Winds of Change?

I don't know about you, but for us this last week has seen a marked increase in client enquiries and orders.

From early December, when business was definitely affected by the weather, we arrived at a period of Small Business Gloom. I have no doubt that this was fuelled by a combination of seasonal ennui, general economic inactivity, spending cuts and another budget.

The cuts are now beginning to be felt on a very personal level, and I must admit I did think that this would have a further significant effect on small business confidence and activity. However, as has happened in the past, the thought process appears to have been one of "let's wait and and see and then make a decision."

Small Business waited for the budget to see if this was the last nail in their collective coffin, but have made the decision to come out fighting. We can all sit there fearing the worst, but for how long?

It is now up to the small business to steer itself clear of these troubled waters. I have learnt from the past that very few people are there to help you, and it is up to us to create our own opportunities and our own success.

Spring is here, financial news can hardly get any worse for the small business, so now is the time to pick ourselves up, think positively, fine-tune our sales and marketing strategy and get out there in front of our new, existing and past clients.

Social Networking for Estate Agents

There was an article in the Times on Friday 21st January entitled "OMG, it's perfect...I'll tweet you a link."

In this article, the effect that social media is having on the property profession is explored, and some of the findings are not new.

Susan Emmett, the article's author, talks about "research" as opposed to "search" and highlights FindaProperty as a website that features articles on the housing market as well as consumer guides.

Having been an estate agent in a former life, and advised many on the best ways to market their businesses via the internet, this idea of providing information is not a revelation. An estate agent's website is not just about featuring properties for sale and to let. The fundamental purpose is to gain the best property instructions in an area, and to be perceived as the best agent in the locality. By providing insightful information, you will be seen as being an expert, having a thorough knowledge of the specific factors affecting property prices and popularity. This, in turn, instils confidence and trust and any discerning vendor needs to have faith in you as a property professional.

Providing information on schools, shopping and leisure facilities, transport links and the like is the first step towards engaging with potential vendors and property purchasers. As a personal view, it projects the personality of your business and becomes an invaluable resource, enhancing your website and your corporate identity on many levels. Your insights are what makes you unique - a vital ingredient when it comes to standing out from the competition.

So, where does Social Networking fit into this picture?

As Susan Emmett identifies in her article, "Social networking sites allow portals to speak to "friends" directly, but also to advertise effectively and free of charge. Through Twitter, we know that Chantelle Gilbert "requested a house price evaluation on zoopla@6am, 5 estate calls by 10am!".

Emmett goes on to say: "By embracing the latest technology, property sites have permanently altered the rules of engagement between buyers and sellers, estate agents and customers."

This latest technology is the "new" way to extend marketing reach, and extending marketing reach is vital to the successful estate agent. Tepilo.com, Sarah Beeny's online property selling portal, sends out a Tweet as soon as a new property is added. When I was selling my own property, it was heartening to see that one of the first viewers came brandishing particulars printed off the Tepilo website.

Starting, and then maintaining the conversation with your potential clients is now becoming increasingly important, particularly if you want to be seen as the agent that offers something unique.

Argent Ram Media designs and develops website solutions for estate agents that help them explore the potential offered by Social Networking. For details, please call 0845 009 5396 or email lorraine@argentrammedia.com

Sesome Websites for Kent and Sussex businesses

Sesome stands for Search Engine and Social Media-ready websites. Developed by Argent Ram Media in conjunction with the Digital Media Hub at the University of Kent, these feature-rich website solutions are ideal for the small business.

Why?

To answer this question, you first need to ask what every small business needs from their website, and the main ingredients are:

• Bespoke design that reflects the identity of the business;
• Clear messages that show they understand their target market;
• Easy navigation so their clients and customers can get to the information they need seamlessly;
• Facility to update the content themselves.

Above all, the website needs to meet the requirements of the marketing acronym, AIDA:

• Grab the ATTENTION of the website visitor;
• Create enough INTEREST to keep the visitor on the site;
• Generate DESIRE; make the visitor WANT to contact you for further details;
• Have a clear call to ACTION. Make it easy for your potential customers to get in touch.

Once you have the website, you need to make sure that it can be found, and a Sesome website can help with your organic search engine performance.

• Developed to latest Worldwide Web standards;
• Accessible and compliant;
• Allows you to update content yourself, keeping the text relevant and fresh.

Sesome websites are also designed to encourage businesses to adopt social media as a way of driving traffic to the site and exploring the massive diversity of new routes to market:

• Blogs;
• Twitter;
• Facebook;
• LinkedIn;
• YouTube

A growing number of Kent and East Sussex businesses are enjoying the benefits of a Sesome website:

Sesome is developed by Argent Ram Media, and a website costs from £299.00 + VAT.  If you would like further information, please call 0845 009 5396 or 01580 761000.  Email lorraine@argentrammedia.com.

Websites for Estate Agents

Estate Agents have always been a very busy vertical market for us, and we have helped many to get more productive websites that in turn work on many more levels than their previous internet incarnations.

What makes an effective estate agency website? This is not a rhetorical question; it is an invitation to share thoughts and suggestions, as it is always good to know the direction that the profession is following.

Having been an estate agent in a former life, I have a fairly good idea of what any estate agency would like to achieve:

Gaining the best instructions, at the right price and on a sole agency basis = the best possible chance you have of selling those properties.

That is the simplistic equation, and there are many other aspects to successful agency. I was always one of those firm believers that estate agency was about building relationships and not just the hard and fast sell. Perhaps I am a dinosaur!

• Understanding that every vendor thinks their property is a palace, and being diplomatic and positive when it comes to advising on the best marketing strategies;
• Being able to present your arsenal of marketing weapons so that your commission always represents excellent value for money;
• Building relationships with both vendors and applicants so that they come to trust you and your judgement;
• Remembering that a new purchaser could become a vendor in a couple of years and will undoubtedly share any horror stories with their new neighbours; give them reason to share the pleasant stories and spread the word.

So, how do the above manifest themselves in a website?

1. Always understand your target market and the way in which you want your company to be perceived. This is vitally important if you want to attract the vendors of the properties that you want to sell.
2. Think hard about what it is that makes your approach unique. Why would a vendor instruct you as opposed to one of your competitors? Most agents advertise on Rightmove, in the local papers, in their office windows. What do you do that is different?
3. What information do you need to present to prospective purchasers to get them in the door of a property? Marketing is all about creating desire, so remember that when presenting properties. Your material needs to make applicants feel that they MUST view. Don't give too much away; tempt the applicant with the relevant and factual details, but in a way that encourages them to pick up the phone.

Getting the above right will make the development of your website straightforward. The technology allows your website to respond to the demands of your clients, but the art lies in seducing those clients with the elements that make you unique.

We would welcome any feedback from anyone involved in estate agency or property letting, so do please share your views.

If you would like any information on website design and development for estate agents, please contact Argent Ram Media on 0845 009 5396 or email lorraine@argentrammedia.com