LEADS
Good and Not so Good

Imagine, for a moment, that your Website is a fantastic lead generating machine.  Would you be happy?  Maybe but maybe not!  If all of the leads we are talking about are seasoned and represent prospects that are ready to buy then I suspect you would be overworked but deliriously happy with your Website.  

On the other hand, if the leads turn out to waste a lot of your time and lead nowhere, you might quickly grow to despise your Website and consider it a waster of both your time and your money.  Yet another possible outcome might be a certain number of time wasters, a certain number of almost ready leads and a certain number of hot prospects.  Not a terrible Website but things could definitely be better.  If you are looking for a better way, visit me online at http://www.sellrealestate.net/FreeWebPlan.asp.  Everything works better when your Website follows a plan for success.

HOW THINGS COULD BE BETTER

Let’s say you ask me to create a Website for you that will generate leads in vast numbers.  I can do that but since you didn’t mention it, I might assume that you don’t care about the quality of leads.  Maybe you plan to sell them for so much per lead and don’t care whether or not any sales result from these leads.  But if you ask me to create a Website for you that will result in qualified leads then I will have to adjust my Web design accordingly.  Or maybe you want me to create a Website that not only generates qualified leads but also distributes those leads on a pre-established rotation basis among all your agents.   Maybe you also want a way of following up to see how your agents are handling the leads. All this is possible and a pretty good way of using technology to attract, qualify and follow up with leads. 

A LITTLE BIT HARDER

Instead, you send the same postcard to the same number of people but require that the person enter their name, address, phone and Email address before returning the card.  Watch that response rate drop just because you required a little information in return for your $50.

HARDER STILL

Now, take it a step further and require all the information in postcard 2 and add a line that asks them to enter a few time possibilities so that you can come by and deliver the $50 in person.  You will only get a handful of takers from your database of 1000 people.  And remember --so far, you are not trying to SELL them ANYTHING.  You are simply trying to GIVE them $50.  For more information on ways to generate leads visit http://www.sellrealestate.net/
LeadGeneration.htm. If you want to see actual examples of how Web pages can generate leads, visit www.sellrealestate.net and put your cursor over Web Design and then click on Sample Semi-Custom Web.  The possibilities are quite clear.

WAYS TO ASSURE TIME WASTING LEADS

If you require that a visitor sign in before seeing your listings you have only yourself to blame if your leads are few and inaccurate.  If you offer people the opportunity to receive information by mail or Email you should not be surprised that these same people are not interested in receiving a phone call from you.  The same is true if you offer people the chance to win that $50 Gift Certificate.  Now I am not saying that these are BAD leads, just that they are not people who are ready to take action.  In other words, it is OK to offer certain incentives as long as you realize what you are doing and have a plan in place for converting that lead to a sale when the time is right.