4 Great New Lead Generation tools for Real Estate Agents
When it comes to generating leads and managing customer relationships as a real estate agent, there are plenty of powerful tools available to help drive numbers and free up time. But in today’s populous real estate market, managing the right digital tools is crucial if you want to stay competitive. Leveraging these software programs and web services allows realtors to make contact with homebuyers and homesellers when they need professional guidance the most.
Luckily, these web tools are becoming increasingly functional and intuitive. So if you’re not exactly an internet wizard, you can still strap on your digital tool belt and increase conversations, generate leads and build your client base. Since an increasing portion of the buying and selling process is occurring online, allocating resources to these digital mediums is a must.
These lead generation and customer relationship management tools vary in capacity and cost, so it helps to have an idea of your intentions and budget before comparing services. To help you gain some oversight and refine your search, I have compiled a list of 4 great new web services and programs you might consider trying.
#1: Ask Avenue
Ask Avenue is a free real estate advisory service that allows users to query local agents on real estate related
topics. It’s a simple idea with great potential for agents since the first responder gains rights to the lead. The user, on the other hand, gets instant answers to their real estate-related questions. It’s an interesting trade-off but both sides stand to benefit. Also, it connects realtors and their curious leads earlier in the process, allowing client-agent relationships to develop more organically.
The company promotes a service-first approach to client relationships and coined the title real estate concierge as a means to explain it. This archetype embodies Ask Avenue’s ideal advisor: an agent that operates with their clients’ emotional needs in mind, going the extra mile to respond to both direct and peripheral concerns.
The advantage to this service is that it’s very low over-head. There’s no software to set up, licence to buy or data to analyze; it’s a simple two-way portal to potential real estate clients.
#2 Ready Chat
If you’re looking for ways to drive engagement from your website, check out Ready Chat. Ready chat is an instant messaging service that nests in real estate websites. Advisors open a dialogue and chat with visitors in real time. It’s fully customized to your brand and reliably converts traffic into leads.
To take things a step further, Ready Chat integrates with Google Analytics, monitoring your site and all its
traffic. When a lead is generated, you’re notified right away so you can follow up with any additional information the potential client may need. And when it’s time for analysis, Ready Chat sends weekly reports on chat activity and other important website metrics.
Since Ready Chat’s financial model is based on lead production, there’s not much risk investing in the software. Price per lead is competitive too ranging from $5.00 – $8.00 depending on how many leads the realtor commits to.
#3 Zurple
Zurple is an all-in-one system to help track, analyze and engage potential clients. With this service, realtors can create a branded home search website—essentially a portal—through which visitors can browse listings. All the while, Zurple tracks users’ search queries and navigation behavior offering insight into
what prospects might be in the market for.
Or, you can leave the analysis up to Zurple’s algorithms which monitor page revisits, favorited pages and aggressive search behavior around specific listings. It all equates to one big filter that allows you to focus on leads more likely to be real home buyers with serious intentions.
Finally, Zurple will reach out to these leads on your behalf with detailed information based on their search history. This tailored information shows potential clients that their needs are recognized and that you’re already working to meet them.
This is a great option for realtors looking for a high-capacity system that operates all in one place. However if you prefer to micromanage leads, then Zurple may not be the software for you.
#4 Point2
Like Zurple, Point2 offers a range of digital marketing services to help real estate agents gain leads and manage customer relationships. With 13 million monthly views on their website, Point2 grants agents
access to a large consumer marketplace, putting them smack in the dense neighborhood of potential leads. Realtors can post regular listings, secure Featured Listing slots and run Agent Ads to ramp up visibility.
Point2 also offers a platform for building a professional agent website. Complete with social integration, mobile-friendly pages and custom forms, sites set up through Point2 carry the added benefit of being search engine optimized. This is another element working to increase agents’ visibility.
Once leads are created, realtors gain access to a spread of CRM software tools to make sure those leads are properly managed. These include reports and analytics, drip e-mail campaigns and an online office dashboard ensuring these services can be reached from any computer with an internet connection.
The big draw to this system is gaining access to such a large community of homebuyers and homesellers. For realtors looking to increase their reach, Point2 could be an excellent investment. And with three tiers of pricing ranging from $19.90 to $129.90 per month, realtors can choose which package of digital tools suits them best.
By leveraging lead generation and CRM services like these in your real estate business, you become much more calculated and competitive as a realtor. And as homebuyers and homesellers do more of their searching online, it will become increasingly important to know your way around these digital mediums. The ability to adapt to changing market pressures and learn new industry tools will ultimately dictate your success as a realtor.
Ask Avenue, Ready Chat, Zurple and Point2 are great services to focus on first.
Image Source: Google Images
Dylan Smart
Latest posts by Dylan Smart (see all)
- 4 Great New Lead Generation tools for Real Estate Agents - April 7, 2016
Recommended Read:
5 Online Lead Generation Methods to Kick start Your Small Business
CommonFloor.com Becomes the No. 1 Real Estate Portal in India
Real Estate Platform, Jagaha, improves property seekers’ experience with verified information
Real Estate Developer, Signature Global, secures Rs. 150 crores from ICICI
Mumbai’s #1 commercial real estate property site Jagaha completes one year