Agent eNetworking - Effectiveness of Methods - Agents only please (RE agent, Realtor)
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I probably get several hundred unsolicited e-mails from other agents every week trying to market their listings. While I believe that, if a truly effective method could be found to market listings electronically to other agents (aside from the MLS, of course), it's a cost effective and potentially helpful method of getting information out about listings, in general I have to say that it's more of a nuisance than anything else.
I'm interested in everyone else's opinion. What "works" for you. What doesn't.
For me:
I am HIGHLY UNLIKELY to open an e-mail from one of the national e-flyer companies that sends out e-mails to all agents based on MLS or Realtor Board. (I also find that most agents are not very good at writing subject lines that will improve click-thru ratio.) Atlanta is a HUGE market and most agents cover only a tiny portion of it. But these e-mails don't discriminate based on zip code or any other method that might narrow down the list of recipients. Therefore, we are constantly bombarded with listings that are completely irrelevant to our business.
I am also UNLIKELY to open a flyer from a known colleague UNLESS it has a subject line that specifies a property in an area I'm currently looking. If they can't be bothered to add a relevant subject line, then I'm not wasting my time.
I am HIGHLY UNLIKELY to open an e-vite type invitation (I actually NEVER open these) to an open house or caravan even if it is from a known colleague or association in my own brokerage. I think these are a huge mistake on the part of agents. Even if there weren't tons of malware out there masquerading as e-vites, it's a tremendous hassle to deal with these just be invited to a stupid wine and cheese open house.
The thing that's most likely to induce me to open one of these e-mails is a relevant subject line that includes the neighborhood, #BR/#BA and price of the listing. If it's an area and price range in which I'm looking, I might look at the flyer. If it's not, it goes straight to trash.
All in all, I don't find current methods of marketing to agents by e-mail to be very effective. I will still send out e-mail flyers to agents in my own sphere of influence but I make sure that it's a highly informative flyer and has a very specific subject line so that they know up front what it's about.
I don't mind getting the emails promoting a property as long as the home is in the geographic market I work. What I don't like is getting emails about homes in Gwinnett County, Stockbridge or some other far-removed suburb. I've also used email as a means of keeping listings in front of agents. It gets back to the same reasoning that consumer product companies have used for years - repetition is necessary to keep any product or service active in the mind of your target audience.
What he said, but ALL Vflyers, etc, go to "Junk."
Too slow to load.
Too many photos.
Too much trash and not enough quick information on the property.
I'm afraid I will block senders who send spam, and then one day have business with a vflyer spammer and all their emails go to "Junk."
When I was developing a class on e-mail marketing for my office I spent a lot of time looking at the various different agent e-mail flyers out there. Some of the "national" vflyer-type products are actually very good, very effective flyers -- if only it weren't for the fact that we're drowning in flyers that are completely irrelevant to our own business.
If those vflyer companies could come up with much more precise mailing lists, I actually think it could be effective.
For instance, if there was an opt-in list that focused on individual zip codes. I certainly wouldn't mind seeing well-designed vflyers for all the new listings in my target market. It's just the fact that I get flyers from agents a hundred miles away who happen to belong to my MLS that's so maddening.
Location: Danbury CT covering all of Fairfield County
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Today, I got in the mail an envelope from an agent I don't know in my area with flyers of each of her listings as did everyone in my office. I glanced at it for a second and then tossed them.
When I was developing a class on e-mail marketing for my office I spent a lot of time looking at the various different agent e-mail flyers out there. Some of the "national" vflyer-type products are actually very good, very effective flyers -- if only it weren't for the fact that we're drowning in flyers that are completely irrelevant to our own business.
If those vflyer companies could come up with much more precise mailing lists, I actually think it could be effective.
For instance, if there was an opt-in list that focused on individual zip codes. I certainly wouldn't mind seeing well-designed vflyers for all the new listings in my target market. It's just the fact that I get flyers from agents a hundred miles away who happen to belong to my MLS that's so maddening.
I don't disagree with you. Lots of good stuff is hurt by stupid abuse.
I just don't care to cope with volumes of what has turned into spam.
Thats why I have my mls access, I dont need emails from other agents. We can all get instant notification when something we need comes on the market, just my opinion. I think it's a waste of money $$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
I actually check them out.
There are a couple of agents who do send me things that catch my attention.
The ones that are out of my area are ditched. The ones that catch my attention I take the time to look in my mls to see if it suits anyone that I'm working with. For me, it's so much easier than going on a caravan.
I use them sparingly to overcome shortcomings in our local FMLS. Most of the homes I sell are far too complex, or have too many features, to describe adequately in the limited space the mls allows. And without the additional information, how are agents going to know what makes the house unique? I sold a $5.2 million house last year where I had a 30+ page brochure. The buyers read it very closely. Their agent never looked at it. She was also the same agent who forgot that her client was to receive a $100,000 credit at closing. And to think she made $156,000 on that deal (before her broker split)
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