We've been supporting QR code mobile marketing for your listings on RealBird for a while. There have been back and forth debates in the real estate blogosphere about the actual value of QR codes and while we believe that QR codes are a very important and must-have piece in your mobile marketing toolkit we also agree that there are a large number of home buyers out there who can not or will not scan QR codes. They either don't have the appropriate smartphones or they just can't be bothered with it.

Hence our new addition to the RealBird PRO power tools: SMS keyword marketing for all of your listings

RealBird SMS real estate marketing 

We integrated RealBird with the amazing Twilio API in order to provide the most cost effective and powerful platform for mobile real estate marketing.

This add-on service requires a RealBird PRO membership $99/year (for unlimited listings) and a Twilio local phone number which is only $1/month. There is an additional $0.02/SMS fee payable to Twilio, but considering that this is only due when the RealBird application actually captures a lead for you, it is extremely affordable in our opinion and should have an amazing ROI. In other words, for only $111/year (RealBird PRO plus Twilio fees) and 2 cents per lead, you can market unlimited listings via text codes (SMS) 24x7 all year long.

So this is how it works:

  1. You configure your RealBird account with Twilio - takes about 10 minutes top. Here is the tutorial
  2. You'll receive an SMS code for each of your RealBird listings. You can then publish a call-for-action message on your sign riders or print flyers, saying something like: "Text [your RealBird code] to [your Twilio Phone #] to receive more info" 
  3. Prospects text the code to the phone number and RealBird sends them back - on your behalf - the brief listing info, your direct phone number and the link to your RealBird mobile property site (in case they are using a smartphone and can browse to it)
  4. Best of all, RealBird also notifies you of these events and captures the prospect's phone number in your RealBird leads database
 
So what do you think? Will you add this new feature to your RealBird toolkit? Can't wait to hear your feedback on this ! 
 
Thanks and Happy Holidays !
 
-- The RealBird Team

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11 Comments on SMS keyword marketing is now available for your RealBird listings

DEC
17
2011
632,627 Points 5 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor Outside Blog

Don't think so.
8:19pm • #1
604,478 Points 13 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Thanks David for the feedback. Would you mind elaborating? Is it the cost or the functionality?
9:49pm • #2
1,210,622 Points 118 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Guys, you keep adding new stuff, very cool. I will talk to my marketing guru Inna, and see what she tells me.
11:10pm • #3
DEC
18
2011
805,327 Points 1 Featured Post Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

Hi Zoltan - I looked at the Twilio website and see they support Canadian phone numbers and SMS.  Does the Realbird / Twilio combination support Canaddian phone numbers and SMS?
12:07am • #4
130,414 Points 1 Featured Post Localism Sponsor Attended Rain Camp

God bless ya!  I love RealBird - LOTS of value for the money and now this - I'm off to configure it now !! Well maybe not now - but within the next few days - THANKS!!
8:44am • #5
604,478 Points 13 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Jon - Thanks. Let us know what Inna thinks

Marc - Yes, Canada is supported. I searched for 647 (Toronto) area code and Twilio have plenty to buy from for $1/mo and shows that those are SMS enabled phone numbers as well. From our system's point of view, as long as Twilio can route the messages to our app, it will work. Give it a try and let us know. Make sure you select Canada from the drop down instead of US when searching for Canadian phone numbers

Marcia - Thanks a lot. It's easy to set up, it takes only a few minutes
11:18am • #6
365,266 Points 6 Featured Posts Outside Blog Called Shot Master

This is very cool. I'm not sure consumers are as wild about QR codes as Realtors are. Text messaging on the other hand is really something everyone does. I've been on the fence about renewing my Pro subscription, specifically because I didn't want to pay you AND someone else for text messaging. You have better mobile websites  than "the other guys" so I guess I know what I need to do now! Thanks guys. Way to go!
4:37pm • #7
DEC
19
2011
604,478 Points 13 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Hi Denise - Thanks a lot. Let us know your feedback once you start using it
9:54am • #8
DEC
27
2011
237,286 Points Attended Rain Camp

This looks very compelling.  Question -- is it possible to have a reusable "pool" of SMS codes provided that we can assign to the listings we choose; allowing us to have reusable sign-riders printed up?  We are planning on dropping Call-Capture this year, and we had re-usable sign-riders with that service. 

With our current wide-signs, part of the redesigned sign-rider could have the QR Code with the Vancouver.RealBird.com URL; with the other part having the SMS info for that unique listing.

Thanks!  John
7:53pm • #9
604,478 Points 13 Featured Posts Outside Blog

Hi John - This is becoming the most requested feature: the reusable SMS keyword. We'll put this on the top of the list ! Thanks for the input. I like the sign design you mentioned also. 

 
8:27pm • #10
JAN
19
2012
604,478 Points 13 Featured Posts Outside Blog

We just released some new SMS features, including custom, transfarable SMS keyword editor so that you can reuse sign riders. See our latest post

Thanks for the feedback
2:58pm • #11

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