You Might Be Losing Business… And Here’s Why

If I told you that someone, or even a good number of people, have seen your name, face, or post and then subconsciously decided NOT to work with you, what would you think?  Ouch, right?

If you have ever searched for a business or service online, you’ve done this to others as well.  It’s not always about who is the best- it’s about who we can trust based on what we see.  As consumers in a day of digital abundance, we do this all the time whether it’s choosing a restaurant or ordering from that ad on our Facebook page.  A great restaurant may have a less than appetizing photo on our search result and we move on to the next, without much thought.  That boutique has all the right images, but their website has a link that doesn’t work and feels less secure than the big box retailers, so you pass on the purchase and move on to another. We expect functional, quality, and correct information online to feel secure.

These consumer thought patterns do not spare the modern-day real estate agent.  Your potential clients go through these quick, sometimes subconscious “Yes” or “No” decisions as they take on the search for their real estate professional.  Let’s face it- there is no shortage of agents and today’s informed consumer knows they have options.  Most agents out there have just enough of an online presence to hopefully not scare away a referral, but have no idea how many prospective clients may have scrolled past them and chose the next agent in the digital line.

What if you could end the search for that prospective client and gain their business?  What if a few (free) steps you took would lead to more calls coming in?  Would be worth it right?  It is beneficial, of course, to sit down with a marketing consultant and work on a tailored game plan to stand out online and above the rest, but there are some steps you can take today to improve your online appearance and win more online searchers.

Take Some Action

Performing a Google search of yourself/your business is a great place to start and make some simple, yet important improvements.  Search your name/business name on Google and follow these 3 steps:

1. Click the top 5 links/results and see where they lead. In each website, click through the links relevant to you as well. Is every page/link functional?
2. Take a look at the images. Are there any pages with missing profile images for you? Are the images that do appear of good quality?
3. Read the information written about you. Go over your location, phone number, social media handles, agency information, etc. listed on each site. Are the details correct?

If the answer is no to any of the steps above, a little cleanup is needed and can make a big difference.  Just don’t skip the small stuff, because every click result for the consumer is an opportunity to bring in (…..or run off) a new client before you’ve ever met.