I've been meaning to post my stats to this thread for some time. So here goes:
In the last 15 months (since July of 2006) when I first launched my REW site, I've closed 25 transactions directly attributed to my website. 21 Buyer sides and 4 listing sides...average sales price on the buyer side of $284,000 and average sales price of $227,000 on the listing side. That's $178,920 GCI (gross commission income) on the Buyer side and $18,160 GCI on the seller side. That's a total of $197,080 GCI in 15 months. So that would be roughly $13,138.66 a month in gross revenue from the prospects produced by my site.
This does not account for the LTV (life-time value) of these clients. Several clients who originated as WEBSITE INQUIRIES/REGISTRATIONS have become referring clients and have a much greater life-time value to my business then just the one closed transaction. I have the stats on this as well but don't feel it's relevant to the conversation.
Now, there's an important distinction to make here in my opinion. My site is a system (one of 5 lead generations systems at work in my business) to produce contacts that are then filtered through to be identified as leads (short and long term). Those leads are then converted through effective sales scripts to qualified Buyer Appts. They are then given a professional Buyer Presentation/Interview and converted to clients in an Exclusive Agreement to work with my team to either purchase or sell real estate.
Another thing worth mentioning is that as my site grows to be the "virtual store front" that it is...the lines between "internet lead" and other lead generation sources become blurred.
For example - I send out a just listed post card to my geographic farm...which prompts a prospect to visit my website (which is advertised on all offline marketing I do) Once on my site the prospect is met with a professional, interactive and engaging way to search for real estate in their neighborhood which, in turn, prompts them to REGISTER (leaving all relevant contact info, including phone #s) to view the details on the home from the postcard. That registration prompts me to pick up the phone the next day and engage that prospect in a delightful conversation during which I uncover a specific need to buy a larger home. Through a "scripted" sales process I bring that prospect to an appt with the lead Buyers agent on my team for a formal interview/qualification. Then that lead is converted to an exclusive client and closes on a home 3 months later.
Now, had I not sent out the postcard that client would have never been prompted to visit my site, right? Had my site not been engaging enough to have him register I would have never had the opportunity to call him. Had my conversation not been "scripted" to lead to a desired outcome I may have never set the appt. Had the appt. not been a professional representation of my services I may have never gotten and exclusive agreement. Had I not gotten an exclusive agreement there would have been potential for him not to buy a home with me.
Long story short...what kind of lead is that? A DIRECT MAIL lead? An Internet Lead? A lead identified through a professional sales process? Blurry lines in my opinion.
You can have the best website with highest GOOGLE ranking but if you don't have a system/process to work those contacts and separate the "wheat from the chaff" you have nothing but a whole lot of traffic.
NOTE:
http://www.usingenglish.com/referenc...the+chaff.html