12 Ways to Increase Internet Traffic
By Kate Good
(download original article from apartmentallstars.com)
Many companies report that Internet Marketing is quickly becoming their number one source of traffic and leases. If that is not the case at your company use this benchmark, you should be getting at least 20% of your traffic from the Internet. Here is a checklist to help you get the most out of your Internet Marketing.
1. If you have a custom URL, market that Web address like you do your phone number. Don’t expect cyber shoppers when you don’t tell people about your Web site!
2. Some of you may be saying “hey Kate, we don’t have a Web site.” To that I answer “why not?” Really, this is not a major investment! Everyone can
afford a Web site. Yes they can cost upwards of $10,000 but they don’t have to!
3. When listing your community with an Internet Listing Service such as Apartments.com, be sure to customize your auto response email, which automatically goes out to Cyber Shoppers who inquire about your community.
4. While on the topic of customizing your auto response, be certain to write a unique subject line. The average Cyber Shopper will inquire about 6-10 communities in one sitting. Imagine getting 10 auto responses where the subject line is exactly the same! The customer would open one and delete the rest! Use something catchy!
5. Make Internet inquiries a priority! Net Mystery Shopper sends out 1,300 leads a month and only 18% of them are responded to on the day they were sent. 51% of them never, yes I said never, receive a response. That is like not answering your phone during half your work day! Respond to those Internet leads and so within 2 hours. Check that email often!
6. Offer an Internet special. What a great way to know where your traffic is really coming from!
7. Be certain to ask people to name all the places they saw your ad. Most people use two and three sources when searching for apartments. Too often I hear that a source is not pulling and dropped. This concerns me because unless you are really asking and tracking multiple sources, you could be wrong and pulled an ad that IS working for you.
7. The Internet creates new competition for you. You could be loosing a lease to a community that is 30 miles away. A customer’s search could bring up 20 communities located throughout the city. The customer who is relocating may not know where they want to live and look at all of the communities listed in the search. Expand your market study to include all the new properties you hear when you ask the important question “where else are you looking?”
8. Give your leasing team a computer. When leasing consultants have Internet access they have a great tool to communicate and follow up with your future and current residents. Communication is the key to sales and retention success.
9. Have marketing items in PDF format so that you can email them to customers. Floor plans, flyers, pictures, applications make great attachments and speed up the leasing process.
10. Pay for premium placement when advertising with an Internet Listing Service. This helps to give you top placement in all searches your community qualifies for. It is well worth the money!
11. Apartment Shoppers look at virtual tours. I am frequently asked the question “are virtual tours worth the money?” To answer that, yes – the most requested page is the Virtual Tour.
12. Hold your Leasing Consultants accountable to follow up on Internet leads. NetMysteryShopper.com provides a service which mystery shops your leasing team over the Internet. This is the best way to find out the priority they place on Internet traffic.
Kate Good: Professional Speaker, Marketing Consultant and Chief Cyber Shopper www.KateGood.com (404)229-7370
