Today I want to introduce you to a way to use the power of a motivating offer that converts leads to loyal clients. It was an idea submitted by Susan Moguel, a top-producing REALTOR^® in Southwest Florida.

Susan says she has a full pipeline of buyers, her GCI is well into 6-figures and she became a Top Producer using this method.

I’ve taken Susan’s idea she emailed over to me (to share with you) and enhanced it slightly so it’s easy for you to plug into your marketing systems THIS WEEK.

You’ll notice she…
1) makes a specific OFFER to get leads (“free information package”),
2) captures their contact information,
3) puts them on her database,
4) sends them the package and a monthly newsletter that creates a trusted relationship.

Bottom line:  She motivates, captures and follows-up.

When they’re ready to buy or sell, they call HER because they feel they know and trust her.  Now, here’s Susan’s description outlined as a simple 3-step process…

“As REALTORS^®, we all know how difficult it can be to turn an online or phone inquiry into a client.  I created my own SW Florida Relocation Package (for out-of-town buyers) or my Informational Package (for locals).

STEP 1: CREATE A Valuable Information Package

The package includes:

• area demographics, school information, area attractions and tidbits (like the number of golf courses and miles of beaches),
• my featured listings,
• a list of area foreclosure homes,
• a full size map so they can plot out the homes they like,
• and an interactive CD-Rom with links to my website, my MLS search and other helpful sites.

Unlike post cards and flyers, this package is something they will not throw away!

Here’s a picture of the information package…

STEP 2: OFFER Your Info-Package To Prospects

I advertise this package in The Real Estate Book and on my website – so I get buyers contacting me directly to get this package.

When a prospect contacts me I always offer this complimentary package.  I explain what it is – and reassure them that there is no obligation whatsoever – it is just a helpful service I provide.  I have never had anyone turn down my offer!

I build instant rapport with them – in a situation that is often very difficult to do.

I send out the package by Priority Mail for about $5.00 – which I found increases my response and keeps the package in better condition upon arrival (using a sturdy USPS Priority Mailer).  But, I originally mailed it out first class and that did well for me too.

STEP 3: ADD Prospects To Your Database and FOLLOW-UP

I add inquiries to my monthly newsletter mailing which allows me to keep in touch with them until they are ready to buy.

I have had a number of clients who I only spoke with for mere seconds, who ended up contacting me months later to represent them in the purchase of a house.

Between my free package and the newsletter, they feel like they know me and they trust me.  All of this because I stepped out of the “sales person” box and offered them something of value.

Results?

I have a full pipeline of buyers (yes, even in this market!).  Since starting this program I have doubled my income, my GCI is well into the 6-figures and I became a Top Producer in the area.  And get this…I have only been in the business less than 5 years!”

Wow!  That was Susan in her own words describing how she’s earning a healthy living today using this system.

Do you know what the sad part is?

Only 4% of agents will actually go out and implement a system like this one.

And many more agents will start this system and not follow up with leads after sending the initial package.  In the process they end up leaving thousands of dollars in commissions out there that could’ve been “easy income” if they simply continued to give value to prospects.

Listen to these words from Susan carefully…
————————–
“I became a full time real estate agent in 2006. In 2006, my GCI was approximately $48,000.

In 2007, I started using the Relocation Package. That year, my GCI jumped to approx. $107,000. Of this, about $62,000 can be directly attributed to my offering this package and following up with my Service For Life!^® newsletter.

In 2008, my GCI went to about $138,000. Again, a large portion of that (approx. $81,500) was a result of this package and the follow-up I was able to do because of it.  And each year since my income continues to remain steady!”
————————–

Question:  Do you think implementing a simple strategy like this could easily DOUBLE YOUR INCOME even in a down-cycle?

You can use this same process with listings, offering reports that sellers would find valuable to convert them to clients.

How do you get started?

The first thing is to always follow up with leads and clients using regular and valuable contact.  Next, create an information package about your local area to send to leads.  Then add the steps above to your business process checklists.

Everywhere you promote your services (even if it’s a short classified ad), include an OFFER to contact you for some valuable, free information.  Imagine how many more calls you’ll get and how many more leads will convert to buyers if you use this with EVERY promotion you do.

When you start making motivating OFFERS to the right prospects, your promotions will start to produce tangible results.   And you’ll quickly have more business than you’ll ever need next month and every month you use this system.

In Part 1 of our article series, we covered 6 strategies for generating online buyer and seller leads.

Now we’ll shift our focus to an even more important area of web marketing… converting leads into commission-producing clients.

How To Convert Online Real Estate Leads

The first step in the conversion process is capturing the contact information of leads so you can follow-up and give them more reasons to become your client.

INTERNET STRATEGY #7: Make An OFFER For Valuable Information

Contact forms are not new to real estate websites, but it’s surprising how many agents don’t include a “lead generation magnet” to collect the contact information of interested prospects.  This is a specific offer for a free report or free video in exchange for a person’s email address, mailing address, or phone number.

Remember, 99% of your website visitors will not fill out a “Contact Me” form just because it’s on your site.  You need to offer visitors something THEY value and then create a custom opt-in form for them to request the free information.

What could you offer?

• Free MLS searches
  • Allow visitors to view 2 listings, before they register (this method is proven to get 14 times more leads than other options)
  • Allow visitors to save searches — if they register
  • Create a signup for HouseTrack to get automatic email updates on the listings they like
• Free “Introductory” Services
  • “Dream Home Finder Service” for buyers
  • “Maximum Home Value Audit” for sellers
• Free information
  • A relocation package, including local information and moving tips
  • Special “consumer awareness” reports filled with helpful information for buyers or sellers and pre-sells your services
  • A video tour of homes in specific subdivisions or areas of your city
• Free news and updates
  • A free signup for your real estate newsletter
  • You can also offer staging tips, market information, local event reminders, and real estate news

How do you create a custom contact form?

Most website providers have a way to create contact forms and add them to your website.  At the very least, you’ll want to capture a person’s name and email address.  Keep in mind the more information you request the less likely you’ll get leads, however, the leads may be a higher quality if you ask for full mailing address and phone number.

After a person requests your free information… deliver it via email, physical mail, phone conversation or in person.  Then, continue to follow-up to convert them to a client.

INTERNET STRATEGY #8: Track Your Visitors On Your Site

It used to be that you would have to talk to a homebuyer first in order to discover what they’re looking for in a home.

Now, the right technology allows you to immediately know what a homebuyer is searching for in the MLS.  Meaning, you can have that information ready before you actually have a conversation with them.

This allows you to be more efficient when dealing with new leads AND you make a better impression when you talk to them.

Common situations where this information is helpful:

1. You can’t reach a homebuyer. Whenever you call, they aren’t available. Well, when you know the time of day that a homebuyer is usually searching for homes, you can customize your strategy to reach the homebuyer at a time you KNOW they are available.

2. A homebuyer has viewed the same listing repeatedly. You notice that a homebuyer has returned to your MLS Search page to view the same listing they saved a week ago.  You know that they are obviously interested in that specific home so you can contact them offering to setup a viewing.

Several high-end IDX MLS Search tools now offer tracking information similar to what is mentioned above.  These tools also help you track your communication with leads.  If your IDX search tool includes these features, it will more than pay for itself from the increase in the number of leads you can convert into commissions.

INTERNET STRATEGY #9: Send Out Listing Update Emails

If you have a tracking system on your website you will know if a homebuyer is searching for very specific features.  The more focused the homebuyer is, the closer they tend to be to purchasing.

You can offer to setup showings or send other listings that you know match their search criteria.  These “listing update” emails are an invaluable service to a homebuyer!

There are two ways to implement this strategy:

FIRST, you could search the MLS and send your leads periodic emails about new listings, updated listings, and hot buys that the homebuyer may be interested in.

SECOND, you could use a system that has a built-in feature for sending out listing updates automatically.  When visitors save a search on your MLS Search page, they have the option to receive HouseTrack and get automated listing update emails.

All emails should include your photo and link back to your website, meaning your name stays at the top of their mind. These emails are a great way to keep your website visitors coming back to your site and to convert them to from online to a live showing of some of the listings.

INTERNET STRATEGY #10: Follow-up ASAP and Ongoing

This is perhaps the most important strategy of all to increase the number of online leads you convert to clients.

If you don’t try to get in touch with new leads immediately, they won’t become your clients.  They will not pursue you.  If you are unresponsive, homebuyers will move on to find someone who is responsive.

Why is quick response time so critical?

Because it communicates how responsive you’ll be if they were your client.  A slow response time sends a message that you cannot provide the support they need.  No one wants to work with an agent that is too busy to even talk to them. Plus, if someone fills out a form on your website and you wait a week before you respond to their inquiry, they may not even remember you.

According to a study done by the California Association of REALTORS®, when homebuyers were asked why they were satisfied with their agent, the most common response was “always quick to respond”.  So make sure your real estate website has a way to notify you every time a new lead fills out a form on your site.

ALSO, and this is really important, most of your leads will not be ready to buy or sell when you contact them.  Most will needs weeks if not months more to decide their next move.

How can you stay in touch with these leads at least once a month without spending a lot of time managing the process?

The biggest mistake agents make after the initial contact is failure to follow-up sufficiently to convert a lead to a client.  The important point here is you continue to keep in contact with leads you generate…offering them more information and resources to help with their search, or simply being on their mind when the time is right for them.  Here are two ways to contact leads without it taking a lot of time:

1. After a lead opt-ins on your website, add them to an automated drip email campaign. You can send them market information, real estate news, home buying and selling tips, or anything else that is relevant to what they requested from you.  Showcase your expertise and the high level of service you offer.   These emails can be sent daily or weekly at first and then monthly to ask them how else you can help.
2. Consider sending them a monthly real estate newsletter (email or print) that is NOT all about real estate. They may be close to buying or selling but the vast majority of people will welcome and value helpful consumer-related information more than continual mailings that are only about the real estate market. You’ll be surprised at how well this can build trust and pre-sell your services, especially if you continue to offer multiple reasons for them to contact you in your monthly newsletter.

So, there you have it… the last 4 of our “top 10” strategies for generating and converting real estate leads online.  If you have an existing website you can begin to implement these strategies or talk with your webmaster this week about adding these features to your site right away.

If you’re looking for a complete web marketing system without the usual technical hassles or expense, you can check out the new Elite Website platform by clicking here.

[Ed Note: If you'd like to learn how one of our agent-members from Boston is using these strategies to make over $6-Figures per year GCI from her website visit this site to learn more...
http://agentinnercircle.com/SixFigureWebsites ]

You’re a real estate professional in the 21st century, which means a website is a marketing necessity.

But like most agents, you’re busy working with clients and don’t have time to keep up with all the latest and greatest “web marketing” strategies.

Lucky for you, the folks at iHouse Web Solutions put together a “top 10 list” of proven, easy and effective strategies to turn your website into a profit center instead of a sunk cost.

You can use these strategies on your current site or to start a brand new real estate website.

Remember, a good website is a “destination” for homebuyers and homesellers that they bookmark and refer back to for helpful information. It provides the resources BUYERS want and need for home searching, and gives SELLERS information on their home value and how you can help.

Then, it converts these visitors into leads, aids in the conversion process from lead to client, and gives clients the tools they need to complete their transaction.

The strategies presented below are divided into 2 categories – Lead Generation and Lead Conversion, because even a destination website is pointless if it fails to achieve these two main objectives.

PART 1 of this two part article will focus on Lead Generation for the first 6 of the “top 10″ strategies (PART 2 will be closely behind):

How To Generate Real Estate Leads Online

90% of the visitors to your real estate website will want to search for homes.  Buyers will search for their dream home and sellers will want to keep tabs on home values in their neighborhood.

This means you’re losing business if all you have is your phone number with a one-liner like:  “contact me for current home prices.”

If you want leads from the web, you need to give visitors to your site something valuable for them to exchange their contact information.  Since the #1 thing visitors want is information about homes for sale, it’s critical to your web marketing success that your site has a tool to search the MLS listings right from your website.  This is known as IDX search.

IDX tools like IDXPro keep YOUR visitors on YOUR website, brand the MLS to you, and have numerous ways of converting traffic to leads.  If you do not use IDX and instead are linking to REALTOR.com or using a free search link provided by your MLS, you may want to think twice about funneling visitors to those pages.  Instead of taking them to the best lead conversion section of your website, you would be guiding them OFF your website, to someone else!

Once you have an IDX search feature on your website, how do get visitors to notice and use it?

INTERNET STRATEGY #1: Add Your MLS Search Option to the HOMEPAGE

By including a homepage search, you prevent people from quickly bouncing off your site because they didn’t see what they were looking for.  You’re also demonstrating how useful and easy-to-use your website is – two very important qualities for Internet users.

The difficulty of incorporating an MLS Search module on your website will vary depending on your individual site.  With most template website providers, this is not an option.  For custom web developers, it is possible as long as you can acquire the listing data from your MLS board.

We recommend you add an MLS search option “above the fold” – which means on the top part of your homepage so a visitor doesn’t have to scroll down to see it.

INTERNET STRATEGY #2: Get Your MLS Search Option Noticed

Adding a search module to your homepage is important, but you should also do something to make it stand out.  It’s not enough to include it as an option in the navigation.  Instead, include an image or text that points out your search so visitors can’t miss it.

It’s also important to channel your visitors to your MLS search option on every page of your website.  Guiding visitors through your site will improve their experience and show them that you understand their needs.

Your website visitors are interested in real estate, which is why they’re on your website to begin with… so don’t be shy with your MLS search option.

INTERNET STRATEGY #3: Use Custom Search Links To Grab Attention

If you use an IDX search tool, another great way to catch visitors’ attention is to have links that take them directly to the exact listings they would be searching for, without them actually having to do the search.

How is that possible?

By using Custom Search Links, which are basically links to “saved searches.”

Let’s say you notice that 7 out of 10 of your homebuyers search for a home that’s 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, and under $300,000.  Why not feature those listings up front?

This will catch the attention of visitors and get them to stay on your site.

Adding MLS search and Custom Search Links to your real estate website is a good start, but what else might visitors find interesting enough to contact me or register on my website?

Do you remember our objective?  To become the “destination” website in your local area.  Here’s a powerful way to engage visitors, before you add a lot of content to your site…

INTERNET STRATEGY #4: Add WIDGETS To Your Web Pages

In the online world, a widget is a small application or piece of dynamic content that can easily be placed into a web page.  Here are two main categories of widgets for real estate websites:

A.  Listing Display and Search widgets are available from a variety of sources, but the most prominent are Trulia and Zillow.  These two websites have become wildly popular among homebuyers, sellers, and real estate professionals nationwide.

Not only do they offer their own listing database search, but they have their own forums and communities and dozens of widgets to choose from.  If your listings can be found on Zillow or Trulia, you can use their widgets to add slideshows, quick listing search boxes, lists of recently sold homes, and much more.

To learn more about these widgets, visit these web pages:
http://www.trulia.com/tools/
http://www.zillow.com/webtools/widgets/

B.  Market Conditions widgets can also be used to enhance your website content.

For example, you can also use a Zillow widget to provide home values, interactive polls and quizzes, and fun things like a list of expensive homes that will attract homebuyers and sellers to your site.

Another resource to check out if you’re looking for the perfect widget is Widgetbox, which has a ton of widgets to choose from, including many mortgage and loan calculators you can quickly add to your site.

WARNING: Keep the following in mind when adding external widgets to your website — always have a plan!

Never add widgets to your website just for the sake of having widgets.  Think about what you’re trying to achieve with the widget and how it will help you reach that goal.  Are you trying to enhance the value of your site to visitors so they use the widget on your site?  Or, are you giving them an option to leave your site?

Be careful of implementing a widget that will just link back to their source website and may “steal” your website visitors out from under you!

Getting back to our main goal — distinguishing yourself from other REALTORS® in your area by creating a destination website requires unique, original content.
The operative question is…

“How do I get visitors to MY website instead of
another agent’s site in my area?”

If every other agent in your area has a simple website with no unique content, they won’t get a high search engine ranking and their websites will be indistinguishable to homebuyers.

By offering information and opinions that are thoughtful, knowledgeable, and relevant your services will stand out. This type of unique content can be found in many forms, from blog posts, original videos, and links to other relevant resources.

This leads us to the next set of strategies that focus on how to quickly create ORIGINAL CONTENT for your website…

INTERNET STRATEGY #5: Create Unique Articles On Your Web Pages

To show up in a search when a local buyer or seller searches for “[city] homes” or “[city] condos” … you need to provide quality information about your local real estate market that’s unique and relevant to the most common search terms.

For most real estate professionals, this means brainstorming the main keyword phrases you’d like to have a high ranking for, and then plan a “content strategy” to create unique editorial content (articles) around a handful of key search phrases.

Side note:  Here’s a past real estate marketing article about this topic of keyword research.

Once you have your primary keyword phrases, you will be creating and writing the content yourself focused on those topics.  Sound intimidating?  It probably does, but it doesn’t have to be all that difficult.  Let’s cover how to get started.

Content that focuses on your specialties, local area, and expert knowledge are a good place to start.  Here’s a list of broad topics that should help guide your thinking, but don’t hesitate to get creative!

After you’ve decided what to cover, it’s time to start writing.  As you write, think about your target audience – potential buyers or sellers in your area.  How does the content you are writing help them with their home buying or selling experience?  Be specific, including lots of details and examples.

INTERNET STRATEGY #6: Add VIDEO To Your Web Pages

Here are 4 reasons you should be using video on your website:

1. Online Video creates a personal touch. When visitors feel like they know you and like you, you’ll have an easier time getting them to work with you.
2. Online Video is exciting! It’s easy to stand out from the crowd with an interesting and interactive website.
3. Online Video indicates expert knowledge of both real estate and the Internet that will extend to helping the visitor buy or sell a home.
4. Online Video increases visitor traffic to your website. It’s a simple truth: video is a great way to get more visitors from the search engines and from searches directly in YouTube, which has over 300 million users – many from your local area – searching for information every day.

Now that we know why adding video to a website is good for generating new business, let’s talk about some content strategies that will allow you to get the most from your video…

THREE Great Real Estate Video Content Strategies:

1. Listing tours

Buyers love listing tours and there’s no better way to present a tour than with video.  Some agents record themselves in front of the listing, introducing the property, and then narrate while the video goes through the home.  Or, if you’re not comfortable being on camera, you can just show off the property!

2. Introduction to yourself and your services

This is a great strategy if you want your visitors to get to know you.  Set yourself apart by talking about your knowledge of the local area and how you real estate experience can save them time and money.

3. Important local news and real estate updates

If you want to position yourself as a local expert, you can create short videos that give announcements of events and happenings around town and also include quick real estate market updates.

These are just a few topic ideas for your new video, but there are endless opportunities! Create a video tour of a neighborhood, showing off local parks and other amenities. Or, create a “commercial” for your city, including shopping, resident demographics, activities such as annual fairs or weekly farmers markets or hiking trails. Be creative and be true to you, your specialties, and your local area.

At this point you may be saying…

“OK, I’ve learned about adding unique content in the form of articles and videos to my web pages to get a high ranking for local real estate searches, but I’m still not clear on how I get people to my site??”

Here are 6 proven ways to get visitors (traffic) to your site without spending a lot of money:

• Print the URL of your website on all letters, postcards, and business cards
• Include the URL of your website in your email signature
• Create offers for free MLS searches or free reports in your monthly email newsletter
• Create a postcard campaign to announce your new or improved site to your past clients, friends, family members, and strategic partners
• Word of mouth — if you provide great content on your site, people will tell their friends
• Links to your site — again, if you create valuable information on your site, others will link to your website opening up new streams of unique visitors

So, there you have it… the top 6 strategies for generating real estate leads online.  If you have an existing website you can begin to implement these strategies or talk with your webmaster this week about adding these features to your site right away.

And if you’re looking for a complete web marketing system without the usual technical hassles or expense, you can check out the new Elite Website platform by clicking here.

In the next section of this article you’ll get the 4 best strategies for converting your online leads to round out our “top 10” list.

Stay tuned!

[Ed Note:  If you'd like to learn how one of our agent-members from Boston is using these strategies to make over $6-Figures per year GCI from her website visit this site to learn more...
http://agentinnercircle.com/SixFigureWebsites ]

In this recent post, I shared with you how to get clients from the internet even without your own website.  And I gave you a list of places to post your information (eight to be exact!) that are certain to get visitors.

Today, I want to reveal the ultimate place online to connect with local prospects without needing your own site.  This ONE online destination is now the “center” of my online marketing universe.  And I’ll show you how to quickly tap into this “non-stop party of prospects”…ready to spread the word about your services…

It’s getting a lot of buzz, but few know how to truly make money from this site…

How To Leverage The Money-Making Potential of

TWITTER To Bring You Business

You may already have a Twitter account.  But there’s a good chance you’ve missed one or more of the critical steps I’m about to explain on how to set up a Twitter profile to bring you clients.

If you don’t have a Twitter account, well it’s your lucky day, because this is your chance to jump in and start profiting within the next few minutes!  Let’s get started…

STEP 1:  How To Sign-Up For Twitter In Under 5 Minutes

STEP 2:  How To Set Up Your Account Like a “Twitter Twenius”

That’s Twitter-speak for “Genius”!

You need to optimize FIVE areas of your profile on Twitter…

A. Real Name and User Name

Invest some forethought into your Twitter username.  I needs to be 15 characters or less; so make it short, memorable, relevant, personable, and easy to spell.  You will also be able to associate a 20 character (max) REAL NAME with your username.  If you are a local business or if you use an 800 hotline service, it may be possible to incorporate that phone number in the real name.  You could also categorize what you do as part of your real name.  This is a very visible part of the Twitter system…choose wisely.

B. Location

Make sure you add your LOCATION, in other words, where on earth are you located? Unless you are intentionally hiding-out from the FBI or debt collectors, a Twitter location is highly recommended.  If you are using your account for a local business, adding a very specific location can be extremely beneficial.  People seek local connections…make it easy for them to find and follow you.

C. “One Line Bio”

Definitely optimize your 160 character BIO which appears on the upper right of your Twitter profile page.  It does not have to be a typical bio, it can be an interesting message or statement if you prefer.  In most cases the goal of the bio line is to get the reader to think you are “follow worthy.”  Make it real, make it fun, make it interesting, make it YOU.  Literally make your bio in to Twitter “follow bait.”  If you are fishing for followers, the better the bait, the more followers you’ll catch.

D. Picture

Make your personal picture (icon) a good one – in fact, make it great!  Twitter is driven by personalities, so use a picture that expresses the “personality message” you want to get across.  Logo’s, text, and images without humans or animals are often too business-like and restrain the driving social force that propels Twitter.

E. Background

Upload a really interesting BACKGROUND (Twitter wallpaper image) under the “Design” tab of your Twitter set-up admin area.  Here are 2 great places to look for backgrounds:

STEP 3:  How To Create a “Twitter Convincer Page” To Get Followers

Do not think that just because Twitter asks for your web address in the settings account area with the silly question, “Have a homepage or a blog?”, that this means you must put in your current web site or blog URL?  In fact, in many cases that is NOT a good idea.

To get started you can link to your web site or blog.  But what’s even better is to enter a URL to a dedicated page made specifically to greet, excite, or manifest interest from the people that will be investigating that link.  It’s literally like a landing page (what I call a “Twitter Convincer Page”) and in should be designed to get people to follow you.

STEP 4:  How To “Tweet” Interesting Topics To Get Listeners and Leads

What do you tweet about (post to Twitter)?  Ah, that’s the magical part.  Now granted, what you post depends largely on your goals and purpose with Twitter, but in general this is easy… post:  interesting stuff, preferably related in some way to what you do, who you are, and what you (and your followers) are interested in.

Spend some time exploring other Twitter tweets and personalities.  Listen to the conversations.  Observe and take notes.   What do you like, what don’t you like?  Try to ferment in your mind (and yes, a beer or glass of wine might actually help here) a “style” of Twittering that you like.  Maybe you find someone’s style you can mimic or perhaps you create a “mash-up” style that’s all you.

Congratulations!  Your Twitter account is set-up like a true Twitter “Twenius!”  Here’s an example of what your profile might look like… http://twitter.com/MSeiders

Set up your Twitter account today to get involved in the social media “cocktail party” going on right now in your local area to maximize your exposure and grow your income.

See you soon!

[Ed. note:  To get more money-making Twitter Tips... Follow Dan on Twitter @dhollings.  The above article is adapted from Dan's “100 Twitter Tips” e-book.  To get access to all 100 tips along with:  1) A 90-Minute “Twenius Starter Teleseminar”, 2) A Live 60-minute “Twitter Q & A Session” and 3) A 90-Minute Intensive “Twitter For Real Estate Professionals ”Specific Training Session... click here.]