Are you marketing with a complicated website? If so, it may be time to shift to something entirely different.
Most real estate agents are unfamiliar with the concept of a "squeeze page" as it relates to the real estate business. Nevertheless, if you have ever purchased any product online, there’s a good chance that you have come across this very common Web marketing strategy. When properly applied, squeeze pages can be a powerful way to generate high-quality Web leads.
Quite simply, a squeeze page is landing page devoted to a single topic. Most squeeze pages are standalone websites with a single page. In contrast, a typical well-constructed website will normally have landing pages sprinkled throughout.
Often, the goal of both squeeze pages and landing pages is to motivate the Web visitor to leave his or her contact information.
Squeeze page guidelines
If you would like to put this powerful tool to work either on a standalone website or integrate it into your current website, here are some tips from professional Web marketers that can help you to be more effective.
1. An effective squeeze page is devoted to a single topic
Many agent websites are packed with options for the consumer. Does your Web visitor want to see the multiple listing service, community information or a mortgage calculator? In contrast, a squeeze page is clearly focused on a single topic.
2. Make it about your Web visitor
Your Web copy will make or break your squeeze page. Some simple guidelines include making your squeeze page about your Web visitor. An excellent way to do this is to focus on using the word "you." Make your page about your Web visitors, not about you. That’s one of the best ways to motivate them to provide you with their contact information.
3. Use a standalone URL
Whether your squeeze page resides on your main site or is hosted separately from your main site, it should have the appearance of being a one-page website with a separate URL. It should not have links leading anywhere else.
For example, you might have a list of the best buys in your ZIP code and use a URL such as "BestRealEstateDealsin90025.com." You could also offer a special report on "Avoid Paying an Extra $100,000 on Your Next Mortgage." Your URL for this site could be "90024BuyersAvoidCostlyMortgageMistakes" or "AvoidCostlyMortgageTraps.com."
4. Headlines matter
Your URL can be an important lead generator, but what happens when they get to your squeeze page? This is where your headline is critical. As a rule of thumb, great headlines usually have an emotional hook coupled with a command. For example, if you were searching for your first home, which of these headlines would be the most effective?
1. "Avoid Paying an Extra $100,000 on Your Next Mortgage" or
2. "Stop Throwing Your Money Away on Rent — Become a Homeowner Now!" or
3. "Avoid Costly Mortgage Traps"? …CONTINUED
To test out your headlines, try this tool from the Advanced Marketing Institute. Plug in your headline and the tool will offer an automated rating. In the example above, the first headline scored an 11 percent. The second headline scored a 30 percent, which the site suggests is the minimum standard for professional copywriters. The third headline, however, rates highest with a score of 50 percent.
5. Compelling Web copy
Of all the steps involved in creating a compelling squeeze page, writing compelling Web copy is probably the hardest. While it may be smart to let a professional copywriter help you with this process, if you want to tackle this yourself there’s a great book called "Web Copy that Sells" that explains this process in detail.
Regardless of how you tackle this issue, you will have to determine whether you want to use a long or short format for text (also known as "copy") published on the site. The best thing to do is to test both approaches to see what works best with the people who visit your site.
6. Emotional, not logical, copy sells
People don’t buy houses. Instead, they buy the perceived benefits of owning a home. In terms of your squeeze page and/or your website, make your site rich with benefits — the emotional reasons for obtaining your special report, your newsletter or for subscribing to your blog. Keep your copy short using conversational words. You also need an emotional hook.
For a quick evaluation of your website or squeeze page, as well as suggestions on the words to use to increase that emotional hook, visit this tool and type in your URL.
7. What’s your call to action?
You have created your offer. The next step is to create your call to action. Using the example above, your call to action could be, "If you’re ready to stop throwing your money away on rent, order this special report that shows you how to become a homeowner now."
8. Include a privacy policy
You definitely want an opt-in form, combined with a brief statement of your policy privacy — i.e., that you won’t share their personal information with anyone else. Allowing consumers to opt in is a smart business practice. It will also keep you from getting in trouble with the spam police.
Remember, it’s not enough to tell your Web visitors about your services. You must give them a clear-cut call to action that has an emotional benefit as well. Your goal is to have them subscribe to your newsletter, RSS feed, or obtain a copy of your special report. This, in turn, becomes the basis for building a relationship that will hopefully lead to a sale.
