For all of us, it is much easier to define, the geographic, the demographic, and the behavioral aspects of your target market.  However, by tapping into your market's "psychographic" profile, the payoff in increased business can be huge.

I have found it interesting when I have listened to people discuss their websites, they often want to change their website, but what they really want to change is their design or look. However, good design without a good knowledge of the psychographic (i.e. unique driving motivational factors) of the target market is like biting into that beautiful looking chocolate covered cherry, only to find that there is no cherry inside. The truth is it really lacks substance.

When I work with my students weekly, we really focus on their target market psychographic profile. It is absolutely critical. On occasion these folks get frustrated because they want to jump into the design of the site, however, if you don’t really understand who you are targeting, why would you expect anyone to do business with you over the internet…because your site looks good. It just doesn’t work that way.

So, what does it take to understand your target market psychographic profile? Once you have identified your target market ask yourself what you really know about these people. Not the type of house, but what do you know about who they really are. Not what they do, but who are they really. What do these people like to do? Where do these people like to go in their spare time? What are their passions in life? What are the conversations they like to have? Who do they enjoy spending time with? Do they read? What do they enjoy reading? Do they like sports? Which sports do they like? Do they enjoy fine dining? What kind of food do they like? If they are married, do they spend time with their family? How much? What family events do they enjoy? What personal enrichment? Exercise? Book clubs? The arts? … and of course so much more.

Once you really tap into who your target market really is, it becomes necessary to write your website from their point of reference, not from yours, using their language. When I was in college, I took an advanced counseling course, I remember a term that I have always kept in mind…”pure accurate empathy”. It means when you as a counselor can tune in so well to your client that not only can you understand what it is to walk in their shoes, but the client believes you are walking in their shoes. This is your goal when writing a website for your target market. Tuning in so well, that your target market is fully convinced you really know them.

Quite honestly you as an agent are no different from the thousands in your area on the web.  The one thing that will make you stand out is that you can speak their language on the web, and you have tapped into those things that are important to the target market. Further, you have provided so much useful information for your target market, that they cannot understand why they would use anyone else but you. There is an old saying…”Seek first to understand…and then to be understood”.  Unfortunately too many Realtors® want the target market to understand themselves rather than seeking to understand their market, hence they lose business on the web, because they have clicked the “see how great of an agent I am” button, rather than the “see how I am trying to understand you” button.

So why is it that Realtors® do not spend more time on the psychographic profile of their target market? Here are several answers:

1. Impatience - I find that most Realtors® want a website in a week, or better yet, last week!  They believe that some website "in a can" (which do exist) already has something written, so why recreate the wheel. The problem with that is they have something written, but they give the exact same thing to your competitors.  So how do differentiate yourself, if you are all saying the exact same things? In general, I have found that what is being said, by these generic writers, might be nice, but has nothing to do with the psychology of the target market. Writing takes time, if you have something badly written, you will have a bad website.  If you rush the writing you will have a bad website.  If well written you will have a website that will bring you far better financial return. Just putting up Website to get something up is the worst thing you could do.  That's because you will never know how many people will avoid you in the future because you didn’t have the patience to do it right the first time.

2. Lack of Vision - I have never understood people who will continue to do the same thing over and over again and expect a different result. In my world, that is called “insanity”. Yet agent after agent, won’t change what they do, and want me to “buy into” their way of doing business on the Web. Why would I do that when I am successful and you are not. I find that many agents don’t see the benefits, because they have no vision. They don’t look at the future, nor do they want to understand it, they only want what they have today. Remember today is here and gone and tomorrow never comes.

3. Time - A great number of agents just feel they don’t have the time to deal with it. The truth is you don’t have the time NOT to deal with it. No one else can communicate to your target market like you. If you don’t take the time (note TAKE not MAKE) to work with someone to write it correctly, why would you expect someone to take the time to read it.

4. Laziness - Do you know how many people will ask me to write their copy for them…why, because they just don’t want to do it. Oh, it’s important, just not important enough for them to do it, so they try and push it off to me. Well, I don’t work in your target market or area, so while I have suggestions, the truth you will need to write it (if you are an accomplished writer), or find someone to work with who can write in the way that speaks to the target market.

5. Lack of knowledge - They don’t know who should write the copy. First of all I don’t expect you to write it, unless you are a great writer and you absolutely enjoy it. There are folks who write great copy that are easy to find. Here are some suggestions for finding good writers: www.guru.com, www.elance.com, www.ifreelance.com. I have also found some retired English teachers, professors, and English college students who are looking for a projects who have done great work. The bottom line is where ever you do find them, you need to make sure you can work with them effectively.

Next month in PART II of this series we will explore why "talking the talk" on your Website is still not enough.  You have to "walk your talk", otherwise you risk alienating those carefully nurtured online prospects once you finally meet them. Until then keep your mouse off of the “See How Great of an Agent I Am” button...

Jay Izso a,k.a. "Dr. Jay" has his Masters of Science degree in Psychology from Washington State University. He was a former instructor of Human Learning and Motivation, Experimental Psychology, and Statistics at Washington State and North Carolina State University. He has been part of the Linda Craft Top 50 Internationally Ranked RE/MAX Team located in Raleigh, NC, since 1996 where he developed Linda’s award winning Websites and cutting edge technologies.  He is also head coach for the Mr. Internet® Total Solutions Coaching program. Many of his articles and writings and observations can be read at www.realestatepsychologist.com.