Smart Realtors use their web sites to get more clients

Ever notice how most real estate web sites all look alike? They give links to MLS and maybe to the Chamber of Commerce. If they say anything at all about the real estate agent who pays for the site, it's something like "I'm your hometown Realtor."

Now, a few savvy Realtors are breaking the mold!

They're using their sites to show prospects the benefits of working with them. They've changed from a message of "I need money, so use me," to "You need expert help, and here's how I'll give it to you."

Wow. Realtors are starting to use good marketing techniques, and I'm helping them.

I write web copy for many kinds of businesses, but real estate is one of my favorites because I was a Realtor for 19 years. For 9 of those years I was the owner/broker, and through good marketing (plus service) we were able to dominate our market and control over 50% of the business within 2 years of opening our doors.

I left the business when I realized that the most enjoyable part of my work was marketing - and when my marketing pulled customers in the door and I wanted to push them all over to my agents to serve. It was time to leave and start helping other agents see the same success we enjoyed.

Now, at www.copybymarte.com, I offer a web copy package to get Realtors off on the right marketing foot. Along with the all-important content articles, the package includes a home page, a buyer page, a seller page, and a page I believe is especially important: The About Me page.

Too often Realtors and other business people hide behind a professional mask - afraid to be "real" in their customers' and clients' eyes. I think that's a mistake. It's OK for your doctor or your dentist, but not for your Realtor.

There are some big differences. For instance, the amount of time you spend with your buyers. Keeping a completely professional distance while spending the afternoon viewing homes can make you seem cold and uncaring - and perhaps "only in it for the money."

It puts a barrier between you and your customers/clients that might prevent them from trusting you - and telling you things you need to know to serve them best.

In addition, people are drawn to other people who are like them and who share their interests. So a few words about your hobbies or your family not only show that you're a real person, they give your prospects a point of commonality on which to begin building trust.

It shouldn't be detailed or even very long - just an overview of how long you've lived in the community, if you came recently- what drew you here, what kind of work you did before you became a real estate agent, family or other ties to the community, your hobbies, the service groups you belong to or the charities you volunteer with. Just a capsule of who you are.

Remember that over 80% of all home buyers search the web before they contact an agent. Let them read about you and begin to like you before you ever meet.

By the way, the bonus to being real is friendship, along with increased revenues.

Some of my dearest friends came into my life as clients and customers. Not only have I enjoyed knowing them, but they helped to build my business by trusting me - and sending me their friends and family.

I encourage every Realtor to include these 4 pages on their sites, and to take the time to really think how they serve buyers and sellers. Then tell them.

Remember, the average person doesn't know about all the work you do behind the scenes, so talk about it. And - and this is important - many of your prospects have had bad experiences with other Realtors who didn't do the things you may take for granted. Just promising to return their phone calls on the same day might be the thing that sways them to choose you over someone else. (Of course, you have to keep the promise!)

Go back and think about the compliments you've gotten from people. You may have felt like you were being complimented on something routine, but the reason that particular part of your service was worth mentioning is probably because someone else doesn't do it. Use it in your marketing!