What to Expect When You Are "Expecting" a New Website -- Part III of III

The name is Bond. James Bond. And the new blonde Bond rocks! The creators of the newest James Bond movie “Casino Royale” have completely reinvented Bond.

The new Bond is tougher. More masculine. Decidedly sexier. The movie is less cartoonish and more realistic. The romantic plot line is fantastic. It seems like the creators want to broaden its appeal to women as well as the traditional male Bond fan. It worked for me!

Just like the creators of the new Bond, when you are building a website you have the chance to reinvent your image. Take an inventory of what works for your company and what doesn’t. Think of your new website as a fresh start. A chance to redefine in a clear and compelling way what you do and how you do it.

If you have been following this article series, you should have a solid understanding of what to expect when you are managing a website project. The first eight steps are:

1. Define the website project goal
2. Design the homepage
3. Gather the website materials
4. Create the navigational map
5. Design the interior pages
6. Set up a live test website
7. Load the content
8. Proof, proof and re-proof

By following these steps and working hand in hand with your webmaster you are ready to go live. This is exciting!

Step #9 – Go Live

I recommend going live over a weekend. That gives your webmaster 48 hours to straighten out any bugs before your doors open for business on Monday. You should expect a few bugs like broken hyperlinks, blurry pictures, and typos. Even though you have proofed the website several times, your eye will miss a few errors. At this point you should have someone who has never looked at the site sweep it for final corrections. Triple check your contact information and make sure it is correct.

In addition to fixing a few minor errors, your “Contact Us” registration form may require tweaking. Registration forms can’t be tested until the website actually goes live. You need to test the registration form and make sure you can complete a registration. Further, you need to make sure the completed registration forms are emailed to the correct staff member for follow up.

Step #10 – Monitor the Website’s Effectiveness

This is the most overlooked step in the website process. How do you know if your new website is working for you? Chances are because you were involved in building the site you aren’t objective about its effectiveness. The best way to measure website effectiveness is by utilizing a website analytics company. Picture hooking up your website up to an EKG machine and giving it a stress test on a treadmill…that’s website analytics. The best website analytics company is http://www.webtrends.com/. You can purchase a small business version of WebTrends for as little as $35.00 per month. After you sign up for an account, your webmaster connects your website to the analytics monitoring station. Via an online report, you can monitor the following:
Number of unique visitors to your website
*Total number of visits
*Average length of visit
*Number of pages viewed per visit
*What pages are viewed
*How visitors find your website
*What visitors do on your website
*What makes visitors leave your website

A website is never finished. Step number ten is about constantly monitoring and tweaking your site to maximize its effectiveness. The website analytics feedback is critical. Who knows…you might just want to change your identity completely and be the next blonde Bond!

What To Expect When You Are "Expecting" A New Website PART II of III

Please comment on your own website building experiences. Just click the comments icon at the bottom of this posting.

I received an email this week from a custom builder asking me the steps to build a new website. I get emails like that all the time. Just like any new project, identifying the steps can seem daunting at first. This series of articles is designed to outline the website process in non-technical, common sense, easy to understand language.

The most important concept regarding a website project is to expect the unexpected! Most professionals approach technology with the expectation that everything will go exactly to plan and execute perfectly. Has your computer ever worked perfectly? Ever had trouble getting your DVR to record your favorite TV program? Are you sometimes ready to throw your iPod out the window? The answer to all of these is of course, YES!!! Computers, technology, the Web, never work perfectly. Why? Because while computers may be machines, they were built by people; and when humans are involved, you can count on the unexpected. Expect bumps in the road during your website project. Expect that a button on the website won’t work perfectly or that a photo will look blurry. The key is to communicate those issues with your webmaster and that he/she address them in a timely and satisfactory manner. Be creative. Stay flexible and get everything in writing.

The steps we discussed in the first article are:

1. Define the website project goal
2. Design the homepage
3. Gather the website materials
4. Create the navigational map

Step #5 – Design the interior pages

Once the homepage has been finalized, the webmaster can design the interior pages. The client should receive 1 – 2 interior designs to consider. Again, the client’s responsibility is to review the design, make a decision in a timely manner and give specific feedback to the webmaster. The interior page design should compliment the homepage design. Make sure on the interior pages that the “Contact Us” or “Request Information” is prominent and in the same location on every page.

Step #6 – Set up a live test website

After you have approved the homepage, navigational map and interior page design, the website is ready to go from a design mockup to a real live test website. At this point, it is too late to make any changes to the design or navigation of the website without major delay and additional charges. In other words, speak now or forever hold your peace!

The live test website is up on the Web but the public can’t access it. For the first time, you will be able to click on the navigation buttons and see exactly how the site flows from one page to the next page.

Step #7 -- Load up the content

This step is about entering the text, images and graphics into the live test website. This is a large task and depending on the size of your website can take as much as a couple of weeks. Most images and graphics require extensive prep before the can be uploaded; they need compressing, resizing and/or editing. You may not see any content being loaded for several days and think nothing is happening. On the contrary, your webmaster is hard at work prepping the images before uploading them. Of course you can speed this process up by submitting images in the correct format which is 72 dpi .jpg and/or .tiff. You can also speed up this process by organizing your files on CD into subfolders and by clearly naming each file in the subfolders. File organization will greatly decrease the time to load up the website and reduce misplaced information errors.

Step #8 – Proof, proof, and re-proof

Expect to do approximately three rounds of proofing on the test website. Now that all the content is in, its time to start editing. The most efficient way to proof a website is the print out the pages and mark your changes right on the pages and fax them to the webmaster. On each round of proofing, submit all changes at the same time to the webmaster. Wait for all the changes to made and then start the next round of proofing. When you are proofing, be sure to continually hit your “refresh” button located in the top row of buttons on your web browser to see the latest changes. The refresh button tells your computer to load the most recent page. If you hit the refresh button and still don’t see the changes then likely they haven’t been made yet. Check with the webmaster to get an ETA. This step is about making text only and limited picture changes. Don’t expect to change the navigation or design without major delays and additional costs.

Next month we will go over the remaining few steps. Stay tuned and remember that once the website goes live you will have a fantastic marketing tool!

Meredith Oliver MIRM, CSP is the foremost industry expert on Internet Sales and Marketing. You can tap into her expertise from the convenience of your desktop with workbooks and virtual seminars available at http://www.creatingwow.com/

What To Expect When You Are "Expecting" A New Website Part I of III

Part One of a Three Part Series

Please feel free to comment and add your thoughts! Just scroll to the bottom of the article and click on the "comments" link. I look foward to your ideas!

It feels good to know what to expect. We expect our mail to be delivered at the same time each day. We expect our favorite television program to air at the same time each week. Frequent airline travelers know to expect delays at the airport; we know which airlines serve the best peanuts, who offers complimentary satellite radio and where to find the best airport hamburger. Knowing what to expect gives us confidence. Not knowing what to expect leads to anxiety and frustration.

If you are an experienced home builderreal estate agent, you know what to expect during the building process. While you may be experienced with home building, many of you are new to web marketing. Would you like insider information on what to expect when you build and launch a new website?

I am often asked: What are the steps in a website development project? What are the webmaster’s responsibilities? What are the client responsibilities? What is a reasonable project timeframe? What happens after the website goes live? Over the next three blog postings, we will look at all of these questions and give you the answers you need to be a successful web marketer.

Expect the unexpected
Even though we expect computers to operate perfectly because they are machines, remember computers and websites are built by human beings. During your website design project remember to remain flexible and stay focused on problem solving rather than finger pointing. Get everything in writing before the project starts and be as clear as possible about your expectations of the webmaster. If you follow the steps below, you can be confident that the project will be a great success.

Step #1 – Define the website project goal
The client and the webmaster need to have a clear understanding of the goal of the project. Potential goals include:
· Driving traffic to model homes and open houses
· Driving phone traffic or eLeads to the sales agent
· Branding the organization in the market
· Revamping eLead processing and workflow
· Updating an outdated graphic design
· Creating a user-friendly customer centric website
· Create an affordable first time web presence
· Take the client’s web presence to a higher level of sophistication

It is webmaster’s job to ask the client to define the website project goal. It is the client’s responsibility to thoughtfully answer the question and create buy in within the client’s organization. Once a clear goal is established, the project can really begin.

Step #2 -- Design the homepage

The second step in a website project is to agree on the homepage design. Before the webmaster can begin designing the homepage, he/she will need three critical components from the client including: 1) master .eps version of the company logo, 2) finalized color(s) scheme for the website and 3) photos and/or renderings for the homepage. If you are building a custom designed website, the webmaster should provide three homepage designs to consider. The client’s responsibility is to give timely and specific feedback on the first three designs. Expect to go back and forth on the homepage designs 3 – 5 times. For more revisions, expect to pay extra. The client should approve the design in writing. Once a design is approved in writing, expect delays and extra costs for additional design changes to the homepage.

Step #2b – Gather the website materials

It is the client’s responsibility to gather all of the raw materials needed to build the website and submit them to the webmaster in a timely manner (within 30 days of signing the website development agreement). Raw materials include:
-Copy for each page of the website
-Images for each page of the website including photographs, floor plans, renderings and virtual tours
-Detailed property and community descriptions
-Client’s contact information
-Questions for the online forms

Just like a homebuilder can’t build a home until the concrete block is delivered to the job site, a webmaster cannot build a website without raw materials. Period. End of story. The biggest delay in most website projects is the client’s failure to submit raw materials. While the webmaster is working on the homepage (Step #2) and interior page designs (Step #3), the client should be diligently gathering materials so by Step #3, all materials have been submitted to the webmaster.

Please note that the higher quality of your raw materials, the better the website will look. Don’t expect digital photos taken from an amateur digital camera to look like professional photography! Your webmaster can’t make a silk purse from a sow’s ear…or something like that!

Step #3 – Create the navigational map

Once the homepage is finalized, the webmaster will create the website navigational map. The navigational map determines how users will “click” their way through the website. It is the webmaster’s responsibility to create the navigational map and give it to the client for review. The client should thoughtfully visualize the navigation path and imagine how the website buttons will work. Also, the client should take this opportunity to make sure every section of the website is on the map. Speak now or forever hold your peace! If a section is missing from the navigational map, it won’t be in the website. Think of the navigational map as the blueprint of the website. It the blueprint doesn’t show a third bedroom, the third bedroom does not exist. The client should approve the navigational map in writing. Changes to the navigational map after approval will result in additional fees and time delays.

Tune in next month as we tackle the next steps towards a FANTASTIC website project delivered on time and on budget!

Email Marketing CRM Solutions- The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

I invite your comments and thoughts on this blog. Just go to the end of the article and click on the comments hyperlink. It's that easy!

A large portion of my consulting practice is focused on helping homebuilders, developers and real estate agents select email marketing CRM systems. Many are still using post-it notes and shoeboxes to manage prospects and others have antiquated desktop software that is inadequate for eLead follow up.

I know eyes glaze over when I mention the acronym “CRM”—but there is nothing to fear and everything to gain in terms of increasing your eSales. CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management and it is category of software designed to store, track, organize and communicate with prospects. CRM software is an electronic rolodex. It’s that simple.

In my June 2006 column for Agent Direct News, I talked about the benefits of a CRM system in an article titled “Rolodexes, Post-It Notes & Shoeboxes No More!” If you missed it, you can access that article on my website at http://www.creatingwow.com/.

If you receive more than 25 eLeads (leads from your website) per week then you need a CRM system with advanced email marketing campaigns. Systems vary in cost and scope. Simpler systems created for individual real estate agents and small businesses range from $19.99 - $50.00 per month. Enterprise systems for medium to large brokers, homebuilders and developers start at $500 per month and go up depending on the number of users. Of course, you can have a custom system developed for six figures and up.

For individual real estate agents, I recommend:
http://www.intersend.com/
http://www.sharperagent.com/
http://www.topproducer.com/ 7i

For small to medium brokers, homebuilders and developers (less than 10 agents or communities), I recommend http://www.openleads.com/.

For large brokers, homebuilders and developers (greater than 10 agents or communities, I recommend:
http://www.behomewise.com/
http://www.leadvelocity.com/
http://www.realtyinfolinks.com/
http://www.ufollowup.com/
http://www.pivotal.com/

What do you look for in a CRM system?

As you review your options, there are key functions you need to effectively store, track, follow up and communicate with eLeads.

A good CRM system will:

• Automatically funnel eLeads directly from the website to a web database eliminating manual data entry. This will save you time and money. It also ensures consistency that ALL eLeads are in the database for reporting and tracking purposes.
• Automatically assign actions to eLeads based on the information provided on the website registration form. If you receive more than 50 eLeads per week, then you need a CRM system that will automatically assign a series of workflow tasks when the eLead enters the database. This prevents the sales representative from opening each lead individually and assigning follow up tasks which can be quite time consuming.
• Automatically send ongoing email marketing campaigns from a library of eLead letters. While personalized email and phone calls are very important, automated email letters are good way to ensure timely and consistent follow up.
• Track email campaign metrics such as bounce rates, open rates, click through rates and unsubscribe rates. Armed with this information, you can tweak your email campaigns for optimal performance and results.
• Automatically unsubscribe list members who ask to be removed. There is nothing worse than emailing someone who doesn’t want to hear from you. The best way to ensure consistent compliance is to have a CRM system that will automatically remove the email address.
• Flag duplicate eLead registrations by 3 or more fields including the email address field. Internet shoppers tend to forget which websites they requested information from and will re-register multiple times. It is important the system flag potential duplicates so you can keep the database clean.
• Allow for one-to-one email communication directly from the CRM system. In addition to sending group email campaigns, you will also want to email prospects individually and have that documented in the CRM system.
• Offer detailed reporting on media source, conversion rates, and sales representative activity. Because web results are highly trackable, it’s important that the system track activity and results.
• Allow for online scheduling of follow up tasks and calendar appointments. The goal of working with an eLead is to set an appointment for them to meet with a sales representative in person. The system should automate that process with an online calendar.
• Maintains detailed prospect records with space for notes and follow up tasks. Sending personalized email is important to converting eLeads to eSales. The CRM system should have room for the sales representative to document follow up and record important details.
• Sends HTML and text email. Most prospects today can open HTML email (that’s the pretty kind of email with graphics and photos). To stand out you want to send HTML email that is automatically converted to text by the CRM system if it senses the recipient can’t receive HTML email.

The right CRM system for you is the system that fits into your current business model. It should also be intuitive for users and have a solid support/training program. Shop around and do your homework. Once you start with a system it is hard to change mid-stream. Don’t delay the decision. You don’t want to lose eSales to your competitors simply because they are better organized.

ARE YOU A TRADE UP OR TRADE DOWN?

Don't forget to add your comments to the blog. Just click on the "comments" icon at the end of the blog and start commenting away...

MEREDITH'S MUST READ OF THE SUMMER!

While I love "chick lit" as much as the next girl and plan to take in as much as possible this summer on my beach vacation, I have a new sales book that is a MUST read for every salesperson, sales manager and business owner who markets and sells to consumers.

"Treasure Hunt -- Inside the Mind of the New Consumer" by Michael J. Silverstein with John Butman is one of the most interesting and insightful business books I've read in a long time. Go to Amazon.com or Barnes and Noble and order it today!

For Business Owners
Consumers today want products that either Trade Up or Trade Down. They don't want the middle! They either want to pay a premium for a premium product like a Lexus automobile, a Coach purse or gourmet food from Whole Foods, OR they want super value at a super price from Walmart, Target or Costco. Forget the middle priced, middle value products. Go for a trade up or down product. Fascinating!

For Sales People
Start thinking about how you can present your product as either a Trade Up or Trade Down. It is possible to take the same product and position the features and benefits depending on your target market. Practice presenting and demonstrating your product as either a premium product with premium features OR as a super value with less bells and whistles but with tons of quality.

For Sales Managers
Help your senior management position new products as a Trade Up or Trade Down. Inject this thinking into your new product research and development. Drill your salespeople on how to position your product. Read the book and present the highlights at your next sales meeting. It's eye opening!

Stay tuned for a new sales training class for New Home Sales Associates applying this material. There is tons of application here for home builders.

Meredith's Fall/Winter Schedule -- Only 4 spots remain for the remainder of her 2006 speaking calendar. If you want Meredith to train your salespeople, call Amy Willoughby, Event Coordinator, today! #321-285-1660 x 3 or amy@creatingwow.com.

Meredith Speaks at SEBC Sales Rally -- Don't miss Meredith at the Southeast Builders Show Sales Rally, August 4, 1:00 pm. Go to www.sebcshow.com for more information.

Blog Your Way To More Business

I am stunned by the number of homebuilders and real estate agents who still don’t have a Web site. Unbelievable. What are you waiting for? A homebuilder or a real estate professional without a Web site is the modern day equivalent of a caveman refusing fire. It helps your business. It builds your brand. It generates sales. If you are technology challenged ask your kids for help!

For those of you already on the Web site bandwagon, take the next step and create a blog. What is a blog? The term is short for weblog. A blog is an online journal or newsletter that is frequently updated and reflects the personality of the author. The activity of updating of a blog is “blogging” and the person who updates the blog is called a “blogger.”

Blogs have become very popular for people to post their opinions on everything from politics to pop culture. They develop cult like followings and encourage members to post comments and interact with the writer.

This article you are reading is a real live example of a blog. At bottom there is a button for readers to post comments and questions. Feel free to post your comments and ideas.

What can a blog do for your business?

1) A blog gives you an additional online avenue for people to find out about you. Adding a blog to your online marketing arsenal increases your visibility on the vast World Wide Web and provides another vehicle for potential buyers and sellers to connect to you. Think about a blog as an advertorial billboard directing people to your Web site where they can find out more.

2) A blog increases your Web site’s rankings in the search engines. Blogs are very popular with Search Engines like Google and Yahoo because they contain editorial and not promotional content. Therefore Google & Yahoo tend to rank blogs high in the search results. Chances are your blog will get ranked higher in the search engine results than your Web site. Link your blog to your Web site. This will drive additional traffic to your Web site and increase your Web site’s ranking because search engines like Web sites with multiple inbound links.

3) A blog adds to your “Information Power”. Roger Dawson, the negotiation expert, delineates powers salespeople can use to control the negotiation process. Information Power moves you from a salesperson status to expert status-- a trusted advisor, a partner who is far more trustworthy and knowledgeable than just a commissioned salesperson. The editorial content on your blog will position you as a real estate expert and lend credibility creating Information Power.

How Do You Start A Blog?

It is so easy! Most blogs cost NOTHING to set up. They are FREE! Web sites like http://www.blogger.com/ will guide you through a few easy steps to register for a free blog template. You get to select the name of your blog, choose the screen colors and customize the contact information. If you have average computer skills, you are skilled enough to set up a blog. It will take approximately an hour to create it. Set the blog’s filters to screen participant comments and require your approval before posting. This prevents inappropriate or unflattering comments from being posted without your permission.

The next step is to post your first journal entry. Topics could include:

• Tips For First Time Homebuyers
• Financing Options for Homebuyers
• Tips for Moving Day
• What’s Hot in The Real Estate Market

The list could go on and on! You don’t need to write the great American novel-- just a couple of well written paragraphs that clearly establish your expertise. Link the posting to your Web site so readers can find out more information. If you aren’t a good writer, hire a freelance writer to ghost write for you.

There are really no rules about blogs, except that they should be updated frequently. Keep it professional, educational and not overly promotional. Otherwise, let your expertise and personality fly!

One Thing Your Online Sales Counselor Needs To Be Successful

As you probably know, I work extensively with home builders who are trying to implement or improve their eSales program. Some of you are just implementing an Online Sales Counselor (OSC) program and others are trying to improve an existing program. One thing every eSales program needs to be successful: unwavering support from the sales manager and/or builder in three areas: 1) OSC Fair Compensation, 2) Onsite Agent Management and 3) Job Tools.

OSC Fair Compensation

If you want your eSales program to thrive, then you need a motivated and incentivized Online Sales Couneslor. Unfortunately, many Online Sales Counselors (OSC) have to fight for their bonuses dragging down their morale. They have been placed in an adversarial position with the Onsite Sales Agents because their bonus is taken out of the Onsite Sales Agents commission. Don't set your eSales program up to fail. The OSC bonus should be in addition to the Onsite Sales Agent's commission. Further, I recommend that you classify an eSale as "any buyer in the OSC's eLead database." Don't cherry pick which sales the OSC will be compensated for based on the amount of correspondence. Don't make your OSC fight it out with the Onsite Agent as to the procurring cause. Make it simple for everyone...if the buyer is in the eLead database than it is an eSale and the OSC gets a bonus. This will eliminate any confusion and tension between the OSC and the Onsite Agents.

Onsite Agent Management

To ensure your eSales program is successful you will also need to set performance expectations with your Onsite Agents. Make it clear that eLeads should receive priority treatment from the Onsite Agents at the communities. Set a clear policy that you expect appointments with eLeads to be kept and treated with the highest priority. The Onsite Agents should follow up with the OSC on how the appointment went and keep them informed if the prospect signs a contract.

Job Tools

Make sure your OSC has the tools he/she needs to do the job well. The most important tool is an email marketing database that will automate email campaigns to targeted groups. The most important characteristics of an effective email marketing database are 1) Automatically funnel eLeads into the database, 2) Automatically set up follow up tasks, 3) Automatically send email marketing campaigns....you get the drift....there is a lot of "automatically" that needs to happen in order for your eSales program to be successful.

Helping your team work together is a critical component to a successful eSales program. The sales manager and/or builder can make or break the efforts of the Online Sales Department. Let's hope it's make....we already know how humpty dumpty ends!

Have an Online Sales Counselor? Sign up now for the ONLY sales education specifically for Online Sales Counselors. Click here for more info http://www.creatingwow.com/publicedu.aspx?StoryID=305

Trying to start an eSales program? Check out Meredith's Virtual Seminar, You've Got eMail, May 16, 1:00 PM EST. http://www.creatingwow.com/publicedu.aspx?StoryID=304