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Do You Respond to Blast Emails from Others Looking for Your Business?

By
Real Estate Agent with Donna Homes, powered by JPAR - TexasRealEstateMediationServices.com 0480809

We all get them, probably too many in a day.  I'm talking about receiving a blast email from someone looking for your business.  As a Realtor, I get way too many blast emails from mortgage people with their picture and company logo and saying how they're the best best best, yadda yadda.  I get so many, sometimes I'll sit there and unsubscribe from all the lists in a day, and guess what happens the next week?  A new set of mortgage people are emailing me...

Anyway, I have a client who is looking to start buying some investment properties to add to his portfolio for his end goal of buying a Wing Stop.  He really only wants to put 5% down on each property, and he has great credit, mid 700's.  My regular mortgage professionals are all saying they can only do 10% down right now.  Not a problem, he'll save a little more money.

However, right after hearing this news, I received another blast email from some no-name company I've never heard of, but of course, they say they're a large, competetive company and they want my business.  I actually hit "reply" and emailed a very simple, one line response to him saying:

"Do you have 5% for investors with great credit?"

His end goal of sending blast emails out to Realtors should hopefully be to get some of those Realtors to respond so he could benefit from the extra business, right?  You would think...

I have not heard from this mortgage person.  Do you think he's going to benefit by not responding?  As soon as I hit submit on this post, I will be hitting the unsubscribe button from his email to never receive them again... I'll wait for the next group of emails as they're never-ending no matter how much I wish they would... I mean, why would I do business with a stranger?

Comments (15)

Susan Trombley
Trombley Real Estate - Wake Forest, NC
Broker/Realtor, Raleigh, Cary, Wake Forest, Youngs
We are in Real Estate to get our phone numbers and email address out there and everyone has access to it. We are fair game. I just hit delete button and after a while they leave me alone until the next wave. It is the nature of the business. I am use to it. I just have a saying quick to get them off of the phone.
Jan 10, 2008 06:40 AM
Chris Frantz
EDU Real Estate Group - Indianapolis, IN

I read it if I think its from a client or someone I know.  If not I send it to the goverment spam email and delete it.

Jan 10, 2008 06:46 AM
Alix Pinzon
Open Mortgage, LLC NMLS # 2975 - Downey, CA
(562)743-6086
As you know, the spirit of Active Rain is to help each other.  The best way that I've found is by hitting each others' website, to improve internet search rankings.  I checked out your website, and I liked the buyers' secrets section.  If you have a second, please reciprocate the favor by checking out my website at http://www.southerncaliforniaappraisers.net/
Jan 10, 2008 06:58 AM
Donna Harris
Donna Homes, powered by JPAR - TexasRealEstateMediationServices.com - Austin, TX
Realtor,Mediator,Ombudsman,Property Tax Arbitrator

OK, so I guess no one understood what I was saying in my blog.  Yes, I'm annoyed by the emails, but that wasn't my point at all.  My point was that I actually responded to one of the emails asking if he had a 5% down program because I had a referral for him, and he did not respond.  Why would someone spend all that money getting email lists, receive a response, and then not respond back?

He just lost some big business if he would have just answered my email.

Jan 10, 2008 09:14 AM
Randy L. Prothero
eXp Realty - Hollister, MO
Missouri REALTOR, (808) 384-5645
This is a symptom of lazy people.  They start by taking the easy way by spamming everyone.  I guess not responding is consistent with lazy people.
Jan 11, 2008 03:05 AM
DALIA KIBBY
One Sothebys International Realty - Cooper City, FL
Selling Florida Homes with Passion!
Periodically, I also sit & unsubscribe from a lot of annoying e-mail lists.  What a hassle.  It can get overwhelming if you miss just one day in checking your e-mail.  And yes, I'm not surprised that that mortgage person didn't reply to you.  I agree with RLP--the guy's lazy!
Jan 11, 2008 03:27 AM
MC2 Home Inspections
MC2 Home Inspections LLC - Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis home inspection service 317-605-3432
I am not sure that I would call people who email market lazy. Now I honestly don't know why the Mortgage guy didn't respond though. I do a great deal of email marketing, and I can tell you two things. I am not lazy, and I sure as heck respond to anyone who responds to me. The wave of the future is the Internet, and with gas prices soaring through the roof, email marketing just makes more sense.
Jan 11, 2008 05:34 AM
Loreena and Michael Yeo
3:16 team REALTY ~ Locally-owned Prosper TX Real Estate Co. - Prosper, TX
Real Estate Agents
I definitely get ALOT of those that want me to buy their leads. Not as many from mortgage companies.
Jan 11, 2008 12:48 PM
Craig Armstrong
Mackaby Realty - Stillwater, MN
Donna,  I GET what you're saying... if he went through the effort of putting together a blast email, the point was for him to find business.  You tried to see if he could work for your client.... and then the blaster dropped the ball.  So, why bother sending the blast email in the first place?  Who knows.  Crazy.
Jan 12, 2008 12:16 AM
J Perrin Cornell
Coldwell Banker Cascade Real Estate - Wenatchee, WA
Broker, ABR, VAMRES

Mostly I ignor them... if one looks interestng I may look into it. I disagree with one of the people responding...I do not think the future of real estate IS the internet. It MAY be the internet, but the internet is suffering from its own excesses and until that is corrected (i don't have a clue how) it will be a mixed bag. But even if it is you still need people and people work best by relationships.

So a long winded answer...no.

Jan 12, 2008 12:39 AM
Brian Corwell
RE/MAX Sauk Valley - Sterling, IL
Sterling, Illinois Real Estate

I have a great email provider that filters most of this stuff into 1 email they send 2x a day. I can quickly scan and if there is one that I need to see I can release it and teach the system to allow more from this person. It was a painful first month to get it all set up, but it was time well spent. I don't see much spam.

I got a blast yesterday and just deleted it.

My biggest complaint if from the telemarketers that call me trying to sell me all kinds of goodies, even though the cell number is on the DO NOT CALL list.

 

Jan 12, 2008 01:02 AM
Anthea Click
Fresh Perspectives - www.InsideNashvilleHomes.com - Franklin, TN
Nashville Home Stager - Selling Nashville, TN homes quickly!
It all boils down to relationships. Blast emails are a waste of time. Investing your time, energy, and marketing dollars into building strong relationships is the best kind of marketing you can do.
Jan 13, 2008 05:02 AM
MC2 Home Inspections
MC2 Home Inspections LLC - Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis home inspection service 317-605-3432

I disagree with Anthea. In order to obtain and build those relationships, you have to get a lead from somewhere. It is much harder just walking into a business "cold" with no prior communication and try and build something. With email marketing it gives the receiver the option of whether or not to respond. If they do not respond, fine, no ones time is wasted. If they do respond, great, you have a lead, you know they are already interested and you do not have to go in "cold".

Plus as I have said in the past, with gas prices the way they are, why would someone waste their time, energy and hours of driving around WITHOUT some kind of lead? It just makes sense.

Jan 13, 2008 11:18 PM
MC2 Home Inspections
MC2 Home Inspections LLC - Indianapolis, IN
Indianapolis home inspection service 317-605-3432
In response to Perrin, I did not say the future of REAL ESTATE is in the Internet, I said the wave of the future is. People should take more advantage of the technology that is available to us all now. And no, I am not stating that face to face, personal relationships should be abolished. Quite the contrary, what I AM saying is to try and use that technology to obtain those relationships. Once obtained, then the face to face, and personal touch can be used. For me, once someone responds to my email, I am "personally" in their office the next day to introduce myself. 
Jan 13, 2008 11:26 PM
Diane Aurit
LKN Realty, LLC - Mooresville, NC
Lake Norman Real Estate
I dismiss all spam UNLESS, like you, it happens to address a specific need I have.  What a huge error on this guys part to set up an email campaign and then not respond to the email right away.  That is lead generation 101!
Jan 15, 2008 01:00 AM