In theory, technology is designed to make our lives easier, whether it’s having a computer in your pocket at all times, a car with a steering wheel that vibrates when you’re veering out of your lane or a piece of software that is designed to help you stay organized.
The options are limitless. It’s difficult to know what features you actually need and which are gimmicks. This is the time to pull back and ask the question, “What is my goal?”
A successful career in real estate is dependent on the relationships you have with your clients. The agents searching only for the next deal are not going to be in the business for long if they’re not nurturing the relationships with past clients.
What part of your real estate practice holds the most value? Your list of happy past clients. Email is the last broadcast channel available to reach everybody on your list and if you use it well, email will provide results and help you get value out of your database.
You may not associate cutting-edge technology with email marketing, but in the 11 years since I’ve been in the email business, things have changed drastically. Back in the good old days of 2008, your email probably looked like a website – multiple columns and a lot of text. Not only that, you could email almost whoever you wanted. Now, emails are shorter and slicker and you have to obey the Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation. Technology has changed how consumers use email and how targeted businesses can get.
Here are three ways to make better use of your email marketing:
Automation:
Assuming you’re using software like Constant Contact or Mailchimp, for years your clients have been telling you what they are interested in when they click on an article in your email. Today, depending on how much you want to segment your database, you can have the software automatically tag a contact or add them to a list when they click through to an article you’ve shared. Home renovations? Best dog parks? Live concerts? Being able to identify what people are interested in means you can make your emails much more targeted, which leads us to…
Personalization:
Chances are you work with a variety of clients and while they likely have a few things in common, they are not identical. Rather than send the same email to everybody, you can customize it. You don’t have to create different versions, just use software that has “dynamic content”. For instance, let’s say you have some clients who live in houses and some in condos. The clients who live in condos may be interested in an article on designing small spaces while the house owners may be interested in outdoor landscaping. Another example: if you have clients with children you can use the software to include a piece only to those people.
It’s worth going through your client list to identify some characteristics – it also can act as a reminder of who’s in your database and who you may want to contact.
Identify what your clients are interested in and then you can send out more specific emails to them, which leads to more people engaging with your emails, which ultimately leads to more business.
Video:
If you’re not using video in your marketing (both email and social) you risk being left behind. The good news is that it’s not too late. Whether it’s a DIY solution or a professional company working with you, video is ideal for conveying your personality, which is what you are ultimately selling. Get some tips at www.remonline.com/dont-like-how-you-look-on-camera-get-over-it.
A welcome video on your website, a quick tour of neighbourhood favourites or a personal tour of a new listing are all ways to leverage video. A great way to generate ideas for your own videos: check out the competition. Creep them on Facebook and Instagram and see what they are posting that is generating likes, shares and comments. Figure out your own style and work with it.
Mark Brodsky has been working with Realtors since 2008, producing monthly newsletters and social media management. Send him an email or visit his website.
