Tailoring a website to troubled homeowners

A client asked me to help him develop a website tailored to troubled homeowners, so that he can offer his help with a short sale. Before undertaking that project, I viewed dozens of sites of other realtors and short sale groups, and I came up with three flaws. While this applies to websites, I think the information is relevant to offline marketing as well.

 

The biggest flaw I see is a huge concentration on features, not benefits.

You've got a four-letter acronym. Certified Distress Property Expert, Short Sale Professional, whatever the plaque says. What does this mean to someone that just got laid off from their job or had a spouse get sick? They are falling behind on their house payment and want a solution to their problems... they don't care about your designation or your training. They want to know what's in it for them. They want to sleep soundfully, help their family, preserve their credit, relieve the stress, etc. (the BENEFITS) Your four letter acronym will not solve their problems. Yet, I have seen sites that rave about their training and certifications and workshops. There is a deaf audience to this. They don't care about credentials.

The second flaw I see is that sites do not have a cohesive message to troubled homeowners, or there is misplaced links or multiple conversations with multiple audiences.

I went to a site that started off with a conversation with distressed homeowners. The economy is tough, your not the only one to feel this hardship, I can help, we can lift the ton of bricks, etc. There was a prominent link to Resources, and what is one of the resources? An article about how an investor can buy foreclosed homes on the cheap!!! In my view, the site started good and then went off the tracks. I believe that if you are going to send a link to a troubled homeowner, every snippet of information, every link should be directed to the troubled home owner who is sitting down in desperation trying to figure out what you can do for them. Not an investor. Your landing page or site should be a one-on-one conversation with the homeowner that needs your help.

The third flaw I see is a failure to educate the homeowner on the options they have available. Instead, they go right for the kill and pitch a short sale.

Sure, you want to list their home. But there has to be a dance first, a get to know each other session. It's a little like dating. You must get acquainted first, and these homeowners have to trust you. To create that level of trust, you have to present all of the options they have at their disposal, not just a short sale. Many homeowners do not want to sell their home, even if they can't afford the house payment. Their home is the most precious thing to them. So if your message is to part with their most valuable, sentimental, prized possession, can you see where the distrust and reluctance comes from?

Let's say you just got a shiny red sports car. It's your baby, your most prized possession that gives you status and makes you feel good amongst your peers but you lost some income and you are having a hard time making the car payments. What if a stranger came off the street and said hand me the keys, you dummy, you can't afford this. I'll give you a Hyundai. Would you be receptive to them? Of course not.

Yet this is what I see with a lot of short sale marketing. It defies all logic to ask someone to part with their most endeared place - home. Educate them first, build rapport, and take them out to the dance floor. Only then should you ask to list their home. Remember, most people buy on emotion and justify it with logic.

Don't get logical at first. Show them you care.