We want to help you make more money — right now. All month, go Back to Basics with Inman as real estate pros share what’s working now and how they’re setting up to profit in a post-pandemic world. Get full access to the series for 50 percent off here.
We all know how expensive buying real estate leads has become. Most of us use or have used a third-party service to bring in more business, and it’s not cheap. But if you have a website, you are sitting on an untapped resource that has the potential to generate hundreds of leads each month for no additional cost. Here are four ways you can leverage your website to generate leads.
1. Downloadable guides
If you have informational blog posts or resources you’ve invested time creating, take that content, and turn it into a downloadable resource for your website visitors.
For example, if many people are relocating to your area, you can create a downloadable guide about moving to your city. This guide could include the cost of renting versus buying; profiles for each neighborhood; and information on schools, jobs, and healthcare.
Work with your web developer to make the guide accessible through a lead capture form on your website so that when website visitors download it, you get an email with their contact information.
2. Intuitive lead capture forms
Where on your website are visitors prompted to contact you? If it’s nothing more than a contact page or property information request, you’re missing out on so many opportunities to capture qualified leads!
Think about who is visiting your website. Are they first-time homebuyers? Downsizers? Sellers? Investors? Whomever it might be, you want them to feel that you are offering solutions for their specific needs.
Creating lead capture forms that specifically address these needs is an excellent way to encourage your website visitors to give you their information. For first-time homebuyers, ask them questions like:
- What’s your budget?
- Are you pre-approved?
- What features are you searching for in a home?
For second homebuyers, ask them how they intend to use the home.
- Recreational property?
- Vacation home?
- Investment property?
When your website visitors feel that you are addressing their individual needs, they are much more likely to hit that submit button.
3. Click to calls
Chances are that at least half of your website visitors are viewing your website on their phones. Have you made it easy for them to contact you?
Make sure that all of the phone numbers on your website are clickable, which means that when someone is using a mobile device, clicking on your phone number prompts them to call you directly.
You also want to make sure that your phone number is on every page of your website, not just the contact page. Include it in your navigation bar, on the website’s footer or as a floating bar. That way, potential clients don’t have to dig when they are ready to get in touch with you.
4. Appointment scheduling
At 37 percent of all homebuyers, millennials now the largest group of homebuyers. It’s essential to think about designing your website with their preferences in mind.
Have you noticed how many millennials avoid talking on the phone? Ensure that your website has ways for people to contact you and schedule appointments without ever making a phone call.
Try adding an online appointment scheduling service to your website (we use Schedulicity) to make it easy for people to set up meetings with you without ever picking up the phone.
Be sure to utilize these simple strategies to capture more leads from your website with minimal effort. If you’re not, you’re missing out.
Kate Hulbert is the marketing director at Bozeman Real Estate Group in Bozeman, Montana. Follow her on Instagram or Facebook.
