Almost every day I receive a phone call from a potential home buyer looking for information on a new home they found while shopping on Realtor.com.
This morning it was a man looking for a home in Wesley Chapel, FL. Yesterday it was a woman interested in a home outside of Philadelphia. I find this surprising because the only way the consumer can find my phone number is by leaving the listing and selecting the Contact link for corporate information. I know they’d prefer to call the broker but they can’t find the broker’s phone number, email address or website. These potential home buyers are forced to find another solution and I can hear the frustration in their voice when they finally end up talking to me.
Working in an industry that is always trying to maximize site conversion and improve lead performance, I find this surprising. How many customers do you know who will take the extra steps to find an office phone number? Most will simply leave and move on to another home that’s more accessible. Those who continue to search and ultimately call the wrong place are probably the very consumers that the builder/broker really wants to reach. Clearly, they’re motivated and looking for information. It makes me think of all the homes that don’t get sold because we make it hard for the consumer to connect with us.
Realtor.com offers builders and brokers a product to remedy this. Their Company Showcase listing is the easiest way for a builder to enhance their listing and drive more meaningful activity to their onsite sales agents. It’s an essential and affordable solution for anyone listing a home on the MLS.
Listings that are “Showcased” have a number of benefits over standard listings. Most notable is Contact Information above the fold and prominently displayed. With a Showcase listed property, consumers can call, email, visit a builder’s website or complete the lead form.
Other features include the ability to display up to 25 photos per listing– 4X the number of photos displayed on a standard listing. Showcase listings also allow builders to include links to their social media sites and include a Rider Sign on the Search Result Listing Pages.
The Rider Sign allows builders to brand their listings on Search Result pages by prominently featuring a logo and headline on each listing. Since Realtor.com is the largest real estate website in the world and endorsed by the National Association of Realtors this feature alone provides tremendous value. It means your listing and business will be seen by more home shoppers than anywhere else.
I know many builders are always launching new sales promotions and offering discounts to entice buyers. Could the solution really be as simple as including your phone number and email and making it easy for the consumer to call you? After all, they were already on the world’s largest real estate website shopping for homes in your market and price point.
If you have questions about marketing strategies or advertising with BDX contact Thane Tennison, Advertising Manager for the BDX Network.