Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Tips for Real Estate Marketing Newsletters

What's happening on your real estate beat? Did you make a note of it? Great! It's another excellent idea for your newsletter.

A real estate marketing newsletter is an opportunity for you to be in regular contact with past and current clients, and introduce yourself to future clients. But for your newsletters to be a valuable marketing tool, they have to serve a purpose for your readership. Let's look at some strategies for your newsletter.

Supporting your marketing campaign

Real estate marketing specialists recommend that you have a clear strategy for your newsletter marketing campaign before you start writing.

    Target market - identify who you are trying to stay in contact with. One newsletter can't serve many markets.

  •         First-time buyers
  •         Retirees
  •         Investment buyers

    Paper vs email - your format decision may be determined by your budget. Both paper and email newsletters have their merits and challenges:

        Paper newsletters are a tangible item that can impress readers with their physical presence. They can be shared with others, left in waiting rooms, and given out at client meetings. They also are expensive to produce.
        Email newsletters are less expensive and less formal. Many people disregard email newsletters that are poorly designed or arrive with spam-like frequency.

This is a budget-friendly option for communicating with clients but you should consider what clients will best be served with this format.

NOTE: Be cautious about forwarding e-newsletters by PDF attachment. Many email recipients are particularly cautious of PDF downloads, and rightly so.

Attention-grabbing content

Your mission is to provide content that is engaging to your readership. But when writing a regular newsletter, it can be difficult to keep coming up with fresh ideas.

  •     Topical interest - write about what interests your clients. Your email may also provide excellent subject lines and topic material.
  •     Customize-include local topics like area schools' high state exams results, new business and shop openings.
  •     Real estate news - include the latest data on interest rate trends, home values, neighborhood statistics.
  •     Listing posts - include a few listings that would be of interest to your prospects. Be sure to include a link of the listings back to your website.
  •     Tips - offer some help tips like simple projects that can boost curb appeal, keep the drains clean, etc.
  •     For fun - include a simple game or puzzle, a cartoon or short article to personalize your newsletter.
  •     CAT - a call to action should be included to invite readers to contact you for some reason like a free home value consultation, comment on your newsletter, or to watch a video on your website.

Effective value

This newsletter is from you but it isn't about you. It should be:

  •     Informative, something your readers will look forward to reading with every new edition.
  •     Attractively and professionally presented.
  •     Easy to read and in a friendly and conversational tone, as if you were speaking directly to your readers.
  •     Proof read for correct spelling, grammar, and punctuation.

Now, start collecting your next newsletter content!

No comments:

Post a Comment