Opinion on lead capture

[saboy1]

Buyers have become savvy web users - the internet has been around for long enough. they don't just fill out forms anymore, they know they will get on an autoresponder or get a call from you. You now have to have an incentive to get them to give you their email address. Most people will tell you that you need to give away something for free in return for getting their contact info eg. an ebook or special report.

I am testing several approaches, and am getting pretty good results so far. Give people what they want for free first eg. to search the MLS. I have IDX integration in all my sites. I have it set up that they can see the full address of the property. Sure I stand the risk that they will drive out there and then call the listing agent from the sign, but I am willing to bet that is a pretty remote chance.

After they see the home they like and where it is located, they will typically want more information, and click on the listing. At this point I do ask them for their contact info to see more detail. They are now more motivated to give it because they probably invested several minutes on the search to find what they want, and are reluctant to leave the site to go search somewhere else.

the only downside to this approach that I do not have an answer for, is customers that enter bogus information eg. john Doe, phone number 444-555-1212 etc....

Any other ideas?

John Visser
RE/MAX Communities