In today’s economic environment all products and companies have a strong digital presence, especially those selling residential real estate. Reports from the National Association of REALTORS® show that nearly 90 percent of home buyers search for homes online, while 54 percent of buyers state that the use of the Internet was their first step taken during the entire home buying process. Yet most sales agents are looking for the next warm body to walk through the door of the sales gallery, discounting the priceless value and importance of internet leads and database management.
Let’s face it, if your marketing program is on point, your sales team won’t be able to effectively manage all the online and on-site leads coming through. The real estate marketing specialists at Cotton & Company place a heavy emphasis on the importance of database management and follow up. We provide a strategic plan that creates a wide variety of personalized communications to engage the prospect in the discovery process while allowing the automated system to do the heavy lifting. By gauging the consumer’s interaction, we can assist the sales team in narrowing in on the qualified traffic, while nurturing the pipeline for future sales absorption.
Providing a structured plan to your team and a frequently replenished list of qualified leads will result in more sales conversions and a better return on the marketing investment. The customer relationship management (CRM) platform should also be utilized to track every aspect of communication with the buyer, creating a transparent, long-term file for future reference. Sales agents come and go, and it’s imperative for the developer to own the leads generated by their investment into the campaign. Full marketing integration with the system allows the team the ability to analyze buyer demographics to fine tune the program – not just driving leads but making sure they convert to sales.
Cotton & Company not only recommends Builders CMS (Community Management Systems) to their clients but uses it daily. This leading CRM platform is specifically designed for new real estate developments, managing broker programs and residential resales. The platform is directly integrated with the sales and marketing website and data is collected directly into the system.
Cotton & Company produces an automated email communication series within Builders CMS, and this allows constant and steady flowing correspondence with leads. It has been shown that individuals can sometimes take as long as up to 3 years from the initial registration to acting on their purchase says, Laurie Andrews, President of Cotton & Company. “It is vital to keep in frequent contact with individuals who have shown interest in a community and provide them with a steady flow of information to keep them knowledgeable and informed.”
At Cotton & Company we understand that every piece of data counts. We analyze website analytics, database trends, and detailed sales communications to better understand the mindset of real estate buyers. Guided by this information and data, our team of 30+ real estate marketing and advertising professionals drive sales success for our portfolio of clients throughout the world. Visit cottonco.com to learn more about how the team at Cotton can offer your team a customized marketing program.
