Homebuilders.com

Not long ago it wasn’t uncommon to see a registration page on a project website that included so many questions that it would take a prospective new home buyer several minutes to complete . . . that is, if they got that far and didn’t abandon the form out of frustration.  There’s an argument and not a bad one, that the market was a lot different then and those that were truly interested in purchasing a new home would take the time to complete the form.  While you can still argue that point to some degree, the fact is that many prospective home buyers are not necessarily ready to buy right away, but rather would prefer to get as much information as possible first.  Making sure it’s simple for them to sign-up is crucial.

The reality is there’s lots of available product in most markets, so it’s worth taking a critical look at your form and really consider the information you need now versus information you can gather throughout the nurturing process.  You want the prospective buyers’ experience to be easy right from the beginning.

Here are a few things to remember and think about:

1. Collect as little information as possible.  Don’t ask for too much information!
2. Consider using multiple registration pages for different media types (e.g. a Facebook-specific page, one for each of your online advertising sources, billboard and print advertising, etc. – this will give you a true picture of where your leads are coming from.
3. Ensure that your registration pages are appropriately branded (e.g. it looks legitimate and it clearly has your project imagery and logos on the page).  Include your privacy policy to reinforce confidence.
4. Utilize an automated thank you page along with an automated email.  This ensures a personal touch with your lead.  When they click on the submit button, they immediately get directed to a thank you page and send them a thank you email to acknowledge their interest.  You may even want to include a link in the email to something relevant to them – like floorplans, or a video of showcasing the project.
5. Put your CRM system to work for you!  Your CRM can segment your prospects by providing you detail as to which registration page someone registered from, how they found you, update the registrant details and then allow additional questions to be asked throughout the nurturing process – and all the information is recorded throughout the buying process from lead capture to purchase of a new home.

And finally, one of the best ways to test for registration page effectiveness: Ask yourself if you’d fill it out!