Thoughts on Real Estate Marketing…

New agents often rely on the company website – thinking that they don’t have the money to build their own site, or believing that they have nothing to say about their service that will attract new customers and clients.

Thus, their Internet presence is much like their presence at floor day. They get new clients based on the luck of the draw. In large companies, I’ve seen hundreds of agents listed on a page. How will potential customers know which to choose?

You can, of course, create a winning agent bio – but who knows if it will ever been seen?

If you’re not satisfied with the luck of the draw, then your first move should be the creation of your own real estate website. And that doesn’t need to be a huge expense.

Purchasing a URL costs around $10, and hosting is a few dollars per month. And having great copy written is a one-time expense. You don’t need to change it unless you have something different to say about your service.

As for adding content and building your Internet presence – a good blog will serve the purpose. Of course, you mustn’t forget to optimize each page on your site.

I realize that most real estate websites are complicated by the fact that you need to offer MLS search capabilities. Signing up with a company that offers search could cost you more. So why not ask your broker if you can simply link to the company’s search page?

Then you can concentrate your efforts on letting your future customers and clients know why they want you to represent them.

About now you’re thinking that you have no experience – no track record to offer.

So what? You have other things – such as boundless enthusiasm, a recent education that has you up-to-date on all the current regulations, and a strong market knowledge based on diligent study of the market. You may also have area knowledge based on years of living in the community – or based on all the exploring you did when you first moved there.

Was it Mary Poppins who said “Accentuate the positive?” I’m not sure, but whoever it was, they were right. So sit down right now and write a list of all the benefits you can offer a buyer or a seller.

The only real negative you have to overcome is lack of experience. So stress your diligence in doing research, in viewing every home you use in a market analysis, and then show how your past experiences gave you tools you use in real estate sales. You can also cite strong broker or mentor support, and the fact that if you don’t know something, you’ll find out as quickly as possible. Not even 20-year agents know everything, and some of them aren’t willing to do the work to find the answers.

Once you have your website, put your URL on everything, including your email signature lines. Join Active Rain and start blogging – and directing people back to your site. Write to all your friends and sphere of influence and invite them to your site. Comment on real estate blogs and answer Yahoo questions – and always include your URL.

And of course, when you send prospecting letters, invite those folks to get acquainted by visiting your website.

To learn more about real estate websites, visit me at www.copybymarte.com.