by Rich Schiffer, e-PRO
(This article is part of a training series presented for real estate professionals, whether new to the industry or experienced, to help them discover, understand, and benefit from the tools that are available on-line. For access to the full series, join the ActiveRain Technology Toolkit Training group. If you have not yet joined the ActiveRain Real Estate Network, you may do so here.)
This training series intends to help real estate agents understand the tools available on-line to help them market their business using cost-effective methods, to increase the return on investment (ROI) of marketing budgets. This particular article contains an introduction to several online services that can help a real estate agent follow-up with and provide additional value to their clients and prospects, at minimal or even no cost to the agent. Read on for details...
A successful follow-up campaign will target your audience with a message that is relevant to their needs. Many top-producing agents utilize an e-mail "drip" campaign to keep in contact with their clients and prospective clients. Think of a dripping faucet...steady...regular...a contstant reminder to call the plumber. The concept is similar -- using email, you steadily, regularly, leak little bits of information to your contacts, constantly reminding them to call you when they (or their family and friends!) need a real estate professional.
"Statistics show that 80% of people purchase after the 5th contact yet 90% of sales people give up after the 2nd contact ... they're wasting thousands of dollars in sales opportunities." - SmallBusinessNews
Problem: Targeted e-mail campaigns can be time-consuming - writing content that is relevant, timely and interesting to your contacts can conceivably take up valuable time you could otherwise spend doing what you ultimately get paid to do: buying and selling real estate.
Solution: Use a "Virtual Assistant. (VA)" One of the trends examined in The Swanepoel Real Estate Trends Report (an annual report on residential real estate trends) talks about how Realtors are using Virtual Assistants to aid them with such tasks as "Staying in Touch" with clients, prospects, and leads.
Problem: Virtual Assistants can be costly. (In my experience, VAs have charged $45 to $60 per hour.)
Solution: There are several online systems that offer automated, customizable email campaigns at affordable prices. Within a very short time, you can set up any of these systems to automatically follow up with your contacts, so you never have to worry about letting someone "slip through the cracks." (If you want to save yourself even more of your time, and money is not a concern, you can always pay a VA to do the setup for you!)
Here are 2 Drip Email systems you can use:
For some agents (especially those new to the business, or those struggling in tight markets) even that level monthly expense might be tough to manage. There is a solution for that, as well - a free, co-branded system provided by Lowe's.
The Lowe's Realtor Benefits Program - created in partnership with the National Association of Realtors (NAR) - provides several great ways for you to keep in touch with your clients:
- Free Direct Mail - Lowe's will send a 10% coupon to your clients, complete with your own message, logo, picture, and contact information.
- HGTV E-Mail / Video Library - an email sent to your clients, (with your personalized message, logo, picture, and contact information) directing them to a free online video library full of helpful hints and tips for homeowners, along with an exclusive 10% discount coupon to be used at their local Lowe's home improvement store.
- Monthly E-Mail Newsletter - this is an automatic monthly email that contains your with your own logo, picture, and contact information, along with tips on selling, buying and moving, information to educate your clients about innovative home products and projects around the home that yield a high return, important home maintenance tips, as well as periodic Project Starter Coupons for special savings at Lowe's. Each newsletter includes a link for clients to contact you directly via your e-mail.
- In addition to these automated follow up programs, The Lowe's Realtor Benefits Program also offers Discounted Gift Cards - if you are a member of NAR, you can purchase Lowe's gift cards at a 5% discount (a $50 gift card as a closing gift, for example, would cost you $47.50)
It is important to remember, though, that even the greatest email follow-up campaign must be integrated with your traditional methods - phone calls, and face-to-face conversations.
"Technology will not replace agents. Agents with technology will replace those without it."
As with any other technology-based tool, these are designed to make your job easier, not do your job for you. You still need to be able to fulfill the consumers' expectations when they are ready to move to the next step. Your relationship with them still needs to be nurtured with a personal touch in order to foster their repeat and referral business. In other words, you need to respect your clients as people, not just as email addresses.
Rich Schiffer is a Licensed Real Estate Agent, a REALTOR, a certified e-PRO, and a private consultant for real estate agents that need help catching up with today's technology. Additional Technology ToolKit Training is also available in an Active Rain Group by that name. Check it out.
