How you ask? I'll tell you how. Many agents (not all!) "force" you, the Internet consumer to divulge your name and email address before you can access property search tools and online information about buying and selling a home. They are with holding valuable information and tools that would normally help educate you to the home buying and selling process. So I have to ask you as the Internet consumer, what do you do when you arrive at one of those real estate websites that demand your contact information before you can access property search tools and area information?
- Do you leave the website and go to another website where you can find information without obligation?
- Do you provide bogus information to access the desired information? (Example: bogus email - mickey@mickeymouse.com)
- Do you provide real information and ignore future prospecting emails from the agent?
Our Philosophy! As a real estate marketing firm, we could coach agents to include sign up forms and build websites that advance the philosophy of holding the consumer hostage for their contact information. For the agent, it's all about gathering "leads" - another words - your contact information. And we could appear to be helping the agent "succeed" by advancing this philosophy. You see it's our job as a real estate marketing firm to help real estate agents grow their business - generate leads. But is it real growth? Common sense would seem to indicate otherwise. You see Internet savvy consumers know the game and you know you're the ones holding all the cards. You the consumer, can visit websites and you make snap decisions whether you like the website or not. You can click around and navigate to property search tools and decide if you wish to interact with the website owner or not. Besides the Internet is pretty big (major understatement!) and you can find the information if you really search (and find it without being held hostage). As the Internet empowered consumer, if you dislike the site you can leave and NEVER come back. So you see it's our job to build websites that engage you and make you feel at ease. To help inform you and educate you to the real estate process. That's where our philosophy to freely give information runs counter to those who think they know how a website should function. It really boils down to OPEN ACCESS, FULL DISCLOSURE, and that's what the World Wide Web should be all about. True transparency and open access! Other Factors To Consider
So you have arrived at a real estate agent's website and you are presented with the dreaded sign in form to access a property search tool or maybe read 5 Tips To Avoid Making a Costly Home Buying Mistake. Has it ever occurred to you that the agent is withholding this information, what other information will they withhold in the future. Isn't the idea of providing trust a cornerstone of a relationship. That's what the agent wants to see happen - for you to select them. Besides, once buyers' agreements and listing agreements are signed you have entered into a "fiduciary" trust relationship with your agent...right? If I were the consumer, it would set off red flags that this agent isn't being TRANSPARENT with me. Am I the only one to ever think like that?
Plus - It's a Waste Of Time For The Agent!
If you happen to be one of those real estate agents who requires website visitors to register for tools and articles, how much time do you spend deleting bogus emails and following up on "leads" you think are real? For me, it seems like a big waste of your time.
So What Do You Think?
Give me your feedback and tell me which choice you would make when presented a registration form you must complete before you can access property search tools and read informative articles about the real estate transaction. Your comments are welcomed.
it's the price you pay...
providing my email address is, i feel, the price i'm willing to pay to get the online information.
the information available online is NOT free. people and equipment and electricity all go into the "free" service to put that information on my screen, and i feel that my email address is a small price to pay.
if they sell my address to spammers for some extra cash, my spam programs dump the spam into the "junk mail" file. virtually 90% of the 200+ emails i get every day are spam and it now only wastes about a minute of my time to screen for false-positives and delete the messages.
there ain't no such thing as a free lunch, and to think that the Realtor(R) listings get there by magic is a populist fantasy.
pay the price, get the information.
cope with it.
finally for now, if the realtors then spam ME with pleas to be their listing agent when i'm in the market to sell my home, they should also consider who their competition is, including realtors closer to my home, realtors i know or have dealt with, etc., etc., and if they think their repetitive emails will win me over, well, that's their lack of marketing acumen.
but if they believe it works for them, i'll cope with that, too... with the help of my spam filters... :)
plusaf
Northwest Raleigh
27613 [house not for sale.]