$300 annual marketing budget: Zillow’s Premier Silver package provides agents with CRM access through an XRM platform, as well as an MLS-powered IDX website with the URL of their choice for $10 a month. Agent Folio allows agents to set up an IDX-powered search in a password-protected space. Here, clients and agents, or an admin or buyer’s agent helping with the search, can all review properties, leave notes, take photos and upload videos to the shared space. And then there are Zillow’s free tools, which include a presence in the directory with a profile, photo and bio, and the ability to generate reviews. That’s a great place to start, according to Greg Schwartz, chief revenue officer with Zillow.

$500 annual marketing budget: “There’s not anything fundamentally different for a $500 a year budget,” Schwartz says. “The Premier Agent platform ranges by the ZIP code where you operate and would be the next logical investment.”

$1,000 annual marketing budget: Again, there aren’t a lot of other options available with a budget increase of another $500, but agents could spend this money on getting more impressions in a desirable ZIP code.

$1,500 or more: For $100 a month, Zillow’s Premier Gold package includes everything in the Silver package, plus 10 featured listings a month at the top of the search results, which is a very powerful traffic and lead generator, according to Schwartz. The Platinum package, which varies by ZIP code but requires a minimum of around $150 a month, provides a robust volume of buyer and seller leads, in addition to the Silver and Gold package benefits. “Currently, about 50,000 agents across the country have signed up for the Platinum package, spending an average $250 a month,” Schwartz says. “For that, they’re getting about 12 leads a month. If they’re working real hard, they will see six to 10 times return on their advertising dollar, which isn’t a bad deal.” 

$300 annual marketing budget: Regardless of an agent’s budget and/or business goals, Matt Flegal, senior communications manager at Trulia, recommends that, first, agents take advantage of the various free tools and resources that Trulia makes available, including the following: Trulia agent profile and presence in the agent directory; mobile apps for tablets and smartphones on Android and iOS; and the ability to add or claim listings on Trulia for free.

“For agents who want to grow their business and boost the amount of leads that they receive, we recommend speaking with a Trulia marketing specialist to help the agent determine what is best for their specific budget and goals,” he says.

With a $300 budget, in addition to the free tools and resources, it is recommended an agent get a Trulia Pro membership. This allows the agent to feature listings — featured listings get exclusive leads plus a boost in Trulia search results. Even if the agent isn’t a listings agent, Trulia Pro includes benefits such as lead insight (info on when sellers/buyers want to move, whether they are pre-qualified, etc.); lead alerts; and the Trulia Pro membership badge, which shows up wherever the agent has a presence on Trulia (including their profile, the agent directory, etc.).

$500 annual marketing budget: The products that agents choose depend on the agent’s business goals, but the company recommends investing in either Trulia Mobile Ads or Trulia Local Ads in their preferred ZIP code. Both products put the agent’s name, face and phone number in front of transaction-ready buyers and sellers in the agent’s primary market. As an example, during April alone, homebuyers and sellers visiting Trulia sent over 25 leads per minute to agents on Trulia’s platform.

$1,000 annual marketing budget: With this budget, the company suggests agents invest in Trulia Local Ads and/or Trulia Mobile Ads in their market. This provides exposure on both Trulia’s Web and mobile platforms, so that the agent’s name, face, photo and phone number are displayed everywhere consumers are searching in their market, whether at home or on-the-go.

$1,500 or more: Agents investing at this level will benefit from both Trulia Mobile Ads and Trulia Local Ads for maximum exposure. Depending on their business goals, they can also benefit from featuring their listings through a Trulia Pro membership, or if they want to win more listings. Trulia offers Trulia Seller Ads to boost their exposure with motivated sellers in their market. They can also consider investing in their primary ZIP code(s) on Trulia Mobile Ads and Trulia Local Ads.

$300 annual marketing budget: Agents can take advantage of Move, Inc.’s Showcase Listings program, providing agent branding that results in lead generation. In addition, Showcase provides a performance enhancement tool for clients. The program includes email notifications, toll-free phone numbers and up to 36 photos. Performance reporting is an invaluable tool, giving information to the client and the agent about how well a particular listing is performing on realtor.com with regard to traffic and analytics. A home seller report reveals current activity in the client’s market, giving them an opportunity to see how they’re priced and what type of activity other listings in the area are seeing. All of those tools serve to keep agents connected to their buyers, assuring them their property is being well-represented.

$500 annual marketing budget: Co-Broke, a lead generation tool for buyers, is a smart idea for agents with this type of yearly budget. It’s licensed by ZIP codes, and realtor.com reports an “extremely high” performance ratio, which is determined by a more than 90 percent subscription renewal rate, a testament to its value. Providing high lead quality, Co-Broke has garnered good feedback from both consumers and Realtors, according to the company.

$1,000 annual marketing budget: Agents should up the ante to purchase more ZIP codes in addition to more
Showcase listings.

$1,500 or more: Agents could buy more Co-Broke ZIP codes and Showcase listings. In addition, TigerLead is a high-end solution that provides brokers and agents with a complete Internet solution for generating and cultivating buyer and seller leads.