Have any of you used a Success Website? Did you have good results- any advice is appreciated.

They may do as they intend - that is they may "capture" email addresses for you to follow up with - but one thing to keep in mind is that the sites are not designed to generate new leads from the internet. They do not rank in search engines. Even Proctor's own site can't be found for any keyword searches.

The sites are designed to process leads that you have generated from conventional methods. The idea behind the sites is that you send traffic there that you have generated elswhere. Traffic is generated by flogging it locally on your mailers etc.

If you want it to generate new leads from the internet you will have to pay per-click at Google or Overture which can be very expensive.

If you don't promote it heavily you will get nothing from it.

I had a success website for 3 years. I had an ok ranking in the search engines, not good not bad. I used Overture "pay per click" to direct potential internet buyers to my "Vip Homebuyer" page.

I could generate tons of leads that way. In fact I received a referral check for $900 on Monday from another agent in our office who I was "sharing" the leads with.

I will say that the $155/month I was paying was way high. I now use a website that costs me $29/month. I use many of the same principles and even have a VIP buyer page that generated 5 buyer leads for me last weekend (using pay per click, of course).

Don
St. George, UT

I just started using a success website over the last two weeks. Don is right on the money about it's lead generating effectiveness.

They told me I will not even be submitted to the major search engines for 8 weeks! By that time my free trial will be over. Are you starting to get the picture?

Pay-per-clicks are getting me on top of goole's results, but you must choose proper keywords. I probably will cancel after the free trial period.

Hey Don, gotta contact number for your webhost?

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Leonard Martelli
Long and Foster Realty
Leonard.martelli@longandfoster.net
http://www.RealEstateWorldNow.com
215 654-5891

This is the company I use for my website:
http://www.linkusystems.com/realty/

Deleted - Blatant solicitations not allowed.

[This message has been edited by Admin (edited 04-18-2004).]

Would you like to generate up to 27 warm qualified leads per day?

Why only up to the magic number of 27 ??!!??

In regards to proquest and other 800# systems: I use both a website and an 800#. They both are good at generating leads, and in fact the 800# far out-paces the website in generating leads, but the quality of the 800# leads is very poor when compared to a "direct-marketing" based website. I have closed many, many transactions from my websites, but am having a hard time remembering any closings coming from the 800#.

By the way my 800# costs $29.95/ month and 11 cents a minute. I use: http://www.freedomvoice.com/view.cgi?RefID=&page=index I use their "ad-tracker" system.

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Don Glasgow
St. George GMAC
http://www.DonGlasgow.Net

What package are you using. Your site looks great!

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Leonard Martelli
Long and Foster Realty
Leonard.martelli@longandfoster.net
http://www.RealEstateWorldNow.com
215 654-5891

IMHO

It's very difficult to promote a local website. You're hoping that a buyer in your terrority uses the internet, types in a search word that referrences your site, sees your site in the search results, and actually clicks on it... THEN decides to give you his name and number.

The national Lead Generation Systems are the ones spending the money on advertising. Use 'em.

Regarding Marketing and online presence. I'm a realtor out in California. 4 years in the business. Business is good but too many agents, 100k in our state. Everybody's marketing like heck and trying to get an edge. One of my associates told me about a new site, but don't know much about it. Supposably, they market nationwide and allow you to post your resume/profile in your state/city. if you send them an email and ask, they'll put you on for free for six months. I'll give it try and let you know how it comes out. Anyone had any success with these "National website promotions"? I'm willing to try anything for free to get an edge. Anybody else know of any other freebee promotions I can try? thanks.

I am going to try the success website and promote it like hell. Newspaper, local real estate publications, signs at busy intersections, bus benches, you name it. I think the key here is advertise. When I can afford it, I am going to advertise it on the radio.... saying over and over the name of my web site. It looks like a solid system to me, you just have to get it out there.

Hi all,

pdxrealtor and everyone..
What you suggest is the same old song and dance done by so many before with the same dismal results. Some of the sites look great but noone will ever find them. Invest in a site that will work and target local keywords instead of going the long arduous route of trying for a global reach. If most realtors are using the sites you guys are you will litterally own the search engines for alot less than you think. Not to metion, you may actually generate leads that turn into sales.

PLEASE don't take these comments personally but do take them to heart.

------------------
Rich
Advertising, Marketing & Virtual Tours

Does anyone have the link to
an actual "success web-site"
so I can take a look?

Are they all basically the same
cookie cutter type sites, but
under your own domain name?

Do they include MLS search capability
or anything like that?

-Bryan

Search for "Free quick over the net evaluation" and you will find plenty of Success Websites.
Few years ago I had used their system: they submitted my domain name and put me in the first 5-6 pages with the major search engines within 2 months. I think that is two expensive for what they offer -the same look, etc- however the success website collects leads if is promoted right.

------------------
George Milos
www.MetroPhoenixMLS.com

Hi George...

I did some searching and came
up with quite a few sites that
look like this:
http://www.mekus.com/homeeval.asp

Is that it???

And people are paying $150 per
month for that?

Another question - is it the
agent that actual gives the home
evaluation, or is this some sort
of automated thing?

Thanks,

-Bryan

Bryan,

That one is a Success Website.
Once you receive the request for evaluation you are on your own: do the research, contact the client, etc.
A Success Website promoted right, is effective in generating the leads. You have to convert the prospect into a client.
The price that you have to pay for a website is always a matter of perception. I agree with you: is a little bit too much.

Easy navigation, easy to find information and offering the right information will bring people to any website.

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George Milos
www.MetroPhoenixMLS.com

Hi George...

Thanks for the reply...

I'm wondering - is it JUST
that one page, or are all those
links and reports and what not
available in the navigation bar
on the left also included? I guess
that would be a little better value
if so. And, I clicked on the home
page of the site above - is that part
of the success web-site as well, or
is that the agent's own web-site
built from scratch?

Basically I'm just wondering what
part of the site above is "successwebsite"
material, and what is not.

Thanks, I really appreciate your help!

-Bryan

Hi Bryan,

Success Websites are offered in three levels: from $50+ to $150+. Of course, more money means more features. The company is providing the reports for you, very good tracking system, IDX framing, etc. All the websites look alike, however you might have some choice for colors and some text positioning. My last experience with SW was about two years ago, for a brief period of time.
For my current website, I am using some of the ideas from SW (sign-in before you get something) because is working, also I try to incorporate ideas suggested by the people in this forum and from other marketing sources.
The site evolved from a different base and is a work in progress. The basic is to keep it simple and to offer the information that people want.

I have seen people here that are real experts in website design, SEO and marketing. All that we have to do is to implement and test all or just some of the ideas shared here and we will have the dream website to generate quality leads and commission checks.

------------------
George Milos
www.MetroPhoenixMLS.com

What anyone think about to use classifieds advertising for promotion your realty website?

------------------
Effective Real Estate Advertising

The success web site will give you ways to market the website. There is also a gurantee that if you market the way they say and don't make an extra 60k that year, they will refund your money. You get 2 free months, maybe not enough time to thoroughly get results, but enogh time to see what SW has to offer and what requirements there are to get that refund. What the heck, I'll try anything if its free. Even if you get 1 closing deal off the site, it will pay for itself in a year.