Getting people to your Website is relatively easy. Having them engage with you once they are there, well… that’s an entirely different story. Now imagine having something to offer your visitors that they will find so valuable that they practically slap their forehead and say “I gotta be stupid to say no to this!”. And, they will be so anxious to receive this “thing of value” that they will be happy to share more about who they are and what they want from you. Now that’s engagement, and here’s how you can incorporate it on your own Website…

“So what” vs. Irresistible

Many REALTORS offer “special reports” to their Website visitors. The fact that many of the real estate template Website vendors build these reports right into their sites means that these types of offers are becoming ubiquitous —which is precisely the problem when it comes to “standing out” on the Web. What was designed to be special has now become “So what!” If you are going to bother to offer something on your Website, make sure it is unique to you and will be perceived as extremely valuable by your visitors. By doing so you will make them “irresistible” to your site prospects and powerfully engage them.

An “irresistible offer” is a special package, piece of information, document, or item that will likely be viewed as extremely valuable by your visitors. So much so, that they will be eager and willing to complete a form on your site for the privilege of receiving it (usually at no charge). The whole purpose of the irresistible offer is to incentivize your visitors to “engage” you by requesting the thing of value in the offer. The types of irresistible offers you make on your site will totally depend upon your target market. For example, if you specialize in working with golf properties, your site’s irresistible offers are going to be quite different than those found on a site that focuses on helping first time buyers.

Ask For Something In Return

One form of the “Law of Reciprocity” states that anytime you give something to someone they want to return the favor. Here is how you apply this principle for maximum effect when using irresistible offers. Whatever the offer is, it requires delivery via e-mail or “snail” mail. In either case you will need to gather some contact information before you can make the delivery.

Every irresistible offer needs to be connected to a form that the visitor completes in order to receive the item of value. Now this is important: don’t force them to fill out anything more than they need to receive the item, otherwise you may actually erode their trust. However, by all means do give them the opportunity to tell more about themselves, what their interests and concerns are, etc. You may be surprised on just how much people will share with you online if your site approaches them the right way. This also means having a highly visible link to your privacy policy that assures them their information will be kept private and not shared with anyone.

Structure of an Irresistible Offer

When you consider making an irresistible offer on your site make sure it contains all of the following elements:

• Targeted to a specific niche market;

• Is considered extremely valuable by members of your target market;

• Is unique to you (i.e. only you are offering it, or better yet, you are the only one who can offer it!);

• Uses an attention grabbing headline or has a unique / catchy name;

• Uses a request form that invites the visitor to share their information yet assures them it will be kept private.

What makes a Website offer “irresistible” is that it meets most, if not all, of the above criteria. Think about how many “special offers” you’ve seen on typical real estate websites that include the above. I bet not many come to mind —which is precisely why irresistible offers will set you head and shoulders apart from your online competition and powerfully engage your site visitors.

Ideas For Great Irresistible Offers

Remember, by definition, irresistible offers are designed for a specific target market (there is no such thing as a “generic” irresistible offer). With this in mind, let’s take a look at several potential irresistible offers for first-time buyers:

1. Neighborhood Discount Coupon Book – A “Welcome to the Neighborhood!” coupon book (branded exclusively by you) that offers discounts from various neighborhood retailers and services specifically for first-time buyers.

2. First-Time Buyer Teleseminars – monthly teleseminars which they must register for that feature guest speakers including your area’s most prominent tax attorney or CPA on the benefits of home ownership, the area’s most experienced loan officer on first-time buyer financing, the area’s best remodel contractor on what to look for in existing home construction, etc.

3. First-Time Buyer Assessment – A special First Time Buyer assessment that helps prepare them (and you) for their first purchase. (NOTE: I wrote an article on Assessments for the March, 2005 edition of REALTOR Magazine.)

Notice that there isn’t a single “special report” in the list above. The kinds of irresistible offers you can create for your site’s target market is limited only by your imagination. Now let’s take a look at some ideas for a completely different target market, buyers of golf properties:

1. Meet The Pros! – assuming you handle properties for sale around more than just one country club, you can record a special interview with the golf pros from each club and have them expound on what is special about their particular course and which holes are the most challenging and how to approach them, etc. The “package” could consist of a CD of all the interviews plus brochures for each country club.

2. Golf VIP Club – have prospects complete a special assessment on your Website (which will give you all of their information as to their particular wants, needs, etc.) This is the way they become a member of your GVC (Golf VIP Club). This entitles them to a free round of golf with you at the course of your choice (where of course you can discuss their real estate needs!) and a special discount coupon book for each of the participating pro shops. If you work this right, you could probably “zero cost” this whole package through a coop with the clubs.

Imagine that, playing golf while selling real estate! Now let’s take a look at some examples on REALTOR Websites:

• New Listings Not On The MLS – this is “irresistible” for both buyers and potential sellers in the hyper-competitive Silicon Valley Sunnyvale real estate market. There are two components to this offer. First, prospective sellers can register their homes as “potentially” for sale, but not formally listed. Then buyers register to gain access to the list of these homes that are simply not available anywhere else (certainly not the local MLS). Brilliant!

• Lake Nacimiento Buying Guide – this is a unique report that covers all of the special considerations of purchasing vacation property in the Lake Nacimiento area.

I have to look rather hard to find anything resembling an irresistible offer on real estate Websites. Even the two mentioned above don’t have all the characteristics of my definition above. However, they are both quite unique and therefore help the real estate professionals who offer them stand out from the crowd.

Make Yourself Irresistible

The fact of the matter is that there just are not that many truly irresistible offers on real estate Websites. This makes the idea of creating one or more of your own a “I gotta be stupid to say no!” marketing proposition that will continue to pay you handsomely for as long as you are on the Web!

NOTE: Mr. Internet®, RUSSER Communications, its staff and officers receive no compensation whatsoever from any third party vendors and make no recommendations as to the suitability of the products or services mentioned in this article. Always thoroughly investigate any product or service before trying or purchasing.

Mr. Internet® is the alter ego of Michael J. Russer, an internationally recognized Internet speaker, trainer, author, and strategic consultant to the real estate industry. He is dedicated to helping real estate professionals leverage their people skills into profit on the Internet. You will see his column on REALTOR® Magazine Online every month and in the magazine quarterly. Send your Internet questions to help@askmrinternet.com or you can visit his Website at http://www.russer.com

This article is reprinted in its entirety from the August 2007 issue of REALTOR® Magazine by permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®. Copyright 2007. All Rights Reserved other than mentioned above. Mr. Internet® is a registered trademark and IEC™ and Ask Mr. Internet! ™ are trademarks of RUSSER Communications.