Every marketing professional under the sun will tell you that real estate drip campaigns are one of the most efficient, effective, and powerful ways to take your leads from cold to closed.
Countless email marketing services have emerged charging real estate professionals hundreds or thousands of dollars per month to send out carefully-choreographed email drip campaigns.
In fact, many of you are paying for at least one of these services right now.
The truth is, it only takes a few moments to set up a free email service like SendInBlue (my favorite) and schedule it to send out the emails for you. What you are actually paying for with those expensive services is the content of the emails.
From an intriguing subject line, to a rousing call-to-action, a well-written email series is a powerful weapon you need in your arsenal.
Today, I'm sharing the seven real estate drip emails every real estate marketing powerhouse uses to take leads from cold to closed.
The Introduction Email
How often do you open emails from someone you don’t know?
Before you begin sending emails to anyone, I urge you very strongly to have their consent. Not only will it increase your open rate, but there are very strict laws that require you to have a recipient’s permission before sending out marketing emails. However, no matter who you send your initial email to, it will serve as the welcome mat for your email drip campaign.
In order to build an effective introduction real estate email, begin by asking yourself three essential questions:
Who are you?
Why are you emailing the recipient?
What value are you providing for them?
Now apply each of these questions to the content of your introduction email.
Here is an example of a strong introduction email:
Hi Becky Buyer,
I noticed you signed up to receive updates from my website about properties in the 12345 zip code. I’m so glad you did that because it is by far quickest way to receive up-to-date information on listings in that area. Since my website is refreshed every hour on the hour, you always get the inside scoop when a home that fits your preferences hits the market.
Over the past 9 years I have worked with buyers to help them find the perfect property that fits their needs. Buying a home is an exciting time in your life and I am here to help you navigate through the process. Below I have linked to one of my articles which will show you how to prepare to buy a home and how it is different this year over the others.
Read More: How to Prepare Yourself to Buy a Home in [city] This Year
Have a lovely day,
Angela Agent
Notice how the email addresses all three of the bullet points AND draws Becky Buyer back to the agent’s website? Her website is where she continues to offer value and keep Becky Buyer engaged in her property showcase while positioning herself as an expert in the local market. An introductory email should be doing all of those things.
Make sure that your introductory email is automatically sent anytime someone opts into your website or landing page(s).
Establishing Expectations Email
Now that you have introduced yourself and helped the recipient to become more acquainted with you, and what value you stand to offer them, it is time to set the expectations for the remainder of the campaign. Again, doing this will help to improve your open rates, as well as, your click-through rates during the campaign.
For this stage of the email drip campaign, you need to answer the following questions:
How frequently will we be in touch?
What more is there to accomplish?
What action needs to be taken now?
Reiterate the value that you offer
Here is an example of what an “Establishing Expectations” email should sound like:
Hi Becky,
I hope all is going well so far with your home search. As of now, you are set up to receive emails from my website when your preferred listings come on the market, but I will send along important market information as well that should help you with your search.
Are there any properties in particular that you are interested in taking a private tour of at this time? If so, I would be more than happy to set that up for you!
Continue Searching For Homes
Angela Agent
In this email, you are reminding the prospect why you are reaching out to them first and foremost so they don’t discount you as a stranger or spam. Then you close with a question to encourage them to respond, and a call-to-action in case the question doesn’t apply. This is what marketing super-genius Gary Vee calls a “jab-jab-hook”. By the way, if you aren’t familiar with Gary, you need to purchase his NY Times Best-selling book; you’re welcome in advance.
The Educational Content Email(s)
I want to make it clear that the educational content email can be sent more than once, as long as you are offering diversity in the value included within the emails. The purpose of this stage of a real estate email drip campaign, is to really drive home the unique value you offer. In other words, why they should hire you over your competition.
The best way to do this is to simply tie in the amazing content you already offer on your website’s blog. Here are some examples of the best types of content you can provide during this stage of the campaign:
• Mortgage advice
• Local neighborhood profiles
• Local market updates
• Fixer-upper tips and costs
• Real estate investment advice
• A free copy of your branded real estate book
Honestly, the potential ideas in this list could go on forever, but I think you get the gist. Just be sure that the content is original, relevant to your local market, and appeals to the prospect’s goals and interests.
Need help creating powerful, SEO-friendly real estate content that’s filled with action-packed value for your website? I’ve got you covered! Shoot me an email and let me know how I can help.
The Testimonial Email
Now we are cookin’ with peanut oil. By this point you have offered a good amount of value and started to build a relationship with your leads. But now it is time to take things to the next level and up your game even further with testimonials.
The testimonial email is where you prove that they need to work with YOU instead of any other agent. This is where you reinforce the value you bring to the table. Just be careful not to be too overbearing. Here are some Do’s and Don’ts to keep you on-track:
Do:
Create a story around the testimonial
Share testimonials that are recent
Relate the testimonial to the current local market climate
Use testimonials as a call-to-action
Don’t:
Only include the testimonials
Put a seller’s testimonial into a buyer’s email drip campaign
Use outdated or unrelated testimonials
The testimonial email is a stellar opportunity for you to dissolve any remaining doubts that your leads have about using you over every other agent vying for their business.
This is the moment where it becomes obvious to them that you are the best possible person to help them in their transaction when they are ready; whether that be now or two years down the line.
This is the moment where they start to realize they would be lucky to have you “the local expert” working with them, instead of the other way around.
The Connection Email
The fifth stage of a successful real estate email drip campaign is what I refer to as the connection point. This is the point where you get to know more about your leads and gather useful information to help you close the deal.
Hopefully, you have already spoken to your lead by this point, or at least know their contact info, preferences, etc.. If not, this is the time to assess where your value proposition needs to be.
How To Hire A Real Estate Content Writer | Sarah Layton | Real Estate Content Marketing Coach
How To Hire A Real Estate Content Writer | Sarah Layton | Real Estate Content Marketing Coach Hiring a real estate content or copy writer is the best way to grow your content library, business, website equity, and passive income.
From this point on, you need to be tailoring your message to be specific to your leads personal preferences and needs on another level. Again, you should be reinforcing the notion that you are trying to offer as much value as possible by including additional blog posts you have posted on your website that are relevant. Validate your offering by saying something like:
“Feel free to give me a call any time if you have any questions. In the meantime, here are two of my client’s favorite recent articles on buying a home. I hope you find them helpful too.”
The “Where Have You Been?” Email
There will be times when you still haven’t gotten a single iota of interaction or response from your leads at this point. That’s okay. It doesn’t mean you are dead in the water. You may be feeling frustrated, but it is essential to remain patient.
Try to remember that you are approaching your prospects at a time when they are vulnerable and in a very personal way. They have every right to feel apprehensive towards you. Keep in mind, that if they have not unsubscribed from the emails at this point, then you are still making positive progress. They are keeping you around for a reason.
Here are some suggestions to include in this email to help ignite a response:
- Invite them to a fun local event
- Remind them of the tools you have available on your site
- Include something inspirational and motivational
- Inquire as to whether they still want to hear from you moving forward
The Review Request Email
The seventh stage of a real estate email drip campaign is what is known as the review request.
This is one of the most exciting emails to send as an agent because it means you have closed the deal.
This is your chance to congratulate your client on their new home and remind them of the tremendous milestone that you just helped them achieve.
This is the moment where you ask them to share their perspective of the transaction and include specific details of how only you could make it possible.
5 Ways To Profit From Your Real Estate Content | Real Estate Marketing | Sarah Layton
Once you have invested the time or money to produce powerful real estate content you have to distribute it through the proper channels. Otherwise, it will just sit around collecting dust instead of collecting leads. Your content marketing strategy is just as important, if not more so, than the content itself.
As always, remember that you are not done with a client just because you have closed a transaction together.
The first closing is only the beginning of what will hopefully be a long-term relationship. Think of client relationships the way Weight Watchers think of diet and exercise; prospecting is a lifestyle rather than a yo-yo diet.
Important Takeaways...
In every email that you send throughout your real estate drip campaign, you need to make sure that you are doing all of the following:
Providing value
Making it easy for them to take action
- Making it about them. Otherwise, you will defeat the purpose of the entire campaign.
First, you have to earn your way into their inbox, then into their lives. By consistently providing your leads with value, they will grow gradually warmer and perceive you as the right agent for them.
Remember that they have the option to choose to work with hundreds, if not thousands, of other agents in your area. If you want them to choose you, you have to make them believe that you offer something specific to their needs that no other agent does.
