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How to Write an Email Newsletter that Actually Gets Opened

Reblogger Jeff Dowler, CRS
Real Estate Agent with eXp Realty of California, Inc. CA DRE #01490977

Email is still an effective way to communicate, and to market to current and past clients, and prospects with a newsletter.

 

Melissa outlines some important things to do and no do so your email newsletter campaign can be as effective as possible, and your emails will get opened and not immediately deleted.

 

Please stop by her original post to comment - she will appreciate it

Original content by Melissa Zavala Cal BRE #01324959

real estate newsletterThink nobody uses email anymore? Think that everyone prefers text messages? You may want to think again.

Real Estate Email Newsletters Can Be Very Effective

The truth is that email is still a very effective strategy for prospecting and lead generation in the real estate industry. In fact, 95% of people who opt-in say that the email they receive is useful. In fact, 70% of consumers say that they always open emails from their favorite companies. With that in mind, how can you become one of those favorite companies whose emails are deemed as “useful”? Yesterday, in our hour long webinar on Simple Strategies for Becoming an Email Marketing Ninja, I provided all sorts of tips and tools for knocking it our of the park with your email.

Become an Email Marketing Ninja

Here are the top 5 takeaways from the webinar:

  1. Don’t be spammy. Identify the people who are interested in receiving your emails (such as buyer and seller prospects or past clients) and only send your emails to them. Slowly increase your email list over a long period of time, by adding new leads and prospects as you meet them. You can also offer items of value (such as market reports or informational eBooks) on landing pages in order to increase your list and identify future buyers and sellers. Do not buy an email list. Repeat… Do not buy an email list. The only people who will read your emails are people who have asked to hear from you or who have shown interest in what you have to offer.
  2. Be conversational. The best emails are the ones that are conversational in nature and do not appear to be “canned” or “templated.” It’s as simple as this: “Hey there. I saw that you were on my website looking at homes in San Marcos. Did you see any that you want to go check out?” Always end with a question in order to increase the probability of a reply.
  3. Provide valuable information. Consider breaking your audience into groups. The information that is interesting or valuable to a homebuyer may not be valuable to a home seller. And, neither group might interested in what you have to tell a past client who purchased a home one year back. Look at content curation or social media sites such as Pinterest or Buzzsumo in order to identify cool content for your next email.
  4. Write compelling headlines. You have about 1 second to make an impact on your prospect before your email goes unopened and into the trash. It’s all about the headline. Check out this helpful article on Copyblogger or use the Headline Analyzer on Coschedule’s website in order to make sure your headline knocks it out of the park.
  5. Look at the read reports. Most email newsletter products provide you with very specific analytics as to who has opened your newsletter, what each individual clicked on, where they are located, what time they opened, and much, much more. If you look at the data, you might be surprised about who is really paying attention to what you are doing. If someone is opening every email you send, this person is a fan and you should be reaching out personally to offer your services or to say hello.

There is so much to master with email marketing and the process is always evolving. It is a great, cost effective way to get in front of lots and lots of homebuyers and home sellers, and it is also a nice way to keep in touch with past clients and referral partners.

 

Melissa Zavala 
BROKER/REALTOR® CA BRE #01324959

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Posted by

Jeff Dowler, CRS
Certified Residential Specialist / Realtor®


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Bob "RealMan" Timm
Ward County Notary Services - Minot, ND
Owner of Ward Co Notary Services retired RE Broker

Jeff Dowler my weekly e-news letter is the market report I produce every Saturday here on AR. My clients seem to love it because it is very locally focused.

Jul 31, 2016 01:27 AM
JM Padron, CCIM, CCP
THE JMTEAM NETWORK - Destin, FL
CCIM, CCP, International Commercial Broker

Great info. we have two newsletters one for the public and one internal for the office. We are redesigning everything to make them more appealing.  Tips are well taken thank you !

Jul 31, 2016 01:46 AM
Bill Roberts
Brooks and Dunphy Real Estate - Oceanside, CA
"Baby Boomer" Retirement Planner

Hi Jeff Dowler Been there, done that (visit her blog I mean). you realize this was why she had to miss our meetup?

Bill Roberts

Jul 31, 2016 02:18 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Bob "RealMan" Timm 

That's a good way to do it. Lots of potential eyes that way

Jeff

Jul 31, 2016 02:46 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

JM Padron, CCIM 

Hi JM! Thanks for stopping by. I thought Melissa's suggestions were terrific and deserved to be shared with others who might make use of them

Jeff

Jul 31, 2016 02:48 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Hey Bill Roberts 

Yes, I had received an invite about her event. I was at another in the past that was terrific. But at least we get to reap the benefits with her posts since we couldn't be there.

Jeff

Jul 31, 2016 02:49 AM
Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner
Karen Parsons-Fiddler, Broker 949-510-2395 - Mission Viejo, CA
Orange County & Lake Arrowhead, CA (949)510-2395

Good choice for a reblog. This is always the trick, right? Getting them opened? 

Jul 31, 2016 03:08 AM
Larry Johnston
Broker, Friends & Neighbors Real Estate and Elkhart County Subdivisions, LLC - Elkhart, IN
Broker,Friends & Neighbors Real Estate, Elkhart,IN

Hi Jeff Dowler ,  Great informational reblog.  Now I'm going back and read your link to Headline Analyzer.  

Jul 31, 2016 05:25 AM
Grant Schneider
Performance Development Strategies - Armonk, NY
Your Coach Helping You Create Successful Outcomes

Hi Jeff - that is a good re post.  There is an ebb and flow here and I get new people sign up as some unsubscribe.  The open rate remains good for my industry.

Jul 31, 2016 06:35 AM
marti garaughty
garaughty.com - Montreal, QC
a highly caffeinated creative type...

marti garaughty, abstract art, graphic design, marketing, WordPress consultant

Jul 31, 2016 08:47 AM
Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Real Estate
John L Scott Market Center - Birkenfeld, OR
"Your Local Expert!" 503-739-3843

I love good "How Tos", Jeff, I'm off to congratulate Melissa! 

Jul 31, 2016 08:57 AM
George Souto
George Souto NMLS #65149 FHA, CHFA, VA Mortgages - Middletown, CT
Your Connecticut Mortgage Expert

Jeff, Melissa provided good advice and I need to incorporate here suggestions.

Jul 31, 2016 09:23 AM
Sally K. & David L. Hanson
EXP Realty 414-525-0563 - Brookfield, WI
WI Real Estate Agents - Luxury - Divorce

While it is lots more expensive...periodic surveys of our multiple mailing lists tell us that snail mail wins...stamps down !

Jul 31, 2016 12:53 PM
Cristal Clark, E-Networking Specialist
Social Animal Studios - Carmel, CA
Digital Marketing Professional

Good advice!

Jul 31, 2016 03:53 PM
Roy Kelley
Retired - Gaithersburg, MD

This is an excellent selection for a reblog.

Have a most productive August!

Jul 31, 2016 08:00 PM
Gene Mundt, IL/WI Mortgage Originator - FHA/VA/Conv/Jumbo/Portfolio/Refi
NMLS #216987, IL Lic. 031.0006220, WI Licensed. APMC NMLS #175656 - New Lenox, IL
708.921.6331 - 40+ yrs experience

Thanks for sharing this info and re-posting, Jeff Dowler.  I do a couple of different email blasts/newsletters each month ... one for my clients and one with focus on my Referral Partners.  I think my content is good ... but my headlines?  Ugh ... so glad to get the info and link that might help me in that regard.  Thanks so much!

Gene

Aug 01, 2016 05:39 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Karen Fiddler, Broker/Owner  - indeed it is. The response rate is traditionally pretty low

Thanks Larry Johnston - there are some good links in Melissa's post!

Jeff

Aug 01, 2016 06:07 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

Grant Schneider  - good for you! I am not currently using an email letter but considering it. This is a big help

marti garaughty  - thanks!! Did you feature Melissa's original?

Gayle Rich-Boxman Fishhawk Lake Realtor (503)755-2905  - good "How TO's" are always appeciated!

Jeff

Aug 01, 2016 06:10 AM
Jeff Dowler, CRS
eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Carlsbad, CA
The Southern California Relocation Dude

George Souto  - agreed. I think there are some good tips just in terms of email communication in general

Sally K. & David L. Hanson  - no doubt it depends on the market, what you are sending, and to who

Thanks Cristal Clark 

Jeff

Aug 01, 2016 06:12 AM
Hannah Williams
HomeStarr Realty - Philadelphia, PA
Expertise NE Philadelphia & Bucks 215-820-3376

Jeff Dowler  Great  ideas here missed the original - Thanks for the reblog

Aug 01, 2016 12:10 PM