Bring them back
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Bring them back...This article is a great resource for any real estate broker, but the principles discussed in it are applicable to many more industries. Michael Antoniak, the author, begins by talking about the current predicament facing online real estate brokerage firms, which is battling for loyal online customers, or (as the title of the article clearly says) “[bringing] them back.” Antoniak then cites specific examples of what some companies are doing to be successful with such customer retention.
The author first discusses some online tools utilized by broken-owner Hector Rivera. I visited Rivera’s site. It looks pretty slick, yet simple. There are good visuals, including a slide show, a toolbar concisely labeled, and the company’s logo in the top left hand corner. The company’s contact information can be found opposite the logo. Under the “Resources” tab are certain interesting links; one of which is labeled “Daily News and Advice,” encouraging daily visitation for prospective sellers. Additionally, Antoniak makes a point to state the significance of knowing one’s local community and Rivera’s site pays tribute to this principle quite well. Under the “Community” tab, there are links for “Community Profiles,” “Area Schools,” “Community Links,” and “Request An Area Guide” – useful and meaningful links for any potential buyer who wishes to better understand his or her community.
In my opinion, the most interesting tool is an amortization calculator featured on the website of broker-owner Mike Bradley, of Metro Brokers Eagleview Properties LLC; the calculator can be found here . This tool attracts online users by allowing them to test out different numbers in the calculator and see what might best suit them.
The article ends by essentially stating that websites are only as good as the company behind the website. One can have the best tools of online marketing at his or her disposal, yet if principles like integrity are not there, customers may only come back to a website as long as they have not conducted business with that company. Thus, the website should reflect a business’s best qualities. Lots of different tools are then listed.
Peace to you and God bless,
Tyler Somers
posted by tyler @ 6:11:00 PM
1 Comments:
I thought this article was very interesting. As the internet continues to grow and grow, I can see why online realtors are becoming popular, but it seems like a difficult job to me. A lot of buying/selling a house and those services occurs through personal contact. When you meet with someone one on one you can get a better sense of who they are, what they are about, and whether they can be trusted or not. These things are hard to convey through the internet which is so non-personal. On a positive note, the features of some of the websites described in the article seemed very useful. Providing links about the community and schools are definitely important items that I’m sure buyers are interested in. Also, the amortization calculation seems like a cool tool. Finances are very important when it comes to purchasing a major asset. Realtors are smart to offer so many features on their websites, and hopefully it will encourage the use of the internet when it comes to buying/selling homes.
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