I will be contributing posts to Home Gain’s blog. Some have questioned the company as being a “lead” generator. That that is a bad thing.
Now, you should know I’m not a fan of labels. They are the lazy man’s way of debating. For example, it’s much easier to label everyone who disagrees with you a member of a “mob” and that way you only have to answer to the “mob” and not each individual voice. It is a common trick of politicians and propagandists. (Some bloggers do it too.)
The word “lead” is a label which has gotten a bad rep. It is a commodification label. It reduces people to commodities, to be bought and sold by companies such as Home Gain. I disagree with that. To say that people fill out forms and do not know why they do so, implies that consumers are dumb. I don’t buy that. I think folks are wise enough (and you don’t have to be that wise) to know that filling out the form means someone is going to get in touch with you. Oh, horror of horrors. I believe they filled out the form because they CHOSE to and WANTED to be contacted. Does that sound far-fetched?
My suggestion is that we change the label. Let’s get rid of the word “lead” and replace it with something else, something that suggests something about the consumer who has filled out the form. I suggest “Need“. You can suggest others.
The word “Need” I think more accurately describes what is going on here. A consumer NEEDS help. They need information, they need to talk, they need something, dang it.
This was done when “Used” acquired a negative connotation when applied to cars. So some smarty pants changed the name to “Pre-owned” to eliminate the stigma. Some smartier (is that a word?) pants added “Certified”. They even started calling cars “automobiles” or “vehicles”.
So let’s learn a little about Perception Marketing and chuck the Lead and adopt the Need.
Related Posts:
How to Sell a House with a Mercedes Benz: 10 Perception Marketing Principles
Perception Marketing: You Can Sell Poop if You Package It Right.
Technorati Tags: marketing, advertising, real estate marketing, Home Gain
There has been a lot of negative press around the term “lead”.
Use it in a sentence with “Generation” and “Company” and you get what we had here last night - comments about the “dark side” “lack of integrity” “no redeeming quality” “crappy” “pathetic” “horrible” etc.
The problem I have with leads is not the creation of them but rather how they are treated by real estate professionals.
1000 Watt Consultancy has a good video that illustrates a simple point - the person who fills out a form, or calls, emails or IM’s an agent does not what to be treated as a “lead” they want, as Joe points out to have their “needs” met. In the video the consumers say -”its all about me”. They just as well could be saying “its all about my needs”.
I noticed at some of the churches I used to attend they started calling people “seekers.” That was their word for leads. They would invite some unwitting “seekers” to play some hoops, then they would have a Bible study/arm twisting session after the game to try to turn the “seeker” into one of them. Not my brand of religious proselytizing, but the word always stuck with me. These guys were doing good, old-fashioned, lead follow up and lead conversion. They just called it by a different name.
These submission forms aren’t always because people want to be contacted. Often the site offers to give you information, but the catch is that you have to complete their form. Many of these people are just seeking information.
The form submitter is a “Need” from their perspective, but to the real estate professional, they are a “lead.” It depends upon perspective. I understand, however, the need for a new word. There is a slight difference between client and customer, for example. I can’t think of a good word, but “seekers” is out there for the taking. Hey, it’s working for the religious set.
I think you may find this video interesting. I felt the same way until I viewed this site. Tom has some great view points.
http://tomsreblog.com/2008/01/29/are-you-like-these-people/
“These submission forms aren’t always because people want to be contacted. Often the site offers to give you information, but the catch is that you have to complete their form”
BINGO!
I shudder to think how many agent bloggers think that they can directly contact anonymous commenters who ask questions, just because the system provides an email address.
A lead is a consumer who visits one of my web sites and registers. They only become a client when we connect with them and start to help them. I have been following all the chatter and my take is the feeling people have that is negative is towards paying for leads.
I think some people TRIED lead generation companies and were not delivered on what they were promised so they are negative towards all companies. However, new people need all the business they can get and if it works for them they should not be condemned because they use ANY system to generate business that works for them.
No one should put all their eggs in one basket. Track, track, track.
Plato said, ” Be kind because everyone you know is fighting some battle”.
sofisticated consumers don’t become leads or take the “lead bait” on the aggregation sites. There are many places to look at listings where the consumer can keep their privacy and not have to give away email addresses or contact information. Once they sign in they get “dripped on” by lenders. The whole system is so misleading. They get an agent who bought a zip code. That agent may or may not know the area or have ever sold a home. Not a good way to choose an agent.