One of the questions I hear often after teaching a Leader’s Edge class is “would you please look at my website and give me your opinion?” Please keep in mind that I am not a technology “guru” but I would like to share a few key tips which will help you with creating your website, or giving your current site a makeover.
Consumers expect us to have a website. Many of them will visit your website to make sure you look credible before they agree to work with you. How much of your marketing budget is spent on your e-strategies? How can you better use the Internet to capture more opportunities?
Link Your Print & Web Marketing: All of your print marketing pieces should be designed to drive traffic to your website. Approximately 71% of buyers use the Internet either frequently or occasionally during their home search, so it only makes sense that you devote a significant portion of your marketing budget to e-strategies that will drive more people to your website when they are looking for a mortgage.
Cut the Clutter: Your home page needs to be clean and easy to navigate. If your home page is too cluttered, it is difficult for potential clients to focus on key areas. You only have 3-5 seconds to catch a visitor’s attention – if your site is confusing or has too much copy on the home page, prospects will turn back to the search engine to find another site Many opportunities are lost this way.
Get Personal: Faceless websites do not build trust. Ensure your picture is on the home page so you become instantly recognizable in your community. Clearly display your contact information on your home page so people don’t have to go hunting around for it, and discreetly display your contact information on the bottom of every page.
Who Are You? Connect with prospects by including a bibliography page to tell visitors a little about who you are. Get personal and use this as a way to connect emotionally with visitors -remember that people will do business with you because they think they have something in common with you and they feel a connection.
Substantiate Your Claims: Today, because so many consumers are bombarded with marketing and advertising, they become skeptical about the claims we make. It is important that you have a testimonial page on your website to prove you provide exceptional service. If you use written testimonials, keep them short and to the point and include a head shot photo of the client to make it more personal. You may also want to add video testimonials for a more personal touch.
Update, Update, Update: Keep a regular blog, an updated rates page, a current events page, or anything else that you can update on a regular basis to give prospects a reason to keep coming back to your site for the latest information. Regularly updating your site also helps with search engine optimization.
Social Networking: Make a list of the social networking sites (e.g. twitter, facebook, etc.) and post a weekly update on all of these sites to drive traffic to your website. A well designed, optimized website along with an organized contact management system is a winning combination that will raise your profile, generate more leads and increase your revenue.
I wish you great success this month.
Chris Leader
President, Leader’s Edge Training
Please pass this information along to anyone in your contact management system who you feel would benefit from reading it.
