REALTOR.ca is the most popular source of real estate information in the country (Comscore). And it’s a big-time lead generator.
First off, if you’re not receiving email leads from REALTOR.ca, make sure to confirm your preferred email address in your local MLS® System (check out the section where you manage your profile info). If that’s not the issue, take a quick look in your “Junk” folder, and if you see something from REALTOR.ca, flag it as “Not Spam.”
Taking these quick steps could benefit your business. For example, over the last 18 months, traffic to REALTOR.ca has grown 56%, and there’s a direct correlation between traffic and leads, with the latter up 57% during this same period. Big picture…more than six million leads were sent to members over the last 18 months.
However, volume is not our primary goal. Instead, our focus is on the quality of leads. In other words, we’re making more meaningful connections between you and potential clients.
We continue to research and test new ways to improve the quality of leads. Here’s what the team has been up to:
Email leads now come with more insights
Over the last few months, we’ve added more information in the lead email to help you better assess incoming inquiries. For example, you can be informed on whether the person is pre-approved for a mortgage, already working with a REALTOR®, and even if they have a preferred time for a showing.
Whether the consumer is on their desktop, on a phone, or tablet, they’re prompted to provide info that you’ll find useful.
Also, consumers can access the lead form directly from the listing details page or from your profile page (yes, every member has a profile page on REALTOR.ca!).
Tip: Stand out with your REALTOR.ca profile. You’re always front and centre on all your listings, so ensure your profile has a high-quality photo. Make sure your profile is complete in your local MLS® System. Your email, phone number, website, social accounts (now including Instagram) and additional details (fields vary by board and association) are essential and entice potential clients to connect with you. You can also identify your trading area, not just your office address, to ensure you’re reaching as many clients as possible.
The more questions we answer for consumers, the more meaningful the leads
As part of their journey, consumers come to REALTOR.ca with questions. Answering as many of these questions as possible, things like “how much are the taxes?” or “what is the school catchment area?”, is part of our efforts to improve the quality of leads. By answering these common questions, we can connect you with consumers who are further along in the process and looking for your true value as a trusted advisor.
Get the REALTOR.ca Listing Stats App (exclusive to CREA members)
If you’re not one of the 20,000+ REALTORS® that has downloaded the Listing Stats app (iOS or Android), check it out now!
In your app store, simply search “REALTOR.ca listing stats” and look for the black REALTOR® icon (the red icon is the consumer version…which hopefully you already have on your phone!).
The Listing Stats app provides members with many goodies, including detailed stats reports on all REALTOR.ca and DDF® listings and the ability to automate email and text reports to clients.
It also allows you to see all your email leads and correspondence with these potential clients.
Whether you’re using the app or something like Gmail, the benefits remain the same. Informed consumers that are looking to connect with you (whether they’re inquiring about a specific property or want to discuss with you the process of buying or selling) and these leads are opportunities worth looking into.
It’s also worth noting 100% of all leads from REALTOR.ca come to you as a member benefit.
- All leads go to the listing agent.
- No referral fees.
- No other agents can buy their way onto your listing pages.
If you have questions about REALTOR.ca and how it can help your business, call our Member Experience Centre at 1-888-237-7945 or send us an email at support@crea.ca. You can also check out these useful resources:
Great article Patrick! I’d be interested in having a dedicated session with our agents on this topic.
Hi Larry, we’re happy to hear you enjoyed the blog! You can contact our Speakers’ Bureau to request a presentation: https://crea-aci.ca1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_0VxJM6tqqTTEWoZ or you can contact our Member Experience Centre at support@crea.ca.