Do consumers follow brands and not agents? I’ve been surveying my clients at closing as to why they used me as their real estate agent. I got some interesting answers! Some of my clients said they called me because of past business, some found me on the internet, and some were referred by friends, family, or past clients. The biggest surprise comes when you ask if they know what brokerage I work for? Most of them get a strange look on their face and say no. Some search madly in their wallet or purse for my card, but not one person could tell me off the top of their head who I worked for! At that point I would reassure them that not knowing who I worked for was the correct answer. Most of my business comes from the internet and a lot from out of state. The discussion continues as to how they found me on the internet, why they used my website, and eventually called me. They tell me they did a search on one of the major search engine for real estate or homes in our area and found my website, saw the flashing home search button, clicked on it, and started searching for homes in the Meridian Id area. I’m told the home search is easy to use, you can save listings, and find out more information about listings than on other sites. I’ve even been told that they might find a listing on another site but return to my website to research the listing because there’s more information about the listing on my website. They tell me they bookmark my website so they can return and continue to us it and when they find a home they would like to look at they either email me or call me to set up an appointment. And remember, all this time they haven’t even paid any attention to what company I worked for, all they were interested in was getting provided the service they were looking for! That service was being able to search for homes and not be bothered. You see when you click that flashing home search button, it does not ask for your name, email, telephone number, address, first born, or anything, it just allows you to search for homes in the Meridian Id area! As far as I’m concerned, my websites are a service to the people and if I provide them the service they are looking for they will keep coming back to that website and eventually email or call me to show them homes. Being a real estate agent is a service business, agents are here to serve you the client, not to treat you like some kind of unconvinced to tolerate!
So, what I’ve found out is that the consumers out there don’t care if I work for some Big Box Company, they don’t care what the name of the compay is that I work for, but what they care about is being provided the service they are looking for and being treat with courtesy. Today there is a move going on toward more virtual offices and less brick and morter office. The internet real estate agent working from a home office is the future. The old idea of the bigger franchised offices is slipping away to smaller brick and morter offices with agent working from home communicating with clients by phone, email, and emailing documents to clients, lenders, and title companies. The Future Of Real Estate Is The Internet! I hope our paths cross if you are searching for a home in the Nama Id area!
Thanks! Have A Teriffic Day!
Tom Zumwalt, ePro Realtor©
