Posts Tagged ‘email content’

5 Tips for Writing the Best Email Headlines Ever

Posted on: June 21st, 2017 by Tim Garcia

by Andy Coffaro

PropertyMinderMarketing

 

You’re probably aware that one of the best ways to nurture your leads is through engaging, compelling, and enlightening email newsletters. There are best practices you should employ when sending them out, including using fun and casual language and providing one-click unsubscribe links at the bottom.

There’s only one major problem here: If your leads never open your email in the first place, then all the best practices in the world won’t matter.

The bottom line is this: When it comes to email marketing, there is nothing more important than the subject line.

A bad email subject line is like a busted doorknob. There might be all kinds of awesomeness on the other side, but it’s irrelevant if the door is never opened.

To make sure your leads walk through that door and open your emails, here are five tips and best practices you can start using today.

Remember this: More email opens equals more customers taking action, which equals a better ROI.

It’s a Mobile-First World So Keep it Short

Just how there’s a high likelihood you open emails on your phone or tablet, so too are your leads. This is even truer on the weekends when they’re likely using mobile devices while out looking at homes.

Recent studies have shown that 40% of emails are opened first on mobile devices. This is why you’ll want to use short email subject lines, otherwise it’ll get cut off on your lead’s mobile device and won’t make sense.

The basic rule of thumb is to use 50 characters or fewer. I personally use this free character count tool to make sure I don’t go over the 50-character mark.

 

Get Personal

Everyone likes hearing the sound of her or his own name when it comes to marketing, so why not use that to your advantage?

In the same way you might use the first names of your homebuyers and sellers to help build rapport in person, plug the name(s) of your lead(s) into email subject lines to attain more opens.

 

8 is Great, but 7 is Heaven

Have you ever noticed that the email subject lines you get or articles you read online often have an odd number in them? We’re talking things like “7 Ways to Lose That Gut” or “5 Wedding Locations That Won’t Break the Bank.”

Turns out the use of odd numbers that employ numerals (i.e. “7” versus “seven”) make it easier for humans to remember the items in that list.

There’s a ton of psychology behind this theory, and we bet you’ll start to notice this strategy when you read content online from now on.

It works. So make it work for you.

 

Tell Them What’s on the Other Side of the Door

Let’s think about our door analogy again.

Imagine knowing that on the other side of a door is a pot of gold, or a puppy, or a hammock and ice-cold cocktail.

Now what if you had zero clues as to what was on the other side? Would you be as compelled to turn that knob clockwise?

You have to give you leads something to get excited about, and your email subject line is the perfect place to do it.

Have a new and exciting promotion coming up? Tease it. Is there a new home on the market where previously inventory had been a ghost town? Let them know. Simply trying to wish a lead a happy birthday? Say so in the subject line.

Be direct, use concise language, and most importantly give your leads a reason to walk through that door to see what’s on the other side.

 

A/B Split Testing

Now that you’re using the four tips listed above, how do you know what is and isn’t working? How can you tell if email subject lines of 30 characters works better than 50? Do your readers enjoy emails that give them a comprehensive list of 11 tips, or do they prefer something a bit more digestible like 5 best practices?

There’s only one way to find out: A/B split testing.

If you aren’t familiar with A/B split testing, it’s actually really simple. Let’s say your email list has 1,000 leads in it. You write a first email subject line (A) using best practices, and then an additional one (B). These can be vastly different, or maybe you just move the lead’s name to the front of the email subject line versus the end. It’s entirely up to you.

100 people receive email subject line A. At the same time, 100 others receive email subject line B. After a set amount of time – let’s say one hour for our example – whichever email subject line was opened the most, that’s the one that the other 800 people will get.

A/B split testing is an absolute no-brainer and should be an integral part of your email marketing.

Email marketing is one of the best ways to engage your leads, built authority and trust, and even to send folks to your website. By utilizing these five best practices for email subject lines, you’ll increase the percentage of leads that get to your awesome content on the other side of that door.

 

More marketing advice can be found on our featured Tip Of The Week Archive webpages.

 

This Real Estate Agent Knows Best (Re: Father’s Day)

Posted on: June 15th, 2017 by Tim Garcia

Howdy,
Tim here – how’s your summer going?
Heads up: Father’s Day is this Sunday the 18th.

Given the fact that parent-child dynamics vary from person to person, I tried to be as inclusive as possible when drafting the greeting below. Let me know what you think – and feel free to use the content in an email marketing campaign (it’s never too early to schedule one – you can literally copy, paste, fill in the blanks and send it).

While you’re at it, remind folks that father YOU know best when it comes to meeting their ALL of their real estate needs.

*Subject Line suggestions:
– Unconditional (Sometimes Tough): Dad’s Love Knows No Bounds
– Unconditional Support – Not Just A Dad Thing (Re: Selling/Buying A Home)
– Father (And I) Know Best (Re: Selling/Buying/Building Homes)

Fathers embody a unique kind of strength.
From training wheels to our first cars as adolescents, they take us on exciting routes in life.

Whether it’s confronting the monster under our beds, playing sports in the backyard, tinkering with tools in the garage, piggyback rides as kids, sharing barbecue tips, or simply providing a shoulder to lean on when we’re down and out – they have a special way of teaching us lessons and instilling values that help shape who we grow up to be.

Biological, Adopted and Step Dads, Uncles, Brothers and Grandfathers, I hope you take the time to connect with, and celebrate, the fatherly figure(s) in your life this weekend.

Take care,
__________

 

P.S. – Speaking of family, consider me a “wise parent” in real estate – if you, your friends or anyone you’re related to is interested in homebuying, homeselling, home improvement resources, or needs advice on any similar topic – please feel free to reach out, at any time. 

 

5 Email Newsletter Tips That Transform Your Leads From Lukewarm to Scorching Hot

Posted on: June 7th, 2017 by Tim Garcia

 

by Andy Coffaro

PropertyMinderMarketing

 

You’ve got your email list of leads. Some are folks you’ve sold to in the past while others you met standing in line for your morning Starbucks.

No matter how you attain it, a lead is a lead is a lead.

One of the best marketing strategies to stay top of mind with your leads and increase the odds of doing business with them is through email newsletters.

But are you sure you’re employing the best strategies before sending them out?

If not, here’s how.

 

Test Your Email Subject Lines

Perhaps one of the more enjoyable aspects of sending out email newsletters is figuring out what resonates with your readers. What compels them to engage with your content? What are the powerful words you can string together that causes them to take a desired action?

It all starts with your email subject lines. Think about it: If your email is never opened, all the marketing strategies in the world won’t matter.

It may take some experimenting to figure out what works. Maybe your audience enjoys humor and wit, or perhaps they want subject lines featuring data points. There’s no perfect way to write an email subject line so experiment and find out.

Here are some creative examples from the men’s digital lifestyle brand, The Thrillist. They are short, to the point, and make you wonder what’s waiting inside the email.

Pizza ice cream? How could you not open that? And notice they used all caps for “PIZZA” so the word stands out even more.

Take chances and be creative.

 

Same Time, Same Day

People are creatures of habit: wake up in the morning, brush teeth, make coffee, turn on the news, check Facebook, etc. Half the time they aren’t even conscious of what they’re doing.

When possible, send your email newsletter around the same time on the same day. You will condition your audience to expect to hear from you.

 

80/20 Rule

We talked about this before for social media, but it applies here as well: 80% of the content in your email newsletter should be just engaging, entertaining, and enlightening information.

Save the other 20% for content meant to drive sales, which could include calls to action that send readers to your website.

 

Be Fun and Casual

Speak in a friendly tone. Use contractions (e.g. “aren’t” instead of “are not”). Write in short choppy sentences. Use bullet points. Embed a video you hosted on YouTube.

Again, be creative, but most importantly of all, write to your audience the way you would chat with them casually in public. You will still come off as an authority so long as the content you present is accurate, relevant, and actionable.

 

Unsubscribe Link

Always provide an unsubscribe link at the bottom of your email newsletter.

Don’t take it personally if people unsubscribe. There are those that simply don’t want email newsletters no matter how solid they might be.

And make it a one-click action. Don’t force people to enter their name and email address to unsubscribe. That’s an easy way to leave a poor impression.

By taking advantage of these simple email newsletter tips, you should see open rates go up, unsubscribes go down, and your leads transform from lukewarm to sizzling-hot.

 

More marketing advice can be found on our featured Tip Of The Week Archive webpages.

infographictotw

January Holiday Roundup (+ Email Marketing Greeting)

Posted on: December 30th, 2016 by Tim Garcia

 

Below are featured (and sometimes overlooked) holidays in January, providing you with specific reasons to reach out, engage with your leads and clients, and be THAT (memorable) agent folks turn to when they’re ready to buy, sell, and refer.
January 1st: New Year’s Day – check your CRM for a greeting to send to leads and clients.

Friday, January 6th: Cuddle Up Day – deliver info that your buyers and sellers can cuddle up with today, to peruse and/or read (i.e. – exciting property photos/details, and home values & home care resources, respectively).

Friday, January 13th: Friday the 13th  / International Skeptics Day / Make Your Dream Come True Day: –  banish any superstitious bad luck, prove to skeptical folks you’re the neighborhood expert, and make clients (and your) dreams come true.

Monday, January 16th: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday – share a quote with folks, today.

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.
The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.
Faith is taking the first step even when you don’t see the whole staircase.
Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.
Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.
I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.
I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.
Life’s most persistent and urgent question is, ‘What are you doing for others?
The time is always right to do what is right.
We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.

Tuesday, January 24th: Compliment Day – whether it’s a literal compliment (i.e. – “You’re a generous individual and I appreciate your time.” / “You have a beautiful home/familiy, etc.”) or a listing alert for a buyer that complements what they’re looking for, or home care resources that will complement the home life of your homeowners (your sellers) – pay a compliment, a complement or two.

Wednesday, January 25th: Opposite Day – do the opposite of what the competition does – put in the time to reach out to folks over the phone. We’ve provided seller scripts and open house follow-up scripts to help guide those important conversations.

Food-Oriented Holidays – see accompanying email greeting, below – simply fill-in-the-blank, press send, and spark a conversation (and possible meet and greet):

Wednesday, January 4th: National Spaghetti Day
Thursday, January 19th: National Popcorn Day
Friday, January 20th: National Buttercrunch Day / National Cheese Lover Day
Sunday, January 22nd: National Blonde Brownie Day
Monday, January 23rd: National Pie Day
Friday, January 27th: Chocolate Cake Day


Hi there,

____, here. You’ve been so generous with your time this year. I’d like to express my gratitude.


*DATE is *HOLIDAY and I’d really like to celebrate it with you.
This way we can catch up over a delightful snack (on me) instead of just texting and emailing. My schedule is pretty flexible – let me know what works best for you and I’ll schedule something in a jiffy.


[Insert SELLERS or BUYERS target segment here].


SELLERS:
[While I’m at it, I’ll bring along some printed home values and 
home care resources as extra food for thought (no pun intended). I like to consider myself your one-stop shop for all things real estate. I hope you will, too].


BUYERS:
[While I’m at it, I’ll bring printed details about homes and properties that might be up your alley. I’ve been doing some extra research for you and would love your feedback to confirm whether or not I’m on the right track].

Looking forward to it!
_______________

 

Give Knowledge. Receive Listing(s), Referral(s) & Respect.

Posted on: November 29th, 2016 by Tim Garcia

Give: Knowledge.
Receive: Listing(s), Referral(s) & Respect.

Hey there,

Tim here, how was your Thanksgiving?
Aside from pies, I hope you were able to slice out some rest and recovery time.

Quick question – do you think it’s really better to give than to receive?
Well, I guess it depends on what you’re giving – right?

This #GivingTuesday (November 29th), ask yourself:
Am I habitually providing (giving) my leads and clients what’s relevant and necessary, in order to gain (receive) what’s important, beneficial, and professionally fulfilling to me?

More of a Listing Agent?
– GIVE sellers home values so they’ll turn to you when they’re ready to list.
– GIVE homeowners (your prospective sellershome care resources so they’ll keep you on their radar for everything real estate.
– GIVE specific reasons why sellers should want to work with you, reassurance you’ll secure the “best offer on their home”, and home staging guidance to develop referrals and a quality reputation as the neighborhood real estate expert.

More of a Buyer’s Agent?
– GIVE warm, quick email greetings to spark their interest.
– GIVE Listing Alerts that match their exact interests to show you care.
– GIVE yourself automatic, on-the-go listing insight with the AgentView mobile app

While you’re at it…
– GIVE your website some love on the next free online editing webinar.
– GIVE us your attention and boost your marketing-know on a free webinar.

 

Would love to receive any feedback you have on this.

Have a solid week back at work,

Tim
408.213.4668
tim@propertyminder.com
PropertyMinder Marketing

P.S. – Giving and receiving the aforementioned isn’t exclusive to November 29th.
These tips are applicable (literally) 365 days a year.

Last Minute Thanksgiving (Holiday) Email Greeting.

Posted on: November 22nd, 2016 by Tim Garcia

Hi there,

Tim here – how’s your week going so far?
You’re probably traveling, preparing, lounging, wrapping up work before Thanksgiving, or a busy combination of these – am I right?

Just wondering – do you plan on sending a holiday greeting this week?
Well, heads up – I’ve drafted a short and sweet Thanksgiving email (see below) for you to send to leads and clients, if you’re in a pinch or need extra inspiration.

Email Subject Line Option #1: Have a quick sec before Thanksgiving? This (and you) really matter to me…
Email Subject Line Option #2: Your generosity is enough to be thankful for this year. 

Dear ______,

Time to put the heaps of food, family squabbling, and frenzied shopping on the back burner for a second.
Now: take a moment to pause, breathe, and relax with a quick greeting conveying my deep appreciation, unwavering gratitude, and absolute thanks for our continued personal and professional bond.

Honestly, your vibrant generosity alone is enough to be thankful for this year.

Your time. Your trust. Your kindness. Your fears. Your dreams. You’ve shared it all with me.
And I want to reiterate my commitment toward ensuring your home journey is thoroughly secure, joyous, and fulfilling, year-round.

Home Purchase. Home Listed. Home Care. Home Values. Home Improvement.
You can always count on me for all of your real estate needs, above and beyond.

I look forward to reaching new heights with you as 2017 comes to a close, and as a bright New Year full of enriching opportunities approaches us.

Warmest Thanksgiving wishes to you, family, and friends,

______________

Cheers & Happy Thanksgiving,

Tim
408.213.4668
tim@propertyminder.com
PropertyMinder Marketing

November Holiday Roundup (+ Email Greeting)

Posted on: November 1st, 2016 by Tim Garcia

novemberholidaysimage

We’ve taken the liberty of highlighting a few special (and sometimes overlooked) holidays in November, as reasons to reach out, engage with your leads and clients, and be THAT (memorable) agent folks turn to when they’re ready to buy, sell, and refer.
– Sunday, November 6th – Daylight Saving Time Ends – Set your clocks back 1 hour!
– Tuesday, November 8th – Election Day – Vote!
– Friday, November 11th – Veterans’ Day – Check your CRM for a patriotic greeting to honor those who serve(d).
– Thursday, November 24th – Thanksgiving Day – Gobble-gobble won’t cut it. Login to your CRM for a warm greeting.
– Tuesday, November 29th – Giving Tuesday – Give home values, give property details, give your website some love on the next free editing webinar, give us your attention and boost your marketing-know on a free webinar, give folks all the home care resources they need, give yourself automatic on-the-go listing insight with your AgentView mobile app… in short, give more back to your clients, your business, and, effectively, yourself.

 

Food-Oriented Holidays – see accompanying email greeting, below – simply fill-in-the-blank, press send, and spark a conversation (and possible meet ‘n greet!):
– Thursday, November 3rd – National Sandwich Day
– Saturday, November 5th – National Doughnut Day
– Monday, November 7th – National Bittersweet Chocolate With Almonds Day
– Tuesday, November 8th – National Cappuccino Day
– Thursday, November 10th – National Vanilla Cupcake Day
– Friday, November 11th – National Sundae Day
– Saturday, November 12th – National Pizza Day
– Monday, November 21st – National Gingerbread Cookie Day
– Wednesday, November 23rd – National Espresso Day
– Friday, November 25th – National Parfait Day
– Monday, November 28th – French Toast Day
– Tuesday, November 29th – National Chocolates Day
– Wednesday, November 30th – National Mousse Day

Hi there,

____, here. You’ve been so generous with your time this year. I’d like to express my gratitude.


*DATE is *HOLIDAY and I’d really like to celebrate it with you.
This way we can catch up over a delightful snack (on me) instead of just texting and emailing. My schedule is pretty flexible – let me know what works best for you and I’ll schedule something in a jiffy.


[Insert SELLERS or BUYERS target segment here].


SELLERS:
[While I’m at it, I’ll bring along some printed home values and
home care resources as extra food for thought (no pun intended). I like to consider myself your one-stop shop for all things real estate. I hope you will, too].


BUYERS:
[While I’m at it, I’ll bring printed details about homes and properties that might be up your alley. I’ve been doing some extra research for you and would love your feedback to confirm whether or not I’m on the right track].

Looking forward to it!
_______________

 

Honorable Mentions:
– Thursday, November 10th – Forget-Me-Not Day  – another great opportunity to remind your sellers you’re the neighborhood expert, via Seller’s Corner.
– Sunday, November 13th – Caregiver Appreciation Day
– Sunday, November 13th – World Kindness Day
– Thursday, November 17th Electronic Greeting Card Day  – Want to send a special, tailored greeting to a lead or client but not sure what to include? Check out our Tip Of The Week Archives or contact PropertyMinder Marketing Department for inspiration.
– Thursday, November 17th – World Peace Day
– Friday, November 25th – Black Friday
– Friday, November 25th – You’re Welcome Day
– Tuesday, November 29th – Square Dance Day

 


 

They’re Alive! They’re Alive! (Your Seller Leads + Halloween Greeting)

Posted on: October 31st, 2016 by Tim Garcia

It’s Frankenstein Friday.

Rise your expired seller leads
back from the “dead” with Seller’s Corner.


Halloween is just a few days away.
Have you scheduled your fun, engaging holiday greeting(s) yet?

Never fear. We’ve drafted one for you.
(Click on the image below)

Boosting Referrals & Listings: The “Cherry On Top” Approach.

Posted on: August 16th, 2016 by Tim Garcia

Hey again,

Tim here – how’ve you been?

I’d like to run a quick definition by you:
The cherry on the cake (or on top): A desirable feature perceived as the finishing touch to something that is already very good. (OxfordDictionaries.com)

That said, think of the content below (as well as every other follow-up email and phone script that I write for you) as the sweet and memorable cherry-on-top for all of your seller transactions – a way of coming out on top and securing post-transactional referrals from, and fostering long-term relationships with, your leads and clients.
Subject Line: Best Offer On Your Home: You’ve Earned It.

The next step of our journey together concerns pricing.
We need to establish an advantageous price point that will both expedite the selling of your home and be as rewarding to you and your family as possible.

I’m more than happy to interpret specific housing data, assess any estimation(s) you have calculated, and provide an educated and thorough evaluation for you.

Give me a call or send me an email to further discuss the property pricing process.
Even if you just have questions about the structure and fluctuations of the current market,* I’m happy to share my insight.


Talk with you soon,

_________________

* Hint: Seller’s Corner automates neighborhood alerts for your clients
(rendering you THE agent on their mind when they’re ready to list).
Register for the next Seller’s Corner & Client Tracking webinar
to see this listing-generator in full-swing.

Let me know if you have any personal
email marketing content requests.
I’m here to write for you, around the clock.

Take care and stay in touch,

Tim
408.213.4668
tim@propertyminder.com

More marketing advice can be found on our featured
Tip Of The Week Archive & Current Tip Of The Week webpages.

Sell It! Effectively Convince Sellers They Need You To List Their Home

Posted on: August 2nd, 2016 by Tim Garcia

Hey there,

Tim here. Just thought I’d share another quick, seller-oriented Script Of The Week.

If you’re at a loss of how to convince homeowners (your sellers) to turn to you when they’re ready to make a decision – this email (or phone) pitch really drives your message home (no pun intended).

Okay, okay. The subject line may be pushing it a little – but your goal is to get their attention, right? If you’d prefer a softer subject line, let me know and I’ll send an alternative one your way, in a jiffy.

 

Subject Line: You Need Me. Let’s Maximize The Offer On Your Home.

Hey there ____,

It was nice meeting you the other day. I was wondering if you are you still interested in market conditions * and the what homes are selling for in your neighborhood?

There are many benefits to using a real estate agent but I wanted to share what usually happens when homeowners sell on their own:

– Limits exposure of your listing to interested buyers to only people that drive by your home.
– Reduces the amount of offers you will get on your home.
– Forces you to sell at a price below market value.
– Leaves you open to liability and neglecting proper precautions when dealing with contracts, inspections and other procedures.
– Causes your property to stay on the market too long without getting offers which causes buyers to think something is wrong with the home.

 

So, take the time to ask yourself:

– Am I knowledgeable about the legal, contractual, and procedural elements involved?
– Am I pricing my home correctly? Do I even know what its worth?
– Can I distinguish serious buyers from those who are just looking?
– Do I have the time to schedule appointments and host tours?
– Can I showcase my home online with the latest marketing tools including virtual tours, panoramic pictures and detailed listing information?
There’s clearly a lot to consider.
Sometimes discussing things in-person is more efficient.

Let me know when you’d like to meet and talk one-on-one.
Sincerely,
________
* Note to agent: this is where Seller’s Corner comes in handy.
You can
register for the next Seller’s Corner & Client Tracking webinar
to see this listing-generator in full-swing.
Let me know if you have any personal
email marketing content requests.
(for trial and paying customers, of course).

I’m here to write for you, around the clock.

Take care and stay in touch,

Tim
408.213.4668
tim@propertyminder.com

 

More marketing advice can be found on our featured
Tip Of The Week Archive & Current Tip Of The Week webpages.