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THE LEADERS POST - Issue #2 - November 5, 1998from Results-net.com By: Doug Towes, Editor============================= About the Leaders Post =============================The Leaders Post is the newsletter for real estate professionals committed to Net Success - from Results-net.com, an online community of real estate professionals dedicated to providing excellent service to their clients. If you prefer the online version, it can be viewed at "http://www.leaderspost.com".You may pass this newsletter on to others, as long as it is sent in it's entirety. To subscribe or unsubscribe, simply visit the Results-net.com site at .============== Contents ==============- Listings from internet leads - Extra leads with no competition - Quick tips for your web site - New Real Estate Idea Center - Sales Coach - Search engine news - Thought for today============== Net Success ==============I received the following e mail from Carolyne Lederer of Brampton Ontario "Brampton and Burlington Real Estate" which was prompted by the last edition of this newsletter "http://www.leaderspost.com/lp_1.html"."In response to your newsletter information..... 4 of my last 9 deals came from the Net = 44% up from previous numbers at 35% first full year on the Net If this keeps up, percentage for year over year will increase dramatically.In response to Doreen's comment about receiving mostly "buyer" hits - I've experienced the same phenomena. Here's what I do with "live" buyer hits for my own area --- I contact all the would-be vendors where I've made contact previously by any other means, including requests for appraisals/opinions of value. I tell them that I have a possible purchaser for their property, and ask permission to show, using an "Authority to Sell Letter" in place of a listing (which really equals an exclusive listing) - I am very careful to let everyone know about agency rules, and treat everyone fairly.This has netted me several double-end transactions since starting to use the Net. Bearing in mind I had "many months" of horror stories getting the Net end of my business up and running in the first instance. And, with 18 years of real estate behind me, and nearly 8 years with my own brokerage, I look forward to the Net being "the" future. Things should improve dramatically from here on in, since I now have a webmaster who knows what he is doing. That is the biggest hurdle for new users to overcome.I get less and less hits, even tho' I have excellent search engine placement. But, they are higher quality, overall. It may very well be possible, that, sooner than we think - ALL business of any real substance will be done on the net. Those of us who are on the leading edge are well positioned to take advantage of whatever market remains to be had."Thanks for sharing Carolyne!---------------Want some extra business with no competition? Do you occasionally receive a request for real estate information from visitors who have given an incorrect e mail address to reply to? This is usually an honest mistake on their part - many people accessing your site are "newbies" who are just starting to use computers and surf the net. When visitors request info from you - they usually have requested info from a couple of other sites as well. It then becomes a matter of who responds in a timely manner and in a way that appeals to the visitor.Not in this case! Since the visitors have entered the wrong "reply to" address in their e mail programs - no one can respond! But, in many cases, if you take a good look at the e mail address you can spot the obvious mistake, correct it, and likely be the only one to respond. A good place to start is check to see if the "@" is there, and if the domain was entered correctly. (Check Whois at "http://www.internic.net" to search the domain name.)I have found that by spending a little extra time trying to determine what the correct e mail address should be, I have been able to pick up a couple of extra clients every year this way.---------------What works for you? Your suggestions and submissions are gratefully accepted, and if used you will receive credit along with a link to your web site or (e mail address if you don't have a web site yet.) Send submissions to - suggestions may also be left at the Idea Center in the Newsletter Suggestions Forum. "http://www.agentsonline.net"---------------Here are a few Quick Tips for your web site that I picked up from here and there - and based on my experience, agree with.- The layout and design of your site is the foundation. Your site is a product. Through it customers get to other products. If they don’t buy your site’s design and layout, they don’t buy anything at all.- Visitors to your site stay for 30 to 60 seconds unless something about the site keeps them from going elsewhere. Number one ranking in ten search engines? Banner ads with a click through rate of 40%? Thousands of pages linking to yours? All useless if your presentation misses the point. Your site must be a true marketing tool, or all other efforts are in vain.- The marketing of your site must bring people to it. Your front page must encourage them to stay. Design and content of the entire site must bring them back.- Content is king. Don't have something useful to say? Then, no one will want to come to your site. A page of nothing but links (half of which no longer go anywhere), your resume, an open letter to all, or your latest sales brochure really doesn't interest most people.- Don't build your site for 800x600 screen resolution. Most people are still using 640x480.- Don't build your site for high or true color. Most computers are factory installed at 256 colors and you'd be surprised the number of people who never change that setting.- Don't build your site for just one browser. Despite Microsoft's attempts to take over the browsing world, most people are still using Netscape. Build your site so it looks the same on Netscape and Microsoft.================================== How to Be Unsuccessful on the Net ==================================This one is from Carolyne Lederer of Brampton Ontario "Brampton and Burlington Real Estate"Carolyne attempted to send a referral to an agent from their web site and received this response from the agent's auto responder: "Due to the volume of Internet mail received, please allow 3 business days for a response."The agent never did respond.=============================== Happenings At Results-net.com ===============================---------------The forums have been renamed to "The Results-net Real Estate Idea Center" "http://www.agentsonline.net" to better reflect their reason for being. If you have any ideas to share that may help your fellow real estate professionals - please post them for the benefit of all. It's a great way to promote yourself and attract referrals!=============== This And That ===============From London Ontario Real Estate..."I don't know if you can use this for your newsletter, but I saw good articles in "http://www.salesacademy.com". - click on Free Sales Coach newsletter on right hand side. - Browse their past edition newsletters for some great tips"Thanks Eric! I checked it out, and there is lots of good info there.---------------Leanna Doane from Vancouver, British Columbia West Vancouver Real Estate
sent me a terrific package of special reports to be given to clients. There is a report for every occasion! Perhaps Leanna will post some in the Idea Center (or I will do it for her if she agrees) If you send her a referral, she may even send the package to you ;-)--------------Some search engines, such as Altavista, are now using a rotating alogrithm for popular keywords to determine how sites place in search results. The criteria by which sites are judged change frequently - a site may appear in a top 10 position one day and in the 45th position the next. Then, it will appear back in that top 10 position on another day. This makes it increasingly important to market yourself and your internet site in other ways - and not rely on the search engines to bring all the visitors to your site.---------------Some good suggestions on ways to market yourself and your site appeared in the last issue of this newsletter which is available online at "http://www.leaderspost.com/lp_1.html". If you have any other good suggestions, please post them in the Idea Center and/or send an e mail to for inclusion in this newsletter. You will be credited for any ideas you submit - along with a link back to your web site.---------------I received this notice of a new service which may be of interest to real estate professionals."We Handle All Your Clients Change of Address Needs Connections Disconnections and Transfers of Service." "http://utilityconnections.com/"=================== Thought For Today ==================="A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty." - Sir Winston Churchill (1874-1965)================================================================ Results-net.com is an online community of real estate professionals dedicated to providing excellent service to their clients.This newsletter is Copyright (c) RNC Internet Services, 1998 ================================================================
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