There are several things real estate agents can do to generate leads through their website, including focusing on providing useful consumer information about the local community, keeping listings and content updated, promoting specialty areas, integrating online and offline marketing, using a personal domain name to complement the main site, and providing good follow-up contact with website visitors.

1. Sutton University:
Computers/Technical
Generating Leads on your Website
There are many things you can do to attract visitors and generate leads:
1) Focus on the consumer. Plastering self-promoting statements such as “#1 in Sales”
or “Top Producer” are vague and often difficult to prove. Instead of impressing
people, such statements tend to make them skeptical. Focus on the tools and
information that will assist consumers – that’s what will bring them back to your
website and prompt them to contact you.
• People who have moved or planning to move to your community want to know
about the area. By including specific information about population, major tourist
attractions, weather, and schools, and useful links to resources (e.g. local
tourism office, city hall), you are providing potential clients with a valuable
service. This information also makes your website more likely to appear in search
engine results. Sutton Flexi-Sites provide a Links page as well as a page for
community information.
• Keep your website current by updating the main page frequently with open
house alerts, interest rate updates, and brief introductions to new listings.
2) Let people know your area of specialty. A slogan that basically says “I’ll help
anyone anytime”, probably won’t appeal to anyone. Consider your areas of
specialization. For example, you may have extensive knowledge of resort properties
or you may want to focus on young families looking for their first house. Add this to
the Award/Slogan section of your Sutton Flexi-Site.
3) Promote your website. Having an easy-to-navigate website with consumer-focused
information is only the beginning. A 2002 survey conducted by DoubleClick.com,
revealed that of 1000 respondents, none relied completely on the Internet when
contemplating a purchase. Today’s consumers respond to a variety of marketing
sources. The best approach is to integrate and coordinate your online and offline
marketing efforts so they work in tandem to help you achieve your goals. Advertise
your website on your business cards, newspaper advertisements, and promotional
materials.
4) Compliment your Sutton-Flexi site with a personal domain website. Two sites
are better than one especially if one of them is your name or the name of your team.
Website names such as www.johnsmith.com and www.johnandmarysmith.com are
impressive and easy-to-remember. In order to assist you with marketing your
services, Sutton makes it simple for you to include a link from your Sutton Flexi-Site
to your personal website.
5) Provide good follow-up. Your website may generate phone calls or emails but if
consumers don’t hear back from you in a timely manner, they’ll take their business
elsewhere. When you go on vacation, be sure to use Sutton’s Email Auto Reply
feature to let clients know you will be away and possibly direct them to call your cell
phone or contact a colleague.

2. Sutton University:
Computers/Technical
By incorporating these suggestions, your Sutton Flexi-Site can become a strong
marketing tool to expand and serve your client base.