There has been a lot of debate on whether the Web is an effective marketing medium for Realtors. But don't look to the National Association of Realtors (NAR) for guidance. The only information Realtors can get about the effectiveness ratings of media such as newspapers, signs, and the Internet is from an outdated 1995 survey that states only 1 percent of Realtors closed transactions due to the Internet. That may have been true then, but this is now.

The success of realtor.com alone is testimony that things have changed. With more than 1 million visitors a month -- primarily consumers -- the site is among the most frequently viewed Web sites and ranks in the Web's top 100. Something must be going on. Then there are real estate service sites such as Realty Locator, which in less than a year has grown to be the most comprehensive directory for real estate-related services on the Web. And there are numerous others who also have a strong consumer attraction -- homescout.com, homesearch.com, homeseekers, and more.

Two recent informal surveys, one conducted at the NAR convention in November, both suggest that between 35 percent and 46 percent of Realtors polled have acquired listings, customers, and have sold properties via the Web. NAR doesn't have any plans to update its research on the most effective marketing medium for Realtors, not at least for the first half of 1998 -- which means that in this time of rapid change, Realtors are flying blind, without a 'Net, so to speak.

Where NAR could really be helpful is letting its membership know the latest marketing trends and buyer profiles, instead of omitting information that defaults the industry into outmoded business models. Realtors used to rule home sales by withholding or controlling the outgo of information to homebuyers and sellers. Consumers were forced to come to Realtors to learn about the latest listings or sell their homes for them via MLS. Today, consumers will not sit still for the gatekeeping tactics of the past. And as a Realtor, you need to know why and what business strategies you can employ instead.

1. Know That Buyers Have Changed. The one unassailable change impacting the industry the most is that buyers are now taking a more proactive role in searching for homes, just as they have for every other consumer item. And for that reason alone, the Web is here to stay. More than 80 percent of MLS-listed homes are available for browsing on NAR's own realtor.com at no cost, along with homes in numerous search engines and directories such as Realty Locator. Many home searches are not tied to MLS services at all, enabling Realtors to really show off their marketing skills with virtual home tours, multiple still photos, and consumer-friendly editorial. HomeSearch and HomeScout are good examples. Not only that, but the Web also gives easy access to home searches that were previously unavailable to consumers in such areas as foreclosures, REOs, and FSBOs. Consumers would be foolish not to take a look at the general Web marketplace before calling a Realtor for assistance or determining whether, in fact, they need one at all.

2. Net referrals. And which Realtor will they choose when the time comes? If the Realtor hasn't been referred by a family member or friend, chances are good that consumers will choose a Realtor from having been prospected by that Realtor or after they've seen an advertisement placed by the Realtor. Postcards, newspaper ads, billboards, and other signage play an important part, but so does the Internet. For families relocating from across town, state, or the nation, the easiest way to pick an agent is via the 'Net. And the more information they can find about you, the better. With the 'Net, you aren't limited to what you can say about yourself or your listings. You can tell it all and show it all without having to pay half-page or full-page advertising rates. Just make sure the content you display works to your advantage. You have to hire a professional to design your site. That is what you are asking your customer to do, isn't it? You need to be willing to get the appropriate help to market your services effectively.

3. The Net Way. When you are dealing with a 'Net customer, you are dealing with a whole new category of consumer, because this buyer does things differently than in the past. There is a wealth of information available on the changing buying strategies of today's consumers. Buyers have different approaches depending on their generation, educational level, and interest in technology, but the buyers who use the Internet tend to be upscale wage-earners, better-educated, time-sensitive, and consumer-aware. They seek information and want to do the groundwork themselves before they call in a Realtor. Your job as a 'Net resource is to provide as much interesting, topical, and entertaining information as you can so that readers will "bookmark" your site as their go-to site for the family's new city or neighborhood. Don't play games with this consumer by withholding information until you get their e-mail address and home requirements. That is a turn-off. If you won't give them the information they want, they are a click away from someone who will. Your job is to keep them on your site, and don't give them a reason to move on. Provide easy access to you and your services by giving your e-mail along with your phone number, address, and references. Include other useful phone numbers, such as your city's chamber of commerce, building associations, utility services, etc.

4. Don't Listen to Whiners. Realtors relying on industry figures and hearsay about Internet marketing are not necessarily getting the real scoop. Often they listen to associates who say, "I have a Web page and have never received a single hit." Or, "Customers can find my page if they really want to." Do not listen to these people. They don't have a clue how it works. They have no idea that the Internet is like a vast Yellow Pages, and without vital links to search engines and real estate-related sites, customers have no way of finding you. Try finding anyone in the phone book without knowing the name, and you will quickly see the point.

5. Links Are Everything. Show 'Net-savvy consumers that you have the full power of the Web at your disposal by including your URL and e-mail address on all of your personal correspondence, stationery, business media, and all advertising. Grow your list of links, and know who their link partners are. Most large Internet businesses have strategic partnerships with other large companies to increase the number of page views to each site. Reading this story on AgentNews, for example, you are automatically linked to Realty Locator, Yahoo, Netscape Navigator, several CBS affiliates, Homescout, realtor.com, E-loan, AllApartments, Excite, and Pointcast. Keep a running and growing list of links and link partners so that you can tell listing clients how many more people will see your ad and their listed homes. And don't just grab one link and quit there, thinking you have the 'Net handled. You didn't stop advertising when you got your first business card, did you? Or when you put your first ad in the paper? Or your first flyer? The 'Net is no different. Don't assume everyone starts and ends their search with your industry's URL.

6. Sell Your Homes First, Services Second. If you don't post each and every one of your listings accompanied by pictorial on your Web page, you are missing free opportunities to market your home. Many search engines and realty sites will post your listings for free. All you have to do is e-mail them your content. But make certain you provide a quid pro quo. Give them something great looking to post on the Web with well-planned pictures and interesting editorial. In your listing presentations, you will surely mention that your client's home will be posted on the Web. Do it justice, just as you would a printed feature sheet. Market the home toward buyers, not other Realtors, so leave off the Realtor-speak.
   Here's how it works. Realty Locator is the largest directory of real estate-related Web sites. Along with lenders, architects, builders, inspectors, appraisers, title companies, and other industries pertinent to the real estate transaction, there is a section for Realtors. Click on your city, and if you are not listed under Realtors, e-mail Realty Locator your Web address, and they will provide a link to your site and add you to the directory at no cost. Consumers will search for a Realtor in the area they want, find you, click on your site, and scan your listings.

7. Learn other new technologies. Don't groan yet, but there are several new technologies that can improve your marketing potential. I am in love with digital cameras. They are idiot-proof point-and-click wonders. You can even preview your shot before you take it and take another if you blow it. Download to your computer, and presto! You have an instant feature sheet with a picture that tells a thousand-word story. Take closeups of attractive design elements. That is the kind of detail a 'Net buyer wants to see. And you want them to see it, too. The more qualifying that you can do, or the consumer can do for themselves, the better for your business. As one Realtor put it, "I don't want lots of calls. I want one buyer."

A final note: Things have changed. Your buyers are performing more of the preliminary home searches themselves than in the past, and they are waiting to call you when they have their ideas narrowed down. Think more in terms of services you can provide to make their searches easier. Remember that the Web is all about the free flow of information. Don't worry if you don't have their e-mail address yet. Just having the consumer's name is not the truest indicator of interest in you or your homes. If you provide a useful, informative, attractive site, chances are good that consumers will bookmark you and return again and again. Then they will develop a relationship with you and choose you when they are through doing their investigating. When they call you, they are definitely interested.

Published: February 11, 1998

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Blanche is a renowned author of five real estate books. Her newest, Bubbles, Booms and Busts: Make Money In Any Real Estate Market, McGraw-Hill, was rave-reviewed by The New York Times. She was also selected from hundreds of real estate experts to contribute to Donald Trump's book, Trump: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received: 100 Top Experts Share Their Strategies, Rutledge Hill Press, and is featured on page 68. Order Now Review - Honors In 2006, Blanche was selected among scores of candidates to author two consumer real estate guidebooks for the National Association of Realtors: The NAR Guide to Home Buying, and The NAR Guide to Home Selling, Wiley & Sons. She is currently planning two new books for the NAR and its members.       Known for her keen insight into real estate industry issues and for her ability to make complex subjects easy to understand, Blanche is a sought-after keynote and continuing education speaker. Real estate organizations from MLSs, to brokerages, to franchisors, to associations hire her to provide up-to-the-minute analysis of real estate industry news and advice on how to improve revenues. Her passionate delivery, peppered with stinging wit, is a huge hit with audiences and fans. Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors, Blanche Evans, Richard Courtney, president 2007, GRAR "The GNAR membership meeting last week featured Blanche Evans as the keynote speaker. Her comments and insights resonated extremely well with those in attendance and we have had many requests for copies of her PowerPoint Presentation. She was a terrific part of the membership meeting and convention program!" - Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors Coverage from WSMV, Nashville - 8-14-2007 That Interview Guy - Get Inside The Head Of Today's Generation 2007 AE Institute Session - To purchase 2006 AE Institute Session - Parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 HouseValues Mastermind call - Parts 1 2 Blanche's fireside chat with Jeremy Conaway, HAR - Click here. For more articles by Blanche, click here.