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How do YOU avoid the "instant delete?"

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Services for Real Estate Pros with Marte Cliff Copywriting

A few minutes ago I got this email:

Acct Id: writer@marte-cliff.com
 
The download link and activation code associated with
this account is now active and can be accessed here:
 
 
 
Let's Work Together!
 
 
-Jeffrey
 
There's no way on earth that I'd click that link (which I have deactivated, by the way).
 
But seeing this got me to thinking about the links I click and the links I don't.
 
What makes me trust one email and not another?

Is it because I've gotten numerous informative emails from that person in the past? With all the spam in our in-boxes, who knows? I may have gotten several messages from Jeffrey but just don't recognize him.
 
What can and should we do to make sure that the people we need to reach see our emails as "safe?"

What can and should we be doing to make sure they get opened instead of deleted immediately?
 
When someone signs up on our websites to get information, how can we make SURE they'll recognize us and know that they asked for that information?
 
One way is by clearly stating our names and business in the from line.
 
What else?

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Thomas J. Nelson, REALTOR ® e-Pro CRS RCS-D Vets
Big Block Realty 858.232.8722 - La Jolla, CA
CEO of Vision Drive Realty - Coastal San Diego

Personal notes never get deleted. E-mail & links from strangers are auto-delete in my inbox...I only read e-mail from clients and friends.

Jul 17, 2012 01:02 PM
William Feela
WHISPERING PINES REALTY - North Branch, MN
Realtor, Whispering Pines Realty 651-674-5999 No.

I am real fussy about what I open even from people I know.  If there is no personal message it does not get opened!

Jul 17, 2012 01:06 PM
Debbie Reynolds, C21 Platinum Properties
Platinum Properties- (931)771-9070 - Clarksville, TN
The Dedicated Clarksville TN Realtor-(931)320-6730
Marte, It pays to beware and if in doubt delete and definitely do not be tempted to open or click the link.
Jul 17, 2012 01:25 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Thomas - But what if you've subscribed to get messages from someone?

William - A while back I got an email saying a customer of mine had sent me an e-card. This is a man with whom I had what you might call a "formal" relationship, so I was suspicious. He simply wasn't the type I would expect to send a greeting card. Rather than open it, I wrote him and asked if he'd sent it. He said NO. His address book had been compromised and everyone on his list was getting bogus email.

Debbie - I never click a link if I have any doubt. I can't imagine how anyone would click on the email I copied above - who is this guy? What's it all about? I sure don't know! But... someone must click or no one would send that kind of messages.

Jul 17, 2012 01:40 PM
Mike McCann Nebraska Land Broker
Mike McCann - Broker, Mach1 Realty Farm & Commercial Land Broker-Auctioneer Serving Nebraska - Kearney, NE
Farm & Commercial Property For Sale 308-627-3700

I hit the delete way too often and at the wrong time ALL the time...or accidently close a browser that I am typing on.  But I never click links that are sent to me without first asking if they sent it to me...and if I do not know them...delete!!

Jul 17, 2012 01:54 PM
Mike McCann Nebraska Land Broker
Mike McCann - Broker, Mach1 Realty Farm & Commercial Land Broker-Auctioneer Serving Nebraska - Kearney, NE
Farm & Commercial Property For Sale 308-627-3700

How about Postcards and Birthday cards?  I never ever open those either...what a great business model destroyed by jerks....

Jul 17, 2012 01:55 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Mike - Oh yes, I do that too. As for cards - I never open them unless I write and ask if the person really sent them. The only one left who sends me e-cards now is my older son - when he forgets until too late to mail a card for Mother's Day or my birthday. But I still call or write to ask and make sure it's from him.

There are some people whose newsletters I subscribe to and I would click a link within one of their messages without worrying. But... if I got something that claimed to be from them and it was ONLY a sentence or two with a link, I'd probably delete it, thinking it was a forgery.

Jul 17, 2012 02:20 PM
Bob Crane
Woodland Management Service / Woodland Real Estate, KW Diversified - Stevens Point, WI
Forestland Experts! 715-204-9671

Hi Marte, I find that is important to have something specific to something personal, or some sort of business that the sender has going with me.  However, lately I have been getting a lot of emails which are clearly spam being sent out from the email accounts of people who I have done business with, who have had their accounts hijacked. Reguardless of the sender it is important to hold your mouse over the link and see if it is really going to the location that it purports to go to.

Jul 17, 2012 05:26 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Bob - It really is sad when you can't even trust something that looks like it's coming from a friend. Guess we all need to be careful with our subject lines.

Jul 17, 2012 05:35 PM
Lenn Harley
Lenn Harley, Homefinders.com, MD & VA Homes and Real Estate - Leesburg, VA
Real Estate Broker - Virginia & Maryland

Never, never, never open attachments or links unless you are expecting them.

 

Jul 17, 2012 08:59 PM
Chris Ann Cleland
Long and Foster Real Estate - Gainesville, VA
Associate Broker, Bristow, VA

I'm brutal with my inbox.  I delete a TON of things without opening them.  Subject line is everything.  And if there is a link in an email from someone I don't know, or not expecting one from, delete.

Jul 18, 2012 07:49 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Lenn - That's a wise policy.

Chris Ann - I'm not that brutal. Potential clients write some pretty odd subject lines, so I check to make sure I'm not throwing away someone real.

Jul 18, 2012 08:15 AM
Susan Neal
RE/MAX Gold, Fair Oaks - Fair Oaks, CA
Fair Oaks CA & Sacramento Area Real Estate Broker

Hi Marte - I often get emails with links even from trusted folk, but if it feels funny, I will avoid the ink and go straight to whatever the site is by typing it into my browser.  For example, if I got something from staples.com, a company I buy from all the time, with a special ink to an item on sale, I will ignore the link and go directly to the Staples site and look for the item to see if it's really on sale, then I delete the email. 

Usually it's fine, but sometimes you will notice that the email address of the sender is just a bit different from the one you usually receive, and it is a spoof email, trying to get you to enter info that will steal your ID. I don't see much to gai by simply trusting everyone - especially if their email address looks hinky.

Jul 21, 2012 04:49 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Susan - Yes, some of the bolder scammers try to pretend to be a business you'll recognize. I've gotten mail supposedly from UPS and Pay Pal that I could recognize as bogus. And then there was the one telling me I needed to click to straighten out some problem with my Citi account - and I don't have a Citi account.

Jul 21, 2012 05:22 AM
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