Their lots of complexities when trying to develop and implement the most effective solution. Part of the problem is establishing a real baseline. We send an average of 150 new unique visitors to our site per day. we try to keep the traffic consistently coming from the same sources then check to make sure we are comparing like traffic as we make changes. One thing we learned very quickly is there is a much larger statistical variation than we thought coming into this project that started over one year ago. I would caution agents from making major strategic changes or drawing conclusions with too few data points. we make sure we send at least 2,000 visitor though our site when we make changes to see the effects and even then we want more data over time to confirm our findings.

our forced registration site captures 12% of all visitors (given our traffic sources) through the registration process. at the 150 new site visitors per day level we plateaued at 275 visitors per day to our interactive property search map. About 10% respond to direct email or phone outreach over time…that 10% are the source of clients and commissions.

We are currently running traffic through a completely open version and collecting the data. again I want to emphasize that you must track the data to test your assumptions. we are very knowledgeable in this area and are often surprised that the data shows something different than we expected. sometimes it is better and sometimes it worse. We use google analytics and visistat for our tracking.

The environment is quickly moving towards open access of data. If that continues forced registration will eventually die out. The winners will be the sites that meet the consumers need for listing info, desire for anonymity, and the agents need to have real estate conversations with motivated buyers and seller within the pool.

Another thing to remember is that the site only gets you to a conversation…from there you have to be a good agent. It is no different than an open house. 10 agents could hold the same open house with the same traffic and have dramatically different results.

We believe in the concept of “Give them value first and then ask them for information in return.”

I use 2 (actually 3) different “IDX” vendors. (I used to have 4.)

One system (HomeQuest) requires registration. This vendor does not have an option not to register because all access to viewing homes is via email so the system has to have the email address.
http://www.arizonarealestatenotebook.com/phoenix-mls-listings/

The second system (Diverse Solutions), the one Jay uses as well, gives me the option of requiring registration or not.
http://www.arizonarealestatenotebook.com/phoenix-mls-map-search/

At first I didn’t require registration but I couldn’t tell anything about who was using the site, where they were searching, what price range, etc. I was flying blind.

I would get inquiries from that system but I felt too many were time wasters, people who only want information, not a Realtor. In fact, many already had a Realtor.

By requiring registration (including phone number) of heavy users I hope to lessen the number of inquiries from people who just want information but not a Realtor.

By registering, visitors are making a very tiny commitment to me which I like to see before I commit my time to answering their questions.

I just checked and I currently have that system set so that visitors have to register after viewing 20 homes or performing 5 searches. That is a pretty heavy user who has used the system enough to know if they like it. I require a phone number to register.

For the first HomeQuest system, so far today, it’s 10:00 AM on a Sunday, I’ve had 57 visitors. Everyone, of course, is registered. When I get an inquiry from a user of this system I know it’s a prospect who has at least said “Yes” to me once by registering.

For the second site, I’ve had 9 registered visitors today and I don’t know how many unregistered visitors.

Both systems generate leads and are valuable.

Maybe I lack enough “business card.”

Maybe I provide so much information they think providing information is my job.

As an example only, take the car business … one of the main points for the salesman is to get as much information as possible on the potential buyer, most customers feel pushed and give little, or make up a story .. the retention level is less than 9% and usually when the salesperson does finally get’s in touch with them, they’ve already bought something elsewhere…

On the other hand, a brochure and a business card delivers 28% … it’s very easy now for the potential buyer to have a “link” to someone for information – that’s all the difference in the world.

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Early in the game, when I had my first site, visitors registered without a problem. Then property search became more readily available and registrations deteriorated into Micky at disney dot com.

The truth is that a personal relationship or “friend” in the business will probably always trump a fabulous blog or newsletter unless or until that consumer has a bad experience.

I used to believe in that idea but now I know there is more to it.

I have provided free home sales data to many thousands of email subscribers since 2001 and it generates surprisingly little business. People LOVE the free service, I’m a hero, but they use another Realtor.

Two weeks ago a Realtor friend said a prospect asked her, out of the blue, if she knew John Wake. Neat. I’m famous. But that prospect/subscriber to my newsletter didn’t call me for the listing presentation! The same week I met a new neighbor and he knew my name because he subscribes to my newsletters! That’s neat. I like it.

But giving away free information is not enough to generate business. Free information can be an important draw but it is not enough.

I now paste contact forms all over everything and that generates a ton more leads but I still haven’t cracked the code.

I would bet that you would have to generate… let’s say, 10 times the traffic on an non-registration site to generate the same amount of closed business as on a registration site.