
• Use testimonials on your web site. One agent had a great testimonial she used as the headline of her home page! It said (I'm paraphrasing): "You Are the Only Agent I Would Trust for Our Real Estate Needs..."
source: Broker Agent News
Tip #1: "How do you get testimonials?"
Well, the answer is easy. It starts with your commitment and willingness to get them. Once you make the decision you're gonna go after them, the rest is almost an afterthought. No kidding.
The first step is to put the "testimonial gathering process" into your business sequence. What does this mean? It means that sending a testimonial request letter should be part of your post-closing checklist...right next to "send a closing gift" and "change the home status in MLS."
The second step is simply to ASK. The trick is when and how to ask.
I personally recommend asking for testimonials immediately after a successful close - especially if it was a difficult close that required a lot of your attention and skill to complete successfully. This is the time when your client's "happy gas" is flowing and they're really excited about buying or selling their home.
Tip #2: How do you ask?
That's simple too. Create a simple one page letter (with a second sheet attached for their testimonial) that explains WHY you want a testimonial. Open your letter with something like:
Dear [client name]...
" In today's world it's difficult to know who's a true professional...who you can trust...and who's most competent to help with your home buying/selling needs. My strategy is not to talk about myself or my company, but to share comments about my service performance from my best clients.
And that's why I'm writing to you today. Would you mind sharing some of your thoughts about your experience in working with me? Your comments will help others who were in your situation to better understand why I am their best choice for real estate services."
Next, you'll want to lead them into how they should write their testimonial - so you get strong comments. Do this by sharing questions with them: How much money did I save you? Did I help make the process easier for you? Was my knowledge helpful? Did I go above and beyond to help you? The more specific they make their testimonial, the better.
Next, you want to include with your request a Pre-Address, PRE-STAMPED envelope so they can simply drop their comments back to you (and by enclosing the pre-stamped envelope, they're not about to throw a good stamp in the trash - so they'll be more motivated to fill it out. Psychology at work, my friend.)
And here's another idea: A lot of smart agents will meet their clients and take a photo of them in front of their new (or now-sold) home. Then they'll ask for a few comments they can use. Now you have a photo, AND a comment - even more power.
Tip #3: Make your testimonials believable.
Don't get a great testimonial and weaken it by putting their first and last initials. It causes skepticism in the reader. Put as much information as you can get away with in your testimonials: first and last name, photo, city, state...some agents even put in their client's phone number. WOW! That's a real, believable testimonial, don't you think?
Tip #4: Accumulate as many testimonials as you possibly can.
You can never have too many testimonials. Also, your testimonials will each demonstrate a different benefit or experience people had with you. So you can sort your testimonial bank by the type of benefit people received from you: Saved time, saved money, arranged special financing, solved a specific problem, revealed how you are different, etc.
Tip #5: When you get 'em, FLAUNT 'em.
Don't be shy with your testimonials. Use them in as many places as you can imagine. Want a few ideas to stimulate your mind? OK, how about...
• Use them in your ads, farming letters, post cards, articles you write, etc.
• Put them on your business cards, stationary, and other visible places.
• Put them on the wall in your office: create a "Wall of Fame."
• Use them in all your sales letters - especially farming letters or newsletters
• Integrate testimonials into your listing presentation - many agents use a "success book" that's a 3-ring book of testimonials they leave with their client after their presentation (if they don't get the listing right there). It'll force you to go back, plus your clients will be amazed at all the positive comments and benefits (proof!) of working with you.
• Use testimonials on your web site. One agent had a great testimonial she used as the headline of her home page! It said (I'm paraphrasing): "You Are the Only Agent I Would Trust for Our Real Estate Needs..."
source: Broker Agent News
Friday, February 09, 2007
Internet vs. Traditional Home Buyers
Have you made the move to embrace the internet as a means of conducting your business, or are you still working entirely in the offline world? Here are some statistics that should give you pause:
From a recent study of the 2006 California Real Estate market by Leslie Appleton-Young, chief economist and vice president of the California Association of Realtors® (CAR®):
- 92% of Internet buyers found their agent on a Web site; 63% found them through an Internet search engine; 0% of Internet buyers found their agent through brochures, flyers, yard signs or mailers to their home
- In 2000, 28% of people said that they used the Internet as an important part of their home-buying and selection process. In 2006, 70% said they did
- 86% of home buyers started using the Internet as part of their process before they started looking for a specific home; the other 14% did after they started looking, but before they contacted a real estate agent; that means that 100% of buyers surveyed started looking at homes first, agents second.
- fully 81% of Internet buyers stay with the first real estate agent they choose to contact
- Internet buyers spent an average of 4.8 weeks doing research before contacting an agent; traditional buyers only 1.7 weeks. That means an Internet buyer is better prepared and twice as less likely to waste your time
- Internet buyers bought a home on average after spending 2.2 weeks looking for a home with an agent; traditional buyers spent an average of 7.1 weeks
- Internet buyers previewed an average of 6.7 homes with their agent (they had already eliminated ones they did not wish to see), traditional buyers previewed 15.4 homes; an average of just under nine fewer wasted showings per customer
- Number of agents an Internet buyer interviewed, on the median: 1; Traditional buyers? 3.
- 69% of Internet buyers said response time was extremely important.83% of those buyers chose email as their favored communication method with their agent. 0% chose "in person."
- An incredible 97% of Internet buyers said they would use the same agent again. Traditional buyers? 50%.
So what does this mean for you? Adapt or die. As more and more buyers go entirely online to find their next home, there will be fewer and fewer traditional buyers out there. Now is the time to shift offline marketing dollars (brochures, newspaper ads, etc) online, so that the internet starts making money for YOU.
No matter where you are, these data and trends are coming at you. You must get on board or you will be literally run over and left behind.
From a recent study of the 2006 California Real Estate market by Leslie Appleton-Young, chief economist and vice president of the California Association of Realtors® (CAR®):
- 92% of Internet buyers found their agent on a Web site; 63% found them through an Internet search engine; 0% of Internet buyers found their agent through brochures, flyers, yard signs or mailers to their home
- In 2000, 28% of people said that they used the Internet as an important part of their home-buying and selection process. In 2006, 70% said they did
- 86% of home buyers started using the Internet as part of their process before they started looking for a specific home; the other 14% did after they started looking, but before they contacted a real estate agent; that means that 100% of buyers surveyed started looking at homes first, agents second.
- fully 81% of Internet buyers stay with the first real estate agent they choose to contact
- Internet buyers spent an average of 4.8 weeks doing research before contacting an agent; traditional buyers only 1.7 weeks. That means an Internet buyer is better prepared and twice as less likely to waste your time
- Internet buyers bought a home on average after spending 2.2 weeks looking for a home with an agent; traditional buyers spent an average of 7.1 weeks
- Internet buyers previewed an average of 6.7 homes with their agent (they had already eliminated ones they did not wish to see), traditional buyers previewed 15.4 homes; an average of just under nine fewer wasted showings per customer
- Number of agents an Internet buyer interviewed, on the median: 1; Traditional buyers? 3.
- 69% of Internet buyers said response time was extremely important.83% of those buyers chose email as their favored communication method with their agent. 0% chose "in person."
- An incredible 97% of Internet buyers said they would use the same agent again. Traditional buyers? 50%.
So what does this mean for you? Adapt or die. As more and more buyers go entirely online to find their next home, there will be fewer and fewer traditional buyers out there. Now is the time to shift offline marketing dollars (brochures, newspaper ads, etc) online, so that the internet starts making money for YOU.
No matter where you are, these data and trends are coming at you. You must get on board or you will be literally run over and left behind.
Monday, February 05, 2007
Content Ideas: Guerrila Marketing For Blogs and Websites
According to Wikipedia, Guerrilla marketing is an unconventional way of performing promotional activities on a very low budget. Such promotions are sometimes designed so that the target audience is left unaware they have been marketed to and may therefore be a form of undercover marketing (also called stealth marketing).
The best Guerrilla Blog Methods for Real Estate:
1. Hold a contest to incite people participate. Sellsius recommends a home holiday decorating contest or look at Teresa's pumpkin contest. Or check out this SEO contest. I've also seen Realtors take pictures of various buildings in town and ask people the exact address for the contest.
2. Create a blog war to emotionally engage readers
3. Offer a day where you answer 5 reader questions as your blog post. This will incite readers to contact you directly to submit their questions.
4. Hold a weekly local trvia game in a post where you ask a piece of local trivia and see who gets the answer. It helps people participate and you learn some crazy facts in the process.
5. Hold a town tour of scary places with stories or important places with the historical value through either a vidcast or pictures. Do it once per week on the same day and you will be suprised how people respond. It will help you connect with the local community which is exactly what you want to do!
Friday, February 02, 2007
Are you chasing leads to exhaustion?
Are you spendinging all your time and effort always chasing new business? If so, you're wasting time and money.
Consider the following:
1. Repeat business costs about 60% less than generating new business.
2. Volumes of research shows how staying in touch is the best way to generate referrals.
3. Each transaction has the real potential of being the source of six more transactions when the agent diligently nurtures that initial relationship
4. Having a large database of past clients demonstrates to potential new clients your history of success, provides extensive testimonials and generates proof of ongoing business, which positions an agent to sell that book of business when he or she is ready to retire.
Check out this article from Realtor.org on the 5 Groups That You Should Be Contacting Monthly
Don’t underestimate the power of consistent communication. By contacting these five groups once a month, you’ll achieve a steady stream of referrals.
Consider the following:
1. Repeat business costs about 60% less than generating new business.
2. Volumes of research shows how staying in touch is the best way to generate referrals.
3. Each transaction has the real potential of being the source of six more transactions when the agent diligently nurtures that initial relationship
4. Having a large database of past clients demonstrates to potential new clients your history of success, provides extensive testimonials and generates proof of ongoing business, which positions an agent to sell that book of business when he or she is ready to retire.
Check out this article from Realtor.org on the 5 Groups That You Should Be Contacting Monthly
Don’t underestimate the power of consistent communication. By contacting these five groups once a month, you’ll achieve a steady stream of referrals.
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