Most Realtors have a site designed, either custom or with the aid of a template site, add some content and functionality, and market the site by plastering their Web Address (URL) all over their existing Marketing, Letterhead, Business Cards, Lawn Signs, etc. This drives existing clients and prospects to the sites that have either met the Realtor and received his or her business card or have otherwise seen the Realtors marketing with the URL (www.im-a-great-realtor.com) displayed. Perhaps the prospect drove by the realtors sign or saw a print ad in the local newspaper or a Real Estate publication.



Whichever form of contact the prospect saw, it was creative and interesting enough to drive them to the Realtors website to get the information they were looking for. Great Marketing, huh? Not really. In this day of open information technology, most Realtors sites have full access to MLS, listing information, even referrals to other Realtors. So the end result of your well built website? Analyzing click-in and click-through shows that MOST prospects get all the information they need right from the site and NEVER CALL the Realtor!!

Now remember, this prospect felt motivated enough by the Realtors' marketing to go to the webs and type in the URL of the Realtors site! Then however, they were given so much info that they no longer need the Realtor! In this scenario, not only was the website worthless, but it also diminished the Realtors print marketing value as well.

Rather than send existing clients and prospects to your site, shouldn't your site send new and incremental prospects to you?? What can you do to create a website that promotes incremental business and supports your other marketing strategies, instead of harming it. In part one of this brief article, I will offer suggestions on how to create a better lead generating Realtor Website.

1) Know your Goal.

Most Realtor websites are large template created sites filled with information and helpful tips for your visitors. They do create a professional look and feel, and even provide a value to the visitor who may browse the MLS, look for listings and area information, etc. But is this the goal of the site? Not really. The single goal of your site should be LEAD GENERATION. Shocking? No, but very few sites are written with this single most important tip in mind. How do you generate leads from your website?

2) Include a STRONG call to action.

Your prospect has now made it to your site. The prospect will now take one of two paths. Either he/she will direct themselves and wander around your site trying to find the information they are looking for, or YOUR SITE will direct them to act as you would like. What is your call to action? Your decision. The most common call to actions are PICK UP THE PHONE AND CALL ME, or ENTER YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS IN MY FORM. These calls to actions can obviously not be this literal, but need to be prominent and confident. You must expect the prospect to perform the action you are requesting and create the call as such. More on this in (including some examples) in part two.

3) Be seen.

In order for your Realtor Website to become a large source of incremental business, it must market itself. In other words, it must be highly visible. This is the most critical part of any website marketing plan. You can have the best Real Estate site on the entire web, but if you are not easily found within the major search engines, other than direct placement, (people who already know your website URL because they saw it elsewhere..) your site will not bring incremental business. 80% or more of all clicks to Real Estate web sites originate with Google, Yahoo, or MSN. If tips number one and two are followed, your site will increase the conversion of your current visitors, which will bring you more business, but what you are really looking for, is incremental business. This requires a search engine submission and optimization strategy, so prospects will be driven to your site, along with a conversion strategy to convert your "suspects" to prospects once they get there. This will be the subject of part two of this article.