As a real estate professional, do you struggle with converting internet leads? Many agents are used to working with referrals or directly with people we know instead of working internet leads. But 44 percent of people start their real estate search online. If you’re not working your digital leads, you’re leaving money on the table. Real estate marketing emails are a low-cost way to work those leads. Email is an essential piece of real estate marketing. Here are the dos and don’ts of this important marketing tool:
Dos
Offer Something of Value
The first rule of email marketing is to offer something helpful without strings attached. You don’t want your audience to tune out your messages or send your emails to their spam box. So give them something valuable every time, and they’ll look forward to receiving your emails.
Allow Clients to Self-select
When converting internet leads, the goal is to work smarter not harder. Don’t waste time on unqualified leads, but instead your efforts should be spent on converting leads who are serious about wanting your help. Your real estate marketing emails should explain the benefits of working with you without being overbearing. If you avoid being pushy, your potential clients will come to you for your expertise when they’re ready to move forward in the home buying or selling process.
To encourage leads to self-select, each email should have an explanation of your value, followed by a call to action. Your call to action should include short, action-oriented language that pushes the prospective client to reach out directly, make an appointment, or send you more information about their situation, whenever they’re ready to move forward.
Collect Data From Your Real Estate Marketing Emails
Nearly every email marketing platform allows you to track whether your emails are being opened, clicked on, or deleted. Be sure you’re checking this information. It’ll give you important insight into what makes your emails successful. If you’re getting lots of opens on your emails, you’re doing something right, so keep up the good work. If most people aren’t reading your emails, you need to change something.
Be Personal
As a real estate professional, everything you do should be to build stronger relationships with clients and potential clients. Emails are part of that! This means your emails must be personal. Avoid sounding dull and automated. Your emails should make your readers feel more connected to you.
Your audience sees the subject line first, which means that this is the most important piece of the email for personalization. In fact, emails that include recipient names in the subject line are opened 29 percent more often. Most email platforms allow you to include first names in subject lines, even if you’re sending the email to multiple people.
Don’ts
Don’t Delay Your Real Estate Marketing Emails
Timing is important when it comes to converting internet leads. Once you get email contact info from a lead, reach out right away. It’s likely that your leads have also seen other options on the internet. It’s also likely that other agents will be slow to reach out. If you reach out quickly, you’ll beat out the majority of the competition.
Don’t Be Like Everyone Else
Email inboxes have a tendency to get overcrowded. Most people tune out the majority of marketing emails. That’s why it’s important to stand out from the crowd. Your emails have to be different from all the other marketing emails. Show your audience early on why they should keep opening your real estate marketing emails.
Don’t Forget the Seven-day Indoctrination Series
We have a tried and true system for introducing internet leads to you and your team. It’s called the Seven-day Indoctrination Power Emails, but sometimes we call it the indoctrination series because you’ll indoctrinate your leads with valuable information. This information will show you how much of a benefit you are to your clients. The Seven-day series should cover the following topics:
- Introductions — Explain who you are and ask the lead where they are in the buying/selling process.
- Testimonials from Raving Fans — Let clients explain what makes you so great.
- Neighborhood Information — Share some info about the recently sold properties in the area.
- Schools and Community Information — Provide info on the nearby schools and community.
- Useful Downloads — Include neighborhood reports, info on lenders, and other resources that a homebuyer or seller would find helpful.
- Request for Referrals — If there’s no interest yet, ask if the lead knows anyone who could use your services. Hopefully, you’ll have explained your value by this point.
- Thank You — Thank them for their time and explain how they can get in touch in the future.
After seven days of learning about you, if your internet leads are ready to move forward, they’ll let you know. If not, you’ll know they’re not a good prospect. Without significantly increasing the amount of time you’re spending prospecting, this process will increase the number and quality of your leads.
There’s no need to reinvent the wheel. Rather than writing your own emails for the Seven-day Indoctrination Series, you can access full scripts as part of our training program BAM — Buyer Agent Mastery. If you want to learn about our training programs or learn more about converting internet leads by optimizing your real estate marketing email strategy, schedule a free consultation with a Workman Success Systems business analyst.
