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Friday, May 17, 2024

Lead Magnets

    In recent months, more than 15% of home sales fell through nationwide, according to a Redfin analysis. If you’re a Phoenix, Las Vegas, or Tampa agent, you’re undoubtedly familiar with this, as these cities have the highest number of incompleted real estate deals.

    According to a survey from Cinch Home Services, the top 5 reasons for these derailments include:

    • The buyer walked
    • The buyer’s mortgage application was denied
    • Seller backed out
    • Home inspection issues
    • The home didn’t appraise

    Don’t wait for your deals to start falling apart. Being proactive rather than reactive will help avoid some more common problems.

    1. Vet the buyer

    According to the aforementioned Cinch survey, 42% of derailed deals in recent month’s resulted from a denied loan application.

    Buyers’ agents should thoroughly vet their clients to ensure they qualify for a loan and are prepared to financially complete the deal.

    Listing agents might want to consider requesting “… a recent pre-approval letter from the lender, written within the last 30 days,” suggests a Boulder, Colorado agent at realtor.com.

    Additionally, ensure that the buyer has a lock on the interest rate. “Buyers that have a mortgage rate lock are more likely to close the purchase versus those that still need a rate lock,” according to zondahome.com’s chief economist Ali Wolf.

    Jason Gelios, author of “How to Think Like a Realtor,” offers up some signs for a listing agent to be on the lookout for that might indicate that the buyer isn’t as strong as you might hope. These include:

    • A small down payment
    • Requests for credits or concessions from the seller
    • A pre-approval letter from an unfamiliar lender
    2. Tighten up those contingency timelines

    Not too long ago, we were engulfed in a hot, hot, hot sellers’ market, so much so that the word ‘contingency’ almost became obsolete.

    “Now, the supply and demand balance has changed,” Aly J. Yale at money.com reminds us. “Buyers have leverage, ushering in a new age of contingency-laden deals.”

    “Homebuyers now will agree to buy a house and be doing the inspection, and then back out because they found another home they love more,” cautions a Redfin agent in Las Vegas.

    Before accepting a contract, counsel your client to counter with a request to shorten any overly-long contingency timelines. The less time the buyers have to shop around for another home while still under contract on your listing, the better.

    3. Consider a pre-sale home inspection

    Nearly 40% of failed real estate deals can be blamed on home inspection results. 

    We get it: Many agents hesitate to recommend a pre-listing home inspection to their clients. Some say it’s because it presents additional disclosure items. Whatever the reason, the truth about the home will come out in the buyers’ inspection report anyway. 

    Be proactive so your client has the full picture of what she’s facing when the buyer’s inspection results come in. This allows your client to fix or replace anything you’re sure will be an issue for the buyer. 

    At the very least, you’ll have time to strategize how to handle negotiations if there are problems with the home.

    PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

    1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

    Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts combined with engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you.

    Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here


    2. The Free 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 and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

    3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

    The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks these boxes but is also a business-building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

    4. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

    The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.  – Click Here

    5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

    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

      The lead-generating capabilities of a real estate website are limited regardless of how expensive it is to build.

      Taking this capability to the next level requires strategic input from you.

      Personalization is the final step, and it’s the one that will become the foundation for your ability to generate leads through your website.

      Read on to learn the fundamentals of this step and create a lead-generating powerhouse of a website.

      1. Testimonials 

      Visitors to your real estate website are searching for their ideal real estate agent. We all know this, but too many agents address this need by posting self-serving, overly-salesy content.

      Nothing will impress these visitors more than hearing what other people think about you and your services. This is why the best real estate agent websites display (above the fold on the home page) a brilliant quote from a former client.

      That one line with quotation marks around it is far more convincing than anything you can say about your business.

      This testimonial, by the way, isn’t meant to replace a testimonial page on your site. In fact, using one on each page of your site is a brilliant idea, along with a dedicated page for them.

      2. Lead magnets

      There’s nothing like a compelling and irresistible lead magnet to get website visitors to provide their contact information. 

      So, what makes a lead magnet compelling and irresistible? 

      • The promise of receiving something of value is what makes a lead magnet irresistible. A free CMA isn’t a lead magnet, nor is a subscription to your newsletter.
      • Instead, consider offering the free direct response report, “Should I Buy Now or Wait For Home Prices to Fall.” It’s available here.
      • It can be easily received through an instant download.  

      Example: Carol has been wanting to sell her home and downsize for a while but is really concerned about being able to find a new home once hers is sold.

      She searches online to learn more on this topic and comes across a blog article written on the subject with a lead magnet offering a free report titled, “What If I sell My Home and Can’t Find One to Buy.”

      Carol gladly fills out the online form with her email in exchange for something she considers quite valuable.

      3. Offer up brilliant content

      From the perfect agent bio to your blog and neighborhood/community pages, quality content is an important aspect of SEO on your lead-generating real estate website.

      Sadly, there are some amazingly skimpy community pages on agent websites. Many don’t have neighborhood descriptions at all.

      Then some are absolutely brilliant. For example, check out the envy-inducing pages at LongandFoster.com. Click on any of the communities to see how no corners were cut in this company’s descriptions.

      Make these three tweaks to your real estate website and watch your lead-generating take off!

      PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

      1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

      Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts combined with engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you.

      Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here


      2. The Free 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 and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

      3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

      The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks all of these boxes but is also a business-building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

      4. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

      The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.  – Click Here

      5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

      This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

      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

      6. The Take a Listing Today Podcast

      Watch the ProspectsPLUS!, Take a Listing Today Podcast for actionable content to help you get more listings. – Click Here

        An opt-in or free offer is “an irresistible item of value provided to a prospect in exchange for their contact information,” according to Ryan Deiss, founder, and CEO of DigitalMarketer.com.

        The challenge, at least it seems to be for so many real estate agents, is changing your idea of what constitutes “value” to real estate consumers in 2022.

        Is it a “free market analysis?” or the equally common promise of email alerts when homes that fit a homebuyer’s criteria hit the market?

        Perhaps, in some cases. But in most cases, in 2022, real estate consumers are hungry for education and information and you need a way to set yourself apart.

        Dangers of Overpricing Direct Response Report, Click Here

        Direct response reports feed that hunger and fill your pipeline with new leads that turn into listings.

        Different Direct Response Report topics

        Direct response reports can be about any number of topics. But, before you settle on one, ask yourself three questions:

        1. Does the topic address a real problem? For example, in the current real estate market, few potential clients will be clamoring for a report about boomerang buyers.

        A direct response report comparing the pros and cons of buying versus renting like the Rent vs Own report or a report outlining the Inventory is Low. The Time to Sell is Now are both more appropriate.

        2. Can you provide a quick solution to their problem? For instance, a report for absentee owners on selling a vacant home addresses the concerns these home sellers are worried about.

        Choose Best Offer Direct Response Report, Click Here
        We queried agents on which report topics are most in demand right now. They include:
        • What if I Sell and Can’t Find a Home to Buy
        • Timing is Everything
        • Seller Mistakes to Avoid
        • Top Reasons Home Sales Fall Through
        • Should I Buy First or Sell First
        • Ways to Protect Your Valuables While Showing Your Home

        All of the above report topics are available under Flyers in the direct response report section of ProspectsPLUS!.

        3. Can I write these direct response reports so that they are compelling, valuable, and deliver on the promise? Not everyone is a writer. Direct response reports must, first, employ perfect spelling and grammar. Choppy flow is distracting and amateurish, so ideas should flow naturally, one to the next. Then, these reports should sound friendly, yet authoritative.

        Rent vs Own Direct Response Report, Click Here
        Tools you’ll need to put your reports in motion

        The first tool you’ll need is a landing page. Here is where visitors will enter the required information to receive their free direct response report.

        There’s an art to creating a compelling landing page (squeeze page). Check out Instapage.com’s “30 Squeeze Page Examples To Leverage for More Conversions” and read the critiques of each one. You’ll be a squeeze page pro by the time you finish.

        The most important aspect of using direct response reports to generate more listings is your commitment to nurturing those who opt-in. The fortune is most definitely in the follow-up.

        Where to Add Your Direct Response Report Offers
        • Add them to your listing presentation folder and pre-listing packet.
        • Share a free report offer on social media. State they can DM you for a free copy.
        • Add it to your direct mail as a free offer.
        • Include in your email newsletter as a free offer.
        • Add to your website as an opt-in in exchanbe for their email.

        PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

        1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

        Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine, with rich, full-color content, and a sharp, professional esthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts, combined with engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you.

        Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and, it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here


        2. The Free 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 Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

        3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

        The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks all of these boxes, but it is a business building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

        4. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

        The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.  – Click Here

        5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

        This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

        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

        6. The Take a Listing Today Podcast

        Watch the ProspectsPLUS!, Take a Listing Today Podcast for actionable content to help you get more listings. – Click Here

        Update Your Community Pages

        What if we told you that you can increase organic traffic to your site by as much as 40 percent just by updating old content?

        “It’s one of the quickest (and easiest) ways to make Google recognize you and bring your rankings back from the graveyard,” according to Neal Patel. He goes on to explain how the co-founder of Ninja Outreach increased the site’s organic traffic by 40 percent just by resurrecting old content.

        The best content on your site to bring back from the dead resides on your community or neighborhood pages.

        Why?

        Because these pages, if done right, are your most valuable when it comes to showing up in organic real estate searches.

        Let’s find the walking dead posts
        1. Find the posts that have been bringing in the most traffic. The Google Search Console website is a handy tool for this step. We prefer the old version, which you can reach by clicking the link on the bottom left side of the page.
        2. Go to “Search Traffic” and then click on “Search Analytics.”
        3. Now you have a list of your most popular content. Click on “CTR,” located above the list.

        To identify the posts that will “give you the most bang for your buck,” according to David Schneider, co-founder of Ninja Outreach, look for the following on your most popular pages:

        • A CTR lower than 1 percent
        • A high impression rate
        • A “position” between 1 and 30
        What to change

        It can be pretty embarrassing looking at your old blog posts but you’ll need to do so before going into the site’s backend to tweak them.

        First, check the page’s overall appeal. Does it include enough photos, subheadings and white space? Then, check the page for broken links.

        Make note of any issues you need to fix and then head over to the backend of your site.

        Next, look for the following:

        • Fix or update links on the page. Cyrus Shepard suggests that you should update the text surrounding the links as well, claiming that it helps search engine spiders more readily see that the page has been updated.
        • Consider removing any content that isn’t evergreen. This includes mentions of the community’s average home price, which, as you know, can become quickly outdated.
        • If you haven’t yet added alt text to your images, do so now.
        • Consider adding additional text to the page to make the word count longer. Have there been changes to the area since you wrote the original content? Any changes planned for the future? Longer content tends to rank higher so if there is anything you can add to beef up skimpy content, it’s worth it to take the time to do so.
        • Is there enough white space on the page? Break up paragraphs so that each contains no more than five sentences, add bulleted lists, subheadings, and additional photos.
        • Ensure your CTA is clear and compelling.
        • Check the copy for grammar, punctuation and spelling errors.

        Once you hit publish, head over to your social media pages and post your new and improved content.

        One additional note: Patel suggests checking that blog posts don’t compete with your community pages for “SEO authority.”

        “For example, you create an amazing page for your primary neighborhood focused on ‘real estate-centric’ keywords,” such as ‘homes for sale in (name of community).

        Then, you later publish blog posts for the same neighborhood using the same keywords in prominent locations, such as the title, URL & headings – that would be a mistake,” Patel cautions.

        Keep track of the pages’ progress

        SEO experts suggest taking a screenshot of the Google Console results we walked you through earlier. Then, when you check for changes in a month or two you’ll have something to compare the new results too.

        Keep tweaking as needed until you get the results you’re looking for.

        Homebuyers demand local knowledge and neighborhood or community pages are an ideal way to meet that demand. But letting information go stale isn’t a good strategy.

        In fact, it could be costing you money.Realtor marketing postcards for neighborhood updates with a free offer

        A great way to keep your Geographic farm updated with local knowledge is to send the Neighborhood Update postcard with a Free Offer.
        Send out at least 100 in 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 2 free ways we can help you CRUSH IT in 2018!

        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, Listing Inventory, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence – 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

        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)!

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