Market researchers love to study the buying behavior and the emotional needs of specific target markets and publish their results.  This means that there is little that we don’t know about what Baby Boomers and GEN-Xers think and want but sometimes it can be difficult to know how to translate that knowledge into an excellent marketing strategy and Website. If you have been wondering about this yourself, I invite you to visit http://www.sellrealestate.net/FreeWebPlan.asp.  I’ll help you with a strategic marketing plan that spells out in detail how you can increase your sales by knowing and acting on what your customers think.

WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE?

Probably the majority of today’s homebuyers and Baby Boomers, that is people who range in age from 35 to 55 or 57 and make up about 30% of the total population. Older GEN-X ers are entering the market as well, which means that if you are targeting first time buyers, you should know a thing or two about these folks who range in age from 25 to 35 and make up about 17% of the total population. 

WHAT BABY BOOMERS WANT

Research tells us that Baby Boomers in the real estate market want much more than a house; they want a lifestyle, status and recognition of their achievements.  Other research indicates that this population segment that is rapidly reaching retirement age dreams of retiring to a small town.  Many live now in areas where real estate values have been escalating madly over the past few years and they see the possibility of leveraging what they have for a retirement home in a smaller, less hectic area and having some cash left over with which to enjoy life.   A Website that has been created especially to please this market is the Oregon Coastal Real Estate site that you can preview at http://www.sellrealestate.net/customweb.htm.

Men have only a slight edge on the Internet these days with women making up approximately 48% of Web users. Your prospects, whether they are Baby Boomers, GEN-X or GEN-Y always react emotionally to Websites as they do to every experience but the graphics and message you might use to appeal to GEN-X and GEN-Y may not impress Baby Boomers.  In fact, some of the advertising slanted towards the younger generation simply goes over my head. If I really want to know what it’s about, I have to ask one of my grandsons. 

MANY ARE INTIMIDATED

Many Baby Boomers and the generation beyond are not all that comfortable on the Internet so it does not pay to put your Website together without first planning the navigation system.  The navigation system is made up of the links to other pages on your Website and links to other Websites.  I still find many real estate Websites that have links to other sites and these links are not framed.  This means that many visitors will become confused and wonder how they got where they are and not know how to get back.  When that happens to people, they feel stupid.  When you have made your prospects feel stupid, you have not helped your cause one bit.

WEB DESIGN THAT CONFUSES

Yes, they are out there.  Lots of them!  These are real estate Websites that confuse the visitor.  Some have so many links it is annoying to have to read through them all to find what you want.  Some use graphics, animation to highlight three, four or five links on the homepage that all fight for the visitor’s attention. And then there are those who are determined to be secret agents providing real estate information for a secret location.

A GOOD RULE OF THUMB

I approach all Web Design with this guideline.  When the homepage is designed it should be perfectly clear on several points.  1- What the site is about; 2- What’s in it for the Visitor; and 3- Where the Visitor should click first.

I don’t believe that most buyers expect to find the home they want to buy simply by searching the Internet.  There is a lucky agent that this did happen to in Florida, where else? but it is a rare occurrence.  People do want to get a “sense” of the market by searching online and because of the Internet and the availability of MLS data everywhere, it is easy for people who are even minimally interested to jump online and, possibly use your Website to satisfy their curiosity. 

HOW TO SNAG THEIR INTEREST

Let’s say that someone who is actually a qualified buyer lands on your Website and checks out your featured listings and all the MLS data through your IDX link.  You can increase the odds that this buyer will make connection with you if your Website does and has the following:

ONE: With a custom Website you could provide Web visitors with a sense of the real estate market in your area.  That’s what they want.  Why not give it to them?

TWO: Since you know that anyone’s first reaction to your Website is going to be an emotional reaction, do all that you can do to provide a favorable impression with graphics and words that tap into their emotional needs.

THREE: Make it easy and risk free for visitors to communicate with you. You can do this with feedback forms that are customized to your prospects’ needs for one thing. 

FOUR: Whenever possible, create interactive formats when presenting information on your Website.  People generally do not like to read long pages or long blocks of text.  But if you engage them in the process by presenting multiple choice or checklists, you increase the odds that prospects will actually read your message and engage with you.