Your email address is often the first impression that many potential clients get of you, which is why you need to make sure it doesn’t rub people the wrong way.
A funky email address like NoTanLines@swimnaked.com might be OK for personal use, but do you really want customers to see that? Probably not, but many real estate agents use their personal (and sometimes creative) email addresses when communicating with existing and potential customers. And it’s likely costing them business.
Create a profession email address
Many firms require that agents use a company email address like yourname@brokeragefirm.com. It looks professional. It also insures that there is a record of emails between the agent and customers, available to both the agent and the firm.
A major drawback is that if an agent leaves the firm, they no longer have access to those emails.
If your firm allows you to use a personal email address, create one that is professional. Some agents will create a domain and have an email address like yourname@sellsgoldcoasthomes.com. Another alternative is to simply set up an email account like yourname@emailprovider.com.
Even if you are required to use a brokerage firm email account, it is a good idea to forward important emails to your personal email account. That way, you don’t lose your client information should you ever leave the firm.
Use a signature in your emails
It is extremely irritating to get an email from an agent and not know who they are or how to contact them, other than responding to their email.
Go to settings in your email account, and create a signature that is always included in all the emails you send out.
It should include your name, brokerage firm, brokerage address and phone numbers. If you wish, you can also include a picture, company logo and webpage. Some agents will include a call to action, like a link for a free home valuation or a way to search for properties.
Is your email or text message marketing turning off customers?
Things like drip email or text message campaigns are quite popular with brokerage firms and agents. The problem is that many of your customers, and other agents, may find them annoying.
Most people don’t like getting junk mail or robo-calls. They also don’t like getting junk emails or texts.
Although promoted as a way to get more business, you are probably also losing a lot.
Along with some people finding your spam irritating, you might actually never be able reach them, when you have something of value. That’s because people, including other agents, have the ability to block your email address or telephone number.
Spam emails may cause you to lose actual deals
An excited agent called me one afternoon. She saw that a listing of mine had gone pending in the MLS. She was surprised that I had not notified her yet that her offer had been accepted and emailed her a copy of the bi-lateral contract. I had no idea what she was talking about.
After doing some research, we discovered that the offer that she emailed me had gone directly into my spam folder. In the meantime my client had accepted a better offer. She was quite frustrated, as this had happened to her before.
The problem was that this agent sends out emails every time she gets a new listing, has a price reduction of a listing or gets her dog’s toe nails trimmed. She was a spammer, and either I had previously blocked her email address, or my email program targeted her and automatically blocked it for me.
Don’t be that agent. You’re better than that.
Jim Weix is a Broker Associate with The Keyes Company, Florida. He is best known as being the catalyst that brought about “MLS of Choice” nationally.
