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Do newsletters help you attract new business?

There's no doubt that the benefits of online advertising have reduced the overall importance of advertising listings in print media.

But what about newsletters?

Has the growth of blogging and social media, such as Twitter and Facebook reduced the use ...and usefulness of newsletters?

Keeping In Touch

In the past, newsletters have been ideal ways to keep in touch with clients and contacts...but at intervals ranging from monthly to annually.

In today's instant world, I wonder how effective newsletters...as less frequent communications...can be.

Certainly from marketing perspective, newsletters can help get your message out...but is anyone paying attention to your message?

How do your clients feel about about your newsletters?

Time to stop wondering...and get some answers to my questions...but I need your help.

Please take a few minutes to answer these questions.

Simply answer the questions in the comment box at the bottom of this posting.

After a week or so, I'll consolidate the responses into some kind of a summary and post this summary.

The Questions

Question 1: Do you use newsletters in either hard-copy or electronic format? Why or why not?

Question 2: What benefit do you receive from your newsletters?

Question 3: How do your clients feel about your newsletters?

I thank you in advance for passing on your thoughts about newsletters.

And I also encourage you to forward this posting to our colleagues and invite them to pass on their thoughts as well.

It seems to me that if I am having these questions about newsletters, other people must also be asking the same or similar things.

So let's stop pondering the questions...and come up with some answers that will help all of us.

One final comment on newsletters...to learn more about their relative advantages and disadvantages click here. It might help you formulate your answers.

 
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7 Comments on Are Newsletters Still Important?

MAR
12
2009
2 Featured Posts Localism Sponsor

I use an e-newsletter and have found it very valuable and I can track who is reading what and looking at what

6:20am • #1

One of the agents in our office has mentioned doing a monthly newsletter to prospect. I like the idea of an e-letter.

6:33am • #2
705,572 Points 24 Featured Posts Outside Blog Attended Rain Camp Called Shot Master

For 8+ years I've done quarterly printed 8-page newsletters for current property management clients, to use in property presentations for new property owners AND to keep in touch with clients whose I did property presentations to and did not hear back from.

I also posted them on my website.  I ended this in 2008 and am now featuring my blog on my monthly owner statements and in my e-mail signatures.  It is more personal and timely and it is the reason many prospective clients now find me online....

Yes, it takes more time; however, I do enjoy it and the less printing and postage means more money for effective marketing efforts!!!

7:00am • #3
320,285 Points 5 Featured Posts Outside Blog

My news letter is mailed out email. No more hard copys and postage for me. Print is gone in my game plan except for Homes and Land magazine and Lexington Life. But i do enjoy having clients read my news.

7:05am • #4

Newsletter is a nice way to keep in touch. I think it will stay with us, unlike the printed media that will vanish soon.

9:18am • #5
151,875 Points Localism Sponsor

I send a monthly newsletter via email and can track the results through Constant Contact.  I still believe this is the best way to keep in touch without being intrusive.  Case in point yesterday ... a client from 3 years ago called to schedule a consultation.  She values my input and just wants to run a few things by me and get suggestions on paint colour.

 

1:54pm • #6
MAR
17
2009
1 Featured Post

Client newsletters are a fantastic way to be in contact with clients every month...but the BIG purpose of those newsletters is to plant seeds that can turn into referrals.

ALL referrals are a result of conversation.

In order for a referral to happen - three things have to take place.

1. Your client has to NOTICE when they are in a conversation about real estate.

2. They have to THINK of you.

3. They have to INTRODUCE you into the conversation.

Your clients are in conversations all the time.

A lot of the time they are in conversations about real estate, and they don't think of YOU.

Or...they are in a conversation about real estate, they DO think of you...but they don't mention you to their friend.

An easy way to encourage those referrals is to pay attention to what's going on in the news, what's the conversation likely to be about, and make it easy for your clients to call you and refer their friends.

For example...in January when rates dipped below 5% I wrote this postcard for some of our coaching clients to send to their sphere:

 

Dear Mark,

Just a quick note to let you know how I might help you, or anyone you would introduce to me.

Interest rates are almost at their lowest levels ever. Right now, 30 year mortgage rates are UNDER 5% - they may even go lower, and I want you and your friends to be prepared if they do.

In the next few weeks the details of President Obama's economic stimulus package will be coming out, and rates may go even lower than they are right now. We may be able to get you a lower interest rate mortgage with a lower monthly payment and either apply the difference to paying off your mortgage sooner...or use the difference as your own personal "economic stimulus" package :)

I've got a special software program that instantly runs the numbers to see how much money the different rates will save you monthly...and what TARGET rate makes sense to consider locking in.

The software is pretty detailed, and it only takes a minute to run several different scenarios. Just give me a call at 863-555-1212 and I'll run a report for you and any of your friends or family.

Talk to you soon...

Dean

PS - Timing is important on this...so call me as soon as you can.

 

 

That postcard ended up getting LOTS and LOTS of calls and referrals, because it was timely, relevant, and made it EASY for someone to take that first step by making an OFFER.

Newsletters are great for planting those type of seeds.

Dean

10:21pm • #7

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Larry Easto

Toronto, ON

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