Email is still a powerful tool in the hands of today’s small and growing real estate investors and agents. Done right, it can be one of the most effective and high-return forms of marketing, lead generation and sales.
These seven tips will help even the greenest entrepreneurs and brokers leverage email for more conversions, sales and profit.
The Need For Email
Email marketing may not be as trendy as Facebook chatbots, in-store beacons or retargeting ads. Yet, it is as important as ever. Many consumers still aren’t big on social media, leaving email as one of the only ways to consistently and efficiently market to them.
The automation capabilities this medium provides also makes it one of the most affordable and high-return methods of connecting with new leads, generating repeat and referral business and developing strong brand loyalty. When used in tandem with other channels, both can see elevated marketing return on investment.
While they may be strong Instagrammers or direct mail users, many entrepreneurs and business owners are not strong email marketers yet. Here’s how to change that.
1. Subject Lines
Every successful email campaign relies on strong subject lines. An analysis of data conducted by iContact showed that 47% of email recipients opened their emails because of the subject line alone.
It doesn’t matter how great the content is inside your email if no one opens the message. The subject line is your key to open the door — think of it as your first impression.
Avoid sounding like all the spam emails you probably receive on a daily basis. Draft a dozen or two potential subject lines before committing. Or, split test in A/B batches or by using social media posts to test interest the week before.
2. Email Length
While blog and article content and even tweets seem to have grown longer over the past few years, effective emails may have become shorter. Long and short emails can work.
Just understand how short on attention everyone is today. A mix of lengths can be great for testing. Though some of the most notable marketers like Seth Godin are famous for their extremely short emails. I like to send both, and even some that look like I sent them from my iPhone.
Ideally, your emails should be long enough to spike interest and give recipients enough data to make a decision on if they want to hear more, and then link to your other online assets where you can nurture them through the sales funnel.
3. Targeting And Personalization
We all hate spam, yet email spam levels are currently surging to new heights. None of us have time to waste on incoming junk that doesn’t apply to us. So, be very sparing in blasting out the same message to your entire email list.
List segmentation has become very important. Even the most basic email services like Mailchimp enable businesses to create multiple lists based on different interests. More robust email solutions like Infusionsoft, which we use at my firm, enable users to leverage tags for list segmentation. This way, you can send targeted messages to prospects based on where they came from, their relationship with your brand and various other filters.
Attention is expensive to earn, and it's lost in an instant. Make sure every message is relevant to each recipient.
4. Frequency
One of the most confusing parts of email for those new to it is how frequently to send messages. There is no single right answer. The best method is to send as frequently as you can really offer true value. Don’t blast daily if it is just junk. For some, quarterly or monthly newsletters may be the best fit. For others, it is multiple times a day.
Consistency is even more important than volume. Ideally, prospects will be eagerly anticipating your emails at the same time, and they will miss them and worry about you if they don’t receive one. Depending on your budget and amount of quality content you can produce, send out your emails at the same times and train consumers to look out for them.
5. Mobile Email Templates
Today’s typical business is seeing around 50% of their traffic from mobile devices. I've observed mobile traffic well over the 50% margin when homebuyers are searching for new properties. This makes mobile-friendly email templates critical for looking great and empowering recipients to take action when receiving email on their mobile devices.
Note that even those who do not regularly use outbound email likely have an email account actively delivering alerts to new messages on their phones. The best services also help marketers model templates on their websites to provide a truly seamless experience from email through the shopping cart.
6. Track And Measure Results
You can only know if you are doing well and continue to improve your results if you measure and track your campaign performance. When it comes to email, you’ll be tracking three main metrics:
1. Open rates.
2. Click through rates.
3. Conversion rates.
Some services will also provide you a heat map report so that you can see which links received the most interest and action.
7. Constantly Building A Fresh List
The strength of your campaign results will rely heavily on your list. It doesn’t matter if you have a 50,000 strong list. You always have to be adding fresh contacts. Whether you are starting from zero or want to grow from medium to large, this can be achieved with several strategies:
• Regularly cleaning your database and CRM.
• Leasing or purchasing new lead lists in bulk.
• In-person networking.
• Funneling Facebook and Google users to your landing pages and opt-in magnets.
By consistently adapting to the changing email environment and trying new things, we've been able to increase results while staying ahead of the adoptive curve, which is critical for a successful real estate company. If you are not currently engaging in email marketing, start ASAP — and if you are already, start auditing your performance and tactics by reviewing the above winning tips.
Seven Winning Tips For Effective Real Estate Email Marketing curated from Forbes - Real Estate
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