Making Over Mom: An Agent Case Study

Excuse me, have we met?

You’re a Lexus driving, latte drinking, monthly newsletter mailing real estate agent looking to expand your business without losing your personal style. You recently signed a peace treaty with your PDA and you realize that the Sunday ads are yesterday’s trash, but you are still in need of GPS support to navigate the new frontier of Internet marketing.

Oh wait, I do know you, you’re my mom, Debbie Jungquist, not to mention thousands of other successful, established, “traditional” Realtors across America looking for a real estate face lift.

Always a sucker for a good makeover story, I pitched my colleagues at Zillow on the idea of using my mom (Agent Debbie) as a guinea pig to test the usability and effectiveness of Zillow for slightly technophobic agents. They went for it. We hosted a little Zillow Agent 101- How to create an agent profile, post a listing, and buy an EZ Ad.

Like any new style, learning how to master the “techie” look has taken a bit of getting used to (completely understandable if you’ve been doing the same ‘do for the past 10 years). Overall, Agent Debbie has received great feedback and is turning heads up and down her zip code. Here are a few highlights:

• Purchased an EZ Ad for a Bothell, WA listing that topped the charts as the #2 Top Viewed Home (added bonus-the home sold in 6 days!)
• Advertised an open house on Zillow via an EZ Ad and which resulted in some Zillow directed visitors.
• Listed a home for-sale on Zillow and was contacted by an interested out of state buyer (not currently working with an agent.)
• Stopped in the frozen foods isle by a neighborhood friend who saw her EZ Ad and is in awe of her new-found Internet fame.

It has been two short months since my Mom’s marketing makeover, and I’m pleased report that she seems pleased with her new “look.” “I have yet to close any deals as a direct result of my presence on Zillow, but if I make even one additional sale throughout the year, that’s enough. That’s huge. Zillow is affordable, my clients love it, and it’s way more updated than magazine advertising.”

Although some remnants of old-school style are still hiding in Agent Debbie’s marketing closet (kitchen calendar, anyone?) she is committed to sticking with Zillow long term because “it’s where my clients are coming; I need to meet them here.” This experience illustrates how full service, traditional agents can partner with Zillow to take their marketing online without abandoning their roots. Way to go mom!