What are the
Ingredients for a "Perfect" Website?
When our Advanced Access
Customer Service representatives pick up the phone this is one of
the questions we are occasionally asked. In our never-ending pursuit
of Internet Marketing dominance, the answer we're ALL really looking
for is this: "Is there some kind of MAGIC FORMULA I can
apply to create a powerful, successful and income producing
website?"
A successful website has
several key ingredients. When we evaluate your website, we first
check to be sure you have covered the "basics." What are
the basics? In a website for real estate homebuyers and home
sellers, it should contain at the very least:
-
A "Featured
Listings" section
-
A Unique "About
You" page
-
Favorite Links
section with links reflecting your interests
-
Local Partners
section featuring area businesses
-
A Unique Theme and
Slogan to tie in with your traditional marketing efforts
Going BEYOND the basics; however, is
where you can really SHINE. To set yourself above and beyond your
competition, it's important to define your online marketing plan.
Why do you need a plan? An organized online marketing plan is the
first step toward a successful website. Here's how to
start:
Know your audience. In
creating a successful website, it's important to define WHO your
audience is. Think about it for a minute - who would you like your
website to appeal to? Are you looking for clients who live in your
area, or out-of-state relocation clients? Perhaps you have
experience in working with first time homebuyers and know the
special programs available in that market. If you grew up on a
ranch, maybe you are uniquely positioned to be the "horse
property specialist." If you work in popular retirement area,
maybe you are uniquely positioned to be the "Senior
Specialist." Or if you are a financial whiz, you can
provide a valuable service for clients who want Income
property.
Create a "Pretty
Package." Once you know your target market, you need to
"package" yourself so that you appeal to them. Consumers
will respond to your packaging, just as they do to a colorful cereal
box on the shelf in a supermarket. In this case, YOU are the
product. And just like a box of cereal you need to make yourself an
attractive and enticing "online package" and do everything
in your power to become a well-known and trusted "brand
name."
Don't be TOO Specialized. For
packaging purposes, it's great to be known as "the Senior
Specialist REALTORŪ." However, be sure to tell your visitors
you also can handle OTHER types of real estate. A statement
prominently displayed on your website should read, "In addition
to selling retirement homes, I can handle ALL types of properties in
the area." Let your visitors know you have no
limitations.
Keep 'em coming back for MORE.
After someone visits your website, will they remember you next week,
next month, or next year? If you want your online consumers to
return to your website you need to provide them REASONS to come
back. Now that you have defined the audience, you can determine the
type of information you need to include in your website to keep them
coming back for more.
Examples of information you might
want to include:
- Listing Presentations
- Virtual Tours
- Marketing Plan
- Neighborhood Descriptions
- Area Maps
- Floor Plans
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- Relocation Packages
- Market Updates
- Activities
- Local Phone Numbers
- Free Drawings or Gifts
- Client Updates
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YOU are the Solution. Your
website should say who you are, what you do, and be CLEAR about how
you can SERVE your online visitor the moment they visit your
website. Try to be a problem solver. Your online visitors have a
problem. They want to find the PERFECT home at the PERFECT price in
the PERFECT location. Show them how you will be the solution to
their problem.
Is it EASY to Contact You? If
your website receives a good amount of sessions each month but you
don't have any contacts resulting from those sessions... Take a look
at where your lead generation forms are placed. Start at the home
page of your site and click on some of the links. Are there obvious
ways to contact you easily?
Make sure you go back and read some
of our latest
Marketing Tips about e-mail Links vs. forms, adding a Guestbook
to your website, or having a unique theme or slogan.
If possible, set aside a few minutes
at the end of each week to concentrate on different tasks that will
add your personality to your website and help your online visitor to
find the home of their dreams. To make your website work, you
need to invest your time into making it the best on and off
the Internet.
- * Keep working on your
website day in and day out.
- * Try a variety of options.
- * Use trial and error to
determine what works.
- * Spend a little time each
week to brainstorm with friends for more ideas on promoting your
personal website.
Have some FUN working on
your website - you will find that it will pay off. The more fun you
have working with your website, the more of your personality will be
reflected there. And, consumers will RESPOND more often to a site
they can connect with on a HUMAN level. Please remember, we're
always here to help you and we're happy to answer your questions. At
Advanced Access, we're only a phone call or a click away.
Link
Popularity Update
Being a member of
Today's Agent entitles you to all sorts of great tools and services
helping you make the most of the Internet and ebusiness. Their Basic
Listing is $19.95 per year which will get you a text listing in
their directory. Their Preferred Listing is $59.95 a year and you
will be listed in three cities of your choice as well as being
listed at the top of the page.
Here's how to get started
Visit the link below:
www.todaysagent.com
-
Scroll
down
and
click
on
the
link
where
it
says
"Join
Today's
Agent
for
30
Days
Risk
Free!"
- Read the information
and at the bottom of the page you can click to access the sign up
page.
- Fill out the form and
hit "Register Me"
If you have any questions on
adding a reciprocal link from your site please don't hesitate to contact
us.
Read the following from real estate
professionals who are using Advanced Access' Marketing Tips to their advantage:
"My Advanced Access Website has
been a TREMENDOUS asset to my business! I have 3 other websites from
other sources which all 3 combined have not benefited me as much as
Advanced Access. I have my Advanced Access website on my
Business Cards and yard signs. Today the Internet is an extremely
important tool, tomorrow, the web will be critical to staying in
business in Residential Real Estate Sales! My favorite story
is a referral from a friend. Her neighbor was moving out of town and
needed to sell her big home quickly. Thanks to my Advanced Access
Website I acquired a buyer and sold it in 28 days! I made $16,000 on
that transaction!"
Jerry G. Hunter
"The personal computer has
always been an irritating little device to me. When I entered Real
Estate, the PC was just something else I had to conquer in order to
make a living. At first I had three sites with different companies.
What a waste. Then I spent some time searching other Realtor webs
and tracking their ranking on the various search engines. Advanced
Access seemed to be very successful in keeping their clients at the
top. So here I am, with consistent rankings, consistent hits and the
kind of service that other Realtors would die for! The kinds of
clients that Advanced Access brings me are the kinds of clients that
make my business a success and a pleasure. I would not hesitate to
recommend Advanced Access to any Realtor wishing to consistently
provide a great presentation to potential clients!"
Hazel Sharif/
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