Hi Howard,

I have tried both ways, registration and free roam.  I do not capture more leads by allowing free roam, however with the search engines, the longer your site is visited the more relevant it becomes.  I do believe that I get more visitors by allowing them to just search, and I, like you I believe that eventually they will contact me.  I find that most buyers on the internet are a ways off from buying and would like to just browse sites.  By keeping my site up to date with the real estate market and keeping it fresh they will continue to come back, and when they are ready they will call.  What I would like to know can we do a pop up window offering to add our site to their favorites.  This might also help.

I think it is based on how you are getting your site into the market. If I am doing pay per click I do require them to sign in and seem to have a good average on converting them to clients. If the site is just listed in the search engines I think no sign in is the way to go, since they can just click to another site and find the info they are looking for.

Hi Howard:

Great question...I have tested it both ways.  I now require the email address and make the rest optional.  People seem to be okay with giving an email address.  I do add, "a copy of the results will be emailed to the address you provide below", to assure the email address is correct.

The way I look at it is… I’m paying for them to be on my site, the least they can do is give me their email address.

As for this RElibration blog site… I have gotten some great ideas from all of your comments… it can be a frustrating business sometimes and it’s nice to hear from others that have insight and appreciation for this job.  I think Point2 did a fantastic job on it!  

I've myself experimented with both methods - of course, with the "no registration" method, there's no real way to know.  However, I've come to believe that allowing visitors access to MLS listings without registering actually benefits me in the long run.

I believe that eventually they'll return if they can get the listings information they want without a lot of hassles.  If they can't find what they want on the MLS, they can always register in my VIP First Buyers Club - and let me do the search for them. (Actually, I program my MLS to do that for me, and I review the listings before they're emailed out).

When they do register, I've captured their e-mail address, and I put them on my drip email system.  I'm now getting buyers from last summer and spring, and even 2 years ago, who are starting to show interest again in buying a home. Who knows what was going through their minds then, but by reshowing interest, I get the sense they're becoming more serious. Afterall, even though I've made some attempts to contact them by phone (if provded), I didn't "pounce" all over them.  Again, I let the drip email system do the work for me.  

I've also put all kinds of information about buying a nd selling homes on my site - but you can't get it for nothing.  A first name and email address is all I need and ask for - I don't ask for a phone number or home address.  Depending on the information requested, I put them on my drip email system and let it ride.  I find that envtually, some will call. Why? Because I didn't strong arm them the first time around.

Don't get me wrong - I've also had new website visitors who bought a house a week fater first contacting me.  But I believe allowing people the opportunity to get information without being contacted directly by a "salesman" actually helps - not hurt - me.  People don't want to be sold.  They do want to be lead, but they want to buy!

Registration is the only way to go for me. I have tried it both ways and analyzed for about three years. With or without registration, I get about the same number of people contacting me directly by phone or e-mail. However, with registration, I get the long term buyers where I place on my drips. Just like Lew indicated.

Sheryl is absolutely correct. I also only require the e-mail address. It’s a numbers game. The more you get the better your chances.