Upon loading, the visitor is greeting with rotating images of Northwestern scenery. The color palette follows the Gateway GMAC logo scheme for the foundation colors. The dark blues and orange make a big impact right away. The main navigation is easy to browse and accented by some Flash to engage the visitor.

Searching for properties couldn’t be simpler. Using the quick search on the home page will give you instant results. To be more specific and detailed, one can use the advanced Washington property search. If the visitor would prefer explore neighborhoods geographically, a map search is available as well.

During the past week, Google cemented their effort even further by working out deals with Facebook and MySpace. They made the official announcements on their Google Blog.

We are already seeing tweets and other real-time data popping up all over the SERPS. Expect to see even more with Facebook and MySpace in the mix.

But, and there is always a “but”, if you plan to use Social Media to market yourself online, don’t think that just because it is new there are no rules. Good business practices will always win over shoddy ones. People will always feel a little leery of spending money online so it is your job to make your prospects and customers feel like they know you, like you and trust you as a person. Social Media is the perfect venue for accomplishing that but there are no shortcuts to success.

Here is my list of the 7 most important best practices for making your prospects feel comfortable enough with you to take that next step and actually spend their money with you online.

1. Be Consistent - I cannot impress upon you enough how important this is! All of your Social Media profiles should have a consistent picture of you and provide information about what you do and how you can help your prospects. If Twitter says one thing and Facebook says another that will make your prospects nervous and nervous people do not spend money.

2. Walk Your Walk – There is no excuse for the “cobbler’s shoes” argument. (remember the cobbler never has time to fix his own shoes) If you call yourself a Social Media expert you should be active online and at least have accounts on all top networking sites. You need to follow your own best practices and actually put what you teach others into practice for yourself.

3. Check Your Information – Google your own name and your business name to make sure that the information that is reaching the top of the search engine is the information you want to be there. If it is not or worse yet, you don’t even show up on the first page it is time to create a plan to change that.

4. Follow Through Immediately! – Nothing will worry a prospect or new buyer more than silence. Because of the immediacy of the Internet, we expect contact quickly. If someone purchases a product or service from you online, make sure you have an autoresponder that goes out as soon as the transaction occurs to explain what will happen next. This should be in addition to the automatically generated invoice. You should also give your buyer some way to contact you or your assistant with additional questions.

5. Provide Professional Branded Documents – In today’s world, there is no excuse for not providing your prospects with branded, tasteful receipts, proposals, or information products. You don’t even need to pay a printer. Just design them on your computer and print as necessary.

6. Provide Excellent Customer Service – This is a no brainer, if you are using social media; you have surely heard the examples of companies who have risen from the ashes because of prompt attention to a problem that was voiced online. On the other side of the coin, mediocre customer service may not get you slammed on Twitter but it will certainly put the brakes on the wonderful viral effects of word of mouth marketing.

7. Keep Your Promises – or better yet do more than you promise – Nothing makes a prospect or client feel unappreciated more than missed appointments or not providing the information you promise in a timely fashion. Let’s face it sometimes STUFF happens and you do miss an important call or deadline but if it is a regular occurrence your client will soon be looking for somewhere else to spend their money.

If you put these business best practices into place then your Social Media Marketing Plan should yield the results you expect.

Tip #1: Write a Catchy Heading

“Apartment for rent” websites present filtered results to the user by summarizing the key data on properties that fit their criteria. To sort through all of this information, users typically scan the property’s heading and photo to see if something interests them. Property owners have the ability to label their property with a catchy heading, so this is their first chance at making an impression. Use descriptive words and focus on one key unique feature or benefit that the property offers. That unique feature could be its open layout, bright rooms, spacious entranceway, underground parking, in-suite laundry, cul-de-sac location, etc. Which of these headings is the catchiest?

Tip #2: Less is Not More

Why would the landlord skimp out on words if they can write a ton of information about their property and it won’t cost them anymore than writing just one line. The cost of advertising in a traditional newspaper might limit landlords to just a few lines and using numerous abbreviations, like D/T, N/S, N/P, N/C, and D/D. While we do not suggest that property owners need to write a book about their property, they do need to provide sufficient, useful and concise information about their property and focus on its unique selling features and the benefits it would offer to its occupants. Be specific rather than general. For example, instead of writing “Located close to public transportation,” try, “Located one block away from bus route #10 which will take you to the university in 15 minutes.”

Tip #3: Landlords Must Include Photos!

A picture speaks a thousand words and it can powerfully convey to the audience what the landlord is selling. There is no excuse for not having photos of the property when advertising online. The owner increases their chances of having their property clicked on if they show photos. The chances that the renter can recall the property in their mind is greatly improved with photographic images. Most websites allow unlimited photos to be posted. The landlord should ensure that they are selective with the photos that they post. Their photos should feature the most attractive aspects of their property (whether it be the beautiful hardwood floors, the cool lighting fixtures, or that new washer and dryer). Remember to edit the photos by using the cropping tool, correcting the exposure and re-take blurry photos to ensure that they are in focus.

Tip #4: Know The Customer

It is important for landlords to have a good understanding of their renter profile. Certain locations and property types tend to attract certain renter profiles and landlords should have an understanding of what is important to them. What’s important may be proximity to public transit and schools, very good security, luxury finishes, full-time concierge service, in-suite laundry, utilities that are included in the rent, a lively neighborhood or perhaps a quiet neighborhood. Depending on the renter profile, the landlord may want to emphasize certain property features and benefits in the online property ad.

Tip #5: Check out The Competition

Business would be easy if we had no competition! Property owners should have an understanding of the quantity and quality of other properties, either by location or by target market. For instance, the landlord may notice that there is an abundance of properties just like theirs, that their price is relatively high or low, that the subject property has the best curb appeal, or that they are the only one offering a negotiable move-in date. If the house for rent is competitive, make sure that is emphasized in the ad.

Time is valuable and landlords should not waste it by listing their property and not getting a ton of response on it. Marketing is a numbers game in that landlords want to generate a lot of interest, and then filter prospective renters even further. The odds of a landlord finding the right renter are improved when an effective ad is written.

If you know your target market you will be able to figure out what they really want to find on your Realtor website. You should know everything about their likes and dislikes. You should know their “hot buttons.” You should know what they want.

Tip #1:

Do Not Have the Same Type of Website as Other Realtors Have. You want to stand out, don’t you? You can add links to MLS or property databases without putting all that on your website.

Tip #2:

You have to offer information that other Realtors do not have on their websites. To figure this out, you have to know what other Realtors have on their websites. You can research it, or get somebody to help you.

Tip #3:

Look at all the websites of Realtors in your area. Make a note of what they have in the way of information and resources.

Then think: what DON’T my competitors have that my target market would really like?

This could be your key to success.

Tip #4:

Do a Google search for Realtor websites in other parts of the country (or other countries). You may get some great ideas nobody else has in your market area.

For example, I went to an English website where they had actual sales prices of recent closings. That was interesting, because I’d never seen that, and it was information I really wanted.

You could do that within your own zip code or target market, if you don’t already. Be unique. What other ideas can you think of?

To those who would put down Twitter and chastise me for writing about how to use it to generate leads and sales online, I would say: why not use Twitter?

Let me remind you of a key point about internet marketing. Actually it’s a key point about both online and offline marketing, at least in my opinion.

The point is this: why not “Do It All?” This is what the real stars of internet marketing do. There is a snowball effect when different marketing methods work together to achieve the same result.

Is there such a thing as bad marketing? I don’t think so.

Twitter can be set up as a “set it and forget” marketing tool. It’s not easy, and has to be done right, but it’s something to check out.

But the best thing about these Web 2.0 websites is that if you use them right they can be a way to stay in touch with all of your customers and prospects in a way they will enjoy.

I have 15,000 followers in a few niche markets on Twitter. They each get several Tweets from me each day. I don’t sell them anything but just give away a lot of web marketing information which is my niche.

So when I want to recommend something to 15,000 people, I can do that quickly and easily. I usually recommend articles and blogs.

If I had a bar or restaurant, I’d use Twitter to announce special events. If I had a retail store I’d use it to announce a new sale. If I was a practicing accountant I’d use it to remind people of a tax filing deadline.

So don’t forget about Twitter. It can help get you where you want to go — into the hearts and minds of your target market.

On a real estate website people generally opt in to hear from you via one of four methods:

• They say yes to a special report
• They do a search for a home
• They use the automated “what’s my home worth” form
• They send an e-mail through your contact me form

When they do this, they give you important information about themselves, and unless you use this information to be choosy about what you send them, your drip campaign can serve to annoy rather than impress.

As a real estate copywriter I have occasion to visit a large number of real estate websites. As a form of market research, I occasionally I leave my name, just to see what people are sending.

And what I’ve found lately isn’t pretty.

On one site I used the contact form to write the agent with a question. I never got an answer to the question, but I’ve been getting an avalanche of emails that are targeted to – no one. Some are about selling, some are about buying, and none tell me why I might want to choose this agent. In fact, they’re so poorly written that they’d have a negative impact even if they were targeted to me.

Another site sends me short e-mails telling me that if I’m still looking for a house, I should call. On this site I had asked to be included in his newsletter. Some news.

Another one sends a message each week telling me there are no matches for my search. What search? This was another site where I had signed up to get a real estate ezine.

While the purpose of the autoresponder is to make me think I’m getting special attention from the agent, and to reinforce the idea that this agent is THE one to call, these messages convey the opposite feeling.

So what should you do instead?

First, take the time to set up a separate autoresponder campaign for each type of buyer or seller. Let them opt in to get a special report, and when you mail to them, keep to that topic.

If they’ve asked for information about doing a short sale, talk to them about short sales. Don’t send them tips on finding a mortgage broker to handle their new home purchase or talk to them about making a list of “must have” features before they search for that home.

If they’ve asked for information about the First Time Buyer Credit, talk to them about the credit and then talk about how to find that first home. Don’t send them information related to listing and selling.

And for Pete’s sake… send something of value when you write. Those messages that say nothing but “I’m here, use me” are a waste of time for both you and your prospects.

If someone actually has done a search and asked to be sent new listings when they come into MLS, then letting them know when there are no new matches is a good idea. But if they haven’t done a search, or haven’t asked to be sent the new listings, why would you send that? For them, your message is nothing more than spam.

Yes, it does take a little extra effort to set up targeted campaigns. And yes, you do have to write or buy good messages to load into your autoresponders. But the results will be worth the effort.

Finally, if someone sends an inquiry via your contact form, that’s not an invitation for you to send them information they haven’t asked for. That’s a request for you to send a personal response to a specific question. You should answer that mail yourself, and not with an autoresponder.

Honig-Bell does a remarkable job infusing the imagery with highlights bolstering their reputation. Their statement of 55 years of service, use of seals of approval, data on transaction sales volumes, and lists of partner logos all work beautifully to cement a professional image as impressive as the photos on the website.

Featured information is easily accessible through the buttons in the main menu. Most importantly, Honig-Bell has their Illinois IDX property search planted perfectly in a prominent position on the home page giving the real estate home seekers exactly what they want instantly.

First of all, you will have to change the way you think about the process of lead generation. Where before it is common for people to think that the best way to generate leads is to purchase them, modern experts have realized that this is not the most effective way to generate leads at all. Buying leads involves cold-calling people who know nothing about you or your business, and who may not even be interested in buying into real estate.

The best approach to lead generation is to make people take notice of your business and actually want to call you. The fact that they are the ones who contacted you means that they are interested in the product or service that you provide and they would be a lot more willing to hear you out. This will give you an easier time of building a business relationship based on mutual trust. So, how do you get people to call you? Here are the three basic steps.

First, you will have to be visible. After all, people can hardly contact you if they do not know that you exist. This is where you can use search engine optimization to your advantage. Most people now turn to the internet for information on any purchases they are planning to make. Thus, the more visible you are online, the more chance you have of people finding and contacting you.

Second, you will have to be valuable to potential clients. The most successful businessmen are those who fully understand the concept of perceived value. This concept indicates that people naturally want something which they perceive as being valuable. You can increase your perceived value by any number of ways. You may offer access to the best real estate listings in your area, or streamline the real estate process by networking with the best mortgage companies, or both.

The third and most important step is for you to be trustworthy. People aren’t likely to do business with you unless they feel that they can trust you. A credible track record, professional certifications and sales awards are the best ways to build immediate trust. Testimonials help as well, especially if you include the client’s full name, photo and location since these pieces of information assures the potential client that the testimonials are real.

Be visible, valuable and trustworthy. As long as you build your strategy around these three components, you can hardly go wrong. Now that you know how to generate real estate buyer leads, you can begin to look forward to a solid and profitable business. By simply changing your mindset, you can actually change the future of your business.

The most common way of lead generation for real estate is through the “For Sale” magazines found in every community. While that’s proven to work, the downside is the cost. Depending on your location, you might be spending $500 to $1000 or more per month.

One free method to generate real estate leads is through article marketing. You can write simple little articles that appeal to your target market. Besides being free, articles can be lead generators that never stop — they can bring in targeted prospects for months or even years to come.

In article marketing you’re going to write small articles, typically 400-700 words, that give great information. And at the end of the article is your “call-to-action” — what is it you want the reader to do? In the case of real estate, you might want the reader to call for a free CMA or to get tips on how to find the right home.

Those articles contain information that every real estate agent can spout int their sleep, but that most non-agents have to search to find. By offering this information in easy-to-read formats, you’re creating a link between yourself and the prospect. You’re also being proven an expert in the field — articles are a huge credibility booster.

Let’s take a look at a couple ways you can use those articles to generate leads.

1. Use articles as giveaways rather than business cards. Instead of leaving a stack of business cards at the local title company, leave a stack of articles that give great information. Most people are more likely to pick up and take an article that helps them than to take a business card.

2. Compile articles into special reports. Once you have 8-10 articles on buying a house, and 8-10 articles on selling a house, compile them into “special reports.” You can still use the articles by themselves, but now you have a great reason for people to contact you — to get the reports.

Those reports can be offered to the “looky-loos” at open houses, given to people who wander into the office just to see what’s available, etc.

Plus, for those real estate agents who aren’t afraid of FSBOs, the reports can be given to those people just to help them out. You and I both know a large percentage of those will turn to a real estate agent and if you’ve given them something helpful in the past, you’re the one most likely to get their business in the future.

Using articles as a way to generate real estate leads is simple, fast, and “different enough” that you’ll really stand out from the crowd. And that can mean the difference between the poorhouse and The Big House.