Ron,

In the past six years, other than Realtor.com and P2A, I have had two serious customized websites that crashed and were too costly to repair. From those two, I got "NADA".

I get at least 2 to 3 closed deals a year from Realtor.com.  I only got two closed deals out of P2A in the past 4 years.

I get showered every week by email from web builders/solicitors who claim to have the most wonder site guaranteed to get the best exposure with the best connections to the best search engines and all that spiel.  But the questions are: which one is the best?  And if you do not know which one is the best, how does one chose the best?  

That's funny, I hear great success stories from Realtors who say that they have a custom website and they get all that great exposure and tons of leads.  Yet, they are not selling (or closing) zilch.  Or maybe they don't know how to handle that voluminous lead generation.

I still maintain that Realtor.com is the Bible for Internet real estate consumers.  I use P2A because I have to have a website to impress my customers and clients and it is very reliable for what it is.

john

I have had this site since December and I can honestly say that I have had 2 closing thanks to P2. My numbers are going up and I see that number increasing dramatically in the next 6 months.

Todd,

Where did you buy your crystal ball? (lol)

john

Well I'm just starting to get my website together on P2A and I'm also a new agent. I'm going to stay optimistic and think positive like Todd.  You have to believe that you can make it happen!

I subscribed to Realtor.com myself and never got a viable lead from it. I did however close over 27 transactions last year that I can attribute directly to my Point2 site. I have closed 9 this year from my site and have 4 more pending. I am not sure of the results others are getting from their Point2 sites, but mine is working. I couldn't ask for a better lead generating site!

I just closed two deals last month from people who found me through my Point2 website.  Of all the leads I get, the ones I get through my website from Point2 are the best and most frequent.

I think it's more a question of how you market yourself - and my preferred method is the website.  3 of my domain names are on my business cards, and at least one domain name is in my letters, mailings, and other forms of advertising.

I'm not sure I'll do at leat two deals a month because of the wewbsite (at leat not yet), but I'm sure I'll get there.

I have been with P2A since Dec. 04. I can attribute lot of my listings or buyer because of my website. I had closed about 10-15 transaction since 04.

I wonder how he accounts for the synergistic effect of an overall marketing strategy?

If you send a past client a direct mail, then call him, and the client sees a link to your website, is impressed with the web presence, then looks at a magazine and sees you have several listings in the area, then remembers the good past service you provided, what really influenced his decision to list with you.

If someone from Omaha visited Katy, Tx and saw you on a billboard, wrote down your web address, visited and was impressed with your web presence, then met someone who had done business with you who gave you a good referral, what really influenced the buyer?

If you farm a neighborhood with direct mail and someone follows a link to your website and sees you have several listings in the neighborhood, sees you in a magazine then sees a sign two blocks over that you are having an open house, and attends, where the home is staged beautifully and you are wowing people with your knowledge, charm and good looks, what influences the person.

If someone googles you, but isn't impressed with websites, but is impressed with the way you follow up, and the fact that you provide buyer representation, because he is relocating to a company in your area, tells you he will keep you in mind but doesn't want emails right now, comes to town 5 months later and talks to the HR person about relocating, the HR person gives him the name of five local realtors he might want to call, you have marketed the HR person previously, so your name is on the list, the person recognizes you name and remembers how well you responded, what gets you the client?

Some sales can be directly tracked to the source or cause, but most sales result from a multifaceted approach where the sum is greater than the parts.

I doubt the 4/2 tracking method can be distinguished very clearly, and I imagine if you try to separate it too finely you can be misled as to cause and effect.

Having said that, tracking is necessary, and if it is clear one stream is totally ineffective, then you have reason to adjust -- but to adjust based on faulty conclusions can lead to wrong adjustments.

Having said that, i am beginning to see that the website is a major part of at least 2 sales a month.

Mike - out of the mouths of babes. Such wisdom. I fall in line with the coach Ron talked about. I don't think my two web sites are working. Yeah, I'll down load the rest of Lonn's ebook - its just that he's making work for it.

Do I detect sarcasm, Gregory?

Out of the mouth of babes? What does that mean?

I am surprised your websites aren't working.

insert eMotion smiley face here - O.K. Mike you got me. too much coffee - it was really good advise. Don't know what I was thinking. Oh yeah, I was thinking "coffee is for closers", and how come I'm sitting around here drink so much of the stuff?

I can honestly say these are attributed to my website, because I no longer do mailing except to my sphere. No inbound google links and I guess if you want to say Craigslist and Other outside sites sent them to my site. Then those could have helped, but it was the site that got them to sign up or call.

Todd

Oh yeah - and it isn't a crystal ball - It is a magic eight ball just ask it before you do anything and it will give you the answer you are looking for - lol

HI AIM START YESTERDAY LET ME SEE HOW THIS WEDSIDE WORKING FOR ME SOON OK

From template sites much older than my P2 site I have received a great deal of business.  The hits and contact numbers aren't staggering but steady. I probably convert 10-17 % of contacts.  I cut and paste my own letters and basically do a manual drip mail.  I'll see what happens with P2 in the next few months.

Realtor, Columbus Ga

Just having a website isn't enough, you have to promote your site.  Part of getting noticed by the search engines is a result of your content.  Don't forget to customize your home page.  Take full advantage of p2's syndication of your listings.  

If someone googles Hurricane Utah Real Estate looking for property your website isn't worth a darn if you are on page 900.  I completely agree with Mike, your website is simply a tool and should be one of the many facets of your marketing.  Always include your link in communications and advertising.  My domain name for my site isn't the greatest so I have a catchy domain name that people can remember pointed to my site and that is what I promote.  If you don't stand out just a bit from all the competitors in your area, what would give anyone the incentive to call you.   I have an email address@my website and a toll free vanity number to match.  People are more likely to remember you if you keep it simple.  

I would rather spend my marketing dollars on web promotion than print ads.  I whole heartedly believe that most people initiate their search on the web, whether they are local or across the country.  It is good to have presence on Realtor.com but they have so many other realtor ads on your page it's almost impossible to capture your leads from that site anymore.  It is however very impressive on your listing presentations to show all of the ways that you can be found.  Selling your listings start way before you get the listing agreements signed.  You cannot wait to have a listing to get your site in the running.   One more thing, if you have secondary sites (except for realtor.com) make sure you link to them on your home page.  Example other newsletters, subdivisions you have listed etc.  Never promote another site that could link to other agents.  

Good Luck all!

Associate Broker, Hurricane Utah

Steak knives for Gregory!  ;)

Yes, the web site is just a tool as I have said many times, like the telephone, fax machine or automobile. Owning these things means nothing, how do we use them, that's what counts.

(...focusing on my fax machine for the next hour, I'll let you know if money pops out ;)

Give me your fax number Bill I'll send you a few bucks, lol.

Good Lord, Phil, don't give Gregory any sharp objects.

Its true Phil, sharp objects with my current level of caffeine would not be a pretty sight. If I don't close something soon.......

You're still 5 stars with me Mike.

Coffee for everyone!

My web site definitely works 2 deals a month for me.

My Web Site, My FSBO Mailings, and My Sphere Mailings are the only things that work.  

Print is dead.  

Coffee, black... mmmmmmm Good!  

I have closed deals with R.com in the past, I think two last year.  One was a biggie! (At least for my area!!  :)  )  I really started working my P2 site at the first of this year.  I have seen the number of prospects signing in start to accelerate and I have already closed two transactions from those leads this year.  I have written a contract that busted on another, and I am currently working at least 5 good leads right now.  I am still working on figuring out how to convert internet leads in an effective manner.  I can definitely see my website directly attributing to at least 2 closed transactions per month within the next year.  I expect it to be at least 1 per month from this point forward.  I copied and pasted Lonn's book into a Word doc finally and printed it off a couple of days ago, so I am going back and trying to work on my SEO and SERP.  I am also reading SEO for Dummies!  :)  I can't even imagine how busy I will be when I reach page one SE results for Oklahoma City real estate.  I get excited just thinking about it!!!

Well now, let's see.  I have 5 pending closing, 4 of which are a direct result of my point2 site.  I have 16 listings, 12 of which came directly as a result of my point2 site.  I have 4 couples I am working with right now, all a direct result of my point2 site.   I would say the same percentage of closings/listings I've had in the last two years are because of point2... and of course my service, lol.

Now...if I didn't do my ppc program, it would be less. But.  If I did not have the NLS on another site that I did a ppc program on, I really have to say I don't think I would have had anywhere near as much success.

Most of the people that I am doing business with and have done business with in the past came on the site and looked at listings other than my own.  And the listings I have came because they thought my site was great and that I had so many listings.  To me, it's a great program!