Most Effective Way to Gain Leads

[Boston Condo Guy]

I wanted to start a thread on the most effective use of technologies to gain leads through your website.

1. What are folks seeing as the number one and two methods of receiving buyer/seller leads via their website?
2. How difficult was that technolgy to implement?
3. If you had to do it all over again, which technology would you focus on first?

[David Abernathy]

I have a number of websites -

To date the most effective technique for me has been getting people to start using the IDX. I am currently using the free IDX solution that is provided by the Florida Association of Realtors. If you are in FL or using the same system in other states - make sure your broker has either or both the e-mail and more info options turned on. When I first joined KW, my traffic died At first I could not understand how it stopped so quickly until I went into the IDX and discovered that these two options were not on. My KW broker fixed immediately and my leads returned.

Number 2 would have to be the community specific information that I provide on some of my sites. I get phone calls or e-mails inquiring about the communities that I have listed.

3rd is still from my listings.

[judyo]

The most leads I receive are from offering VOW on my site which requires registration per my MLS (MLSNI). VOW supposedly offers the entire MLS vs. a select # of opt-in listings provided by IDX. Neither is free to use but IDX does not require registration. Without using VOW I wouldn't receive my lead info as this is provided through my required VOW registration. I explain all of this to my site visitors.

My next best form of lead generation is my Home Finder's Form and a similar search form provided by Point2 agent on those 2 sites (called Listing Notifier). The Point2 form only gives prospects shared Point2 listings. But it gives me their info so I can expand on that if they're in my area.

Neither was difficult, but my VOW costs $600 annually & I had to sign and have my broker sign a lengthy agreement.

My VOW is by far the best lead generator. Although I purchased this pretty quickly I would have done it much sooner had I known how important it is.

[Falcon Living]

I am a pro-VOW solution. IDX can be a waste of time with a lot of phone calls with no serious ends. A VOW solution with a serious email traffic commitment and communication flow is key to success.

[Salt River Media]

I feel the IDX is the absolute best source of leads. I've found it to be quite successful.

[MarcinSarasota]

I get a large quantity of leads from my IDX search. However, many of the leads do leave fake telephone numbers.

I do get leads from my contact forms around my website, however not as many. The people who leave their email address and telephone number on the contact forms are more open to me calling them on the telephone.

My main property search used to be a VOW system. I am still undecided as to what is better - IDX or VOW. I have had success with both but am noq using the IDX system. I have not done a thorough study but I'd say the quantity of leads are better with IDX. However, the VOW leads seem to be better.

[David Abernathy]

I thought about the VOW solution, but with I can't image where it would be a better solution? IDX lets people search without having to provide anything in advance, (chance to turn away clients), IDX offers the client the ability to inquire for more information if they are interested. (most of the prospects that inquire are serious inquiries - even though many do not provide phone numbers initially), the time required to provide additional information for an IDX inquiry is very short, (I have the MLS # to query and respond with current status and more details).

It seems to me that the VOW route, would have a number of disadvantages:
1) some people would not proceed.
2) the amount of false information provided, by people that just want to search would result in a waste of time.
3) if a person has registered with false information and found something they were interested in - can they provide new information without having to re-register and find the property again?

If the quality of the IDX leads was like the leads from Homegain, Lending Tree, House Values or others that we have tried - I would be looking for a better solution. I can not really think of a downside to IDX...

[philipwinburn]

We are getting great buyer response but want to focus on listings. What key words would be best to target? Other than a CMA what can we offer to generate dialoge with Sellers?

[chaldoray]

SPAM REMOVED

[Joshua Sloan]

I find this pretty interesting since most of my leads are from the Automatic Notification Service I offer, but that is of course what I have been advertising throughout the internet. Can any of the above people tell me what type of advertising your doing and what your message is in the ad that is drawing those leads to your IDX and requesting information?

I'm assuming of course that your answers will not be search engine placement.

Thanks!!