Ten Things a Real Estate Professional Can Do in a “Down” Economy: #2

#2 Enhance Your Online Presence (second in a series)

In today’s market, having a strong online presence is essential.  You probably already know that!  Unfortunately, many (most?) of us tend to set up our websites, then ignore them for weeks or even months at a time.

An effective online presence requires continuous “care and feeding.”  Without that, your websites will stagnate, lose visitors, and eventually drop out of sight.

So, during this slower economy, set aside a day or two, to burnish your online image and spruce up your websites.  Here are a few ideas that you might find helpful.

Overall Impression

Look at each wesite with a critical eye.  Is it neat, or cluttered?  Is it modern, or old fashioned?  Does it use too many colors?  Are your name and company’s name lost in the array of information?  Are you adhering to your company’s branding guidelines?  Using a fresh look / template for your website will attract more consumers.  Limiting the number of colors to 2 (in addition to black and white) will make the website easier to read.

Organization

How easy or difficult is it for consumers to locate information in your website?  Do you have tabs or a navigational sidebar?  How many sections are there?  Research shows that 7 ± 2 is an appropriate number of items for any kind of list.  You can help consumers locate information through the overall redesign, by renaming sections, by reordering sections, and by keeping the number of sections near 7.

Biographical Information

How stale is your biography / “about me” section?  When is the last time you updated it?  Have you accomplished anything at all, since you wrote the existing copy, that would make a good addition to your biography?  Does your biography truly reflect who you are, now, or is it dated?  If you were a consumer, would your biography instill confidence and trust in you?  This is one place where good friends may be of help.  Ask your friends why they think you’re a good real estate professional, and why they would recommend you to their acquaintances.  Then, weave their reasons into your biography.  Warning: You may find that you have to start “from scratch”!

Images

If you have used clip art on your website, remove it.  If you believe that the page must have an image, then use a high-quality photograph.  Photos of your marketplace are the best, but you can purchase photos, relatively inexpensively, from services like Dreamstime, iStockphoto, and others.

Blogs

You should be updating every blog at least once each week.  This is particularly critical for the blog on your main website.  That’s where consumers will look for your marketplace information.  Don’t neglect your independent blogs, either.  If well done, and updated regularly, they will drive consumers to your main website. If you don’t yet have a blog that is independent of your website, I would recommend using Blogger, which is hosted by Google.  It is a very easy-to-use platform, offers a variety of attractive templates, and facilitates including a number of useful widgets in your blog’s sidebar.  If you are more comfortable with technology and know some HTML, then WordPress provides an excellent blogging platform.  You can also apply to have your independent blogs listed on a local or industry aggregator website.

Listings

Do I really need to talk about listings on your website?  Well, yes, unfortunately.  You may not be guilty of this particular crime, but some real estate professionals do a terrible job presenting their listings online.  What do consumers want?  Information and pictures – lots of both.  So, every single listing you have should include as many good-quality, well-conceived images as you can fit into your template, a virtual tour, detailed information about the rooms and features of the property, a floorplan, a map showing the property’s location, and links to other information, such as nearby schools.

Consumer Information

If you’re like most real estate professionals, you include helpful information for consumers on your website.  You may include information about the buying and selling processes, financing a purchase, community resources, up-coming events, and vendors / service providers you recommend.  Information like this is valuable, but it can very quickly become obsolete – especially an events section.  Mentally “flag” this part of your website for a thorough review, at least once a month, to ensure that all of the links still work, and the information is current.

Social Media

After you have updated your primary real estate websites, apply the same analysis to each of your social media sites.  And, if you’re not participating in, at least, these social networking forums, sign up!

• LinkedIn
• Twitter
• TwitPic
• Facebook
• Flickr
• ActiveRain
• BrokerAgentSocial.

When you have completed these tasks, and are pleased with the look and functionality of your websites, do not just pat yourself on your back and walk away.  Before you break out the celebratory sparkling wine, create a plan to ensure that your online presence never again becomes stale.

You can do a lot in just 15–30 minutes a day, by selecting one website or one type of task for special focus.  Make a list of website components that should be updated regularly (for example, listings, blogs, financial information, community information, images, and so on), and simply cycle through them, day by day.

Now, you’re ready to celebrate!

Previous post: #1 Become Reacquainted with Former Clients and Customers

Subsequent post: #3 Retool Your Presentations & Marketing Pieces

Ten Things a Real Estate Professional Can Do in a “Down” Economy: #1

#1 Become Reacquainted with Former Clients and Customers (first in a series)

You know that it is important to keep in touch with former clients and customers.  You worked hard to get them; you don’t want to lose them. You’ve also seen the NAR statistics about consumers who liked their real estate agent, but can’t remember the agent’s name.  (Definitely don’t want to be part of that group!)

So, what else, besides your usual continual-contact system, might you be doing?

Now is the time to get out and “socialize” with those people who have brought you business in the past!  Call them on the phone (you’ve got an established business relationship with them, so that’s fair), and set up an appointment for a chat.  The reason you’re suggesting an in-person visit?  Because, given what has happened to their other investments, and what they’re reading in the newspapers and hearing on TV and radio, people are likely concerned about the value of their current home.  You will provide them with an update on what’s really going on in your marketplace—and help them sleep better.

On the day of the meeting, take along some information that you can leave behind.  I would suggest including your business card, the latest market “snapshot,” and a printed copy of your latest newsletter and/or blog post.  You may have other items that would also be of value.

While you are there, do update all of the customer’s information, including e-mail addresses.  (You may not have collected that information, when you closed the last deal with them.)  Reaffirm your plan to continue to provide them with relevant information about the real estate market, and the community at large.

Also, find out what’s been happening with their family (you’re an old friend, now, so that’s a natural question), and make a note of what you learn.  They may impart news about life events that could lead to a near-future real estate need—empty nest, parent moving in, another child expected, retirement, and so on.  If so, then you’ll want to include this contact in the appropriate Prospects list.

Don’t overstay your welcome!  Plan to stay no more than 20-30 minutes.  Leave them wishing for more conversation with you.

Finally, be sure to follow up, right away.  Send a hand-written thank you note, confirming your intention to keep in touch.

Subsequent post: #2  Enhance Your Online Presence

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