As you probably know, Build Real Estate Results with Getting It Write, Inc helps real estate agents and brokers establish real estate websites - websites that turn into lead-generating resources.

But, sometimes, that goal isn’t met right away.  And, that’s OK.  The worst thing you can do in this market is NOTHING!

Why Some Professionals End Up Doing Nothing

It’s usually because talking to me makes their heads hurt.  When I send pricing to a prospect, it’s in the form of a PDF file.  The first two pages of that file identify the things people need to plan for when creating an effective Internet presence.  Those things include:

• Getting a website platform that can support a lead-generating website.
• Incorporating the best IDX MLS search you can find and afford.
• Customizing your website to look inviting and professional, to speak directly to your target market and to reflect your business.
• Driving traffic to your site.

After discussisng those types of issues, peoples’ heads often start to hurt.  They have questions such as:

• What am I getting for the monthly fee to the website host (in this case, Point2 Agent)?
• So, then I need to hire you, too?  Why?
• What do you mean there are free MLS searches, but they’re not good enough?
• Are you saying that if I create this cool website, I still won’t get any leads?  I have to do something else [to drive traffic]?
• Are you sure you even know what you’re talking about?????

The answer is yes, I do know what I’m talking about.  The decisions you need to make when you’re putting a real estate website together are no less complicated than when you’re buying or selling a home.

Make an Informed Decision

In my humble opinion, I think people need to have the right information to make informed decisions.   I could customize someone’s website – create a professional design, add original content pages of interesting local information and write a spiffy “about” page. 

Then, I could say, “Oh, by the way, you also need an IDX MLS search, and don’t forget about SEO or PPC to drive traffic to the site!”  But, I think that’s a bit sleezy.  All those things cost money, too.  And, you need to plan for them in your overall Internet Marketing budget.  Up front.

Don’t Do Nothing, Even if Your Head Hurts

The point of this post, however, is that every real estate professional needs an effective Internet presence – it’s just one of the demands of today’s technology-oriented society.

So, even if your head hurts, don’t just throw up your hands and say “This is just more than I want to try to understand right now, I’ll think about it later.”  That will just get you farther and farther behind all of your competitors who plowed through the migraine.

You don’t have to have everything perfect on day one.  If you establish or update your existing website to be attractive to search engines and visitors, at some level, you are going to get the benefit of being “out there”. 

Websites are like houses.  They’re never finished, you just keep adding to or updating.  So, start out with a free MLS search from your local organization.  Don’t get the coolest design in town.  Put some local information on your site.  Make sure that local information is written to target effective keywords and to be SEO friendly.

Get Started! 

Whether you’re considering your first real estate website, or you have one, but it isn’t doing anything (or enough) for you, get started!  Delaying is just putting you farther behind, and it’s going to be more difficult to catch up when you finally do decide you have to do something!