People may think that email marketing is dead with all the advances in technology and online resources to help digital marketers level up their game.
But that is not the case, email is still alive, kicking and giving digital marketers a good run for their money.
In the case of real estate, email marketing is still highly relevant and should never be neglected, as there are tools that are only available and accessible via email channels for instance email newsletters, autoresponders and behaviour-triggered emails just to name a few.
Studies have shown that these resources and capabilities continue to build trust and increase loyalty from clients and potential ones.
Email marketing is still in
For real estate agents who want to preserve professional relationships and build their client network, then email marketing is a great tool to help get the desired results.
So, investing energy, time and money into real estate email marketing is well worth it.
How does it work?
You might be wondering that since email has long been in the picture for decades, there surely would be a better alternative or innovation that could take its place?
Not exactly and here are some of the very important reasons why.
Establishes regular communication
An open communication channel is important between a real estate agent and a client because it effectively bridges that gap to help find solutions to common or complicated real estate problems.
That open communication line allows clients to get in touch with those who they can trust to answer and provide them with solutions.
Of course, it can work similarly to a phone line but with email marketing, agents can stay on top of mind through regular email newsletters that get sent out regularly, thus, enabling clients to think of those who stay in touch regularly every time something comes up.
With regular and personalised email sequences agents can efficiently send out the latest updates, news, announcements, open listings, etc.
Start with what is called a ‘welcome sequence’, which refers to any number of emails that are sent in regular and planned intervals to introduce an agent to potential clients and help establish a level of trust in their professional network.
The sequence of emails may occur once a day or within certain days of the week and studies have shown that compelling and well thought out content and catchy subject titles have an average 86 per cent open rate.
Always remember to plan your sequence of emails ahead so you can better prepare your content for your email newsletter or be able to apply modifications when there are updates or when a need arises.
Call to action strategies
You can customise your call to action (CTA) and time it accordingly when you want or need it. So, always be reminded to incorporate a CTA on your email content because it helps remind clients to take action.
There may be instances when your email may not be intended to make a sale, but the presence of a CTA provides an opportunity to engage your contacts or clients.
It can be an action to schedule a call, connect on one of your social networks such as Twitter or LinkedIn, provide answers to targeted questions, etc. Just remember to ensure that your CTA is relevant to your content and convenient.
Always stay relevant
Market data and reports are interesting and could attract more leads who are in considering selling or buying a house.
But do take note that such emails can be ignored or abandoned by those who have just sold or made a purchase, so make sure that your email marketing strategy is tailored for each type of reader or audience in your network- this is known as segmentation.
When segmenting your contacts, make sure to design your email campaigns and designate email contacts based on their respective stages in their real estate journey.
This can help get your relevant emails to reach their desired targets such as potential sellers, buyers, continuing clients, previous sellers or now homeowners.
Understanding the different email campaign types
In the real estate business, creating and sending out the right message to your client and audience is critical and should never be neglected or ignored.
It is important to understand and be able to know how and when to use these different strategies to help you get the most out of your email marketing campaign.
Targeted email campaigns
These is a campaign specific to a subset of leads you want to target. By segmenting your email campaign you will be able to determine which of your clients or leads will receive specific content types that are relevant, personalised and suited to their needs or preferences.
This may also be segmented by location, interest, demographic, etc.
Drip campaigns
These are the most common type of email campaigns where automated email sequences are triggered by a certain behaviour such as with those who visit your website, browse your listings or read your blog content.
Drip campaigns can be undertaken for long periods of time and can be updated based on market data, intelligence or market changes.
Cold campaigns
Not to be mistaken for drip campaigns, cold campaigns refer to marketing emails sent to those who did not intend or voluntarily join your email or subscriber list, as well as those who may not have even heard or known about you.
These are basically introductory emails intended for first or new home buyer leads, for sale by owner leads, or expired listing leads.
Just make sure to conduct due diligence before running one because your email marketing communication may be subject to local or state regulations on spam emails and such.
So, whether your targets are loyal clients or new ones, let email marketing help your real estate business the boost it deserves.