Part V
RISMEDIA, Sept. 6, 2008-Do this, do that. Change your marketing. Knock on doors. What’s the recipe for success? When every agent is trying to get a piece of the pie, what’s the strategy toward survival and profitability? Here, in this six-part series industry pros give us their takes on how and why some agents thrive more than others. This week, we introduce you to Tyler Roberts, director of Marketing for CirclePix who says agents often don’t take enough advantage of some of the simple things they can do to improve their businesses.
Tyler Roberts
Director of Marketing
CirclePix
www.circlepix.com
Agents often don’t take enough advantage of some of the simple things they can do to improve their businesses. Photos, for example, are essential to selling a home in today’s Internet era. Here are five reasons for agents to use images when they list homes:
1. Distribution-The three most important factors to remember when marketing your listing online are exposure, exposure, exposure. Post multiple images of your listing everywhere you can. Put them on your website, your MLS, Yahoo!, Google, YouTube, etc. Any good virtual tour provider will distribute your images to the major real estate websites for you; if they don’t, it’s time to find a new provider.
2. Lead generation-After increasing your online exposure, start capturing leads. Most online buyers won’t look at online listings without images. By providing multiple pictures, you’re offering something of value to potential buyers-why not ask for their contact information in return? Adding a registration page to your virtual tour or your website will get you hot leads from buyers that are interested enough in your listings to provide you with their contact information.
3. Communicate-Follow up with your leads fast. NAR statistics show that 68% of the time, buyers end up working with the first agent who contacts them.
4. Increase foot traffic-Convert online traffic into foot traffic by announcing your open houses on your virtual tour and website. Advertising to potential buyers that are already online looking at your listing is so much more effective than putting up a sign and some balloons on the day of the open house, just hoping that someone will stop by and come in. Make your open houses effective by driving qualified foot traffic right to your doorstep.
5. Statistics-Knowing a few simple stats like, “how much traffic you are getting” and “where that traffic is coming from” will show you which marketing efforts you should keep and which you should eliminate. This data is also great for showing clients exactly what you’re doing to market their home or to use in your listing presentations. A good virtual tour provider will track this data for you, or you can easily get this information from a number of free Web analytic programs, such as Google Analytics.
Regardless of market conditions, somebody will always be buying or selling real estate. By taking advantage of every available tool and following these five free and easy-to-implement steps, you will sell faster, get leads and list more than ever before-regardless of market conditions.
