I took the time after hearing of Qazzoo to get in touch with CEO and founder Michael Urbanski, a veteran Internet developer and entrepreneur. From what I learned in our brief discussion and screen share, the review you are about to read seemed the only logical outcome. The combination of reverse search targeting, new mobile and Facebook integration, and the inherent business model of Urbanski’s service, make for one of the most powerful pain-solvers in real estate.

Stop Wondering – Qazzoo It

If you ever wondered just how many local people near your office might just buy that listing, but somehow missed you, Qazzoo solves for X and Y. Urbanski is all about helping people discover what the next generation of search technologies is all about too. As a pseudo-expert myself, relevance can quickly be achieved when the question and the answer are put in the same place. This is, in a nutshell, what Qazzoo is trying to do.

Fig. 1.1 – The Qazzoo landing page

As you can see in the screenshot below, a simple city search within the Qazzoo system reveals very targeted and relevant results. Potential customers (leads) are presented from my hometown of Charleston. Interestingly here, I originally made a mistake and mistyped Charleston. The system intuitively directed me to results for Berkeley County, which is probably the most prolific (numerically) market in the low-country,  due to the low prices of homes there.

Charleston search reveals a wealth of potential clients

Drilling for Local Oil

Looking more closely at Qazzoo’s interface users can easily target (drill down) into the data for more specific info and feature value. The image below shows several red dots, each associated with another aspect of user search. The number of home buyer profiles is shown (2386 in Charleston County), the notification status (which allows you to keep updated via mail etc.), the actual cost to engage with each buyer (lead), tips for better search narrowing, and from which source the member was derived (mobile, web, etc.). And let me emphasize here, this is all lead research at the local level, not in the far frozen North.

Qazzoo Charleston detail showing many preliminary user features

Continuing your research you will quickly see in-depth profiles that flag your particular plausibility for leads for certain homes in your inventory, for instance. Let’s say you looked, as I did, for a more in-depth profile that showed such things as; Credit, Down Payment amount available, income range, and so on. As you can readily tell, hammering down the buyers or leads you would like to talk to could be vastly superior to buying lists of leads, cold calling, and other generation methods outside of Qazzoo.

As an agent or broker once you have researched the prospective clients in need of your services or listings, next you simply lock down 1,2,3 or 4 shares of that person’s profile. As you can see from the next image, I have purchased all four possible blocks below. What this means is, as a consumer of potential client contact and info, I have exclusive access to this member.

Qarroo Buyer profile showing such things as income and etc.

Search Paydirt – Economical, Local, Refined Leads

The next step is fairly obvious. I have not provided a screen because the access given me by the Qazzoo team is administrative and I do not want to show people’s email and other data in a report like this. What users get here starts with the ability to share the action on Facebook, the buyer (lead’s) email and other contact data, their current address, and any other data the user has chosen to supply. In the case of my subject, they live in Berkeley County in a small house behind a popular shopping center. That last bit of research was via Google Street on my part, but you see the value here. The video below explains fairly well just how Qazzoo can help people at both ends of the sales spectrum.

From here Qazzoo provides any number of organizational or utility tools for users. One can flag (report errors), delete, archive, and otherwise prioritize any user profile. I should not have to go on describing this service much farther. With marketing and sales on the web being all about localization and targeting anyway, the developers at Qazzoo have done the homework here. This system puts commerce between buyers and sellers on the same park bench. People who want homes, can now join agents who have them for sale, for the perfect “win-win” scenario.

Take Away

Finally, and perhaps best of all, Michael Urbanski assures me there are no ads, and the profiles (leads) on his Qazzoo search are guaranteed or the buyer gets their money back pronto. I honestly have never seen a better lead generation idea. I should note here too, that Qazzoo and all its hammered out simplicity is not just good for those hand wringing real estate moguls out there, it is a crucial little walled garden that people searching for homes will find beneficial and time saving.

For once my job is done. Let me know your views on Qazzoo.

Image / freedigitalphotos.net

1.Relevant and useful content

The success of your generating leads online is dictated by your website and the content and information your web pages are comprised of. It’s often easier to produce a website with content that you think should be included. But this is not the right strategy. The better approach is to always put the interest of the end user in mind and don’t simply throw up words about your company/products/services. Ask yourself questions like:

Why would anyone visit my website?

What content would a visitor find useful?

Is the presentation of my content interesting?

If your website offers content that resonates with your web visitors, you not only provide value, but you also increase trust and the “stickiness” of your site that will help increase the chance of converting visitors into potential leads. Some examples of useful content include market reports, how-to’s, neighborhood guides, and resources for buyers and sellers.

2. Use a contact form

Although, there many ways to display your company’s contact information on your website, a contact form is the single most important entry point for users and the “work horse” for your lead generation activity. A contact form can be integrated with web a web analytics tool (see below) to offer rich data regarding who, when, where and how your visitors are contacting you so you can make informed, data-driven decisions on how to make improvements.

Tracking this data also allows you test elements of your contact form (layout, communications, colors, etc.) to optimize and improve for better conversions. You can apply the principles of a contact form throughout your website on various pages; don’t just focus on the contact information page. For example, property pages and product/services pages lend themselves very well to contact forms and can be a massive source for generating inquiries.

3. Optimize call-to-actions

Every page of your website has the potential to generate a lead for your business. Therefore, it’s important to think about the objective of each page and what you would want a visitor to do when they land on the page.  For a real estate business, site-wide call-to-actions like “what’s my property worth?” or “get the latest market information” can be very effective to help create interest and convert visitors to warm leads.

Once you have decided the objective of your pages, you need to optimize for performance. First and foremost, this means the main “call-to-action” of your page needs to be somewhere very visible, ideally above the fold (upper half of the page) as it will drive significantly more clicks than other placements.  Also, there are many variables surrounding a call to action that should be constantly tested and optimized. This includes testing different communications, buttons, layouts, colors, and styles… all of which can have an impact on conversion rates and the success of your overall lead generation efforts.

4. Track leads with Analytics

Google Analytics is essential for measuring the performance of your online lead generation activity and the overall success of your website. With Analytics you can set goals and events for a variety of conversion activities on your website. This includes tracking clicks of links, downloads of files, and successful completions of contact forms.  Tracking these conversion events gives you a laser focused view of what marketing channels are converting best so you can clearly identify where to spend your online marketing dollars and optimize your cost per lead.

Without Analytics and some measurable KPIs in place, it will be very difficult for you to gauge what’s working and how to scale your lead generation efforts. Ask your web developer to setup your goals in Analytics and create reports so you can start making decisions based on hard data instead of instinct.

5. Run targeted Ads

Google Adwords is a power house for lead generation and is the single most effective online channel bringing targeted traffic to your website.  With Adwords, you can run campaigns in a highly controlled and focused manner to target specific keyword queries your customers are searching for in Google. You may also run targeted banner Ads in relevant websites associated with your niche and market.

The beauty of running Ad campaigns on Google Adwords is that you are in complete control of your campaigns and can make changes at a very granular level. Coupled with Google Analytics, you can identify what types of campaign variables (keywords, Ad copy, frequency, demographics) work best in terms of traffic to your website and conversion to leads via your contact forms or other call-to-actions you have set as goals.

Bob Samii is an online marketing strategist and founder of inMotion Real Estate Media, a real estate marketing and web development agency helping companies generate leads and increase brand visibility. You can find him on twitter: @cultureslurp

Is there only one, or more than one solution?

This latest news from Market Leader speaks of linking Internet Data Exchange (IDX) feeds that list some 1.6 million properties with selected agents within the company’s matrix (network) to take advantage of exclusive leads and customer relationship features. At least this is the report from Inman News we read. That article goes on to reflect however, a much bigger story, one of territorial end-fighting and splitting of hairs even.

The company that bought RealEstate.com versus the other side of the Internet sales aisle, and all those accustomed to MLS listings and the current online listing model on the other. At issue is basically the what the National Association of Realtors allows as far as these feeds are concerned. RealEstate.com basically forces the issue of “how” IDX listings get listed, with ads or without, with lead generation forms or without, and so on. More critically though, the fact that brokers cannot “opt out” of being listed on RealEstate.com as is the case with Trulia and Zillow, this is the real rub.

To break this all down, an agency that has listings in a particular MLS, Multiple Listing Service Property Information Network Inc. (MLSPIN) is the Inman use case, is forced to show their listing via RealEstate.com by virtue of being in the MLS basically. In a very real way what Market Leader accomplishes here is a sort of game changing control dynamic, one that actually polarizes the real estate pro market too.

It all boils down to a somewhat controversial bout between real estate franchisers, who won a bid to the NAR to display the IDX listings of affiliated brokerages that was later rescinded when complaints flourished, and brokerages like HomeServices of America Inc.  When all is said and done Market Leader, or any online real estate player, is in the game to push product. In the case of Market Leader, services like their websites for brokers, positioning and feedback from and on key sites like RealEstate.com, PPC campaigns, and other marketing offerings. Ian Morris’s (video above) company has just about every end covered when it comes to sales leads.

Whether or not agents, buyers, and sellers find Market Leader’s tactics with favor or not is not at issue for the moment, what seems more important is the pulling at straws that takes place within the industry. A technicality here, an uncrossed “t” there, when the housing market is still suffering its most crippling blow ever. One has to marvel at the big game being played for position. But then, that’s what business is about, right? One thing you have to give Market Leader a lot of credit for is bringing RealEstate.com down to the local level. Not many big time players have done this well.

More on real visibility as the story grows. Oh, and Market Leader, if you really want more solutions for leads… mail me.

RealEstate.com Atlanta site – Market Leader has done this right

Oh. One hint too, don’t profess Pinterest, G+, Twitter, Facebook or any expertise you are not entrenched in. Now Inman News? They have Pinterest down.

Pamil Visions PR corporate website

According to this news, Pamil Visions’ core business strategies are employed for stretching beyond traditional press release stereotypes. What the company suggests is that PRide press releases target paths both traditional and non-traditional, sending and receiving a company message more effectively. The company’s press release tells a bit of how this is accomplished.

Traditional press releases have been a favored PR strategy for decades. But their impact has been drastically reduced in recent years. Some even claim the press release is dead as a media outreach tool. But this is nonsense, at least according to Pamil Visions’ Founder and Principal Partner, Mihaela Lica Butler,who offers advice on a new breed of release:

“A press release doesn’t need to be cold and aloof, at least not anymore. Since it will reach customers directly, via search engines or other channels, you might as well consider personalizing it. Write a story that takes your reader on a journey and that reader will invite others to join.”

Creative PRide – Click to view the program

The news goes on to tell of Creative PRide, and the evolution of the traditional press release strategy. Such concepts as social media optimized titles, which encourage clicks and shares, a focus on the core values of the news, appealing storytelling, losing the marketing hype, and no nonsense reporting style, not to mention social media support and blogging effort directed at news, are all discussed. Rather than “broadcasting” self serving announcements, Creative PRide builds on constructive interaction with consumers.

According to the company, Creative PRide is not about simply writing and submitting press releases via online channels like PRWeb, BusinessWire, and or PR Newswire, but a complete system that even guarantees some types of media coverage.

The final value proposition here, as Pamil Visions PR suggests, can be the businesses spread the news to broader audiences, and generating back links that carry SEO value, among the many other beneficial characteristics of such programs. Each editorial published, offers a unique branding and visibility characteristic. Mihaela Lica Butler describes how journalistic lattitude, transparency, and original content play a role in ultimate branding exercises.

“Creative PRide was designed to support small businesses and startups in their efforts to reach out to bloggers and journalists. We are so confident in this service, that the 10 outlets guarantee is our promise that the press release will be picked up and not lost among random headlines on a newswire news center. Rest assured, these outlets will all be reputed niche-specific sites, and not some random splogs. We will personally approach journalists and bloggers in our network to make them aware of the news, and we will continue diligently till we meet our promise.”

Creative PRide is available as a stand-alone service of the PRide family of public relations and social media services. As a welcome gift, first-time customers will receive Pamil Visions PR’s ‘Press Releases Designed for Effect’ whitepaper free of charge.

Pamil Visions PR is an international boutique agency, providing a range of professional services including public relations, social media, and content management and optimization to small and mid-sized businesses all over the world. The company works closely with clients to deliver measurable PR campaigns that build brands and reputations. Specializing in hospitality, startups, and travel PR, the company is known for aiding small companies in quickly establish brand awareness and customer rapport.

For those interested in learning more about Creative PRide, and the ways in which your company or organization might benefit, please review the original press release here, or visit Pamil Visions PR’s corporate website via the links above. Alternatively, interested parties can reach the company via the media contact Liliana Dumitru Steffens – at: +49 151 61010958 or by email at: lsteffens@pamil-visions.net

Separate from the crowd

Every day we run across so called agency experts doing what they “call” social media engagement. A Facebook page here, a tweet there, lip service, and a wing and a prayer, the whole matrix of online business is full to the brim with mediocre attempts at pusing some magical Internet easy button. But, the simple fact remains – there is no such thing as an easy button. That is, unless your are and you use intelligence in your efforts. The days of BS-ing your way through, are over.

The infographic below suggest we need to do a lot more than just scramble for some buyer leads. The first and foremost variable in using online channels is the integrity of the data gleaned. While BI has not been employed so much for our industry, it soon will.

Created By Domo Technologies, Inc.

Looking at this graphic from DOMO, it is fairly easy to begin creating your own so called “dashboard” of effectiveness for your channels. By following the suggested path, Real Estate pros can better evaluate BI platforms like RBI, PeopleCube, and a vast landscape of similar Realty business intelligence solutions. But what’s more, the journey through this sort of data assessment minefield will teach you the next phase of brokering properties – becoming a one man or woman army of industry engagement.

We’ll offer up part two of this series next…

Fish image courtesy © sk_design – Fotolia.com

In earlier news, Market Leader acquired mobile SAAS platform kwky, as well as SharperAgent, a suite of marketing tools. Founded in 1999, Market Leader’s 2011 profits so far in 2011 seem pretty astounding. If growth is an indicator of potential and future success at all, the company’s 60,000 users indicate the online service is a player to contend with. Ian Morris, CEO of Market Leader, had this to add:

“We believe Market Leader is in a unique position to put this high potential website to work for the thousands of brokerage companies and agents who depend upon us for high quality software and performance marketing solutions. We are committed to helping our customers meet engaged home buyers and sellers, and RealEstate.com will help us meet the rapidly growing demand for our services while at the same time lowering our costs to deliver them.”

With agents and agencies underwater themselves in this economic situation, lead generation like Market Leader is intent on providing is quite literally gold.

For more information about this acquisition, please visit Robin Wauters’ article on TechCrunch, or consult the original press release here.