It might be filled with all kinds of useful advice and tools for your visitors. And you might think that’s enough to make them love you and use your services. But it’s not.

They may feel gratitude for the information and tools you offer, but that won’t make them choose your services.

For that you need 2 more things:

• Reasons why you are going to serve their needs better than anyone else.
• A call to action. Yes, you need to say “Call me.”

This will be the subject of my real estate ezine this week. If you’d like to be sure to get a copy, come over to www.copybymarte.com and request your free first time buyer letter. Then you’ll be on the list to receive the ezine.

But every now and then it’s a good idea to go back and take the time to read, checking for errors, ways to make the copy more effective, and opportunities for better SEO.

First – proofread for errors.

Mistakes are easy to make, and if your site has them, it reflects poorly on you as a professional. After all, when you’re writing an offer or listing a home, isn’t your attention to detail one of the important reasons why you were chosen? 

This morning I spent a little time just looking around the Internet – looking at various real estate websites. Far too often I found silly mistakes that showed the site had not been proofread.

For instance: “Joe Jones (not true name) have helped hundreds of Clients..” Farther down on that same page I found: “Here are a few of the sites we market our Listings:”

No one is immune to mistakes, but there’s no sense in letting them stay there!

Next, critique the copy.

Pretend you’re someone else and ask yourself if that website would cause you to choose the agent or agency it represents.

If your copy is filled with generalizations rather than specifics, you probably have some work to do. Most real estate sites are filled with meaningless words such as “excellent service,” “qualified realtor,” “top realtor,” and more.

Replace those trite words with your definition of what each one means – and how you provide it.

For instance: In place of “You’ll enjoy excellent service,” say something like: “When you work with me as your buyer’s agent, you can expect instant notification of new listings that fit your want list, …. ”

Weed out your “I’s”

Yes, you do need to talk about yourself on your about page. (But even there, you should refer back to what that means to your clients.)

Every other page should be about your clients and potential clients. If you’ve begun each paragraph with I or we, go back and turn them upside down – begin with “you” or some other word that will be interesting to your reader.

Trust me, they don’t care if you’d be pleased to represent them or if you’ll be happy when they view your video.

They care about how they’ll benefit if they choose you – so put that message front and center.

Use your flatiron..

(Do people still iron clothes?) Well, anyway… use whatever you need to smooth out the copy. Even when your individual statements are effective, when they’re all in one paragraph, they need to flow together. Then, your paragraphs need to flow from one to the next. Otherwise, the copy is choppy and difficult to read – because we as readers get confused, choppiness can destroy the message.

When you need to switch from one idea to another, use subheads or bullets. Our eyes see and recognize that as a switch, so we don’t get confused.

See where you can add a little SEO

You don’t want to overdo it, because your copy will end up sounding clunky, but you probably can sneak in words like “Yourtown homes” or “homes in Yourtown” in a few spots. And do check each page to see that your title tag and meta description contains the most searched keywords for your city.

Look for broken links and outdated information

If you’re anything like me, you make changes. You might even delete a whole page on your site. But sometimes you forget that you’ve added a link from somewhere else.

You might also have included information about an upcoming event – and that information needs to be removed when the event is over. Or, you could replace it with a story about the event.

If you spot an error on my site, please tell me!

Yes, I sometimes miss my own errors – and I always appreciate it when someone alerts me.

If you need updated pages or additional pages on your site, call me!

Helping agents stand out from the crowd by showcasing the benefits they bring to their clients is what I do.  

Here’s to prosperity,

marte@copybymarte.com
208-448-1479

Tonight I ran into a different sort of “Oops.”

I was going through old emails and writing follow-up notes to people who had inquired about copywriting but never followed through. I wrote one young woman and then, out of curiosity, clicked the link to go to her website.

What I saw was one franchise name listed in the title bar and a different one on her web page.

At first I thought perhaps the two companies had merged. But when the email I sent to the original address bounced, I realized that no, she had changed brokerages and forgotten to change her title bar.

When I write web pages for clients I include my suggestions for their title bar, description, and keywords, because those items really are important for search engine optimization.

But I’ll have to admit that when I write new pages for myself I sometimes have to go back and change the title bars. It’s an easy thing to forget.

So… if you’ve changed agencies, or if you’ve added pages to your site using an old page as a template, go check. Each of your pages should have its own unique title bar – one that helps the web crawlers know what they’re going to find on the page.

But time flies, and if that site has been up more than a few months, it’s time to give it a checkup. Unless you have a trusted assistant, you should do this yourself.

Start by clicking every single link on every single page. Are they all valid? Do they all go where you want them to go, or would it be better to make some changes?

Next, look at any autoresponder capture boxes you have set up. Use them yourself and see what you get.

Earlier this year I spoke with a real estate agent who was planning to attend a wedding event. He was hoping to connect with future brides who would, with their new spouses, be needing new homes. A couple of months after the event I decided to request his information via his website capture box and was startled by what I got in return. It was a message telling me that he’d gotten my name from the wedding event.

He had inadvertently set up his capture box to deliver the same house-hunting information that he was sending to the brides, but had forgotten to go back and change the greeting.

So actually use each of your capture boxes and really look at what you’re sending to prospective customers. This kind of error is easy to make when a project involves several steps – as does setting up an autoresponder.

Once you know all your links and autoresponders are delivering what you want them to deliver, go back and read all of your copy.

Things do change, and you don’t want your copy to look outdated. For instance, if your 2011 copy mentions successes during and before 2008, your readers are going to wonder what you’ve done since then.

Your bio is especially important when it comes to updates. Be sure to go back and add your recent accomplishments – both professional and charitable.

Look at your content pages as well. You know you should be adding to them with regularity, but do you need to change any of them? If your business is one like real estate or the mortgage industry that is subject to regulations that have changed over the past months, and you have talked about those issues, you should do some editing.

And now, one last thing. Take a look at your photograph. Does it really look like you? If you’re in a service business and want people to recognize you, this could be important. So if you’ve changed your hairstyle – or hair color – or if you’ve switched from glasses to contacts, it might be time for a new photo.

Unfortunately, many of them are “shooting themselves in the foot” with the way their messages are presented.

If you’re using these methods to reach and expand your audience, stop and think about how you present your message – you need to pay attention to both the words and the visual appeal.

The headline is important, of course. Without a good headline, no one will click the link to read the message. But that’s not all that matters.

The message must be presented in a way that it immediately tells your reader that he or she will get some value from reading. In other words, that first sentence and first paragraph has to be about them and their concerns – not about you.

So avoid the words “I” or “We” in that opening sentence. Find a way to turn it around to a “you” focused message.

Looks Do Count!

So stop and think about how your message looks.

Back in school you learned that you need to start a new paragraph when you start a new thought. But when you’re writing for customers, especially on the Internet, you need to break it down a bit more than that.

A “wall of words” is a barrier to your message.

If your thought goes on for ten or twenty lines, it’s way too much. It turns into a “wall of words” that simply looks like too much work. As a result, many of the people who might benefit from your message won’t bother to read it.

Is that wrong of them? No.

First, because they have a right to read or not read whatever they please. But also because reading on the screen really is more difficult than reading from printed material. It’s harder for our eyes to keep our place on the page.

So find breaking points and split that message up. Make reading is easy for your audience.

The “rule” in copywriting is to break up your copy after 7 lines. I prefer 4 to 6. Do remember to add a blank line between the paragraphs, and use bold or underlines in some spots for emphasis. All of those formatting methods make easier for your readers to keep track of where they are.

And do vary the length. Ten paragraphs all with the same number of lines looks boring – so strive for variety.

In fact, try putting some of your most important points in one-line paragraphs for emphasis.

Add some sub-heads

The other point to consider is that everyone today seems to be in a hurry. They want to quickly see if your message is worth reading, so they skim. Have you ever tried to skim when there are no breaks in the message?

So in addition to breaking up the copy, try to add some sub-heads. They make it easier for your readers to see what your message is about.

If you have several sub-points to your message that will lend themselves to being in a list, use bullet points as well.

Make it easy.

The bottom line is that no matter how important your message is, if you make it difficult to read, it won’t reach your audience.

Nearly every guru is touting the benefits of adding content to your website. Some say regular posts on your blog are enough, while others say you need to fill your site with content pages to attract the search engines.

As a marketer, I agree that the more content, the better.

But – unless the content is good, I think it can do you more harm than benefit.

True, any old content with the right keywords will attract the search engines. Get enough of it and it might raise your site to #1 ranking on Google for your keywords. That means more traffic to your site, which is a good thing. Right?

Yes, it’s a wonderful thing… with a big “IF.”

IF your visitors arrive at your site and read quality content, they’ll assume that yours is a quality business, and they’ll stay a while. They’ll take the time to read more and learn how your business can benefit them.

But IF they arrive and find bad content, they’ll assume that you:
* Don’t know what you’re doing
* Don’t know your own subject matter
* Pay no attention to details
* Hold no value for them
* Have “tricked” them into visiting you
* Are not the company they want to do business with

Just recently I was asked for a quote on search engine enhanced web copy. I replied with a price range, and got a letter back informing me that SEO copy could be had for far less. The writer sent me links to two sites where he had been quoted “bargain basement” prices for content articles.

Because I was curious, I followed the links to see what was offered. And I was astounded.

My first reaction was “Oh my gosh! I don’t even believe they’re offering to sell this!”

Apparently they weren’t ashamed of the copy, because their portfolio was extensive. And every article I checked was the same: Filled with typographical errors, misspelled words, and the kind of grammatical errors that made me stop to look again and figure out what they were trying to say. On top of that, the words were fluff, with no useful information for the reader.

In my opinion, spending money on that kind of copy is worse than holding your dollar bills out for the wind to take away. It may bring you traffic, but it will harm your reputation and your image in the process.

Be careful. Fill your blog and your web pages with good content that gives value to your readers.

Agent bios can pave the way and help you attract buyers and sellers who are drawn to you because you are somehow like them.

You may be thinking “But I don’t want to limit my audience to people who are somehow like me. I want to attract everyone.”

There are 2 reasons why you’ll be better off if you don’t attract “everyone.”

• When you attract those who are pre-disposed to like and trust you, everything will move more smoothly. They’ll be more open to following your advice and more timely in responding when you need their input.
• When you attract the right customers and clients, you’ll get more enjoyment from your work. You’ll eliminate some of the stresses that are inevitable in real estate sales and will look forward to talking with your clients.

Stop and think about which customers and clients you look forward to seeing, and which you dread calling. The ones who like and trust you are the ones you want to see. The ones who are distrustful, who are critical, and who won’t take your advice can cause you to think of 17 excuses why you can put off calling them or seeing them.

You don’t have to be alike in all ways – and in fact, sometimes just one small detail can be enough to cause a prospect to choose you over another agent. For instance, dog lovers are instinctively drawn to other dog lovers – and have a basic mistrust of those who dislike them.

Your agent bio gives prospective customers an insight into who you really are and draws people to you – or repels them. But that really is OK. If you give it some thought, you’ll realize that you don’t want customers who won’t like, respect, and trust you. You also don’t want customers that you can’t like and respect. They only make your days long and stressful.

So what should you include? A balance between your professional self and your personal self. Yes, you should mention your experience, your niche, and what sets you apart from other agents professionally.

But then, add a paragraph or two that lets people have a peek at the real you. It can be as simple as saying that you reside on the outskirts of town – where you take advantage of the many hiking trails to exercise your dogs and introduce your children to the wonders of nature. It could be mention of your volunteer work with an organization you support or your secret life as a Blue-ribbon winning creator of original pastries.

You don’t need to offer your life story – you do need to weave your professional and personal lives together to present yourself as you want others to see you.

If you need an agent bio that attracts new customers and clients, get in touch. Writing appealing agent bios is just one of the ways I help real estate agents sell more homes.

When Mark Twain made that statement, I’m sure he was talking about the word choices that speakers and authors make in order to create specific thoughts and feelings in their listeners and readers.

Creating those feelings depends upon recognizing the subtle differences in the meaning of two words that are similar in meaning – but impart a slightly different feeling. For instance, the difference between eager and anxious.

One conveys happy anticipation while the other hints at worry, however slight. And yet, many use the two words interchangeably.

These differences are the reason why writers of every variety keep a Thesaurus by their sides. If you know any writers or speakers well, you’ve probably heard them saying “I’m searching for a word. I wrote _____ but it’s just not quite right. I know there’s a better word.”

They’re also the reason why those who submit stories to newspapers are often dismayed to find that someone has edited their piece and removed a word that they had carefully chosen. Sometimes, the whole meaning of an article is changed.

I can only imagine what Mark Twain would say if he came back today and saw what article / content spinners do to destroy the intent and ideas behind written words.

He might have a good laugh, because some of the results can be humorous. For instance, in one of my articles that was “stolen and spun,” the spinning software changed a sentence from “You can appeal to…” to the confusing: “You crapper appeal to…”

It took me a while to figure out how the spinner got crapper from can, but I finally did and had a good laugh.

Of course, I wasn’t pleased, because the person who did it left my name on it. I feel certain that Mark Twain would not be pleased either, if it was his own work that had been “spun.” Especially if the spinner failed to remove his name.

As an article writer, I’m often confronted with seeing my own words “spun out of control” in a manner that makes them unintelligible. But, for those who like a mental challenge, figuring out what the original article might have said can be entertainment.

For instance, take the following sentence: “Whether you admire them or not, Accessible Houses can be a actual able absolute acreage sales tool.”

I looked up the original article and found that it said: “Whether you adore them or not, Open Houses can be a very effective real estate sales tool.”

The words “real estate” and “Open House” have specific meanings in our culture – we all know what they mean. But when “absolute acreage” is substituted for “real estate” it not only takes on a different meaning, it leaves us thinking “What in the heck is absolute acreage?”

On the other hand, “accessible house” could have a couple of different meanings – just not the same meaning as “Open house.”

As for “actual able,” I doubt if I’d have figured out that it meant “effective” if I had not gone in search of the original article.

In this same article, spinning changed the Law of Attraction to the Law of Allure. The difference is subtle, just as it is with eager and anxious, but there is a difference.

Adding content to a website is a good idea. It adds search engine optimization and gives site visitors more reasons to stay longer. And borrowing articles from a site such as EzineArticles.com is a perfectly acceptable way to do it.

Your website and your articles really are your “face to the world,” and you will be judged by them. So don’t choose an article and ask software to spin it into 10 more articles. The results are often such that you’ll present the face of an illiterate, or a “goof.”

At best, they’ll show that you’re more interested in appealing to search engines than humans – and what is the point of attracting visitors if they’ll see what you wrote and hurry to leave?

My opinion: when content is the result of article spinning, the best idea would be to delete it.

***The ideal length for a web page***
According to web expert Gerry McGovern, the ideal length for a page of web copy on a regular web site (not a landing page) is 300 words. He says 50% of visitors will read a 300-word page to the end, while only 5% will scan 1,000 words.

Headlines should be 4 to 8 words, sentences 15 to 20 words, and paragraphs 40 to 70 words. Hyperlinks should be in the right-hand column, not embedded within the body copy.

Reason: links in the body copy distract readers, making it difficult for them to read the paragraph.

Source: IntelBuilder

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From Marte:  Part of this advice is in contrast to some I’ve read about search engine optimization.That information said links in the body copy leading to other pages on your site lead to better optimization. So perhaps this is another battle between pleasing the reader, or pleasing the search engines.

My advice: Pay attention to what you do when reading, and decide. Do links distract you, or not?

Of course you’ve seen me harp about breaking up the copy – I just got another message this morning that I couldn’t (wouldn’t) stumble through… must have been 100 lines of copy with no breaks.

And there’s just no excuse for it. Adding a line between paragraphs only takes a flick of the finger on the enter button!

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***3 ways to build credibility***
Here are 3 things you can give – or give up – to others to build credibility with them:

1-Material wealth.
For instance, giving a customer a full refund – even when you don’t legally have to.

2-Time and energy.
Giving clients guidance, assistance, or advice when you are not “on the clock” or charging them for it.

3-Opportunity.
Example: the consultant who turns down a lucrative offer from a big potential client because it represents a conflict of interest with a smaller, less lucrative existing client.

Source: Wanek, Tom, “Currencies That Buy Credibility” (WA Press, 2009).

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From Marte: I sure agree with the first two, but I’m not sure about the third, because who would know? The client you turned down, who is cross at you for it?

I’ve turned down projects that went against my moral standards, but I didn’t send out a notice about it when I did.

At any rate, these two items are brought to you courtesy of Bob Bly Direct Response Letter. To sign up for Bob’s letter, visit www.bly.com.

If you expect it to do that,  you need to take care in developing the website. It isn’t good enough to merely put up a page and say “Here I am.” Your home page needs to perform two functions:

• Clarify what products and services you have to offer
• Show visitors that you are the person to provide those products and services

Linking from that home page to a further explanation of your services and your products is good, and does add content to the site. But that isn’t enough.

If you want to be found by the search engines, you need to add some content pages. Further, those content pages have to have some “meat” so that the human visitors to your site will also benefit from them.

You can purchase content on line for pennies – but I don’t recommend it. Most of it will be what I would call “lame content.” I’m sure you’ve seen it – a few hundred words on a page that essentially say nothing.

If you don’t like to write and don’t want to hire a copywriter, you can also pick up articles  on EzineArticles.com – you can even use some of mine. But do be careful. Before you choose an article to use, make sure that it reflects your opinions about your subject, and that its advice is current.

For instance, right now in real estate, things are changing so fast that good information from last year could be completely false today. So carefully read the articles before you choose them.

Next, your content needs to tie in with your niche market, and it needs to demonstrate that you have the knowledge to help your prospects solve their problems. For instance, if you are a real estate agent specializing in short sales, you should include an article with advice about buying or selling short sales. If you sell waterfront mansions, you need an article or two with advice about buying or selling waterfront mansions.

If you’re an insurance sales person specializing in commercial liability policies, then your content should offer advice in that area; but if you sell life insurance you need something completely different.

Content, then, is not simply something to attract search engines. It should be something that enhances your personal image with the people who visit your site.