Tuesday, November 19, 2024

lead generation

    Generate more future leads with your neighborhood page

    Did you know that the most powerful lead-generating pages on a real estate agent’s website can and should be the neighborhood or community pages?

    Sadly, for too many agents, they aren’t. Although these pages provide important information to visitors, too many aren’t doing the heavy lifting of luring new visitors to the site. Why?

    Inaccurate understanding of how to set these pages up for lead generation success.

    For instance, one agent website provider offers up a blog post about features to include to create an “Unbelievable Real Estate Neighborhood Page.”

    • Home prices
    • Community description
    • Neighborhood photos and videos
    • Area statistics
    • School rankings
    • Local attractions

    They then show examples of these features “in action.” Of the two agent websites shown, neither showed up within the first FIVE pages of Google results for their neighborhood pages.

    I don’t know about you, but an “unbelievable” neighborhood page should generate leads.

    So, how do you get yours to do that?

    Optimize those neighborhood pages

    Although the pages we viewed on the aforementioned websites are full of valuable information about the various communities, they will never rank unless and until they are SEO optimized.

    Even then there is no guarantee you’ll show up on page one of Google, especially if you work in a major market, such as San Francisco, Chicago or New York.

    Optimizing your pages may, on the other hand, yield huge results for smaller-market agents.

    The Sanitizing Your Home Free Report is available under the Free Report section
    Start with the title

    Your first impulse when creating a title for a neighborhood page is naturally going to be something along the lines of “Homes for Sale in [Name of Neighborhood].”

    But, check this out: There’s an agent in New England who titles all of his neighborhood pages “Realtors Guide to [Name of Neighborhood].”

    We don’t know what led him to make this decision but it might be that he felt the names of the neighborhoods were too competitive to rank well on their own.

    His decision is brilliant, however. We ran a search for “Realtor [Name of Neighborhood] and he ranks on page one of Google for three out of four communities. For the fourth, he ranks in the number one spot on page two of Google results.

    While the volume of searches for this term are most likely quite low, we imagine this agent gets the lion’s share of leads when it is used.

    Tip: If you choose to go the traditional route, avoid using the term “real estate.” It’s not a term that consumers frequently use. In fact, Google ads research shows us that “homes for sale in” receives nearly 9.5 times more impressions than “real estate for sale in.”

    Additionally, the former results in nearly 5 times more clicks than the latter.

    Sprinkle longtail keyword phrases throughout

    Longtail keywords typically include at least 4 words, but often more than that. Some to consider include hyper-local phrases such as:

    • Homes for sale in las vegas with a view
    • View homes for sale in las vegas
    • Oceanfront homes for sale in Waikiki
    • Homes for sale in Hopkins near the blake school

    Work these into your neighborhood descriptions as naturally as possible. For instance:

    “The best neighborhoods that offer ocean-front homes for sale in Waikiki include . . .”

    Tip: If a neighborhood is known locally by a name that’s different than what appears on the map or the official name, don’t be afraid to use it in your long-tail keyword phrases.

    Don’t stuff

    While you want to avoid keyword stuffing, there are areas of a neighborhood page that will give your keywords the most bang for the buck.

    These include:

    • The title of the page
    • The first sentence on the page
    • The URL link
    • Several subheadings
    • Image alt text
    The Sanitizing Your Home content card is available in the Content Card Series under postcards.

    If you don’t have neighborhood pages on your website, it’s time to fix that.

    Send the Sanitizing Your Home content postcard from the Content Card Series to your Sphere and/or Farm to keep them informed of how to stay safe during the coronavirus.

    Need help targeting a specific niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

    PLUS: When you have time…here are some free resources we’ve made available to support your success.

    1. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

    The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Get More Listings, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here

     

     

    2. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

    Treat your business like a business it is vital to long-term success in this industry. Some agents may put together elaborate business plans, yet there’s something powerful about keeping it simple. Check out our one page Online Real Estate Business Plan.  – Click Here

     

     

    4. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

    Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

     

     

     

    5. The Free Online ROI Calculator

    Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! –Click Here

     

     

     

    3. The Real Estate Marketing Guide “CRUSH IT” 

    The “Crush It” Guide includes easy steps to launching an effective direct mail marketing campaign, how to create a targeted mailing list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –Click Here

      Ellen DeGeneres, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Lady Gaga. There is something oddly similar about those three. Love them or despise them, they all have great-big personalities.

      And, they were all, at one time, employed in the food and beverage industry (DeGeneres and Ocasio-Cortez bartended and Lady Gaga waited tables).

      If you’ve ever worked in the hospitality industry, you know that there is a direct correlation between building rapport with your customers and your tip income.

      After all, do you tip the grumpy waitress, the bartender who ignores you or the bouncer who makes you wait until the “important” people are let into the club?

      Like real estate, many of the jobs in these industries have a low bar of entry. Let’s face it, waiting tables is easy to learn. Waiting for them with elegance, with class and with customer service top-of-mind is a bit harder.

      The House Feeling a Little Empty postcard is available under the Life Event Series in the Postcard section.
      Being personable leads to the bigger bucks

      Even the bartender who mixes a mean Manhattan won’t build a following without a bit of personality. It’s the same in real estate.

      An agent can have an expert-level understanding of contracts and marketing but, without the ability to build rapport, will fail to build a referral base. Without that, he or she will be forever chasing after new business.

      Think about the waiters and waitresses you’ve over-tipped – it was their personality, their ability to interact that compelled your generosity, right?

      Sure, you can be a ho-hum agent, do the minimum required and still make as much on a transaction as an agent who goes above and beyond in providing customer service.

      And, if you don’t want or need repeat business and referrals, go ahead and be that agent otherwise read on.

      The approach

      “When greeting a guest I always approach the table with a smile,” Jenna Paul, server and assistant general manager of The Peached Tortilla in Austin Texas tells Jane Ko at Seasoned.co.

      Sounds simple, doesn’t it? But the advice also applies to real estate agents. Whether you’re knocking on doors, schmoozing at community events or greeting who you hope will be your next listing client, a smile is imperative.

      Smiling puts a potential client at ease and builds that first step toward genuine rapport. “People like that warm and inviting welcome,” says Chance Ramsey, assistant general manager at Contigo, also in Austin.

      Step two to blissful rapport

      “Don’t worry – he’s one of us.” You know that feeling you get when you’re sure you’ve just met a like-minded individual and everything clicks?

      My “one of us” may be vastly different than yours. But we know, instinctually, whether or not someone is like us or not like us.

      The Ready to Sell the Lawnmower postcard is available under the Life Event Series in the Postcard section.

      “Rapport is established by creating a common ground with your guests that enable them to put you in the “like me” category,” David Hayden explains to food and beverage employees at TipsSquared.com.

      He goes on to explain that being perceived as one of your potential clients’ “good guys (or gals)” … “puts them at ease” and builds trust.

      So, how do you become a member of their tribe? Consider mirroring. Tony Robbins suggests that mirroring is the ideal technique to help you learn something new, be it a new habit or strategy.

      Author, trainer and business speaker Jeff Mowatt, takes it a step further by applying the technique to building rapport in sales and uses food and beverage workers trained in the technique, as examples.

      “Match your customer’s style,” he begins. “Pay attention to how your customer prefers to communicate and get in step. Does your customer prefer to get right down to business, or warm up by engaging in small talk?”

      “If your customer talks quickly and loudly, make an effort to match that energy,” and “if the other person talks softly, then you talk more softy,” he suggests.

      “If they lean forward, then you lean forward … In other words, you ‘mirror’ the other person’s tone of voice and body language.”

      Think about DeGeneres today. Aside from the big, bold personality, she’s someone with whom people connect. The same can be said for another one-time hospitality worker, Jorge Mario Bergoglio.

      A one-time nightclub bouncer in Buenos Aires, he is known today as Pope Francis. “The People’s Pope,” to many, he has made it his mission to build rapport across the globe.

      Being personable in the hospitality industry leads to immediate gratification in the form of higher tips.

      The Want More Time for Play postcard is available under the Life Event Series in the Postcard section.

      In real estate, the gratification is delayed. But, when it comes, it pays off in big bucks.

      Go after the Empty Nest niche market by sending the Want More Time for Play postcard from the Life Event Series.

      Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

      PLUS: When you have time…here are Free killer tools to help your success this year!

      1. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan – NEW 2020!

      The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Get More Listings, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here

       

       

       

      2. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan – NEW 2020!

      Treat your business like a business it is vital to long-term success in this industry. Some agents may put together elaborate business plans, yet there’s something powerful about keeping it simple. Check out our one page Online Real Estate Business Plan.  – Click Here

       

       

       

      3. Get the ALL-NEW Real Estate Marketing Guide “CRUSH IT” 

      The “Crush It” Guide includes easy steps to launching an effective direct mail marketing campaign, how to create a targeted mailing list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –Click Here

       

       

       

      4. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

      Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

       

       

       

      5. The Free Online ROI Calculator

      Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! –Click Here

       

       

        “Successful marlin fishing involves having the right gear, knowing the right fishing tactics and techniques, and being in the right place at the right time,” according to FishermansOutfitter.com.

        The same can be said about anything one is trying to capture, from a mouse or a crook to the perfect photograph and, yes, real estate leads.

        The challenge for many real estate agents attempting to capture leads is that, while they may understand tactics and techniques, they lack the proper gear.

        So, let’s start with that and then get into how to use that “gear” to lure real estate leads on Facebook.

        Mackerel or marlins?

        Real estate agents can learn a lot about lead generation and capture from the fishing world. And, the first step is to determine who it is you’re trying to lure. Gone are the days of agents marketing to “anyone who is breathing.” It’s inefficient and ineffective.

        Who do you want to work with, buyers or sellers? First-time buyers or repeat buyers? Luxury homeowners or condo owners?

        Figuring out what you’re fishing for and then who these people are is key to any marketing strategy, most especially when you’re marketing on Facebook.

        Before you do any further planning, head over to Facebook’s Policies to ensure that your promotion follows the rules.

        Choose your lure

        Watching a video of man- or woman- against marlin, it’s easy to assume that the most challenging part of catching one is the fight. The angler, strapped into a boat’s fighting chair, pumping and reeling, while the huge fish leaps and spins, makes for compelling footage.

        But, “big blue” didn’t just stop by and ask for the fight – he (or she) responded to a lure.

        And, not just any lure. Depending on species and sea conditions, the boat’s captain will choose from an array of lures he or she feels will be most attractive to the fish.

        Premium content might hook them

        Premium content is one way to lure Facebook leads. This type of content is different than what you offer by means of blog posts. It’s “a type of digital content that may be accessed for a fee, and is usually of higher quality or more desirable than free” content, say the folks at Techopedia.com.

        You won’t, however, be charging a fee for your content. You will, on the other hand, ask for information in return.

        And, now that you know who you are “fishing” for, determining the type of content to offer is a whole lot easier.

        Remember, it’s called “premium” content for a reason. It’s higher quality than regular content, longer in length and, as the Techopedia folks say, it’s “exceptionally informative.”

        An ideal type of premium content is a Free Report. Offer Free Reports in person, through direct mail, email and add to your website as a free download in exchange for an email.

        There are a variety of long-form content types from which to choose:
        • A list and in-depth description of down payment assistance programs
        • Infographic
        • Tutorial
        • Ebook
        • In-depth guides, such as city guides, neighborhood guides, buying and selling guides, relocation guides.
        • Reports (basically just 3,000-word articles)
        • Checklist (staging, moving, loan application, etc.)
        • Long articles (at least 3,000 words)

        Get more tips on creating and marketing with premium content at LinkedIn.com.

        Facebook giveaways to lure real estate leads

        A prize giveaway is another way to lure Facebook leads.

        And, make no mistake, what you’re giving away is key to the promotion’s success. “I mean, who’s really going to take the time of day to like, comment on, and share a post when all they stand to gain is a $15 gift card for coffee?” asks Pat Hiban at ActiveRain.com.

        “Almost no one,” he claims. Take the time to carefully consider an item that you’re contemplating giving away. Hiban lists several that worked well for other agents:

        • Family passes to a popular local attraction, such as a waterpark or amusement park.
        • Tickets to a sporting event. Hiban suggests “tickets to a local team’s upcoming game  or even tickets to college games often work.”
        • The latest smartphone

        Or, make the prize appropriate to an upcoming holiday. In 2017, Chattanooga attorneys Warren & Griffin gave away a stainless-steel barbecue grill and threw in a $50 Walmart gift card that the winner could use to purchase the goodies to cook on the new grill.

        Use your favorite graphics program to create compelling Facebook posts to promote the giveaway and ensure that everything steers them to a dedicated squeeze page where you’ll capture their information.

        Facebook’s rules state that users can’t force participants to share, like or follow to be entered for the prize. So, don’t force them. Hiban offers a brilliant alternative:

        “Know someone who needs” a new grill? “Share this giveaway so that they have a chance to win!”

        Get more Facebook giveaway ideas and tips at Wishpond.com and Hootsuite.com.

        Show them you know what’s on their mind (available in the postcard section under Get More Listing Series)
        Another way to generate leads is to send at least 100 Should You Stay or Go postcards from the Get More Listings Series to an area where you want more leads.
        You might also like:

        Agent Facebook Success: Rules of Engagement

        A Refresher Course in Attracting New Clients


        Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

        PLUS: When you have time…here are Free killer tools to help your success this year!

        1. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

        Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

         

         

        2. “Get More Listings” Free Online Webinar

         

        “Get MORE Listings & Begin to Dominate Your Market!” Free online webinar. Learn the 3-7-27 strategy for explosive growth, why 95% of agents have less than 20% market share, and how to become the agent everyone competes against. – Click Here

         

         

        3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

        The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Get More Listings, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here

         

         

        4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

        Treat your business like a business it is vital to long-term success in this industry. Some agents may put together elaborate business plans, yet there’s something powerful about keeping it simple. Check out our one page Online Real Estate Business Plan.  – Click Here

         

         

        5. The Free Online ROI Calculator

        Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! –Click Here

        Who started the thing where new agents should go after buyers? Sure, right now there are lots of buyers in the market, but it isn’t always like this.

        And, there is a truism in real estate: If you list, you last.

        So, let’s get you some listings before you stereotype yourself as a strictly buyers’ agent.

        Do it right

        While shooting a bunch of arrows into the air may result in you eventually hitting something, a planned, disciplined approach to lead generation works far better.

        This means choosing which methods you will use, planning your marketing approach carefully and scheduling a time to perform the necessary follow-up.

        Most important of all is that, should you seek advice from your colleagues, ignore the unsuccessful among them and definitely pay close attention to anything offered by the most successful agents.

        Target neighborhoods

        You’ll often hear this approach to real estate lead generation referred to as “geographic farming,” and for good reason.

        To be successful requires certain farming techniques, such as choosing a fertile plot of land, planting marketing “seeds,” and having patience while these seeds germinate.

        Then, you need to nurture them along.

        To find that fertile plot of land, research. While there’s no consensus among the experts, many suggest that you start with an area of about 500 homes. Ultimately, it comes down to your budget – how much money you have for marketing – that will determine the size of your initial farm.

        To narrow down the choice of area, agents use different techniques. Some choose an area based on its current sales activity.

        “Look for movement,” suggests Martin Bouma with The Bouma Group in Ann Arbor, MI in an interview with Gary Keller.

        Others choose by home price point. For instance, if you know how much you want to make in gross commission income, it’s easier to hit your target if you’re consistently listing homes in a particular price range.

        Bouma suggests that you research each area of interest to determine how many commission dollars were earned last year (by all agents) and then determine if any particular agent dominated in listings. If the dollars are high and competition is low, go for it.

        Ok, so you’ve chosen your ideal geographic farm – now what?

        It’s time to start communicating with these people. Again, how you’ll do this depends on how much money you have to spend on marketing.

        If you aren’t crunched for money, consider using “things that people will hang on to,” Bouma suggests. He mails 4-page market reports in a color-magazine-like format.

        Successful lead-generating marketing ideas include postcards, flyers and door hangers with the following information:

        • Introduce yourself as the area expert
        • Announce just listed or sold homes in the farm area
        • Advertise an open house that you’ll be holding (hopefully, someone in your office has a listing in the area and they’ll allow you to hold it open)
        • The advantages of buying over renting (for the tenants in the area)
        • An invitation to contact you to learn what’s happening with home values in the area (ideal for absentee owners)
        • Offer a CMA

        How often?

        “If I was brand-new I think I’d do it every month,” suggests Bouma.

        More important than how often, however, is that you reach out consistently. Gary Keller calls consistency “the magic pill” and Bouma agrees: “I just keep reaching out in a bunch of ways, consistently.”

         “The medium is the message”

        In the 1960s, Canadian professor Marshall McLuhan studied the media as a way of understanding society. He coined the phrase “the medium is the message” to describe how the medium is as, if not more important than the message, because of its enormous influence on how the message is perceived.

        What medium (or mediums) will you choose for your message?

        While digital messaging can be inexpensive, it’s also hit and miss in its effectiveness. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do it. Consistent blogging and social media use coupled with direct mail, however, is the bullseye you should aim for.

        Postcards, capture the recipient’s attention instantly making them less likely to be thrown away than something sent in an envelope.

        If you’re a door-knocker, consider printing up your message on door hangers. You can blanket an entire neighborhood (up to 400 homes) for less than $200.

        “Having the right attitude is probably more important than any other factor,” when trying to become a top listing agent, according to Phoenix mega-agent Russell Shaw.

        “A complete willingness to do whatever is necessary and to have the viewpoint that you are going to persist until you have arrived.”

        Get started now, send out at least 100 Free Home Market Analysis postcards from the Free Offer Series to an area where you want more listings.

        Need help targeting the perfect niche of buyers or sellers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

        PLUS: When you have time…here are 4 free ways we can help you STILL CRUSH IT in 2018!

        1. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook.

        Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here 

        2. The Free 2019 Real Estate Business Plan.

        Treat your business like a business it is vital to long-term success in this industry. Some agents may put together elaborate business plans, yet there’s something powerful about keeping it simple. Check out our one page Online Real Estate Business Plan  – Click Here

        3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan.

        The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Listing Inventory, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence – Click Here

        4. The Free Online ROI Calculator. 

        Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! – Click Here

        Also…check out these cool tools 

         Three Click Postcards – Just snap a home photo & create a postcard all from your mobile phone

        MLSmailings.com – Automated Just Listed, Just Sold Postcards

        Market Dominator System – Become a neighborhood brand

        Want to Refer a friend or colleague? Refer them, Here. THEY get a Free $25 Gift Card and YOU become their hero. BTW, you also get a $25 Gift Card too (now that’s what I’m talking about)!

        More words of wisdom from Dean Jackson (the king of real estate marketing). In today’s article, he explains his innovative approach to converting leads over time. Dean Jackson is the founder of GoGoAgent and Listing Agent Lifestyle

        Playing the long game

        I’ve heard many agents complain when they try different sources to generate leads, for a few months, and get nothing out of it. Unfortunately, the point being missed with this way of thinking is the real payoff with lead generation is in playing the long game.

        The correct approach is to look at your lead generation process, not as a short-term expense, but as a capital investment. Do not add unnecessary and misguided pressure to the action of generating leads by expecting to recapture your money in 30, 60 or even 90 days.

        It’s time to amend your perception of the value of a lead over time. And begin to cultivate your leads over 12, 18 and even 24 months (regardless of lack of response). Then you will begin to build a true capital asset. And this asset of unconverted leads will become an incredible treasure trove that will continue to pay dividends for years.

        A case study

        A great story defending the above philosophy is of agent Tony Kalsi. We tracked lead conversion results on Tony’s listings for four years in a “Getting Listings Case Study”. And we discovered 21 transactions he achieved over the four-years were from leads he had generated in the first year that he had continued to cultivate.

        If Tony had written off these 21 leads as “duds” due to not being able to convert them quickly, he would have missed out on – I don’t even want to think about how much money!!

        I’ve heard story after story like this from agents who understand the long-term approach to converting their leads. They patiently educate and motivate their lead list, then watch the yield from that portfolio continue to pay off year after year.

        Being conscious of your marketing dollars has its place. However, focusing only on what you can achieve “right away” from your marketing dollars and discarding the rest is a mistake. And this mistake will cost you longterm valuable assets.

        Every new lead that you add to your “lead portfolio” is a potential future client. Some leads may convert quickly, but many more will convert over time, even years after your initial contact.

        From “dud” to dynamite

        If you have leads gathered over the years that you’ve identified as “duds” due to not converting quickly, I have a great marketing campaign for you. This campaign has the potential to bring many of them back into the fold.

        Gather together an email list of your so-called “dud” leads and send them the following email. Put their “first name” in the subject line of the email and then ask them one simple question in the body of the email. “Hi  ‘insert person’s name’, “Are you still looking for a house in ‘insert city or neighborhood’?”. 

        That’s it.

        That little email and nothing more. Send that email to all of the dud leads you’ve generated and neglected for 90 days or longer (or you feel have neglected you). And you’ll be amazed at how many people respond “Yes, we’re still looking.” You’re also going to be surprised, not in a good way, at the number of responses you get from people that say, “No, we’ve already bought.”

        This second response will break your heart, but don’t sulk, just make a mental note that YOU can not predict when a prospect will be READY to move forward. This knowledge will become a reminder to not prejudge your leads. But instead to take the long-term “asset management” approach to nurturing your leads as the treasure trove that they are.

        Begin cultivating and nurturing your lead portfolio today by sending out the Ever Thought About Selling postcard from the Listing Inventory Series to at least 100 prospects from your lead list.

        To learn more about the other incredible tools and resources Dean has available for agents go to GoGoAgent.com  and ListingAgentLifestyle.com.

        Need help targeting the perfect niche of sellers or buyers? Use our mailing list tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy) or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

        PLUS: When you have time…here are 3 free ways we can help you CRUSH IT in 2018!

        1. The Free 2018 Real Estate Business Plan.

        Treat your business like a business it is vital to long-term success in this industry. Some agents may put together elaborate business plans, yet there’s something powerful about keeping it simple. Check out our one page Online Real Estate Business Plan  – Click Here

        2. The Free Online ROI Calculator. 

        Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! – Click Here

        3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan.

        The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Listing Inventory, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence – Click Here  – Click Here

        Also…check out these cool tools 🙂

        Three Click Postcards – Just snap a home photo & create a postcard all from your mobile phone

        MLSmailings.com – Automated Just Listed, Just Sold Postcards

        Market Dominator System – Become a neighborhood brand

        When 1,500 U.S. consumers were asked what type of research they performed before hiring a real estate agent, nearly 43 percent said they seek advice from a neighbor or friend. More than 34 percent say they check the agent’s website.

        When the second most popular way of finding agents is by trolling their websites, it’s critical to take a good look at your online presence. Blogging has benefits.

        Listings, listings, and more listings

        Here’s a “well, DUH” for you: To capture website leads you need visitors to your website. There are several ways to generate more traffic and blogging is one of the best methods.

        Merely having a blog on your website will increase the site’s number of visitors, according to a Hubspot study. In fact, companies that blog receive 80 percent more visitors and small-business bloggers (which is what you are) get 126 percent more leads.

        The bottom line is that if you promote your posts widely and consistently, you’ll drive more traffic to your website. 

        SEO

        And, if you search engine optimize your blog using long-tail keywords, you’ll be focusing on traffic that is more likely to convert.

        Examples of short and long-tail keywords in real estate include:

        • Short: Lake homes
        • Long: Lake homes for sale in Madison
        • Short: Homes for sale in Phoenix
        • Long: Homes for sale in Phoenix with a pool
        • One-story homes in Las Vegas
        • One-story homes for sale in 89123 under $200,000
        Real estate consumers are using longtail keywords to find you

        Agent Steve Jolly of nashvillerealestatenow claims that he counted “21,050 keywords that were used to find my website” over the course of one year. More than 90 percent of those keywords were longtail.

        In a nutshell: Although long tail key phrases will result in less traffic, what you do get will convert easier. And, when you think about it, are you in the traffic-generating or lead-generating business?

        Finally, if you’re posting valuable, high-quality content, you may attract inbound links – the holy grail of anyone seeking to rank in Google.

        If you want Google to see your site as authoritative, having high-quality inbound links is the only way to do it, according to Jayson DeMers at Search Engine Land.

        Blogging helps build trust and establish expertise

        The folks at Google asked real estate consumers what is important to them when choosing an agent and nearly half of them said “trust,” according to Tom Ferry.

        So, how do you create trust? Through your online presence.

        Blogging helps you appear human instead of as a brand. Regular blogging, on a schedule, helps people trust you as well. You show up, you are consistent – those are all qualities consumers seek in an agent. 

         A blog will help you to position yourself as an expert in your niche
         The How

        Stuck for topics? Think about your clients and the questions they ask. The chances are good that others have the same questions.

        There are at least a gazillion (ok, an exaggeration, maybe a bazillion) pieces of online advice about how to write blog posts. The key thing is to know your audience before you sit down to put fingers to keyboard:

        • Buyer or seller?
        • What pain point is your topic addressing?

        Keep the answers to these questions in mind to remain focused as you write.

        Make the post easier to read by structuring it so that it has lots of white space. Chop up overly long paragraphs and use photos, subheadings, content boxes and block quotes.

        The When

        How often should you post to your blog? Businesses that “published 16+ blog posts per month got about 4.5X more leads than companies that published between 0 – 4 monthly,” according to a Hubspot survey.

        Sounds a bit excessive, doesn’t it? Other than agents who outsource their blogging, who has time to write four blog posts a week? Nonetheless, the takeaway from this survey is that blogging more often results in increased lead generation.

        Not only does inbound marketing work, it’s far less expensive than most other types. If done right, blogging is inbound marketing on steroids.

        Another way to get more listings, send the Timing is Everything postcard from the Fence-Sitter Series to at least 100 new prospects in an area where you want more listings.

        PLUS: Whenever you have a moment…here are 3 things to check out that will help you CRUSH IT in 2018!

        1. The Free 2018 Real Estate Business Plan

        Treat your business like a business it is vital to long-term success in this industry. Some agents may put together elaborate business plans, yet there’s something powerful about keeping it simple. Check out our one page Online Real Estate Business Plan – Click Here

        2. The Online ROI Calculator

        Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! – Click Here

        3. The 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

        The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Listing Inventory, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence – Click Here

        Also…check these out 🙂

        3 Click Postcards – Just snap, tap, send all from your mobile phone

        MLS Mailings – Automated Just Listed, Just Sold Postcards

        Market Dominator System – Become a neighborhood brand