Hello,

I was wondering what everyone's thoughts and opinions were on having a members only section of their web site?

What kind of information, products, and content would you include in your members only section?

I'm nearly 100% decided that I'm definitely going to have one. I just wanted to get the forum's feedback.

PS: I did do a search for about 5-10mins on this forum for info on this topic.. I apologize if it's already been discussed and I didn't locate it.

- Matt

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Simply Grand Rapids Real Estate Blog

Who are your "members" ?

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Want to save up to 50% off Real estate webmasters product websites & common upgrades? Check out my latest blog post regarding our end of the year sale.

I will be interested in what you figure out on that one. My experience is most visitors only want to look at property. You have to give them the path to your site and keep them there, but mostly it will be just listings that they look at. They will register to get details, but I have never had anyone register to get downloads of buyer or seller reports. I think you will probably find the same to be true for a member area, but if you make it work we all would be curious as to what you do!

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Cal
Orange Beach Condos | Gulf Shores Condos | Keller Williams Gulf States

The Gulfshoreslife.com Team serves the Baldwin County Alabama Real Estate market from The Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay to the Southern Shores of the Alabama Gulf Coast: Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, Fort Morgan, Point Clear, Fairhope, Montrose, Daphne, Spanish Fort, AL. Referals are welcomed. For more information on AL Gulf Coast Real Estate, please contact me or visit our website.

Sarasota Association of Realtors

Well, the members are anyone you are actively prospecting to, sold something to, looking to buy, etc.


For example, there's an agent I know who has a nice site with lots of nice write ups of his high end listings. He then has a members only section that his database of 1500-2000 prospects can log in to presumably get more information (restrictive covenants, surveys, lake surveys, maps, etc. I'm not exactly sure what he has in there.) He said last year over half of his sales were to buyers who had been in his database for over 2 years! Once I heard that I was like, S****! How many buyers for our high end listings have I let pass through my fingers?

PS: This isn't a members only section that you can just sign up for online. There is no online form to sign up. I believe he pre-qualifies prospects on the phone before he gives them access.

-Matt

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Simply Grand Rapids Real Estate Blog

If you are not systematically following up with your database over time, you will definitely miss out on lots of future business. I have seen many people lose lead after lead because when they found they were not ready to hop in the car and write a contract they gave up on them. It is reasonable to assume that people don't just up and move at a moments notice. I thought about moving for a couple years before buying (and selling). Why would anyone think the general population is any different. If an agent is impulsive then he might think everybody else in the world is to, but that is not likely the case. I think your friend has developed a prosperous business from systematically staying in touch, not from having an exclusive members only section. That is just my opinion and by no means intended to shoot down your idea.

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Cal
Orange Beach Condos | Gulf Shores Condos | Keller Williams Gulf States

The Gulfshoreslife.com Team serves the Baldwin County Alabama Real Estate market from The Eastern Shore of Mobile Bay to the Southern Shores of the Alabama Gulf Coast: Orange Beach, Gulf Shores, Fort Morgan, Point Clear, Fairhope, Montrose, Daphne, Spanish Fort, AL. Referals are welcomed. For more information on AL Gulf Coast Real Estate, please contact me or visit our website.

Sarasota Association of Realtors

I dont know unless your website is that badass people dont care. they just want to look at homes and move on. its not a social gathering. Plus once they register doesnt that make them a member??

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Bellingham Homes For Sale
Bellingham MLS
Bellingham Houses For Sale

Really depends on what you are going to offer "members" over and above the normal browser ... or, is it just a case of getting there name and email address? (as above)

If that is the case then what we do works fairly well ... you can see one photo on our site, if you want to see more, you have to register with a minimum of name and email.

My theory is, if you're seriously looking you will register, if not you won't in which case, no loss. I'm sure there are one or two who won't register but hey, you can't win them all.

In terms of membership I could only think you would have to offer things like advance notice of reposessions / distress sales (short sales in US ???) .. if there is no real added value there is no reason to be a member.

Even if its free membership I suppose you would have to ask yourself, what would my members be willing to pay for ... thats the stuff you need to provide.

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Mallorca - where the sunshine spends the winter
Property in Mallorca
Mallorca Property and Real Estate Portal

if there is a purpose then do your idea,,but if there is none think again, people will not register for something that will not give them in return,, if it's for information purposes pictures or anything that is a just a click away to search to google then i think you will lose a lot.

I've already reported newtech2008, but if someone can delete this. It would be nice. I know you guys out west are still sleeping!

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Larry Jensen, Principal Broker
St. Lawrence Properties, llc
www.StLawrenceProperties.net

What's My Mileage?

Back to the OP:

I have though about a section for existing clients, in fact I has special pages just for them, but they don't seem to use it so I stopped. Now I will be using it as a place for them to check progress of existing deals. Kind of like a check list or punch list of things then need to get done to close.

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Larry Jensen, Principal Broker
St. Lawrence Properties, llc
www.StLawrenceProperties.net

What's My Mileage?