In today’s world, if you’re not online, you’re losing customers. Lead generation and marketing for real estate agents start with a robust website -- but it doesn’t end there. Attracting customers is only half the battle.
Now, you need to convert those visitors into paying clients. Make those advertising dollars count by learning the ins and outs of estate agent lead generation here
1. Website Speed
The speed of your website can make the difference between closing a deal and closing your agency. Most online shoppers won’t wait longer than three seconds for your website to load. Others will close the page after just two seconds!
Every one second that passes, you could be losing 7% of visitors. This is why keeping visitors on your page is a critical element of marketing for estate agents.
Improve your page speed with the following tips:
Turn on caching to store some aspects of your website in the browser, speeding up load times the next time they visit.
Minimize large images and complicated tools.
Make sure your server location and website host are close geographically.
Make your website compatible with most browsers, including Internet Explorer, Chrome, and Firefox. Cross-check your website speed on all platforms.
Website Design
Next to website speed, the design of your pages is essential for generating and converting leads. Your estate agent website should be user-friendly and easy to navigate.
This starts with the design and layout. Be sure to include important information like your services, fees, affiliations, and locations. It can be challenging to include all of this and still have an aesthetically pleasing website.
You also need to highlight your conversion tools to collect valuable visitor information. Highlight these tools with bold letters, different colors, and large font.
Check out the Rentround homepage, for example. The button to compare agent fees is in all capitals and a different color. It also tells visitors what to expect. Instead of saying “search,” it says “compare agents.”
2. Homepage Features
One of the most critical pages on your website (and the first one visitors see) is your homepage.
The homepage will deliver the first impression to visitors -- you need to make sure it’s a good one. It’s not just about how your homepage looks, but also what it says.
Keywords play a big part in attracting leads. Make sure your homepage features relevant keywords like “estate agent near me” or “estate agent in…” and plug in your location.
You can also use your Google Adwords campaign to target specific keywords. You can also create different homepages for each keyword, and Google will direct visitors accordingly.
Once they click-through, they’ll see their desired keywords on your homepage, helping prove that you’re precisely the agent they’ve been searching for.
Your homepage should also highlight what you have to offer and what makes you unique. Things like low prices, fast sales, and the ability to get above the asking price are all attractive qualities for buyers and sellers.
3. Offer Free Website Tools
Visitors must know that you have their best interests in mind. Offering free tools like rent and fee calculators is a good-faith gesture that could lead to more conversions.
Offering “free” tools is a great way to collect valuable information about visitors. Require visitors to input some personal information before gaining access to a rent or fee calculator.
Ask landlords to enter information about their property, including rental fees and location. You can then use this information to offer the best deal and convert a curious customer to a paying client.
Rentround uses this approach by offering a comparison tool for letting agents and fees. After inputting some information, landlords can view and compare letting agent fees and ratings.
When collecting personal information, you must always remain compliant with data protection laws. Your privacy policy should list what you’re using the information for.
4. Provide Clear Pricing Options
The first thing visitors want to know is how much your services cost. Don’t make this a guessing game. Unclear or confusing pricing will make landlords weary and could cost you the deal.
Instead of offering one overriding price, consider individual prices for different services. This makes you a more attractive candidate for multiple landlords.
Not all visitors need the same services. Let them dictate how much they spend and how much help they need.
Showcase these options using an easy-to-read pricing table.
5. Include Comparison Tables
Speaking of a pricing table, comparison tables can be used for different things. If you’ve ever heard the phrase, “Keep your friends close and your enemies closer,” you’ll understand the following recommendation for real estate agent marketing.
Instead of giving visitors cause to leave your site and research other agents, provide them with your competitor’s pricing and information upfront.
By creating this table, you can control what information you include and what you leave out. For example, if a competitor offers a lower price for a specific service, exclude that from your table.
Instead, highlight the services and fees that show you in the best light while pointing out your competitor’s shortcomings.
Compare things like the use of technology, industry awards, ratings, and fees. Remember, a visitor that leaves your site to research on their own could equal a lost opportunity.
Keep them engaged and on the page by comparing your estate agent fees and services to other agencies in an easy-to-read comparison table.
6. Showcase Why You’re a Reliable Estate Agent
Estate agent marketing is all about selling yourself. This starts with a professional and credible-looking website.
If visitors don’t trust you, they won’t convert to clients.
Don’t be afraid to boast a little. After all, you earned it. Share high ratings, positive reviews, affiliations, and awards somewhere on the homepage.
Mention any appearances on major news outlets or property portals.
List information about the deposit schemes you use and how you remain compliant with GDPR.
While this may seem like overkill, the more a lead finds out about your agency on your website, the less likely they will leave and perform their research elsewhere.
7. Understand the Conversion Process
To convert leads, you need to put yourself in the landlord’s shoes. This gives you better insight into the conversion process so you can make smart, effective decisions.
Both landlords and sellers want fast, straightforward answers and information. Only ask for pertinent information like their name, email address, and phone number. Avoid asking too many questions or prying for more information.
Not only does this take time, but it could scare your leads away.
Once you secure a phone call or meeting, you can ask more detailed questions about the property, including how many bedrooms it has, the rental amount, and the type of property.
Look at every field of your website that asks for visitor information. If you think there are too many questions, you’re probably right. When in doubt, leave it out.
The faster you convert a lead, the better. Once you do, you can ask more in-depth questions.
8. Offer Convenient Online Support Tools
Another way to quickly convert leads and cater to the human desire for instant gratification is by offering 24/7 online support tools.
Chatbots are the perfect way to do this, offering immediate support to landlords and property sellers. Adding contact and customer service information to your homepage is another popular option, though it forces visitors to wait for a response.
Most chatbots respond using pre-programmed questions and answers. You can select a few standard questions and appropriate answers.
For example, if the landlord asks, “How much are fully-managed services?” the chatbot will access its database to find the answer.
If it can’t, it may encourage the landlord to contact you a different way -- either by phone or email.
Chatbots save time and money for agents, sellers, and landlords. Estate agents save money by using highly intelligent bots versus paying a staff member to monitor incoming inquiries.
Convenient online support tools improve the customer experience, increasing conversions.
Estate Agent Lead Generation Made Easy
Attracting and converting leads doesn’t happen overnight. And it won’t happen without a bit of effort on your part.
Spend your time and money wisely by utilizing these tips for estate agent lead generation and marketing.