custom design for real estate web sites
homework for new design clients
please print this page or bookmark it, then refer to it
as you help me prepare to start work on your site.
text editing: Edit your site as much editing on your own as possible, adding or deleting pages and making whatever content changes you need to reflect your business goals and strategies.
Tweak it as much as possible so that the search engines won't penalize it for duplicating text on other sites. If you want to compare what you have to the original P2A text, I have an unedited site here:
http://suzannestephens.point2agent.com/
Be sure to check for details such as misspelled words, grammar, mismatched pronouns such as "I" instead of "We" when a site is for a team, one person's name instead of the team name. P2A's system assumes that all sites are for an individual when it generates text. If you aren't a good speller, run your text through a spell checker. "It's" means "It is" while "it's" means "belonging to it." "Their" means "belonging to them" while "there" means "over yonder."
NEVER include your email address on your Web site. Spammers harvest email addresses from Web sites unless they are encoded. If you really want your email address visible, ask me to encode it for you.
If you've already done a lot of customization to your site, it would help me to know which elements must stay on your home page and which can be moved elsewhere, as well as which are most important and deserve the most visual emphasis.
create any additional pages needed: If there are any additional pages that you have been thinking of creating, please create them as soon as possible. My services do not include creating pages or inserting content into pages such as IDX links. You make the pages; I'll make them pretty.
tech support: If you need tech support, Point2's Jennifer Anderson is great (and she knows a lot more about the system than I do!):
decide which custom link graphics you want: I normally do around a half dozen custom link graphics (aka "buttons") to call attention to whatever the agent wants. These can be lead-generating offers, search links -- just whatever... I also like to do a "contact" graphic to get that vital info up to the top of the page where it's highly visible.
Tell me which features you'd like to draw attention to with link graphics and give me an idea of roughly what you want each graphic to say. (I'll may revise the text as necessary to fit the small graphics. It's probably safe to assume that site visitors will see these graphics first and may not read the text on the home page, though the text plays an essential role in SEO.
Normally, I would emphasize Contact Info, Featured Home, Search for a Home, Free Home Evaluation, and emailed new listings alerts. I can also include anything else: such as Open Houses, Sold Homes, Staging... whatever you want.
Make sure that pages are set up as necessary for any of these lead generating functions so I can link the graphics on the home page to the relevant pages.
point2 Site log-in: I'll need your P2A URL, username and password.
portrait: If you have it, send me a good-sized copy of your portrait, larger than shown on your existing P2A site.
what's different about your business model? How do you distinguish yourself from other brokerages or REALTOR®s? Why should a buyer or seller choose you? Do you specialize in a certain type of property? Do you discount commissions? Do you focus on a niche market?
what makes you special and memorable? Describe anything about yourself that's special, unique or memorable. Could be a hobby, a pet: anything that makes you memorable and helps you stand out.
logos: What logos do you require on your site, such as R, ePro, brokerage logo, franchise logo, etc.?
If at all possible, please provide logos in .eps vector art file format (Illustrator or Freehand). (I already have vector art for most major franchise logos, R, e-Pro, Equal Housing and possibly a few other standard logos.) If necessary to recreate your logo in vector format, there may be an additional charge based on my hourly rate of $100.
house photos typical of your area: If you live in an area with which I am unfamiliar, I'll ask you to provide a few photos of houses typical of those in your area. You can either provide photos of your own listings or your office listings, or I'll give you some low cost stock photo sites to search. House photos which have empty sky around the roof are generally the most useful; trees, power poles, and such complicate matters. Whenever possible, give me the original, larger photos instead of sending me small copies that have been "munched" through your MLS system.
scenic photos of your area: It will be very helpful if you can provide scenic photos from your area: anything that "SAYS" your city: landmarks of any kind. We can also buy inexpensive stock for most major cities, but photos of smaller cities and specific suburbs are difficult to find.
legal requirements: Is there anything I need to know about your state law, brokerage or franchise policies, such as Arizona's requirement that the brokerage logo be as large and noticeable as the agent's own identity.
