I have been frustrated lately. Frustrated by agents that have themselves so guarded that they are not even letting their customers in..easily. Recently, agents have been resorting to sending online notices about their listings. This practice grew very large a few years ago and all but dried up until now. These broadcast flyers tout everything from open houses, broker's opens and features about their houses. When trying to reply to some of these listings, I have seen that some agents do not put their email address on the flyer. Instead they have a "Safe Lead" response that opens up a dialog box asking to be filled out with all of ones vital information. This is a lead capture system. There has been a great deal written on making websites too complex for indivduals to get some information. Many have said you have to give a little info and get some info as it is a give and take. I am not sure I agree. If the information is too difficult or cumbersome to retrieve, then agents and customers will go elsewhere.
I followed a link to this agent's website and still there was no way to simply send them an email. This is crazy. Real Estate is one of the careers that makes it essential to get your information out there. Your name, Your Cell Phone number and your Email are crucial to you being successful. I did not add your picture as this is a personal choice. Our parents telling us to be careful of strangers should not apply when looking for leads. Everyone is a stranger until we bond with them and win them over.
Another tactic I have recently seen is the one where I have sent an email and gotten back an email apologizing for the inconvenience but I basically need to state my business before the receiver allows me into their email system. It is an electronic peephole that I feel is ridiculous. Are we so afraid of getting spam that we have resorted to screening everything before it comes in? How many customers will go through this extra layer of protection. What is in it for the customer?
Be open, be free, be a sharer of information and your customers will come back again and again.
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Date: 2007-10-30 07:45:09
Ryan Burns
Jim,
I completely agree with what you are saying. Real Estate is a business of interaction with others. Leads come from relationships between Buyer and Seller. I also believe that this added layer of unnecessary protection just adds time between important deals. Other Agents are not going to be willing to email for listing appointments and notifications on deals and offers.
Great post
Thanks Jim