Building eCommerce

By Sam Prochazka

You get a new real estate website, add your listings, open the doors and… no one comes in! What gives? Here are 3 reasons why websites can fail, and how you can fix them.

Reason 1 - The website sucked

Not all real estate websites are created equal. Here are some of the common reasons they can suck:
a. The website hasn’t been updated in ages
b. The website offers less than the public MLS website (Realtor.com in the USA/Realtor.ca in Canada)
c. The website is badly designed (bad Flash menu, too many images, very little content, etc.), eliminating your ability to rank well in search engines
d. The website looks terrible (ill-formatted, bad colors, old, ugly, etc.).

Successful Realtor websites are well-designed, dynamic, often updated, and offer vast amounts of information to visitors that they can’t get anywhere else. Statistics, neighborhood trends, extra listing information, photos, market news are just some of the things every good real estate website NEEDS.

Reason 2 - The website promotion sucked

Trendy doesn’t necessarily = money. Twittering away into oblivion doesn’t immediately translate into traffic and leads from your website. Your time is best spent on things that are guaranteed to work - here’s a dumb question: is your website address on your business card? Most Realtors will answer “No.” This is probably the second quickest way to get people to your site. The first is targeted online advertising, like Google Adwords.

It is also vital that you start writing content on your site ASAP. An article every day or two that is actually valuable to your target - like regular neighborhood updates and real estate market discussions.

Promoting your website takes time and diligence, but avoiding the wrong ways is easy and will save you time and money. Consider the following (make sure you’ve corrected Reason 1 before continuing):

a. Blogging and email newsletters. Include a weekly blog entry (real estate market stats, etc.) and email a newsletter to your sphere of influence every month giving blog headlines and directing them to your site.
b. Flyering. Yes, believe it or not flyering (if done properly) still works like a charm! Just make sure to include something enticing on each flyer that answers your customers’ main question: WIIFM (what’s in it for me)?
c. Search engine ranking. Your website CAN and SHOULD rank in search engines for phrases of your choice. Make sure your website provider understands how SEO works and ask them to give you some pointers.

Reason 3 - The website looked like a scam

If your website is riddled with words like, “No Obligation,” or, “FREE!!!,” then you’re scaring away good leads, and attracting unqualified people looking for something free.

Good real estate websites GIVE information without advertising that it’s, “Completely Free!!!,” all the time. As visitors use your site, you’ll earn their trust and they’ll be more compelled to give you their contact information.

This is a hard attitude to change, but once you try it you’ll never look back!

Having a website that makes you money requires that you approach it from the right angle. Make sure you avoid these 3 mistakes that so many real estate professionals make.

About The Author

Sam Prochazka manages Realpagemaker, a company that has been building Realtor and real estate websites exclusively since 2002.

By Uchenna Ani-Okoye

Every online business provides great service to generate satisfaction among their customers. As each and every customer receives satisfaction over their products or the services they get, there is a great chance that they will become a return customer and buy again. More beneficial yet, they will recommend you to other souls that could generate more business for you and your site.

As more traffic is driven to your site, you can entice many of them to subscribe to your mailing list or opt-in list. This is a list where in website visitors agree to be sent promotional materials such as newsletters, catalogues and such that could keep them updated about your site or the niche of your site. These promotional materials are sent via e-mail to the members of the list in different time intervals.

When using e-mail as the media of your merchandising and advertisements, you eliminate the need for high costs. Email is free and if you can manage to make your own promotional advertisements you can also save a bundle there. With an opt-in subscribers list, you are pretty sure that what you are sending out is received, viewed and read through the subscribers and not simply being deleted. They have signed up for service and have consented in receiving it.

This means that there are constant reminders to your subscribers about all your products, new merchandise and services as well as any promotions and special deals you are having. There is also the chance that they can be forwarded to other potential customers as they tell their friends and families about you and your site.

Of course you should be also aware that a subscriber may unsubscribe if they feel that they are not getting what they desire or expected. Make sure that they are gratified with your opt-in selling strategies and keep them excited in receiving your newsletters and catalogues. Here are some tips that can assistance you establish a list of eager subscribers.

Make your promotional materials interesting and fun. Try to use a little creativity but not too over artsy. Build around what your product or service is about. For example; when you are marketing motorcar parts, put some pictures of what is new in the auto parts world, a new wing door possibly that can fit any automobile and make it look like a Lamborghini.

Try to research what people are looking for, these way, you stay one step forward of them all the time and you will be their bearer of new tidings. They will be eager to receive what you are sending them since they new you always have fresh and new things to share with them.

Write adept articles that can be very informational but light at the same time. Whenever your subscribers enjoy your articles, they will go to your site through clicking the links that you will be putting on your newsletter to read some more. You can provide articles that can connect to many souls. Be diverse in your articles. Put something humorous, then put something informational, then put something that has both.

Are you wary about this since you don’t like publishing? No problem, there are many professional and experienced article writers that can do the job for you for minimal fees. They know what they are doing and can provide the want that you have for your newsletters, the money that you pay for your articles are going to be met by the many sign-ups and the potential profit from the sales that you will get.

Create and send an E-book to your customers about anything that is related to your business or site. Use your knowledge and expertise in the field you have chosen to assistance other souls who are similarly interested. Offer this e-book for free. You can write about anything informational and helpful to your subscribers. For example; you can do manuals and guides in so many things. This e-book could be used as a reference for many people.

Share this e-book with everyone, even other sites; just make sure that they don’t change the links in the e-book that will lead souls to your site. Whenever you want, you can always get some souls to write it for you just like your articles. Your investment once again will be covered by the great dealing this will generate.

Add e-coupons in your newsletters that will help them avail to special discounts. Put a control number in your e-coupon so that they can only be used once. Whenever individuals get discounts that can be found in your newsletters, they will be eager to receive your newsletter in anticipation of what you are promoting next.

If your subscribers can get benefits from your newsletters, they will be very eager to receive them. Just don’t flood your mailing list with mails so that you don’t annoy your subscribers.

About The Author

Uchenna Ani-Okoye is an internet marketing advisor

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