LNL TV Episode #9:Â Should You Require Registration On Your IDX?
What do you believe to be true? What do you believe works?
Does what you believe have a firm foundation in reality or is it based on perpetuated myth that the real estate industry so loves to spread as “the gospel truth?”
I answer the question in today’s episode.
But, there’s more. Think about this… why are Boomtown, Tiger Leads, Curaytor, etal so successful? Why are they able to charge hundreds to thousands of dollars a month and why are real estate agents scrambling to get on their waiting lists?
Because the reality is, registration works, and works very well, for real estate lead generation.
Check it out:
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Have questions for me? Come on over to the Facebook for Real Estate Agents group and ask!! I’m happy to help you!!
LNL TV Episode #09
Edie says
Christina,
I agree with you 100% that you should have IDX registration after all who wants to be an ATM listing machine.
Christina Ethridge says
It’s not really about being an ATM listing machine – but it IS about providing value and capturing the lead.
Jon says
You are confusing IDX with “something of value”. You will never compete with all the bells and whistles of Zillow,Trulia and Realtor .com. ” Search” (IDX) has become a commodity on the web and every realtor’s site has it. What makes you think people will flock to yours if you require them to register? I have had customers send me expired Trulia listings after expired Trulia listing but still prefer it to my IDX which is in real time.
Providing valuable, helpful content is key and you need to capture them via a free eBook, whitepaper, newsletter or blog posts.
Christina Ethridge says
No, I’m not confusing IDX with “something of value” and yes, absolutely, agents can compete with ZRT. It’s been done. It’s being done. I’ve done it since before ZRT existed and still do it. Consumers do register. Agents believe the lie that because ZRT exist, no one will register anymore. It’s a myth.
Providing valuable and helpful content should be a given. And yes, you also need to use ethical bribes to capture their information (and blog posts and newsletters are not ethical bribes).
Jon Watral says
Please explain how our IDX can “compete” with Zillow’s,Trulia’s and Realtor.com’s IDX. In other words, what is it about your IDX that people prefer over ZTR?
No one is coming to an agent’s website because the agent’s search engine is so much better than ZTR. They are coming for something they can not find on other agent’s sites which is useful information. You still must capture their contact information but there are better ways than hoping they wander over to you search engine and register.
Christina Ethridge says
Yeah – “hoping” = nothing. If you set up a funnel, especially using FB, you can funnel people right into your IDX, capture their information and then nurture them over time.
And, you are wrong, people ARE coming to agent sites via search. They have been for years and will continue to do so – at least to the agents sites where the agent knows what they are doing. Slapping up a site isn’t going to get you squat, that’s for sure.
But then, I’m not here to prove to doubters that it works. I’m here to show people who know it works, how to make it work for them. We’ve been doing it for two decades now for our real estate business.
Greg Knezevich says
Are you saying we should offer them something in exchange for registering like a free e-book? what do you think is the most powerful message or free information piece that can be offered to get them to register. You say it must be something of perceived value to them but you don’t tell us what that has been in your experience.
Christina Ethridge says
When it comes to IDX, the “gift” in exchange is the home details they get to see. For elsewhere, yes, a free “gift” of some sort… ebook, checklist, template, etc. The perceived value is different depending upon your audience. What are their needs? Are they investors? 1st time buyers? Move-up buyers? Move-down sellers? That determines your audience, then you go deeper and figure out what their pain points are – problems – and solve them in the freebie you offer them. Make sense?
Sean says
Hi there, great video! What would you consider an “ethical bribe” to capture a lead?
Christina Ethridge says
As a real estate agent, you have a plethora of options for ethical bribes… from home searches to home values to ebooks to checklists… so many options!
Jeff Knox says
I absolutely force registration and have closed many deals because of the forced registration and being able to follow-up with leads through telephone and drip campaigns.
The false logic of not forcing registration is that agents think consumers will continue to use their site if they do not force registration. The facts are that once somebody leaves your site, there is a 99% chance they will never return and will forget you and your domain name within a minute of leaving. Unless you capture your information, you will not be able to provide value to that consumer through follow-ups & the ability to prove you are an expert in the market and somebody they should have on their team.
Christina Ethridge says
This is true! We believe people will leave if we force registration. The truth is, they leave whether we force it or not. We need their contact info to stay in connection with them and draw them back.
John Duncan says
Phone number requirement vs no phone requirement? Thoughts?
Christina Ethridge says
YES! Require the phone number. Statistics show you’ll get more and obviously you want to get on the phone with them 😀