Remember how Tiger Woods wrote a book called ***How I play golf... ***?
This is kind of like that -- What I took away from the academy... now the details of the discussions are going to be available on CD next week... and here are some things that will be helpful to those who couldn't make it and just can't wait for the CDs!
Dean re-visited the idea that there are 4 "businesses" within our websites... Lead-Getting, Connecting, Bonding, & Showing
With that, we identified the challenges within each of those businesses.
It's my belief the at the core of each problem is that we've forgotten that the "client" of each business is the next business, and the throughput is the prospect.
What I mean by that is...**
**The “client” of the lead-getting business is the connecting business. ****
It’s the job of the PROCESS of the lead-getting business to get the prospect through to the connecting business.
To get people to raise their hands and ask for something. -- the site will help you, and you have to get more people to the site.
Have you optimized your google?
How do you know? Are you spending your daily budget? If you are, then reduce your bids (max cpc) by 25%. (Don't worry where you're placed on the page, it's google's intent to spend your daily budget, so they're going to make sure you're shown as often as possible in order to spend that money - whether it's at $1 per click or 35cents.
Is your target market too broad?
Are you trying to sell all of Northern Virginia? You're going to shotgun the side of a barn. Wouldn't you much rather use your laser sights and get people right where you live, say in Alexandria, Virginia?
In google, are you showing your ads to the whole world?
If that's your market, that's great! Like San Antonio - Richard has so many military bases, it makes sense to advertise everywhere. However, Winter Haven -- it's not so very international. So we stick with just showing ads in the US and Canada.
I put together a word document with some screen shots, so that you can look into it yourself. Download how_to_adjust_Max_cpc_bids_on_Google.doc
In this section it IS a matter of time vs money. Google takes little time and a bit of money. Craig's List takes no money and a time commitment.
The “client” of the connecting business is the bonding business. It’s the job of the PROCESS of the connecting business to get the prospect through to the bonding business.
Is your bonding business a victim of Connect-apnea?
You know, how in sleep apnea, you're sleeping peacefully, then you stop breathing, then you gasp and overcompensate to catch your breath. Think about the way you go about connecting with prospects... you probably start out pretty well, get a lead, call them & maybe email them. But then, if you don't catch them that first attempt, they kind of get forgotten... then all of a sudden, you think, "Oh! I better get with it!" and start calling again. Start. Stop. Start.
Do you have the leads going to your phone, so that you can call the minute you get a lead?
Do you have an "Alert" set up on your email that tells you when a lead has come in? When I used outlook, I had a rule set up to have a cash register ring sound play whenever I got a lead. Now, my google desktop pops up a message. :)
If you're not able to do either of those, you could set up a rule or filter so that when a message with the subject line contains "Marketwatch" or "home loan report" or "CMA" or "Seminar" or "Seller Book" or "Tour" or "Guide"... that an automatic message goes out that says, "I have your request, thank you. So that I can dedicate time to the clients I am with at the moment, I respond to my emails between 10-11am and again between 4-5pm". I look forward to speaking with you about what's bringing you to ___ at that time."
The “client” of the bonding business is the showing business. It’s the job of the PROCESS of the bonding business to get the prospect through to the showing business.
Is your showing business a victim of Bonding-apnea? You have a 5-star prospect in the hopper. You have a great conversation. Send them a welcome packet. Put them on marketwatch. and forget about them. Then what?
Are you connecting with calls or emails every couple of months just to make sure plans haven't changed.
Do you have a blog set up for them specifically? (www.MiltonMarketwatch.com)
Do you have a weekly podcast of materials for them? (www.GoodNewsFriday.com)
Do you have neighborhood tours online for them? (www.SubdivisionTours.com)
What are you doing to ensure that when that marketwatch buyer is ready, that they have noone else in mind but their FRIEND in Milton or wherever you are?
Imagine if you designed your connecting and bonding process from the client's perspective. What would it look like?
Part 2 -- Joe's Magic words to overcome resistance... the actual scripts will be included with the first 10 CDs sold, so keep your eye out for the order.