Comments on: Stop Scaring Off Your IDX Leads http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/2007/12/10/stop-scaring-off-your-idx-leads/ Real Estate Technology Made Easy Sat, 07 Nov 2009 00:07:50 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: Jon http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/2007/12/10/stop-scaring-off-your-idx-leads/comment-page-1/#comment-529 Jon Fri, 08 Feb 2008 17:50:50 +0000 http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/2007/12/10/stop-scaring-off-your-idx-leads/#comment-529 Hey everyone, we updated the registration based on your input. Check it out on your idx, or the following sceenshots. http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/registration.png http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/registration-required.png Hey everyone, we updated the registration based on your input. Check it out on your idx, or the following sceenshots.

http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/registration.png
http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/registration-required.png

]]> By: Jim Nelson http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/2007/12/10/stop-scaring-off-your-idx-leads/comment-page-1/#comment-522 Jim Nelson Tue, 05 Feb 2008 06:13:07 +0000 http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/2007/12/10/stop-scaring-off-your-idx-leads/#comment-522 We are all spending valuable time on our sites for a reason. I think a capturing technique is best and agree with Jay, Sam and Mike. It must be tactful. I don't think anyone is "afraid" to give out info. At the same time don't be afraid to ask for the info either. Duke is right. There are many idiots@jerk. I like this because it helps me decide which ones to delete or keep... who wants idiots and jerks for clients! Users can register to receive not only good information, but valuable help as well. They need to know that after they register once they are free to use the site as much as they want and of course under no obligation. And should they need any additional information or help... well then contact me of course! Last note: ~ Purchasing a home is a tremendous decision to make and very complex. So most visitors to your site need more info and help. Offer this to them right away and focus on trying to help them. The good clients will surface. And when they are ready... you will know because you will be part of their decision making process. ~ Microtuff We are all spending valuable time on our sites for a reason. I think a capturing technique is best and agree with Jay, Sam and Mike. It must be tactful. I don’t think anyone is “afraid” to give out info. At the same time don’t be afraid to ask for the info either.

Duke is right. There are many idiots@jerk. I like this because it helps me decide which ones to delete or keep… who wants idiots and jerks for clients!

Users can register to receive not only good information, but valuable help as well. They need to know that after they register once they are free to use the site as much as they want and of course under no obligation. And should they need any additional information or help… well then contact me of course!

Last note: ~ Purchasing a home is a tremendous decision to make and very complex. So most visitors to your site need more info and help. Offer this to them right away and focus on trying to help them. The good clients will surface. And when they are ready… you will know because you will be part of their decision making process.

~ Microtuff

]]> By: Duke Lane http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/2007/12/10/stop-scaring-off-your-idx-leads/comment-page-1/#comment-505 Duke Lane Fri, 11 Jan 2008 22:03:38 +0000 http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/2007/12/10/stop-scaring-off-your-idx-leads/#comment-505 I view many agents' and brokers' websites even tho' I'm not in the market to buy or sell anything. When I see something like ZIP Realty's "sign in to view photos," or others that require registering to see the details, and especially ones that require me to sign in again to see different properties, I shy away. No, that's not correct: I immediately go elsewhere. Lead capture is, as I'm sure we all know, only valuable if we act on it immediately, or at least quickly. In visiting one of my client-broker's sites (I used to run a virtual tour company, did a lot of work for them over the past 10 years), I signed in again and got an email from an agent that I'd only ever done one tour for suggesting that we had "a lot to talk about." I was confused. She was actually acting on the lead she'd received. Good ... but. Figuring that was straightened out, I returned a couple of days later and got a phone call from another agent in the firm. All I had done was to go onto the site to, well, not even to kick tires and I'd already gotten two calls from two agents in two days. I did not indicate that I intended to move, that I had was interested in any particular property or anything. Because of the professional association, I understood and can deal with it. Someone else might not, just knows they'll get a phone call from an agent every time they log onto the site. Has anyone ever done a study on how many "John Doe" users there are with emails like "idiot@jerk.com" and phones like 123-456-7890 for sites like these? Give the information away. Give them an easy way to say "I'm interested in this property" on the detail pages. DON'T require them to tell you who they are just to browse your listings. VOW is dead, and didn't apply to most brokers anyway. It's time website vendors realized this. I view many agents’ and brokers’ websites even tho’ I’m not in the market to buy or sell anything. When I see something like ZIP Realty’s “sign in to view photos,” or others that require registering to see the details, and especially ones that require me to sign in again to see different properties, I shy away.

No, that’s not correct: I immediately go elsewhere.

Lead capture is, as I’m sure we all know, only valuable if we act on it immediately, or at least quickly. In visiting one of my client-broker’s sites (I used to run a virtual tour company, did a lot of work for them over the past 10 years), I signed in again and got an email from an agent that I’d only ever done one tour for suggesting that we had “a lot to talk about.” I was confused. She was actually acting on the lead she’d received.

Good … but.

Figuring that was straightened out, I returned a couple of days later and got a phone call from another agent in the firm. All I had done was to go onto the site to, well, not even to kick tires and I’d already gotten two calls from two agents in two days. I did not indicate that I intended to move, that I had was interested in any particular property or anything.

Because of the professional association, I understood and can deal with it. Someone else might not, just knows they’ll get a phone call from an agent every time they log onto the site.

Has anyone ever done a study on how many “John Doe” users there are with emails like “idiot@jerk.com” and phones like 123-456-7890 for sites like these?

Give the information away. Give them an easy way to say “I’m interested in this property” on the detail pages. DON’T require them to tell you who they are just to browse your listings.

VOW is dead, and didn’t apply to most brokers anyway. It’s time website vendors realized this.

]]> By: Barrett http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/2007/12/10/stop-scaring-off-your-idx-leads/comment-page-1/#comment-497 Barrett Tue, 08 Jan 2008 04:58:49 +0000 http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/2007/12/10/stop-scaring-off-your-idx-leads/#comment-497 Great guidance. I can't tell you the number of REALTORS that I work with that spend thousands of dollars to create a static web page with no data-capture or even calls to action. -4MySales http://realtorleads.blogspot.com Great guidance. I can’t tell you the number of REALTORS that I work with that spend thousands of dollars to create a static web page with no data-capture or even calls to action.

-4MySales
http://realtorleads.blogspot.com

]]> By: Joshua Beauchamp http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/2007/12/10/stop-scaring-off-your-idx-leads/comment-page-1/#comment-489 Joshua Beauchamp Tue, 18 Dec 2007 03:41:38 +0000 http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/2007/12/10/stop-scaring-off-your-idx-leads/#comment-489 I say its time to stop being so scared to give out information. If you are not aware, every single major website like Realtor.com, Zillow, or the large real estate companies like Coldwell Banker or Zip Realty already give the information for free. Don't worry about giving away information. Instead focus on making you website a source they can not live with out. The only difference between my website and the "major sites" is I have local info and information. I feed my clients all the FREE information they want! Of course other Realtors and people using another Realtor use your site to look for homes. BUT so what! It happens but maybe just maybe if you build a great site they will tell others about it! Never be afraid to give it away. After all if you do the serious users will register anyway! Beside what do you want, a bunch of super motivated clients that want to do business with you and see you as a neighborhood expert or do you just want the internet to be fair only for you? It's like going to the Best Buy website and them telling you to register before they will tell you have they have for sale and for how much. Think about it! I say its time to stop being so scared to give out information. If you are not aware, every single major website like Realtor.com, Zillow, or the large real estate companies like Coldwell Banker or Zip Realty already give the information for free.

Don’t worry about giving away information. Instead focus on making you website a source they can not live with out. The only difference between my website and the “major sites” is I have local info and information. I feed my clients all the FREE information they want!

Of course other Realtors and people using another Realtor use your site to look for homes. BUT so what! It happens but maybe just maybe if you build a great site they will tell others about it!

Never be afraid to give it away. After all if you do the serious users will register anyway! Beside what do you want, a bunch of super motivated clients that want to do business with you and see you as a neighborhood expert or do you just want the internet to be fair only for you?

It’s like going to the Best Buy website and them telling you to register before they will tell you have they have for sale and for how much. Think about it!

]]> By: Sam Ingersoll http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/2007/12/10/stop-scaring-off-your-idx-leads/comment-page-1/#comment-487 Sam Ingersoll Fri, 14 Dec 2007 15:36:43 +0000 http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/2007/12/10/stop-scaring-off-your-idx-leads/#comment-487 Marketing Sherpa studies show that when a Privacy or Security logo is placed next to the registration form ... lead capture ratios go up. In fact, when the logos are placed in the top left of a page (which heat map studies show gets the most views from visitors) registration can jump even higher because you are addressing visitors #1 concern about providing their data FIRST (and they see the icon). It may look ugly as hell, but it works. That said, I still need to do that on my site. ; ) sheesh. Marketing Sherpa studies show that when a Privacy or Security logo is placed next to the registration form … lead capture ratios go up. In fact, when the logos are placed in the top left of a page (which heat map studies show gets the most views from visitors) registration can jump even higher because you are addressing visitors #1 concern about providing their data FIRST (and they see the icon). It may look ugly as hell, but it works. That said, I still need to do that on my site. ; ) sheesh.

]]> By: Jon http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/2007/12/10/stop-scaring-off-your-idx-leads/comment-page-1/#comment-486 Jon Thu, 13 Dec 2007 23:38:55 +0000 http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/2007/12/10/stop-scaring-off-your-idx-leads/#comment-486 Thanks everyone for your feedback. The registration process is soon on the list of re-vamp, and we'll be using your valuable input when we do so. Thanks everyone for your feedback. The registration process is soon on the list of re-vamp, and we’ll be using your valuable input when we do so.

]]> By: Mike http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/2007/12/10/stop-scaring-off-your-idx-leads/comment-page-1/#comment-485 Mike Wed, 12 Dec 2007 16:30:58 +0000 http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/2007/12/10/stop-scaring-off-your-idx-leads/#comment-485 I also agree. If we could customize the language to our specific needs, that would be great. My MLS unfortunately requires log in immediately, so something for me that states why we are asking for their information would be helpful. I also agree. If we could customize the language to our specific needs, that would be great. My MLS unfortunately requires log in immediately, so something for me that states why we are asking for their information would be helpful.

]]> By: Sam http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/2007/12/10/stop-scaring-off-your-idx-leads/comment-page-1/#comment-484 Sam Tue, 11 Dec 2007 16:44:21 +0000 http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/2007/12/10/stop-scaring-off-your-idx-leads/#comment-484 I agree with Jay. There is tons of research that the language and even the color of the sentence that requests registration effects the registration rate. Red is the worst. - Sam P.S. I've been experimenting with using DS platform for other services www.MoneyMergeCenter.com and www.RealEstateEF.org and would like some feedback. Thanks! I agree with Jay. There is tons of research that the language and even the color of the sentence that requests registration effects the registration rate. Red is the worst. – Sam P.S. I’ve been experimenting with using DS platform for other services http://www.MoneyMergeCenter.com and http://www.RealEstateEF.org and would like some feedback. Thanks!

]]> By: Jay Valento http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/2007/12/10/stop-scaring-off-your-idx-leads/comment-page-1/#comment-483 Jay Valento Tue, 11 Dec 2007 01:13:49 +0000 http://www.diversesolutions.com/blog/2007/12/10/stop-scaring-off-your-idx-leads/#comment-483 Perhaps some different language could be used on your form that states: The benefits of registering allow you to saved your custom searches, favorite properties and more....Fill out this quick form to continue searching for a property. We respect your privacy and will not sell or transfer your information to other companies. (With a link to your privacy policy) Jay Perhaps some different language could be used on your form that states:

The benefits of registering allow you to saved your custom searches, favorite properties and more….Fill out this quick form to continue searching for a property. We respect your privacy and will not sell or transfer your information to other companies. (With a link to your privacy policy)

Jay

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