Realtors – Convert More Leads into Deals
It's all about the follow-up.
Brokers and Agents often ask us about the best practices of managing leads, from the point of entry to a signed contract. When should I follow up and how? How often should I be in touch, and what are the best ways to engage? We have found that following a simple, systematic flow which combines persistence, common courtesy, and a reliable CRM system, is the best way to achieve a higher conversion rate. After all, the goal is always to turn more of your leads into DEALS.
Watch and learn from Boston Logic's President & Founder, David Friedman, as he takes you through the art of effectively managing and nurturing your leads to increase your client acquisition.
Learn more about how Boston Logic's Sequoia system can help you effectively manage your leads- sign-up for a no-pressure demo today!
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Posted on January 31, 2012 Filed Under Lead Generation, LogicClassroom, Sequoia Real Estate Solutions | 1 Comment
Sequoia Listings & Craigslist – Friday Feature Focus
How Do I Post a Property in Sequoia to Craigslist?
Listed below are the steps to add a listing in Sequoia to Craigslist.
1. Log into your Sequoia account. Click on the Property Search Tab (orange) in the primary navigation and fill out the MLS ID or search criteria of the property you want to add to Craigslist.
Sequoia (Backend) Property Search
2. After clicking on search you will see the listing or listings with a couple of options on the right side (map this property, email listing, print listing & generate template). Click on 'generate template' (red box in image below), and you will see a pop up.
Property Details with Options for Further Action
Alternatively, click on the MLS listing number or the address of the property . This takes you to the listing page with detailed information. You can see boxes with options on top of the page (similar to the ones in the previous step). Click on 'generate template' and you see a pop up of the template with all the information of the listing.
Sequoia System Property Listings Landing page
3. The pop-up includes all the details about the property listed on the website, along with the photos. You have the option of editing the template with an easy-to-use content editor (similar to the page editor in Sequoia). You can edit the listing information, logo, or the photos, according to your needs. Then take the following steps to post on Craigslist:
- Click on the source button (red box image below).
- Copy all source text - press Ctrl-A (select all), then press Ctrl-C (copy).
- Simply, paste entire text into your Ad system of choice (e.g. Craigslist form, Constant Contact form) and you are done!!!
*NOTE: Some ad systems, email or newsletter platforms may have html/visual editors so be careful to paste the source text in the html editor.
sequoia listings template with content editor
Learn more about how Sequoia can work for you with popular services like Craigslist- sign-up for a regular weekly training or contact client support!
Not a Sequoia user yet? Sign up for a no-pressure demo today!
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Posted on January 27, 2012 Filed Under Sequoia features, Sequoia Real Estate Solutions | Leave a Comment
LogicMaps & Yelp: Friday Feature Focus
LogicMaps can interface with Yelp to help your customers decide where to live!
In our last Friday Feature Focus, we discussed town pages & creating custom search boundaries for searches and town pages. This week, we'll be covering our interactive POI mapping tool, powered by Yelp.
In a standard Sequoia search, properties are shown both in search results and on each property's details page on a Google map, thanks to our proprietary LogicMaps tools. Now, you can go one step further and showcase the advantages and amenities of a location and all it has to offer - by using the rich, dynamic data provided by Yelp!
So what does this mean for you?
We can display local business and POI (Point of Interest) information, constantly updated by real users, right alongside the properties you are searching for. So, as new neighborhood establishments open up and close down, or their products and services (and the opinions of their patrons) change, so will the information on your website.
You can watch a demonstration of our Yelp tool for the Sequoia platform in the video below-
If your Sequoia site doesn't already include this great feature, or you want to learn more about Sequoia, contact our sales team today!
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Posted on January 20, 2012 Filed Under Real Estate Software, Real Estate Website Features, Real Estate Websites, Sequoia features, Sequoia Real Estate Solutions | 2 Comments
Tuesday Tip: Bounce Rate
What is Bounce Rate?
Bounce rate is the percentage of single-page visits or visits in which the person left your site from the entrance (landing) page. Google takes your bounce rate into account as one of many factors when determining how to rank your site. The formula for bounce rate takes into account total number of visitors on one page and total number of visits.
Rb = Tv / Te
Rb = Bounce rate
Tv = Total no of visitors on one page
Te = Total no of visits
A high bounce rate generally indicates that site entrance pages aren't relevant to your visitors. One way to reduce bounce rate is to create landing pages tailored to keywords or ads you run. A high bounce rate may not be a bad thing, depending on the goals of your website.
When is a high bounce rate not bad?
Generally speaking, websites that are geared towards generating a high volume of leads have an average bounce rate of 30% - 50%. Therefore, if your goal is to get more leads, a bounce rate around that mark might not mean all bad news. For example: A visitor might have taken down a phone number/email from the home page or filled out a pop-up contact form and left.
A good indication of whether your website is working for you or not would be to find a robust CRM software (like Boston Logic's LogicLeads CRM) that lets you track leads & lead sources.
We will soon be hosting a LogicClassroom that will help you track and then leverage the numbers you're pulling from Google Analytics to create actionable tactics. Meanwhile, you can visit previous sessions about using Analytics, or email our marketing team to understand how to create a content strategy and the track it for effective results.
Tune in each Tuesday for a quick tip, and sign-up for the next LogicClassroom today....
Remember - Knowledge is Power. Don't Be Left Behind!
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Posted on January 17, 2012 Filed Under Google Analytics, SEO Strategy, Web Analytics | Leave a Comment
Tracking Views of Exclusive Listings on Your Website
WEEKLY TIP...
"How Do I see how many views my exclusive listings are getting?"
We often get this question from clients looking to see the exposure their listings are getting - it's a simple process to find out. Here's how:
1. Open your Google Analytics account, and click on the Content tab (it’s on the left sidebar). Once you click on it, you’ll see more information about analytics for your site including Site Content, Speed, Search, Events, AdSense (paid advertising), and in-page analytics.
Google Analytics sidebar content
2. Click on the Site Content tab and pick the subcategory Pages
Google Analytics Content Tab
3. Voila! You are now able to see the top ranking pages on your site, according to traffic.
4. This is all great information - but you want to see how many page views your exclusive listings are getting.
Let's go a step further and click on "advanced" (orange square) which is on the right hand side of the pages table. This opens a section on top of the table with a tab labeled "include" (red square).
Google Analytics Pages advanced Filter
5. Now go to your website and click on the listing you want to track in Google Analytics. The URL on the listing should look like this -
http://www.abc.com/properties/city/street/1616313 or http://www.abc.com/rentals/area/1231341
Copy the numbers at the end of your URL and go back to your Google Analytics pages dashboard.
6. Paste the numbers (for example 1616313) in the empty space on the right hand side of the empty tab (orange square) that previously was labeled "Include" (red square) . (Note that the tab labeled "Exactly Match" by default should be changed to the option "ENDS WITH". After you have completed the steps above, click "apply".
7. You should now be able to see the page views & other details for your individual listing, as shown below.
Google Analytics pages view advanced filter on
Reporting on your listings is just one of the great value-added services that come along with a Boston Logic SEO and online marketing campaign. Contact us today to learn more!
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Posted on January 11, 2012 Filed Under Google Analytics, Real Estate Search Engine Optimization, Search Engine Optimization | 1 Comment
Town Pages: Friday Feature Focus
Real estate isn't just about selling property - it's about selling a location and a lifestyle.
WHAT IS A TOWN PAGE?
Town Pages is an optional component of the Sequoia System, integrated with our user-friendly Content Management System. A Town Page allows you to easily publish custom content about any towns, neighborhoods, or even custom areas you draw on a map yourself! Then you can decide what listings to show on these pages by setting up simple IDX search criteria, as easily as if you were searching for a listing. (The tool is shown below.)
Sequoia System Town Pages
The ability to create your own custom search boundaries for Town Pages gives you unlimited flexibility to display your listings. For example, you might have exclusive listings near a popular shopping district or a convenient public transit station. Sequoia gives you the ability to draw this area on a map and return only the listings within the area you create.
Create Custom Search Boundaries
The dynamic content shown on these pages (the IDX listings sourced daily based on your custom criteria) plus your own unique, custom written content will help your site rank better - it's a one-two punch that search engines absolutely LOVE. On a more personal level, Town Pages helps you market listings and target different segments in a unique manner - highlighting the benefits of a location while showcasing the great properties there, right on the same page.
Learn how to create Town Pages here.
If your Sequoia site doesn't already include this great feature, contact our sales team today!
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Posted on January 6, 2012 Filed Under Real Estate Software, Sequoia features | Leave a Comment
New User Enhancements for Sequoia
We've got two new upgrades to Sequoia's user interface that we think will help you better leverage the platform from the back-end...
New 'Help?' Links
As you navigate through the back-end of all your Sequoia pages to alter Settings, create site pages, set-up forms, run reports, or track deals - you'll notice the new Help links next to all page headers. Each Help link is set-up to direct you to the corresponding page of our interactive User Guide. Each section will explain how to effectively use and leverage a specific Sequoia tool, feature, or general functionality.
It's very important to us that all of our client's are able to easily and effectively use all that Sequoia has to offer, so we are always open to feedback on the system's ease-of-use. Please contact Client Support for any suggestions, comments, or questions you might have- we're here to Help!
New Lead Report Interface!
Our development team has given the Lead Reports function a nice face-lift for 2012...here are a few changes you'll notice:
1) In addition to the line graphs previously shown you will also see bar graphs within, representing each Lead Creation Type (i.e. Modal, Dynamic Form, Inquiry, etc.) and Lead Type (i.e. Buying, Renting, Selling, etc.), depending on what you choose to filter.
2) You now have the ability to mouse over your Lead Type sections and dates to see a quick 'total' pop-up.
3) If you choose to filter by a date range that's too large for the screen to show, you can easily navigate back to previous weeks, or view a condensed graph of the entire range.
4) If you choose to Group your Leads by 'Total', Sequoia will generate an dynamic pie chart, giving you a digestible view of how the Lead Types break down as percentages of your total.
We hope this helps- let us know what you think!
Attend a Weekly Training to Learn More About Leveraging All Of Sequoia's Benefits
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Posted on January 5, 2012 Filed Under Help, lead management, Lead Management for Real Estate, lead management software, Lead Management Tools, New Features on Our Websites for Realtors, new sequoia features, sequoia system, What's New | 4 Comments
First Site Launch of the New Year: Hodara Properties
One of Forbes' 30 Under 30 Chooses Boston Logic's Sequoia System to Propel His Business Online
Congratulations to Owner Alex Hodara and his team on their new Sequoia website- Boston Logic's first site launch of the New Year! At age 23, in January of 2009, Alex started what CNBC coined "the first student run real estate brokerage"- quickly growing from 4 rental agents showing apartments for just a few landlords, to 12 agents showing apartments for over 100 landlords in the greater Boston area. Hodara has recently been featured in Forbes' 30 Under 30 rising stars and 'disrupters' in the Real Estate category, and was honored by Businessweek last year as one of America's Best Young Entrepreneurs.
Hodara told Boston Logic that his website was simply not producing leads and lacked the user utilities to do so. He wanted a new site that would compliment his personal brand and reputation, act as a strong foundation for his rapid business growth, and continue to propel his success in a competitive online marketplace. Hodara chose our Modified Website Design Theme, backed by the Sequoia platform's specially integrated YouGotListings, Town Pages, and interactive search map.
Schedule a no-pressure demo today to learn more about how Boston Logic's cutting-edge website design, Sequoia software platform, and online marketing services can take your real estate business to the next level!
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Posted on January 4, 2012 Filed Under Boston Logic News, Boston Logic Products, Boston Logic Services, Business and Entrepreneurship, New Website Launches, Real Estate Software, Real Estate Web Design, Real Estate Website Design, Real Estate Website Features, Real Estate Websites, Sequoia Real Estate Solutions, Sequoia Real Estate Solutions, What's New | 1 Comment