Email has been proven to be a tremendously powerful real estate marketing tool. In fact, it’s the No. 1 way people share content with their friends and family members. Additionally, this 2012 survey shows 77 percent of consumers want to receive emails from companies they have an interest in.
In this article, I’ll go through four great real estate email marketing ideas to help you generate new leads, convert those leads into clients, customize your marketing to fit your brand, and stay “top of mind” with your entire database.
1. Provide value with an e-newsletter
A monthly real estate newsletter filled with useful and interesting articles for homeowners will help you stay in touch with your database, continue to provide value to past clients over time and position yourself as an expert in your industry. The content of the newsletter shouldn’t be promotional in nature but instead contain helpful tips and ideas for homeowners. If you don’t have time to write and design an e-newsletter, be sure to choose a customer relationship management (CRM) platform that comes with one preloaded and relevant to your business. You’ll likely be pleasantly surprised at how many replies you’ll get!
2. Send Just Listed and Just Sold e-cards and e-fliers
A whole lot of agents are not doing this, but if you’re careful about who you’re sending your Just Listed and Just Sold e-fliers to, they can be extremely valuable in getting some motivated leads.
If you know that certain people in your database are likely to be interested in a certain area, next time you get a listing or sell a home in that area, let them know about it.
Then, look at who opened your email and how many times they opened it and clicked on its links. You may find that certain people have read your email multiple times, clicked on the hyperlinks and even forwarded it to someone else. If this is the case, be sure to give these leads a call, as they’re potentially very hot!
3. Assign every new lead to a drip marketing plan
Whenever you get a new lead, be sure to assign it to a drip marketing campaign in your CRM immediately. Effective drip campaigns include a mix of emails that are sent automatically and periodic prompts to make keep-in-touch phone calls. And remember, with drip marketing, it’s not a “one size fits all” approach. Each campaign should be tailored to the individual prospect type, such as a first-time buyer, FSBO, seller and so forth.
Automating your lead nurturing with drip marketing frees up a lot of time, and ensures no lead falls through the cracks.
4. Send special offers
What can you offer to prospects and past clients that they’d be interested in? Perhaps a free home value consultation, a market overview, or recent solds in their area? Every so often, send out an email with a special offer and instructions on how people can take advantage of it. Email offers are a great way to get some new leads and sales.
I hope these ideas will help you take your marketing and keep-in-touch efforts to the next level. All are easy to start doing right away. With the right technology in place, all of these email marketing techniques are easy to master.
Matthew Collis is the marketing manager at IXACT Contact, a real estate contact management and marketing system that helps Realtors keep in touch with past clients, and stay organized and in control.
