In this age of social networking, viral marketing, and unlimited information at our fingertips, it seems we are also drowing in technological clutter, creating a tough time for those of us in the fifty plus range. As much as we know we should keep up with the latest trends in marketing and online interaction, our brains seem to have a steeper learning curve as we pile more things on top of our life-long educations already stored there. But many of us are trying hard to catch on by becoming friends -- with as many people who want us as friends (not our kids of course) -- on Facebook.
In general, people who have spent a good number of years at the "College of Hard Knocks" believed that the expertise they were learning there, in their chosen profession, was enough to carry them through. After all, our parents seemed to do OK with that specialized knowledge during their careers...didn't they? But as one colleague put it, "We seem to have to keep reinventing ourselves continuously now."
The real estate industry is a prime example of this. It seems that most real estate agents and brokers have now been left in a vast quagmire of uncertainty, not knowing how to find qualified buyers for their listings. The days of sitting in the local real estate office waiting for walk-ins or sign calls are long gone. And if you can't stick a big, bright stop sign out on the information highway -- or at least a yellow flashing light -- most buyers are going to zip right past you.
We at Lakehomes.com Realty are no different than the rest. Although we have been fortunate enough to have a specialized niche that many others don't, and a very strong Internet presence for many years, we also have to change with the times...or the times will change us. Even with more than two decades experience as waterfront specialists ourselves, many highly skilled agents in our company, and some of the largest waterfront websites online, we still have to keep our business fresh by exploring new marketing ideas.
With the the vast amount of information available out there, I'm sure that a lot of waterfront buyers might stop by our website for a cup of coffee, only to go get their donut at another website -- or maybe four or five donuts on multiple sites, until they become confused as to where the best bakery is. And I'm sure the same thing happens to us in reverse, just because no one wants to take a chance on missing out on the "best donuts" available.
I do the same thing when I'm shopping for products online, because it is just TOO easy! But then I realize I just wasted two hours, and maybe saved seven dollars...before shipping. That's about when I wish there was someone online with a stop sign and a road map that had sent me to that best deal without all that surfing -- or told me that they were all pretty good deals. Kind of a whack on the side of the head to wake me up a bit and remind me how valuable my time is!
Like all real estate brokers, we'd like to think we have both the best coffee and the best donuts, and that waterfront buyers and sellers will know that once they get to our site, avoiding more taste tests further on down the virtual highway. But sometimes we may just have to work on our recipe a little to make sure.
Besides Lakehomes.com, we own multiple other waterfont websites like LakehomesUSA.com, and we have incredible abilities to get the word out to tens of thousands of water-related buyers and sellers with the touch of a button. As we look at how Facebook, Twitter and other social networking sites have changed how people communicate and do business, even those of us who have been a little slower to embrace these new methods of immediate interaction need to get on the bandwagon.
So here is my experiment that anyone who wants to can take part in...buyers or sellers. And please let me know if you think this is a good or bad recipe so I can change the ingredients if necessary. You can even let us know if you like the idea on our new Lakehomes.com Facebook Page, or just leave a comment on this blog.
We want to give you a personal roadmap based on your needs. As a waterfront buyer, you most likely have a wish list that combines many factors, including size of home or cabin, price range, lot size, lake quality and size, and many other features you might not have even thought about yet. As a seller, you know the best qualities of your propery better than anyone, and why someone else would want those same things. And some of you sellers get a little ticked off when real estate agents don't try to get those points across to potential buyers. We think it's time to try a little harder to match the right buyers and sellers...beyond just doing the same old thing.
With up to 50,000 views or more each day on Lakehomes.com -- and many more than that on LakehomesUSA -- there is no doubt that we attract a lot of highly targeted buyers in search of just the right waterfront home, cabin or lot. The problem is, if you're one of those buyers, no one really knows about you or how to help you the best (although some of you want it that way). But when you think about it, you're driving all over this virtual highway wasting gas and countless hours of your time, when you could have someone giving you a highly detailed road map to point out a much more exact destination.
I can't even begin to tell you how many lake homes that buyers choose to look at from the Internet that are entirely disappointments once they get there. Most buyers don't realize that Realtors have much more detailed information available on the actual MLS than what is displayed publicly, so they can generally knock out a lot of marginal properties rather quickly. And it always seems like the photos look a little better online than the property does in real life...with that bright blue house only 25 feet away. I wonder why the camera didn't pick that up?
So we think it's a great time to see how powerful this whole networking thing has become, by not only creatively advertising listings -- but advertising the buyers' needs as well. You could probably try to do the same thing yourself, but I think the real strength is in the combination of our highly targeted sites combined with this new wave of exponential communication growth.
Even though marketing has gotten much more complicated in how you go about it, the basic premise hasn't changed. It is still a matter of exposing your product to the most qualified prospects. And whether you are a potential waterfront buyer or seller, those prospects are already on our sites looking for just the right property...or looking at comparable properties in an effort to price theirs accordingly. Why not get to them first, and in a multitude of ways that your competition can't?
If you want to take part in this experiment, as either a buyer or seller, just fill out our contact form and let us know your needs so that we can create your personal roadmap. And since everyone's situation will require a different recipe for success, the more ingredients you can provide, the better.
Like any good experiment, it is important to publish the results. Please stay tuned on Facebook for those updates.
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