Picking out a new real estate website provider is tough work! There are a lot of options out there and they vary in quality, price, experience, and capabilities. In this post, we've put together 8 tough questions you need to ask any website provider before signing on the dotted line.
8. What level of support will I get?
The type of support offered by web providers varies significantly. Ask your web provider what support they offer and don't settle for anything less than you deserve: 7 days a week coverage, with the option to contact the support team by phone or email.
7. How well do you integrate with the programs I already use?
Your website is meant to make your life easier. If there's a program or piece of software you're already using that you love, ask potential web providers how well they can integrate with that software using API. While there are always factors that impact how smoothly platforms can cross-pollinate, some web providers can do this significantly better than others.
6. What ROI can I expect from my website?
Every good real estate website will do one thing: make you money! The best website providers have a marketing plan that you can utilize to leverage their sites and make your business more profitable. Start by asking what a realistic ROI will be for your website investment, if you follow that plan. A savvy web provider will be able to tell you with confidence how their product will improve your success.
5. How much control does my CMS give me?
You need to be able to create pages that look modern and can include the information you want. As a real estate agent, you'll need to be able to easily display IDX listings, share community info, tell your story, and reflect your brand. A good CMS gives you full control over these ideas and messages you want to share, while still maintaining a few foolproof style guidelines. Ask every provider how configurable your CMS pages are and find out how much control you'll get from your CMS.
4. How do I use your site to improve my lead generation?
If you're like most real estate agents, your website has to do one thing exceptionally well: generate leads! At the very least, you need to be breaking even on your website. But a good website will enable a real estate agent to double or even triple their investment, making it a powerful marketing tool. Make sure your website provider can explain the details of how to use their site to improve lead generation. A savvy provider will be able to tell you what you need to do.
3. In what ways do you support my lead follow up?
A savvy real estate website is going to include a Customer Relationship Manager (CRM) with mechanisms that make lead follow up easier. When checking out CRM, find out how your leads are prioritized, ask how the CRM will keep your follow-up activities organized, and definitely take a look at the history and note functions. Your real estate website should make lead follow up a simple, streamlined process.
2. What system do you recommend for lead conversion?
Similar to lead generation, the best real estate website providers can tell you what steps you need to take to maximize your lead generation and make the most of your real estate website. Ask what follow up system you should be using to convert more leads on your future website!
1. Can you show me examples of your clients' online success?
There are a lot of ways a real estate website provider can show off their work. The most common is a portfolio of designs, but experienced providers are also likely to have testimonials, case studies, and even anecdotal examples of how their clients are succeeding in the digital world. In addition to vetting your provider, these examples can give you an idea of how other agents are using technology to compete in today's landscape. Ask for them!
Ready to ask us the hard questions? Call 1-877-753-9893 to put one of our Product Consultants through the list of questions in this post!