Top 5 reasons why websites beat high street offices
We all know what happened to travel agents as a result of the internet and a lot of people tend to think that the same thing will inevitably happen to estate agents. I suppose that’s why there are a few “virtual/internet” agents leading the charge to online. Agents like WOW Property and Bright Sale to name but a few…. but rather than join that lengthy debate (which could cause the ‘ire of many Zoomf clients), I’m going to proffer my Top 5 list of why a website is more important than a high street office and see how the blogosphere reacts 
- Eyeballs. A high street office will only gather local foot traffic. So who am I to argue that a hyper local pedestrian is not valuable? However, the internet is your front door to the web and how many people are online ? Probably close to 60% of the population depending on what ISP statistics you want to believe. So who wins the volume and distribution game? The internet.
- Cost. Yearly cost for a website versus a high street office? Even if you spend £10k a year on your website (hosting, design, property software)… it doesn’t come close to that nice shiny office on Camden High street. Winner? The internet.
- Staffing. One person focused on online marketing is all you need to run a website properly. And this person can work from home if need be. The rest of your staff can focus on running the core business outside of maintaining 5 offices. Winner? The internet.
- Tracking. If a website is your ‘virtual’ business card, then you want to know how it’s doing. If you do it properly, you can track the number of people visiting, people emailing in, people calling and ultimately what the ‘return’ is for having that brochure. Can’t do that with an office. Well not without hiring someone to count how many times the door opens and what happens as a result. Winner? the internet.
- Targeted Advertising. With an office you cannot ‘buy’ or ‘pay’ for people interested in property to walk by your front door (or in it for that matter). Thanks to Google and others, now you can. Isn’t this the MAIN REASON for having presence on the high street? Winner? The internet.
Of course, this is very one-sided. I realize that a high street office offers many benefits above and beyond the above. The point trying to be made is that if you believe the internet is firmly part of the future for estate agencies (which it most definitely is), why are you only spending a pittance of your resources, time and capital behind making sure your online strategy is rock solid? And by rock solid, I do not mean a website that barely updates it’s content and only has lists of property available. That type of website will have people running for Google faster than you can put up that Rightmove sticker.
Filed under: Online Marketing
Your quite right Mike. I did a survey of agent offices back when we had a group of over 160. Less than 6% of their buyers evervisited the office!
The reason most agents have a shop is that most feel that their potential clients relate better to physical premises. Like advertising in the local paper, it’s often done to attract new selling clients rather than to sell property - well it was before the current downturn.
All your five points are correct but you are assuming that agents have shops to attract buyers. Imagine if they were really doing it to attract clients…