So before we get started, let’s begin by addressing all the elephants in the room:
1. Print is dead
2. Newsletters don’t work
3. Led Zepplin is doing a reunion tour
Now I can tell you with complete certainty that 1 & 2 are ABSOLUTELY false. As for 3 … let’s just say anything is possible.
The fact I mentioned the effectiveness of print and newsletters in your real estate business should give you a good clue as to what the “One Tool” I referenced in the headline is … Yes, it’s a newsletter! WAIT … before you throw your hands in the air and tell me print-newsletters don’t work, they are ole-school, low tech etc., allow me to say this. YES they do work, and we know over 900 agents using them and having success. A newsletter is a tool, and like any tool… If you know how to use it great things can happen. When constructed and used strategically, it is a powerful tool that will retain clients, keep you top of mind, generate referrals, grow your database AND Make You Money … PERIOD!
What Constitutes A Great Newsletter?
1. The look – a lot of people cringe when they see it. It looks homemade, like something I put together in my office. Well, that is exactly why it works. A perfect, shiny, glossy, newsletter tells the reader you bought it and slapped your name on it. I get one of those from my financial advisor every month. I know he didn’t do anything to put it together. With SFL looking homemade, my readers assume I built it myself. Also, I always say, “people can’t relate to your perfection”. With the newsletter not looking perfect, my readers can relate to me and the newsletter more. Have someone else design your homemade looking newsletter and you do real estate!
2. Client appreciation – This is a section of your newsletter where you personally name people who referred you within the last month. These brings more referrals. People love to see their name in print! Client testimonials about working with you, work really well in this section as well.
3. Power of mail – It has taught me the power of mail. Email is so noisy. My inbox is always full- probably just like yours. Google actually now separates my email, so 99% of newsletters sent to me end up in my promotional tab and I don’t even see it. However, I see every piece of mail. So does my wife (who doesn’t see any of my emails).
4. Content – I also love that most of the content is not about real estate. Over my 25 years of being a REALTOR® I have learned most people don’t care about real estate as much as we do. I love when there is real estate sprinkled in throughout the newsletter but it doesn’t overdo it.
5. The call-to-actions and special reports that come with the newsletter.
6. Sponsorship – With so much space in the newsletter I am able to leave room for sponsorship. This helps cover my cost and give other local business a space to advertise. It’s become a win-win.
7. Evidence Of Success – Listings posts asking for clients help to find a buyer for your clients home or sales message of gratitude for the pleasure of helping great people. Promoting buying opportunities of some the of the market areas best buys.
How To Use It Effectively?
1. Mail – direct mail to your relationships – these are people you have already done business with, who you have a relationship with, who know, like and trust you.
2. Mail – direct mail not unaddressed ad-mail to a specific target of homes, a farm area that you are working on a regular basis
3. Email – no cost to email an HTML version of your newsletter to your relationships. Can be done in less than a minute!
4. Post – to your website to help drive people there and use as a lead magnet. Have a lead capture subscription sign up area.
5. Post – to Facebook and various social media networks – this is easily done using our platform
6. Insert – into your info listing tubes or info boxes that accompany your “For Sale” sign
7. Insert – Pre-listing package/Buyer Qualifying packages
8. Insert – Local publications like your community newspaper inserts to help you become a “household name” in your area
9. Place – public areas like doctor/dentist offices, local shops, local mechanic, drycleaner, coffee shops – anywhere where you have a captive audience that is waiting on an appointment
10. Hand Out – in person at open houses, door knocking, mall kiosk, floor duty, local events – instantly help to establish rapport and capture new leads
Those were proven and tested methods Our Clients have submitted to us that swear by and I’m willing to wager, they will work for you too. Print is alive and well. Newsletters “Do” capture leads, keep you top of mind, and generate new leads. We don’t personally get any mail or print material of value so when they do, we know it is getting opened and read. Now it’s time for you to see for yourself. Feel free to comment below any newsletter nuggets you use that get you great feedback from your clients.
Strength and courage,
Wade
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