Real estate agents who don't enjoy writing often fall prey to an unworthy goal: That of trying to write an all-purpose letter - just to get it over with so they don't have to do it again.
The result, unfortunately, is usually a "no-purpose" letter when it comes to results. A letter came to me recently that underscored the problem. In reading it, I couldn't decide if the writer wanted me to list a home, buy a home, or sign up as an agent with the firm. The subjects kept bouncing around, bumping into each other at every turn. The sender really needed to write 3 different letters.
And in fact, in today's economy, to be effective he could have / should have written many more than three. Today you have sellers in many different categories: Non-distressed, pre-foreclosure with equity, and short sales. And some of them are trying to sell as FSBO's while some are disappointed because they listed their homes and the listing expired without a sale.
Add high-end, low-end, and middle-priced properties and you have a wide variety of people - all with different problems to solve.
Almost the same can be said for buyers. Some are first-timers, some move-up, some relocating, some military, some high-end, and some are investors looking for properties to repair.
I see the same lack of focus in e-mail campaigns. One agent sends me such a wide variety of letters that it's painfully obvious that he is making a failed attempt at the shotgun approach. His letters range from giving advice on first time buying to short sale information to how to get rid of my "stuff" now that I'm moving to a retirement home. One asked me if I liked married life... huh? He missed the newleywed thing by a few decades.
I could see what he was trying to do. But the end result was that he made himself look foolish - and told his prospects that he didn't know or care who they were or what they needed.
So the first step in writing to your prospective client is to decide who that client will be. And resign yourself to the fact that you simply cannot send the same letter to everyone. If you try, all you'll be able to say is "Hi, I'm here. Hire me." And if that's what you're going to say... why bother to say anything?
Then think about the problems that he or she wants to solve. What are his or her greatest concerns right now. What can you do to to solve them?
The next step is to decide what action you want your prospect to take after reading your letter. You do need to tell them!
Quite often, in the name of modesty or perhaps fear, agents forget the "call to action" - so their prospects take no action. If you want them to call, ask them to call. If you want them to visit your website, give them the address and tell them why it will benefit them to visit you. If you want them to opt-in to get your messages, ask them to do it and tell them what you're going to give them in return.
Before you actually begin to write, try to come up with someone you know who fits the profile of the customer you're writing to. If that won't work, make up a person. Give them a name and a face. See what kind of clothes they wear and the car they drive. And after you've done this, write to just that one person - just as if you were visiting over a cup of coffee.
One common mistake is trying to write to everyone in your target audience at once. Remember that only one person at a time will read your message, so it needs to sound personal. "Hey you guys!" just doesn't do the trick.
So write to that one person - about that one person. Talk about their concerns first and then tell them how you'll help them deal with those concerns.
Do your best to start every paragraph with some form of the word "you." Even if you have to come back to edit and smooth out your copy later, starting with "you" will help you avoid talking about yourself and what you think.
Remember, they don't care about you - only about the solutions you offer. If you begin your letter with "I" or "we" you might as well not write it at all, because few will read it.
Best success,
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