G-G-G-G-Goal!!!

What is the goal, or shall we say OBJECTIVE, of your website?

Seems like a simple question with a simple answer. Most people will instinctively say, “to build my business”.

While that is a good objective of any business website, it leads to yet another question, “How will your website build your business?” To get to the answer to this question, we need to go a bit deeper.

As with most website strategies, we must first identify your target audience. Who are these people? What are their needs? How can they help you with your general goal of building your real estate or lending business?

The intriguing part of identifying your audience is that you will most certainly find different groups of people who you are targeting. Each of these groups will have different needs and will benefit your business in different ways. You may find that unique objectives are required for each group.

Let’s take a look at several potential audiences of your website and how they differ.

Potential Clients (Prospects)

These are people with whom have no prior relationship with you. They found your website through a search engine, a referring link from another website or from one of your offline marketing channels.

NEEDS: Potential clients are usually looking for information. They are trying to become as informed as possible as to make the best home purchase or get into the best home loan for their situation.

OBJECTIVE: Convert these web visitors into clients. This means getting them to call or email you.

GETTING TO THE OBJECTIVE: This group is looking for information, so provide it. This is where blogging on the market, community and other relevant is very effective. If you come across as an expert in the field, people will be inclined to conduct business with you.

How many times have you heard someone say, “I sure hope my… (fill in the blank with an profession you choose) …knows what they are doing.” If your site shows that you know what you are doing, it is bound to pay off.

Past Clients

I heard a statistic a couple of years ago that 67 out of 100 people surveyed 60 days after the close of escrow couldn’t give the full name of their real estate agent.

When it comes to home loans, the numbers are even worse for people using the same mortgage broker for subsequent refinances.

How can someone who doesn’t remember you refer you to friends and family or use you for their next transaction?

NEEDS: For those who have recently moved, they are looking to become acclimated to their new neighborhood. Mortgage brokers, your past clients want to stay informed as to when they should refinance to save money.

OBJECTIVE: Continue to provide value to your past clients, so that they will use you for their next transaction and will refer you to other potential clients.

GETTING TO YOUR OBJECTIVE: Once again, information is the key. The difference with this group is that you already have a relationship. Leverage that relationship.

Send your blog content to past clients via email (a service that Draven Creation can provide). Use surveys on your website and via email to find out what your past clients need and then fulfill those needs. Provide a way for your past clients to refer people to you, right from your website.

Referrals

I ask a friend if they know a real estate agent they could refer. I could take that referral on blind faith or, more likely, I will take that recommendation with a grain of salt and will research that agent on my own.

That is where your website comes in. My friend could say, “I recommend XYZ agent, but don’t take my word on it, check out their website at www…”

NEEDS: Determine that the referral of an real estate agent or mortgage broker is a good recommendatio.

OBJECTIVE: Convert the referral into a client.

GETTING TO YOUR OBJECTIVE: Show your knowledge, professionalism and track record on your website. A bit of personality coming through doesn’t hurt, either.

Show your past transactions, your marketing plan or graph out how you have saved past clients on their home loans.

Current Clients

You’ve got them. You are listing their home, finding their new home or are getting them into a home loan.

NEEDS: Find the perfect home or home loan, or insure that they are getting the highest offer in the shortest time on their home.

OBJECTIVE: This is where your website can save you time and effort. Just as a good corporate website can lower the customer support needs of a company, a good agent or broker website can service your clients without additional time and effort on your part.

GETTING TO YOUR OBJECTIVE: Home searches, homes by email updates, mortgage rate updates and market updates articles can provide the information that satisfies your current clients’ needs. Best of all, you won’t have a dozen voicemails to return to answer what homes have recently hit the market or what did rates do today.

Information is the Key

By now, you realize the common thread for each of these groups is value-added information. Be the source of information and people will be compelled to do business with you.

Have you identified your audiences? Do you recognize their needs? How can your website satisfy those needs while advancing toward your objectives?

I say, write all of this on a piece of paper and keep it next to your computer. It will keep you focused on obtaining your objectives.