Leapfrog Property Group has invested heavily in its online capability, delivering the next generation in web-based real estate marketing that is entirely sophisticated in the back-end, yet effortless and highly effective in the front-end to deliver superior customer engagement and interaction. An increasing trend towards web-based property enquiries and leads has seen Leapfrog take the lead in terms of online capability for the customer’s benefit.

Hailed as the industry’s youngest upstart, Leapfrog has turned the property industry on its head and ruffled feathers all the way since launching in June 2007. When the group first burst onto the scene proposing all manner of radical changes to the traditional 'family' model of real estate, it was met with enormous scepticism from many of the big industry players who believed the Leapfrog model was unsustainable. Yet today, Leapfrog is outperforming many other established brands and is already firmly ensconced in the top ten of the major national property players.

“Given our reputation for doing things differently, it was a major imperative for us to bring to market an online platform that would engage with an increasingly sophisticated consumer who is time-starved; yearns for immediate answers and feedback; and demands the best in customer service and engagement,” explains Bruce Swain, Managing Director of the Leapfrog Property Group. “At the same time, the website had to deliver real benefits and business value to our franchisees and agents, along with unique customer insights in order for us to actively bring buyers; sellers; and agents together with a common purpose and goal, complete with an entirely new edge.”

Developed by Graydot, a top 10 rated Global Online Marketing company, the development of Leapfrog’s new website has been in answer to the massive consumer migration over the last two to three years to online. “Leapfrog’s website is the next generation in online real estate marketing - a completely flexible web solution that facilitates both comprehensive back-office CMS administration with highly SEO-optimised frontend listing search functionality; enquiry management; and lead conversion reporting. This customer focused approach provides the best means for achieving better customer engagement,” explains Mark Buttress of Graydot.

Key features of www.leapfrog.co.za include:
• Highly optimised listing search functionality guaranteed to be found in the major search engines;
• Intelligent area and mapping search functionality featuring Google maps; There are several search options catering for users of different ability. Even the most inexperienced internet user is catered for;
• Automatic branded PDF brochures created of viewed properties;
• Intelligent user journeys guaranteed to deliver qualified results for the browser;
• Innovative data display modes, including list; gallery; map; and table, all geared for different user interpretations of the listings information;
• Integrated leads and enquiry management facility with accurate status reporting to ensure enquires are dealt with in a timely fashion;
• Automatic property alerts allow users to register criteria and receive automatic alerts via email; SMS; and RSS for those properties matching their criteria;
• Additional information resources available which are constantly updated e.g. news and advice articles; area information; and suburb guide pages, and so on;
• Ability to feed multiple portals both locally and abroad, including Property24; Property Genie; SAHometraders; Cyberprop; MyProperty; IOLProperty; Right Move (UK); and Hot Property (UK);
• Interactive branch and agent locator facilities enabling easy look-up of contact information for specific areas;
• Visitor activity statistics recording and reporting allows for stats reporting on listings viewed; brochures produced; enquires generated; and so on;
• Detailed property particulars capture and display, including 20 images; five floor plans; wealth of features; detailed description with Seller interview; Room by room descriptions; multiple brochure display; and Google location map display;
• Unique show day advertising facility.

“Aside from the website marketing features the new Leapfrog administration system has a unique referrals mechanism in-built allowing for collaboration between offices on leads and enquiries, buyer and seller requirements, exponentially increasing the marketing exposure on a client’s property. The administration system also facilitates active matching of buyer and seller requirements with automatic send out of property particulars. The deal tracker functionality allows for comprehensive sales and commission reporting with conveyancing tracking and problem resolution reporting,” adds Mark.

The move to online media has been significant with more and more users spending an increasing percentage of their time searching for products and services via the internet. It therefore has become imperative as part of a realtors marketing plan to employ a solid online marketing strategy driven by Search Engine Optimisation in order to make their listing search website and information more visible to search engines and search engine users.

Leapfrog’s Bruce Swain concludes: “There’s a steadily growing number of users surfing the net looking to either buy or rent a property and research has shown that 90% of internet users will use the search engines to find what they are looking for. It is a business imperative to see how traditional channels of doing business can be enhanced by new multimedia channels rather than competing against it. The agent still plays a crucial role, however the total experience is that much more enhanced. New digital media and marketing channels are emerging all the time and the fact remains that technology and the propensity for consumers to use it are not going to go away. Rather than fight it, we invested our energies into finding ways to develop sustainable and mutually beneficial platforms that integrate with and grow our revenue opportunities. In many respects Leapfrog has been a trendsetter in terms of changing the way we do business, rather than just doing things the same way simply because ‘that’s how it’s always been done’. Our move into online real estate marketing is no different.”

To experience the Leapfrog way of buying or renting property, go to www.leapfrog.co.za.