Do you have an email marketing list? Yes, great read on.
Infact, even if you don’t, definitely read on.
You’re not going to want to gloss over this blog on how to win business through emails.
When your customers receive an email from you, how do you want them to feel?
Whilst you’re pondering that, let me give you an example of some Email Nurturing that I am receiving from my local gym.
Yes, even though I know what they are doing, they’ve got me raving about their service.
Every few weeks I get an update from a personal trainer, note I don’t have a personal trainer. I suspect that they are trying to get me to sign up to one of those body changing intensive programmes where I pay someone to shout at me to do things I don’t want to do.
This personal trainer is ‘talking’ to me in these emails, it’s as if he knows what my goals are for wanting to join the gym and how he knows I’ll do anything to avoid the free weights area.
So what does he do? Sends a list of “Best exercise machines in the gym to get lean” and “Beginners exercises using free -weights”
What’s so special and kind of spooky about these emails – is that they are personalised to me.
And with all that helpful advice, he’s letting me know what his working shift patterns are, should I want to ask him any questions face to face.
How do you think I feel?
Motivated! and I will probably do an extra gym session this week and see that personal trainer about getting that six pack….
Going back to how you want your customers to feel. You want them to know you are the experts and should they need an Estate Agent, that it is you that they will come to.
Why and how you should use emails to nurture homeowners
You’re not going to win every customer that makes an enquiry.
We all know the thousand and one factors that come into play when making a decision about moving home. So much of that is out of your control.
Do what is in your control. And that’s to provide an interesting, helpful series of emails that makes your future customers want to know more about you as an Estate Agency.
Here are the benefits of having an email nurture series and the key things to think about when setting up an email campaign.
It’s a regular touch point with your future customers
I’m sure you are familiar with this scenario, you sign up to an email mailing list, for something that you are interested in, then what happens? You never hear from them again!
What happens then? You forget about them!
If you have customers signing up to receive emails from you and you don’t send them a follow up, this is pretty bad news for you.
You have potentially lost out on a customer or two or several, based on the fact that people always recommend a good service.
Now if someone has gone to the effort of signing up to your email list – email them! And you want to keep them interested in your service.
It will (if done well) lead to conversions
By doing it well, I mean, think about who is reading it and stay focused on what they might want.
Don’t just try to push a certain house, because it’s been on the market longer than the boss would like.
They get to find out about you
Behind every Estate Agent, there is a person that is interested and cares about it’s future customers. Show this in your emails.
You can earn trust and become the fountain of knowledge
Have you found out some local news that your future customers would be interested in? Tell them.
Be in the know and they will want to know you.
It will bring more traffic to your website
And isn’t this what you want as an Estate Agent? Your website will be working harder for you.
More people coming to your website, is of course more people viewing what properties you have available and any other services you are providing.
They’ll even hang around and read your blog. You are doing that blog right?
Can you email too much?
Think of it as a courtship.
Too much and you risk putting your beau off and too little and they will most likely forget about you or move you to the junk folder…
Have you ever had an email from a company from what has felt out of the blue? And when you’ve asked “how did you get my details?” they remind you that you signed up to a mailing further back than your memory will go.
A good compromise is fortnightly or monthly. If this feels too much, remember they may not see or read every one (sorry if that’s a bit of a shock) so to remain in their minds, consistency is key.
I know you’re probably thinking what if they unsubscribe because they are seeing me in their inbox too much – good that’s what you want!
Why would you want people on your list who are never going to be interested in your service?
Exactly, let them go, there’s plenty more fish in the sea.
What should you be saying in emails?
So this next point might sound as if I am contradicting everything that I have said up until this point… but this is important so bear with me whilst I explain.
You don’t want to be all salesly in your emails
You have an audience right there, reading stuff that you have spent longer than you intended on preparing and so why wouldn’t you tell them about all the amazing services that you offer?
In short, people just aren’t going to like you straight away, just in courtship, you’ve got to show them, give them some love and they are likely to love you back.
Obviously, that love is communicated in the form of a new instruction.
To build the trust and credibility that I spoke about earlier, you need to show you care about them.
You wouldn’t go up to someone and ask them to be your partner would you? No, you would take the time to get to know them, show them what you’re about, the things that you are prepared to do for them.
Then when the time is right, way down the Email Nurture journey you ask them if they would like to have a chat about your services, or invite them into your offices.
So what should you include in your drip email templates? Here’s some ideas;
The very first email will be a warm welcome
You will be letting them know how frequently you will be in touch with them and the types of things you will be sharing.
Solve a problem for them
We’ve all felt like Jay-Z at some point with 99 problems that we want someone to solve.
Say someone has enquired about selling their home with you.
They didn’t take it any further.
So let them know that you talk to customers in their position all the time. You get them. You get that life circumstances change. But you are here for them if and when they might need you in the future.
Tell them about former customers that you have sold homes for
Your future customers need to know that you are winning business. You know the whole social proof, we do what other people do.
But let your former customers do the talking.
Are you collecting customer testimonials? If not, why not?!
You will have customers that are oozing with gratitude for you having sold their home or helped them move into a home of their dreams, this is the place to showcase that positive feedback.
Add a P.s!
Did you know that a P.S is a tried and tested marketing technique that never fails to get attention?
If busy customers only read a couple of lines of your email, one is likely to be the PS – make it strong and they’ll remember it or even go back over the rest of the email.
Have content ready
Always have at least 3 emails in the pipeline, written and ready to go.
You want this process to be as automated as it can be.
This way you aren’t having to scratch around for something to write only to let something more urgent take its place.
And low and behold before you know it, the emails have been forgotten and those prospective customers who were enjoying your emails have now instructed a competitor to sell their home.
I don’t have time. I can hear you saying!
I get it, because we know where your priorities are – getting new instructions or servicing the clients that you do have.
But what if you knew this was the proven way to bring in those much needed leads?
The key is not to over – commit to your Email Nurture journey.
Know your capacity, make sure it is someone’s responsibility to get it done and out the door. If you aren’t able to do this, I suggest you hire some help in.
Make them pretty looking
We’re all attracted to things that look nice.
Make the emails easier on the eye, with some fun related images, spaced out content, with quotes and testimonials.
Let Agent Extra take the stress away
If you are already a client you’ll know the great success that we are having on your behalf with our Email Nurture for your future leads.
If we haven’t yet had the pleasure and would like to know how we can help your Estate Agency, let’s schedule a free call. I’d love to have a chat with you.
Do keep visiting my blog, I’m always writing cool stuff on how you can grow your Estate Agency.
