Real Estate + The Internet = The Perfect Marriage

Hello, my name is Tony Pearl. I’m a successful veteran real estate investor who has done a lot of deals but got bored with it all a few years ago and started ‘playing around’ with marketing on the internet. 

Translation: When the crap hit the fan and real estate started sucking in 2008, I had to do something else to put food on the table, and I chose the internet.

It is my pleasure to bring you the ‘inside scoop’ on how things are progressing for me and other real estate investors who are successfully going online to get buyers, sellers, private lenders, and almost anyone or anything else you can think of to use in our businesses… and how you can do the same! That’s what this column, “Pearls of Wisdom,” is all about.

So unless you’ve been living like a cave man these past few years, you’re surely aware of how almost everybody is online now.  Think about this: Who do you know who DOESN’T have at least the minimum requirements of an email account or Facebook profile? It would probably take you a minute to come up with a name, am I right?  Exactly.

Now, answer this question: Who do you know who has a cell phone?  How about a Smartphone (iPhone, Droid, Blackberry, etc.)? Same answer, right?  These days, there’s almost no reason NOT to have one.  …Unless you’re a cave man, of course. 

It wasn’t too long ago that most people accessed the internet by going home and logging on to their desktop/ laptop PC or Mac.  And while they still do, the shocking statistics show that an exponentially growing percentage of people are using their smartphones to get online now!

If you don’t believe me, I have a quick and fun challenge for you. Do this: The next time you’re out having a meal, waiting in line for something, or anywhere where there’s people walking around and doing stuff, WATCH THEM.  What are they doing?  How many people are looking at their smartphones? The answer is: A LOT!  But don’t just take my word for it – do this exercise.

What are they doing while they stare at their phones in a trance? Reading emails. Texting (we’ll get to that one later). And accessing the internet.

So now that we’ve established the fact that more and more people are not only online, but using their mobile smartphone devices to do so, here’s the BIG question:

Can They Find YOU and Your BUSINESS?

Is it EASY to find you?  And if they CAN find you, how easy is it to get them to take the desired ACTION you want them to take?

Typically, this would be something like: Filling out a contact form (Name, email, phone, etc.), getting them to call you, or buy something from you.

I’m assuming, of course, that if you’re reading this publication, you’re a real estate investor. But without a steady diet of leads from motivated sellers, potential buyers, and (when needed) private lenders, you’re pretty much out of business. 

Back when I first started investing in real estate, there really weren’t too many people using this new-fangled thing called the ‘internet.’  You had to actually work to get your leads by doing things like direct mail, putting up bandit signs, passing out cards/flyers, and networking.  Sure, those things still work, but over the past few short years, that has all changed.

Now, all you really have to do to get those leads you want is put up a website and drive targeted traffic to it.  Well, to be honest, there’s a bit more to it than that, but that’s really the basic idea.

Here’s the ultimate, final question: Would you like to discover the secrets of how to get more motivated, hungry leads that are prescreened and predisposed to doing business with you?  Do you want to be able to have an automatic, steady stream of prospects from which to cherry-pick the best deals?

If your answer is yes, than make sure to come back to this column in ‘The Profit’ each and every month, as I help pull back the curtain and reveal to you the mysteries of the internet and how it’s God’s gift to us real estate investors.

Until the next issue!

Tony Pearl