Reliability of Registration Data

[metaylor9]

I was thinking about putting a field in the registration for "time frame" for buying a house. My thinking was to have separate drip emails for short term versus long term buyers. Ideally, if someone is not looking for a house until 1 year, you don't want to pound them with emails every week only to have them unsubscribe. So my question is, if this timeframe was in the registration do you think the data would be reliable enough?

[u2man]

That's a good idea and alot of agents do ask about the time frame in the registration process. Some ask whether the lead is working with an agent etc. The more you ask for the less registrations but the leads you will get will probably be better quality. I prefer to ask that question on the phone but I'm with you on the drip emails. No need to bombard people with 10 emails/month when they are moving in 2009.

[Ryan Ward]

I think the actual registration should be absolutely short (as short as possible) and to the point. I am currently having mine redone where it will ask only for a name and email as mandatory. No password and optional phone number and no extraneous info on the page.

This may or may not work, but, I'm trying to play the numbers. Get as many registrations as possible as easily as possible and then force a phone number when they contact you about a property. If they are contacting you about a property, I believe they should give a phone number or they are not that serious. If they want property info I want to talk to them on the phone.

We'll see if this works better.

[Joshua Sloan]

I don't require anything other thier first name, last name and an email address and I don't put big red stars next to them saying they're required and I get pretty good responses from people. Most even give me their address.

[metaylor9]

@Ryan - I agree the registration should be as short as possible, but it is a balancing act. I am in the process of installing my REW IDX and I am going to force phone numbers for now and see how it works. I will leave out the time frame field for now. I will probably try this for a while and then not require it and see the effects.

[Micheal Pannell Realtor]

I have what is standard for the Rew IDx, I have 300 sign up in the last 4 weeks. Nost in the last 2 weeks

[waynelong]

I noticed on a lot of the registrations passwords are required. What is the advantage of that to anyone? It is not like they are accessing their bank account. Unless it is a site I really want to get in I won't fool with the password thing and and I think this is a big unnecessary block to registration. If I go back and can't remember which password I used. I will never go back.

The more roadblocks - the less registrations IMO. The less registrations - the less people I have to follow up with.

[jerome]

I think the Pass Word idea is for Returning Visitors to pick up where they left off (like saved favorites, etc.).
I think Required Fields like:

First Registeration Page -
1st Name
E-mail Address

Second Page -
Are you working with another Realtor?
Time Frame?
Do you Also have a Home to Sell?
Last Segmented Page -

Day Time Phone Number
Evening Phone Number
Best Time to call?

The last Field lets them know you'll be calling.
The Segmented Pages allow you to (on the 1st Page) at least get a First Name and E-mail Address for a Drip Campaign in case they get Weird about the phone number request on Page 3.

I think if you don't at least make a Strong attempt to get phone numbers and follow thur with a QUICK call (5 Minutes ideal), you are losing business to the Realtor who IS!

This has worked Quite well for us.

[waynelong]

think the Pass Word idea is for Returning Visitors to pick up where they left off (like saved favorites, etc.).

They can have saved favorites etc without a password. They just login with their email address and have access to the info. As I said we are not protecting checking accounts or IRAs - just the houses they want to look at.

[Portland Real Estate Guy]

Is it a good idea to force phone number? I currently dont. But get about 30-40% that will leave their phone number.