I’m not sure if agents understand the importance of a website.
90% of agents have a stock website (usually provided by their brokers) and are completely content with them. However it’s way more critical than you think in this day in age. There was a great analogy I heard from a class taught by Tony Giordono.
Back when the internet wasn’t a hot topic, people would interview many agents at their home and make their decisions based on that meeting. What was in that agents tool kit at this listing presentation? I’m assuming a suit, tie, business card and a folder with a printed listing presentation. However the important questions is…
What was the first thing you think those prospective sellers noticed?
That car you drove in their drive way with was the first thing that seller saw. Was it a Toyota? Mercedes? Minivan? Subliminally that car spoke volumes about who you were as an agent. Are they successful or not? How many homes have they sold? Can they sell my house? Where is that 2 or 3% going to?
Now did your car answer these questions correctly? No, but the prospect took it upon themselves to answer those questions all based on your car. Your car was the first thing that seller read about you and what they really took away from that car is irrelevant at this point. What matters is it made a first impression!
What is today’s car?
First you have to know your prospects behavior. What does someone (scratch that), what is the first thing YOU do when you hear about a new business or person? That’s right, you Google them! And if done right what is the first thing that pops up? Right again! Your website.
Before a prospect even picks up the phone (or text) to reach out to you they’ve already done their research online about you. Before you even know they are thinking about selling they’ve probably already made their decision on whether or not they are going to hire you (or narrowed it down to you and another agent).
How many times have you heard “Hey John, we are calling because we want to sell our property. We looked you up and based on what we found we think you are the best agent for the job.”? I can personally tell you I know a lot of agents who hear this.
Knowing this puts a whole new perspective on your website. Good news is that you can get a “Bentley” website without paying over $50k or making monthly payments of $300 bucks. But the message is simple. You website is the first thing any prospect will see before they even contact you. Are you happy with what they are about find now? If not, make it your #1 priority to get it updated and changed!