Your clients must be freaking out about their property values. I know I am.
So what are you, the real estate professional, doing about it?
I can tell you what the agent who sold me my residence is doing about it… nothing.
No phone calls. No analysis. Not even a postcard.
Oh, and by the way… nice job.
I know that postcards cost money. And besides, something this sensitive requires a more delicate touch than a postcard offers. You can make phone calls but I know that takes time. Besides, few folks answer them these days. And door knocking might not work for you.
So what can you do as an agent (or a brokerage company) — that won’t cost a dime, won’t zap your time, but will blow clients’ minds?
A new twist on an old killer app
Technology, at its best, saves time and money. Your email listing alert application is one of these technologies. Here is another way to use it to your advantage.
Brian has written plenty on email listing alerts. He’s offered several ways to use them to drive engagement. But what if you used your listing alert app to help past clients stay on top of the market and keep track of what their homes are currently worth? It could be quite useful in that regard, and as an ongoing reminder that their agent is on the job.
Try this:
- Sign up past clients to receive an alert (get their permission first).
- Set the criteria based on the location, price, bedroom, bath and square footage of the home they currently own.
- Submit.
Let your clients know they will periodically receive emails with lists of homes similar to theirs. Thus they can check the listings and compare homes on the market as a way to monitor increasing or decreasing value.
Yes, I know that for the most part values are falling. But for better or worse, this truth helps clients. For one thing, it levels their expectations by providing a better sense of the market. So in reality this is a simple market update — like a stock ticker sent from you, their agent.
The long term play here is when and if they ever do consider listing their home, they might, as a result of this feature, possess a deeper appreciation of the market and prices.
You almost certainly have this application on your Website — most likely as part of your IDX solution. Take a look at where it currently resides on your site. If it’s not on the home page, clearly defined with a list of benefits to the consumer, including the one I suggest here, maybe now would be a good time to bring it forward.
It won’t cost you a dime and it might just blow your clients’ minds.
– Davison
