Thoughts on Real Estate Marketing…

Today’s email brought a link to a program that looked interesting, so I clicked.

And just as soon as the page loaded, it started talking. It wasn’t just an introduction, either. It was a 15 minute video. I didn’t want to take the time right then to watch a video, so thought I could “turn it off” and come back later.  Nope.  It was going to play until I exited.

So I exited.

If I don’t lose track of the email over the course of the day, I might go back tonight and click again.

But if I’d been given a choice of when to watch that video, the page would be sitting at the bottom of my screen, waiting for me. I probably would have come back to watch it when I needed a break from writing, or even after dinner.

As it is, I may never get back there – and in that case, they will have lost a customer.

Three reasons why your website shouldn’t automatically play sound.

1. It is annoying, so sets the wrong tone for your sales message.

2. Insisting that visitors hear your message right now is disrespectful of their time, which again sets the wrong tone.

3. Consumers who are checking out your web page when they’re supposed to be working will click away at the speed of light.

Yes, some of your would-be customers are at work.

I know – any employer would say that they shouldn’t have been there in the first place. But we all know that a good share of employees are cheating their employers by doing online shopping, using Facebook, searching for a new home, writing personal emails, etc. while they’re being paid to work.

It’s not good, but it is true. And those folks would prefer not to be “caught” doing it.

If you want to exclude them as customers, audio will do the trick.

Think about that. I recommend that you give your visitors a choice of when to hear your audio.