Real Estate Web Design

Our sister company, BoiseIdaho.net is a full service multi-media and web design and development company. They began developing real estate websites for Boise, Idaho professionals in 1994 and have designed more than 790 websites since.

BoiseIdaho.net specializes in real estate web design, website maintenance, and real estate marketing. BoiseIdaho.net provides real estate websites designed to generate new leads and build client relationships. BoiseIdaho.net offers full-service website solutions featuring, search engine optimization, MLS and IDX integration, custom pages, hosting and much more...

While our core clientele is real estate related, our customers include a wide variety of businesses and non-profits and have broadened over the years into Interactive CDRom's for a variety of businesses, DVD Video and Editing, and Graphic Art Design.

Looking For Website Trade? Click Here to visit BoiseIdaho.net

We are always looking for a good website trade deal! Currently we are considering the following trades:

• Landscape Designers: Product and/or Labor
• Sprinklers: Product Product and Instalation
• Tile / Granite / Stone: Product and/or Labor
• Home Gutters: Product and Labor
• Painters: Product and/or Labor

The MLSUpdateSystem provides a wide range of display features to accommodate real estate brokers, agent groups, and single REALTORS®.

• Automatic Updates
• Flexible Displays to blend in with your web site
• Account control panel for reports, agent information updates, adding extra images, virtual tour links, search terms, and open house information.
• Search Results can be displayed by visitor queries, open house calendar, featured listings, virtual tours, key phrase, and subdivisions (subdivision dipslays are only available for certain MLS regions).
• The MLSUpdateSystem Visitor Toolbox allows visitors to bookmark homes, email you their homes of interest, and receive updates FROM YOU regarding new listings matching their search criteria and.

How to Promote Your Web Design Business on a Budget

Written by Mitchell Harper, Interspire Co-founder
Published on 27th June 2007

Introduction

It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day running of your business and completely forget that growth is the key to success for anything, and the best way to grow as the owner of a web design business is to get your name in front of as many people as possible.

In this newsletter you’ll find a handful of the 78 tips and tricks you can find in our guide: 78 Ways to Promote Your Web Design Business on a Budget. The more people that know about you and the services you provide, the more likely they are to call or email you when they need a web site, so that’s the main reason you want to promote your business wherever possible.

Small Budget Promotion Techniques for Web Designers:

• Direct mail: Direct mail is still one of the cheapest ways of getting your message out to a large audience. The cost of a well presented direct mail piece is easily justifiable given the almost guaranteed results if you target your audience correctly. Make sure you copy is done by a professional direct mail copywriter – it's worth hiring their services for a one page letter. Most people think they can write good copy but most cannot – even people who draft marketing copy frequently do not know how to write good direct mail copy.
   
• Chamber of Commerce membership: Joining a chamber introduces you to other businesses and other businesses to your talents. An advertising listing is often included in most chamber memberships and a majority of businesses belong to local chambers. Do not assume that because you are small a chamber can not help you or has no role for you to play. Offer to do a class on web design. Connect with other IT professionals.
   
• Rotary membership: Rotaries are good places to meet business leaders and introduce yourself and your company to the local economy. Also, because rotaries focus on issues affecting the business community, you will get a good idea of how the local economy succeeds and what it is facing. Involving yourself in a rotary also says a lot about you as a community member. Remember that most successful businesses start local and “go global” after they have established themselves as viable.
   
• Sponsor local education programs: These are different than high school sponsored adult learning in that they are usually sponsored by local organizations or charity groups. They help teach adults new skills. Getting involved in these types of classes will give you access to others in the IT world as well as impact the adults who one day will be working in a local company. Salting the idea of your work in someone’s mind today for when they can use it is like an investment, but you will be surprised how people will remember your skills and effort.
   
• Enter your work in industry talent contests: Whether it’s DMA, or a web specific group, industry associations almost always have an annual convention and have contests that allow vendors to put up their best work for review. Winning or even placing in one of these is a great promotional opportunity. Vendors often visit these as well so you will be able to get new industry contacts and potentially build business relationships. These, like the associations, usually provide as much as you are willing to put into them.
   
• Set up alliances with local businesses: Alliances are arrangements where you sell your services but mention other members if it is applicable and they do the same to you. If you can set up an alliance with a local IT company you potentially can gain customers from their success.
   
• Become a state “expert”: Just about every state has an economic development office that is always looking for ways to promote business. Visiting them and showing them your work is one way of getting in their minds as an “expert” in your field. These people talk to business owners all day, every day. They also frequently make referrals for specialized skills.
   
• Set up IT alliances with other companies in your region for marketing purposes: A marketing alliance is different than a business alliance as you are not pitching other companies, so much as pitching the idea of a one stop shop. It is much more intense than just mentioning another company if something applies. You will market with the other companies and often visit potential customers together. You will also coordinate on proposals so that everyone gets mentioned. In essence, you are selling you – and your partners.
   
• Set up an alliance with one or two companies to work on projects together: Many projects require more than one type of expertise. You might not bid on something, however, if you do not have the entire package to offer. By contacting “partners” when you have such a project, you expand your potential customer base. These other groups will almost always keep you in mind when they have projects that are similar.
   
• Start a blog that focuses on your interests but mentions and shows your work: Blogs are great ways to get your name out to the Internet community. Start one that focuses on things that are important to you as a web designer. Attach links to your web site and to the work you have done. Use it as a way to put your name out and go on record on issues affecting your industry – from legislation affecting small business owners to new software releases. Remember to keep it clean and to keep it positive.
   
• Start an instructive blog that just covers business strategies and web design: Most people realize they need a web site. They do not realize how to create, however. Start a blog that gives tips or covers strategies and put your expertise out there for reading. Keep your advice general (to promote a visit to your site) and occasionally link to you own site.
   
• Start a blog that provides “tips” for companies designing their own blogs: Some companies will create their web sites internally. Set up a “tips” blog that covers common problems or mistakes. Use this blog to set yourself up as a reference point. Remember to link to your work and your main web site as that will give people an “out” when they realize that internally, they are not getting what they expected.
   
• Use relevant industry email lists: Relevant email lists usually possess addresses from people who have expressed a direct interest in web design services. Buy the list and mail them with useful and advice. By doing this you establish yourself as an expert and when they need web design services they will remember (and contact) you.
   
• Ask your existing customers for ten potential customers you can contact: Contact every one of your existing customers and ask them to think about ten potential customers you might contact. If only one per customer pans out, you have magnified the worth of each customer significantly. If your customers are happy with your work they will not have any problem helping you out. Let them know up front what you intend to do with the contact names to avoid any confusion and as a thank you for the referrals offer them a discount on any future work you do for them.
   
• Establish a “thank you” program: Thanking your current customers for their work establishes you as one of the “good guys.” Customers invest in your services and deserve to be thanked for their business. Send them a premium or even just a hand written note to remind them that you have not forgotten how important your relationship with them is to you. Often when done right, this will prompt them to mention you to other business owners or managers.
   
• Publish a survey: Ask your customers for feedback. This shows them you are working to improve every day and also shows that you value their opinion. Ask them how you can improve, what services they could use and if they would recommend you to other companies. Use that information to tailor your products and services and become more valuable to them.
   
• Look for government sponsored “public” IT initiatives to join: Many states are sponsoring IT initiatives – expanding internet access, improving business services, etc. Get on board with these and offer your input at regional conferences or through individual programs. This will get you known to economic development resources as well as open doors to you that normally would not be open. Many times your participation will be noted in print.
   
• Visit your local state agencies and volunteer your time: While most web site development is internal, sitting down with a government worker to show your products or services gives you an opportunity to show them what you can do. Do not criticize their web site. Just point out what you would do differently. Ask them to keep you in mind the next time they do an overhaul.

What Should I Look For When Hiring a Web Developer?

Make sure that not only does the web developer appear to know the terminology, that they can explain to you in plain English what they mean when you ask. If you can’t communicate with them (or vice versa) it would probably be best to move on to someone you feel more comfortable with.

Consider a developer in your immediate geographic area. This will allow you faster and more personal access to the people working on your website.

Make sure the developer you choose is willing to include you in all aspects of the development process. Also make sure it is a give and take relationship. They should consider your ideas, but you are paying them for their experience and knowledge, so keep communication going both ways!

Request a list of completed websites from each developer. Explore those sites and email the company asking for opinions on the developer's services.

A web developer needs to not only know web page creation and web design technology options but they also need to be excellent at the basics such as spelling and grammar. They should have excellent attention to detail and have the creative eye to make your page intuitively useful to the customer. Just because they can make bunnies dance across the bottom of your page doesn’t mean that’s what is best for your website!

A Web developer’s job, presumably, is to do the coding to get your content online, integrate diverse media, create requisite Web systems, and promote online security. Creating content does not fall within the job description. As a practical matter, many Web developers do create some content ancillary to doing their work efficiently and effectively. But you will be expected to provide the content that fills the website.

Content includes information (text), logos, art work, photographs, data, forms, audio bites, video clips, and the like. Although your Web developer is responsible for putting your content on the Web, you are responsible for creating the content in the first place. You create content for the Web the way you normally do by hiring writers, copy writers, photographers, video producers, and the like.

Your Web developer will develop offline; that is, a Web developer creates most websites on his or her own computer before installing them on the Web. Your developer can send the ongoing revisions of the website to you via attached files to an email message or via floppy disks. You can look at such files with your browser on your own hard disk (or on a floppy). However, it is often more convenient to have your Web developer just put the website on the Web during the development process for easy review by you and your employees.

1) Do your homework before you go to a developer

If you want an accurate assessment of what your Website will cost, you must have a clear idea about what you need. Take some time to answer these questions before you talk to a developer.

How will my Website function?

As an online store where actual product is sold

As an online brochure to inform the consumer about your company or services

As an online community

As a combination of these

2) What will my website look and feel like?

What will my site communicate through its appearance? Will it be light and fun, hi-tech, or business-like and professional?

3) how many pages, and what specific sections, does my site need?

Consider the inclusion of at least these basic areas:

home

about

listings/services

testimonials

buyers and sellers information

resources - city / schools / relocation info / utilities

contact

4) what is my budget?

Be reasonable: if you only have $500, you won't get much out of your Website. But some smaller, more affordable designers will gladly design a small business Website from between $1,500 and $3500.

5) what is my project deadline?

Are you pressed for time or do you have several months to play with? If you need your site in a hurry, you may be able to speed up development if you’re willing to pay a premium.

6) will my site require any specialized programming?

If you need a shopping cart, database or contact form, make sure your developer has the skill set to meet these requirements.

7) what level of assistance will I need with my site’s development?

If you know in advance how much, and what kind of help your project requires, you can confirm that the developer you’re considering can (and will) provide the level of service you need:

• do you require full site design & concepting?
• do you have the concept and just need it created into HTML pages?
• do you simply need some new graphics and a site makeover?
• do you have an existing logo or will they need to create a new one?

8) what do I like?

Create a list of URLs for sites you like, and note what you like about each one, and why it appeals to you. Then show this to your designer to give them a better idea about what you’re after. This can also help them provide a quote and concept visuals to match your vision.

9) get a referral

If you see a Website you like, or know someone with an online business, ask them who their developer was.

10) go local

Let your fingers do the walking through the yellow pages, or search the local Yahoo directories for your major metropolitan area. Here, you’ll be able to find a developer located in your local geographic area.

So How Do I Get Website Traffic?

How can you reliably send visitors to your web site?
You put your web address everywhere -

Business cards

Sign riders

Listings / Advertisings

Give your contacts a reason to visit: "Sign up for a Free..." etc. 

Really serious (and successful) Internet Realtors pay for presence on more than one top national site. Some (quite successful) Realtors have more than one web site, even several, each focusing on a different topic or strategy 

The Web - Your Surrogate Self

When everything goes as planned, your Website is supposed to be set up to perform many of the things you do in the real world to sell yourself and to sell your listings.

In other words, your Web becomes an extension of yourself. Set it up well and your Web becomes an electronic testimonial. Set it up a differently, and you may be giving the wrong message to your prospects.

Get Started...

Since your Website will represent your business online, it's crucial to find the right developer to help you create it. A customer-friendly Website with attractive graphics, a clear marketing appeal, and easy navigation is critical to your online success.

For website templates, may we recommend Template Montster for your designs:

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