How often do you get a call from a random out of area telephone number (or “Unknown Number”) and immediately get hit with the question:
“Are you accepting new clients?”
“Would you like 10 great leads every month?”
“Is your internet marketing bringing you all the leads you want?”
Followed by a very smooth and convincing pitch about how their company has very few opportunities available in your market to get PRIME leads . . . and LUCKY YOU . . . for a mere $300/mth, you can enjoy success beyond your wildest dreams.
If you currently have any listings, chances are decent that these folks are marketing YOUR listings, getting leads from them . . . and are now offering to sell them back to you.
Wait!
WHAT?
These practices have started an increasingly HOT National debate about the “Rules” and use of IDX and Syndication on the Internet.
Paul Gaddes has had his eye on this debate for a while and has been updating us the Facebook All things REALTOR – Central TN site . . . I’ve provided 3 links below which provide the meat and potatoes of the issue and won’t even attempt to write in my own words what these genius’s have already written, so I’m going to do what I do best . . .
YOU are invited:
to join us as we unpack issues and opportunities associated with this spontaneously combusting issue of IDX & Syndication Lead Generation practices
- Thursday February 9, 2012
- 9:30 AM . . .
- Followed by lunch @ 11 provided by Jason Grubbs with Strategic Insurance Group 615-472-1515 insurance@tnsig.com
- Please RSVP by return email
- Location TBD based on number of RSVPs (West Nashville or Brentwood)
Kris Berg wrote:
By syndicating my listings, I am giving permission to these sites to auction off my business. It is the virtual equivalent of allowing an agent to slap their name rider on my yard sign and then having the sign company charge me to remove it. No sane agent would allow that, yet we seem to have no problem allowing it to occur online.
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the Big Issue, the Big Question. It is the same one posed by Geoffrey Lewis lo these many years ago.
Is the purpose of listing data, of the MLS itself, to help participants serve existing clients… or to help participants attract new clients?
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Enjoy reading:
In Which I Clarify My Worries Over Syndication and IDX, And Connect The Dots
Syndication to Real Estate Portals: Problems and Solutions
MLS Fights Back for its Brokers
2012 will be a pivotal year for many of us in many ways . . . For sure, Lead generation and our use of the internet is evolving a blinding rate, and keeping up with it all could be a full time job all by itself.
Will you join the conversation?
Best,
b
I’ve been following this hubbub too. A stronger, fairer, less greedy Realtor.com funded by NAR with ALL the photos and direct listing agent info could put this whole mess to bed. I am surprised that none of the blogs have mentioned this, and I can’t understand what NAR was thinking when they sold out to MOVE. It’s not too late to fix this, though my IDX would likely lose traffic… It’s a complicated issue.