I have had a web site for a number of years, and have only gotten leads through publication advertising. I would appreciate anyone who could give me advise on how to get more leads that would be cost effective. I am not an internet guru, but would consider myself a novice so nothing to technical if you don't mind.

I like Homegain in conjunction with FavoriteAgent.com

Blog, Blog, Blog. Some search engine marketing. Without a lead management system though your leads will be wasted.

is it a question of traffic or of converting visitors to contacts?

your internet site can do a number of things for you, one of them is in being a tool to measure the success of your traditional marketing medias. As the number of internet users increase, as a media, so does it's accuracy as a response tool.

Always, always, always ask your visitors how they found your site. Give them a choice of your current media vehicles, including the passive 'word of mouth'. You can then use this info in conjunction with your other communicative tools, to gauge how well you present your accessibility to your target market.

If you are including your web address on ALL of your marketing materials, and no one is visiting your site, it's not your sites fault but rather a larger marketing issue. Now if your site address is too complex or unrelated, that certainly would conscrue the results.

If on the other hand, you are getting visitors, it is impairative that your site provide for the ability for them to self serve their needs, within your site. Your site logs will give you great insight into this aspect. As well, during the duration of their visit, your site should give them easy access to contacting you to further fullfill their needs.

As I don't enjoy and don't do most of the personal networking and name branding that works for so many in this business, I had to decide if I could make a living in it.

I set out to do it with the internet and approx. $90k of my 2005 commissions are directly attributable to my web site. I don't think my way is for many, because while you're out meeting and greeting, I'm on my computer building a new page with information my visitors want to see. However, there are some basic things that work and won't require you to be a "web guru". Some things that work for me are at this link.

Hi Jim thanks for your reply there is some helpful info there, are you using a template web page or is this all custom done by you. Or may be could recommend the type of site I should be using. Right now I am using a generic site done by the company and am not sure how much I can customize it or how many links I can put on there. I once used a php site that I could add as many link and pages as I wanted. Let me know. Here is the link to my site if you could give me some feedback. www.zenpawson.com

Zen:

I do my own site with FrontPage 2003. I realize that isn't a solution for most, but it's the only way I could go due to my desire to keep adding and changing. The current real estate site is the fifth iteration.

I have not had the time to look at the more structured providers like Z57, Advanced Access, etc. If I were going to use one of them, I would have to find one that allowed me to create custom information pages easily and post them up. I would also need IDX. Also important would be a robust email drip system, or the ability to get forms onto the site that tie into third party drip systems.

Basically, it's having content that visitors want and that is readily and freely available without sign-in. Then you come up with specialty reports or data (sales stats, etc.) that they would find valuable enough to provide you with their email address to get it. Then you put them into a drip campaign and keep working with them until they ask to be removed or do a transaction. My biggest deal last year was with a 2 year web visitor. Patience and ongoing contact that's not frivolous and provides info via email until they decide to do something is the way. It's a game of numbers. I keep about 750 in my active drip list at all times.
I wish I knew a web site provider to recommend that all this would fit into, but I don't at this time. I'm sure they're out there.

I have been using www.realestatepromoter.com since August and have enjoyed very good results with leads. I average 30 leads per month (on their silver package) and out of those I have sold a property and I am working with 4 more clients. I am showing one family from AZ properties tomorrow. The nice thing is my normal advertising also generates leads on my website as it converts really well. I get about 18% of the people who visit my site to send me a lead. My site is www.praedohomes.com. I posted a msg in the services section about how to sign up for their $29.95/month website without paying the $800 setup fee as well.

I hired our head offices interactive marketing director who in her previous life who helped create their templated system. Having done the research already there were things that she required.

Completely customizable
Very good tracking and reporting
lead management (drip)

She went with point2agent and has done a fabulous job. Very user friendly and extremely functional we are generating lots of leads through our marketing. The sites only been a few months but the results have been phenomenal. One other benefit was their handshake listings. I'm getting a couple leads a week alone off of other agents listings that have point2agnet handshake.

Set up is nothing. You can have a site for free and develop it all you want. You can even take that basic site live. You can upgrade your packages any time based on what functions you want.

I'm sure there's other good programs out there, but I hired her because she's awesome and I trust her with my life (my business is a big part of that)

click here if you want to try a free site
http://agent.point2.com/selfreg/ColdwellBankerJohnstonSelfReg.asp

Hello
I started with point2agent free website and now upgraded my member ship. I have got great leads, members forum is pretty good. Best is their customer support. If you send an email with an issue within 24 hrs most complex issues are resolved. They are pretty good with their response. Over all I am very happy with them.

This question entails so much more. If you are in a very small market you can easily get away with a point2agent or z57 site but if you want to compete in a large market you will need something better like www.realestatewebmasters.com or Sitetutor.com. Basically with websites like everything else you get what you pay for.

Hi Zen
After reviewing your site I would recommend a few things first your site is not very search engine friendly this is probably the most important thing for a business web site of any kind.
The next thing I would change is your prospects are 3 clicks away before they can review the first property listing should not be more than 1 click show the meat a potatoes you only have a few seconds to get your prospects attentions.
Your contact link is at the bottom of the page should be at the top of the page.
These are just a few tips on how to generate leads from your web site.

1. Get people to your website initially.

2. Have enough relevant content to keep them there, i.e. listings, schools, city information, etc.

3. Have reasons for them to contact you, i.e. free stuff, reports, etc.