Auto-responders and Real Estate Marketing
Autoresponders! You've probably heard of them, but do you know how effective they are as lead generators?
Respectfully, probably not! And I say this because many real estate agents have yet to fully embrace email marketing as a primary strategy to generate leads and boost sales.
Succinctly, autoresponders can help you get more leads that convert to listings and sales.
So, What Exactly is An Auto-responder?
An autoresponder is a program that automatically generates a set response to all messages sent to a particular email address. As their name suggests, they provide automatic replies to incoming messages; 24 hours a day - seven days a week - and 365 days a year.
With an auto-responder, you can set up email messages once but benefit from them until you program it to stop.
Testimony of An Auto-responder Marketer
I've been using autoresponders in my online real estate businesses since November 2004. And during that time, my email subscriber list hovered on average at just shy of 4,000 subscribers.
I went from enrolling a few subscribers monthly in December 2004 to hundreds per month during my most successful period of email marketing for leads.
Admittedly, there are faster-growing lists than mine, but slow and steady has proven to be more enduring than a take-the-money-and-run approach! Case in point; I'm still in business while some of my competitors aren't.
Unlike You, Autoresponders Never Sleep
Imagine this! It's 2:00 AM, and you're fast asleep. But your auto-responder, like the good virtual secretary it is, is on standby and ready to respond to requests for information.
At 2:13 AM, you receive a request for a copy of a free report that you're offering to first-time home buyers. And in the blink of an eye, your autoresponder emailed the requested information. Meanwhile, you remain steadfastly asleep!
Congratulations! Not only did you get a lead, but you secured the best one possible–somebody contacting you for information. And they gave you the information you need to follow up and make a sale.
Practical Use of Auto Responders
It can take up to 7 times to contact someone before they do business with you.
Still, many agents are applying old selling practices to a fast-paced society without any automation; no website, no autoresponder, no nothing! It's a game they can't win and may soon be out of business because of it!
On the other hand, you are reading this article and preparing to transition to this enhanced way of doing business.
Three Ways To Generate Leads with Autoresponders
One. Target Renters
Let's say you want to target first-time home buyers living in high-end apartment complexes, and your theme is "buy for the same as rent."
Would renters paying $1,800 to $2,500 per month be interested in buying homes if the mortgage payments were the same as their rent payments? Yes? I think so, too! Here's how you can generate leads.
- Identify an apartment complex that you'd like to source leads from
- Create a flyer, letter, or postcard featuring a home you want to sell. If you don't have a listing but work in an office with other agents, get permission to advertise one of theirs
- Finally, mail the adverts to occupants residing in an apartment complex of your choosing.
Two. Target Buyers
Create one or more special reports to be delivered in a series of 7 emails over seven days or a time and sequence of your choice. A Special Report could be a series of articles that look something like these;
- First Report: Ten "No-No's" for The Home Buyer
- Second Report: Ten Tips for The First Time Home Buyer
- Third Report: Ten Common Mistakes People Make When Buying A Home
- Fourth Report: FHA Loans: What Are They And Do You Qualify?
- Fifth Report: Title Insurance: Do You Need It? What Is It?
- Sixth Report: Everything But The Kitchen Sink: What Stays And What Goes. The Importance of A Contract \
- Seventh Report: Interest-Only Loans versus A Traditional Loan: What Is The Difference?
You can find these and other prewritten articles and reports here. Branding them with your personal information will generate the best results.
Three. Target Sellers and Investors Too
Take the same idea above, apply it to newspaper ads, and vary the theme to target buyers, sellers or investors. There are prewritten reports available for them, too.
Specifically, look in your real estate classified ads section for ads similar to the one described above. My bet is you will find a few of them! Why? Because many agents are still marketing real estate the old-fashioned way. Specifically, they advertise listings almost to the exclusion of getting buyer leads first!
Here's How Easy It Is To Get Started
Auto-responders are affordable, ranging from FREE Trials to $20.00 or so a month. And a FREE Trial is a great way to learn what they can do. I've been using GetResponse since 2004; I started with a Free Trial and upgraded to a paid plan once I experienced the power and success of using one.
Of course, other companies offer Free Trial Services, too. Some of the more notable ones include
- Aweber
- ActiveCampaign
- Campaigner
- Email Octopus
- Hubspot
- Mailchimp
- Mailerlite
- Mailmunch
- Moosend
- Sendinblue
More important than which company you use right now is getting started. You can try several to see which one you like the best before deciding on one to go with for the long haul.
Now, Let's Get Ready to
Dominate Your Market With Auto-responders
Are you ready to take lead generation to another level? Then get yourself an autoresponder. With one, you can get more leads starting today! All that's left now is to do it! Happy Prospecting!
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