Real Estate Lead Generation & Conversion Presented By: Sven Andersen-Winchester, MA Kristan Cole-Wasilla, AK Bryan Bomba-Hinsdale, IL Thomas Cook-Toronto, Canada
Topics To Cover What is Your Market & Team Structure Like? What Database(s) You Use and Why? What Lead Generation Tools Are Working? Internet, Direct Mail, Blogging, Seminars, Others How Are You Converting Buyers/Sellers? What Will You Change/Focus on in 2010?
Market and Team Structure What is your market? Price point/average price Production/number of transactions Size of your current team
Sven Andersen Team Structure 1 on-site unlicensed assistant Virtual Assistant Team (www.realsupportinc.com) Floor plan company (interactive), Video guy 2009 Success: $29.5M Average Sales Price: $745K 31 Deals, 210 Leads Per Month
Bryan Bomba Team Structure -1 part-time licensed assistant (sells) -1 part-time unlicensed assistant 2009 Success: $29M Average Sales Price: $600K 150 Leads Per Month
Bomba s 2009 Sources of Business Past Client 42% Past Client Referrals 16% Internet Leads: Tiger Leads 11% Direct Mail: Farm 9% Realtor Referrals 8% Internet Leads: Custom Website 8% Internet Leads: REALTOR.com 6%
Cole Team Structure Scott MacCallum Virtual Assistant Lead Generating/Marketing Bradford Cole Senior Listing Partner Listing Partners Jesse Tanner Listing Partner Buyer Specialists Harley Harris Buyer Specialist Kristan Cole Rainmaker/Team Leader Shanna Lantto Lead Coordinator Office Administration Grant Cole Marketing Coordinator Sharnee Epley Virtual Assistant Closing Coordinator Jarrid McAuliff Bookkeeper Grant Cole Showing Agent Kristi Tanner Showing Agent
Cole Team Production & Leads 2009 Success: $30,000,000 Average Sales Price: $250,000 Quantity of Quality Leads: Approximately 4-6 per day 1,815 total in the year
Cook Team Structure Wife Sally joined me in 1993 Started a Team in 2000 2009 Success: 197 Transactions 2009 Team: Sally & myself, 5 buyer agents, a showing partner, 3 on-site admins and a website/marketing VA We ve just added 2 more buyer agents & want 5 more
Database Options What Database Do You Use & Why? Top Producer 8i Outlook Real Pro Systems-Drip
Lead Generation Tools What Works? Bomba: Tiger Leads with email conversion scripts, blogging and direct mail. Cole: Stealth websites, micro marketing to specific sellers, blogging and direct mail. Cook: Craigslist, pay-per-click, buyer seminars and 3 rd level domains. Andersen: RPS platinum drip campaigns and 4 up sold cards
Lead Gen Tools That Work? 1. Internet/website lead generation tools
Bomba: Internet Leads Email Script Favorite Email Letter See PDF for additional sample letters
Cole: Website & Internet In 2009 we spent $15,000 on: Website services (hosting, design, etc.) Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Blogging Part-time Virtual Assistant for Posting and Maintaining: Social Networking Sites (Facebook and Twitter) Listings on Craig s List David Knox embedded videos Small stealth ads in newspaper Best Buy List 38% of all of our closed buyers for 2009 contacted us through our website.
www.kristancole.com Prostep Marketing Best Buy List Foreclosure Email Signup IDX Search Engine Preset IDX Searches Public links to our stealth sites For more information: Tricia Andreasen Tricia@ProstepMarketing.com
Stealth Ads direct people to specific URLs for more information. The secret of the Stealth Ad is that it actually sends the customer to a site within our site.
Cook s Website The thank you page gives us the opportunity to collect further info on that buyer works about 50% of the time to give us phone number, etc www.libertyvillagecondolist.com/thanks.html
Cook: Web Pay-Per-Click Pay-Per-Click on Google www.livingintoronto.ca Email signup required before entering main Team site www.torontorealestate.ca Total email database NOW 65,000 & growing by approx 1,000 / mo Market to that database with automatic drip emails & periodic emails for our various Team programs to get signups * Buyer Workshop www.homebuyerworkshop.com * Saturday Tour of Homes www.saturdaytourofhomes.com * HOMEWatch Program www.torontorealestatelistingsbyemail.com * Free Government Money Seminar www.freegovernmentmoneyseminar.com * Planning & Strategy Session seminar www.planningandstrategysession.com
Cook: Craigslist Marketing Set up over 20 individual sign-up sites (with separate folders for each BS), each for a different neighborhood, to attract different buyer groups to collect a name and an email address www.libertyvillagecondolist.com www.libertyvillagecondolist.com/info1 etc - site for each BS www.eastofyongecondolist.com www.riverdalehomeslist.com etc Buyer specialists post individually themselves, I have a staff member post for us daily AND I have some of these sites on Google PPC when needed.
Lead Gen Tools That Work? 1. Internet/website lead generation tools 2. Direct Mail
Bomba: Direct Mail Zero newspaper advertising Just Listed/Just Sold Used for new listings, new closings and farm marketing Circular Vision Marketing & Printing Bloomingdale, IL 630-405-6230Cost: 300 jumbo cards $150 mailed
Cole: Direct Mail We will spend $21,900 on our direct mail postcards to attract new sellers in 2010. (18% of our closed sellers came from our postcards in 2009) Fishdirect.com
In 2005 for every 10 listing appointments we generated 9.5 listings, of which 8 pended and 7 closed. Issue: In 2009 for every 10 listing appointments we generated 6 listings, of which 4 pended and 3 closed. Mostly attributable to sellers with no equity and no hardship. See the problem here? Fewer closings for same number of leads. Solution: We need more leads than we did in 2005 to create same number of closed sales. Where do we find more seller leads that have the highest percentage of closing?
We search the MLS for properties purchased before 2005 where there was only 1 deed of trust against the property. We narrowed the search to subdivisions that had: a high turn over, or high expiration rate, locations we wanted to sell in. Will mail to 9,000 households every 3 weeks beginning January 13 through May 19. We will ALWAYS send a mailer on a Wednesday before a Monday federal holiday WHY? Goal of this Micro Marketing mailing is 50 to 1 ratio of new leads from the new 4,800 households which should produce an additional 29 (worst case based on 2009 ratio) or 67 closings (based on 2005 ratio). Cost for additional 4,800 postcards sent out 5 times using STANDARD postage rate and including postcard. $9600 That will add $217,500 - $502,500 additional income.
Andersen: Direct Mail Limited Bi-weekly newspaper advertising Just Listed/Just Sold (Using codes for ROI) Used for new listings, new closings and farm marketing
Lead Gen Tools That Work? 1. Internet/Website Lead Generation Tools 2. Direct Mail 3. Blogging, Stealth Sites, Seminars, others.
For more information: Kinetic Blogs / Real Estate Blogsites Skype: Frerecks O (732) 722 5915 C (970) 471 3079 chris@kineticknowledge.com
Bomba: Internet Leads Respond in under 10 minutes Verbal responses are better than email (Conv. Rate difference?) System for response timing Three tries for initial contact After initial contact, one touch per week for first four weeks One touch per month thereafter
Bomba: Internet Leads Scripts Verbal Script Thank you for viewing homes on WestSuburbanHomeSeeker.com. This is a courtesy call to check in and see what questions I can answer for you right now.
Buyer Workshop Seminars Since 1998 in 4-5 different locations across Toronto monthly Best year - $970,000 in commission income just from these workshops Attendees come 50% from our email database & 50% from ½ or full-page ad in our local Harmon Homes type of publication Approx 10-35 attendees at each seminar have myself, Sally & a lender presenting plus a 10-minute home inspection video 3.5 hours long. We also do other in office seminars to get ourselves in front of future clients ALL signups come from our email marketing www.freegovernmentmoneyseminar.com talks about the Canadian Government s Home Buyer s Plan (about 1 hour long) www.planningandstrategysession.com coaches future buyers on how to take the first steps towards home ownership (about 1 hour long)
Use 3 rd Level Domains Easy-to-Remember domains for our clients www.wishlistsally.torontorealestate.ca www.budget.torontorealestate.ca www.ultimatescenario.torontorealestate.ca www.teammarketing.torontorealestate.ca www.referus.torontorealestate.ca www.jointeam.torontorealestate.ca Use these to gather online info from our clients or to solicit business/referrals.
What does your VA(s) do for you? Listing marketing and listing maintenance Closing coordination/transaction management Lead coordination Website design and maintenance Multiple VAs for different projects
What are the benefits of using a VA? Why did you choose to go the VA route? Pros & Cons Difference between a VA and in-house assistant
How did you find your VA? Sources to find a VA How to make sure it is the right one Things to look for and think about
How much do you pay a VA? Cost? By project Hourly rate or contract If hourly, per minute or in 15 minute increments? What do you think your ROI is for your VA? Will you use a VA more or less in 2010 and why?
Sven Andersen s VA Team RealSupport, Inc. www.realsupportinc.com Info@RealSupportinc.com Erica Parpan, Operations Manager: 847-705-1655 x201 Carrie Gable, President: 847-705-1655x200
Andersen s Website www.northofbostonrealestate.com
My VA: Creates Brochures My flyers include many features about a home, and showcase full color photos as well as the survey and floor plans when available.
My VA: Designs Postcards Just Sold Just Listing Special Events
My VA: Does ALL Listing Marketing
My VA: Creates Print and Banner Ads
My VA: Put s out My Monthly Marketing E-Newsletter Email blast to all in my Realpro database (500+) Past buyer and seller clients Referral clients Agents THIS ALSO GETS POSTED TO MY BLOG
My VA: My Drip Marketing Campaigns
Andersen s Blog Here you see a blog posting about my towns monthly sales stats. We post about anything local to our community, market, area changes, etc.
My VA: Manages Altos Research
My VA: Helps with Referral Marketing
My VA: Creates Statistics