The online consumer today demands immediacy. They want the answer to their question NOW and they no longer want to talk to two or three people to get it. They want to talk to the individual who has the answers and the expertise needed to help make their dream of homeownership come true. That individual is your agent. As a result, our old model where a lead is scrubbed by the PC and incubated until they are a ready, willing and able buyer may no longer be feasible or effective for all of our Broker Network partners. To provide value to the consumer and to increase the capture and success rates in closing the deal, we are suggesting that leads now go Direct to Agent. What does this mean to our agents? No longer needed by the consumer to find a house, they will be now become the facilitator of the process beginning with the early stages when a customer is just dreaming about buying a house, and working with the customer to identify what, if anything, is standing in the way of being ready to buy. The agent becomes the problem solver who ultimately wins the deal for the client – with the goal of creating a customer for life.
Companies currently using this model are already experiencing success…
Quote from Gil Kite, Northwood Realty Services in PA:
“Results show that for us, this system works best. In 2006, thru 9/06 we closed 39 LT units for $5,750,425 (total of 42 for 12 months). In 2007, for the same 9 month period, we've closed 54 units for $8,399,749 with 5 more pending. Even better, agents are still working with 313 customers.”
Lora Perry from C21 Fagan in Lancaster, PA says:
“New system of signing out leads right away seems to be working out better for us. On Sunday I spoke to a new doctor -- she came through RealEstate.com. Price range is $500,000 - $600,000!!”
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Your Agent is KEY!
Get “FACE to FACE” – the Key to Success with the Online Consumer
When working with the online consumer, recognizing that we are dealing with a process and not an event is key.. Only 4% of online consumers who engage with you today are ready to buy, the other 96% are in various stages of the home buying process – a process that statistics show takes up to 210 days from inception to close. The company and/or agent that focus solely on the ready, willing and able buyer is throwing both money and true potential business away. No longer should our first question to an online consumer be, “Are you pre-qualified?” but “Where are you today in the process? How can I help you get in a position to be ready to buy?” We are the facilitators of the process, and in today’s market there are many issues that get in the way of an individual being ready to buy. Our role as facilitator is to determine what the issues are and to be the problem solver. Best way to do that? Get face to face. Invite the consumer to your office to plan for success - this is where high tech meets high touch. Demonstrate your value by creating a roadmap with the consumer of where they are today in terms of the home buying process and what you need to do together - as a team, to help them be in a position to win the deal!
Getting Face to Face with the consumer early in the process:
Provides the opportunity to develop a relationship and loyalty
Allows you to educate the consumer and demonstrate your value as facilitator of the process
Helps you determine roadblocks to being ready to buy today and allows you to be the problem solver
Enables you and the consumer to work together to create a plan for success
Monday, April 7, 2008
Communication is key
Most successful people will agree that at least a portion of their success is directly a result of their communication skills.
Henry Ford said "If there is any great secret of success in life, it lies in the ability to put yourself in the other person’s place and to see things from his point of view - as well as your own."
I couldn't agree more and the idea that great communication accompanied by great compassion and caring lead to success is vital to this blog and your success.
We are making a concerted effort to keep you on top of today's market with the latest information from our experience and proven techniques and systems for success, but what really matters is you.
We need you to share your successes, your ideas, your frustrations with one another. We need you to ask questions. We want you to communicate.
We could send out flyers with suggestions for success printed on them, or we could simply email you the suggestion of the day, but we don't. We have a blog.
We have a blog because your success is ultimately going to be the result of provocative thought starters followed by discussions of ideas and conversations that lead to grand thinking.
Join in the conversation.
Read the posts here but don't stop there. Click that comment button at the bottom of any post and add your thoughts. Encourage others to do the same. Help yourself become the best.
Are you going to succeed in your career this year? Start here!
