Admin

Engaging Your Inactive Registered IDX Users

By
Services for Real Estate Pros

Last month we talked about account activation, and the importance of engaging your registered users who have yet to authenticate their account via email. Today's post will discuss how you might engage activated users who appear inactive on your web site and IDX solution.

Doylestown, PA agent Tom McFarland has targeted inactive users in his IDX BackOffice for years with a simple strategy. "I basically send a monthly email to anyone who hasn't logged in to search listings in more than 30 days. I tell them I'm cleaning out my database, and noticed they haven't been to the web site in a while. Then I ask if they are still in the market, or if I should remove them from my database."

This tactic results in dialogue with potential customers. Recipients of Tom's message often respond to request not to be removed, and a dialogue about where they are in the home buying or selling process ensues. "I've won business from these emails," McFarland declares. "Once you've got them engaged, I can discuss their specific needs, and present the value I can bring them as their agent. Most do not expect any communication; by letting them know I am following up and paying attention, I am representing the type of service I can provide."

Tom runs a simple report to isolate inactive users by doing the following:

1.       Log in to your BackOffice at www.mlsfinder.com/admin and navigate to the Reports section

2.       Select Only users that are: Authenticated (users who are not authenticated cannot receive system emails; Read this blog post for more on how to contact users who have not authenticated)

3.       For Only users who have not logged in within the last X days, type in the number "30." Click Find Users.

4.       Select Email These Users, and complete the email form. Now you simply wait for the response.

Some emails are rejected because the address is invalid or no longer used. Others request to be removed from Tom's mailing list. "That's ok, too," Tom says. "It saves me time knowing certain users are not potential clients, and lets me focus on the ones I can help."

The Tip of the Week blog posts every Friday on ActiveRain; originally published every Thursday at http://blog.wolfnet.com. Each Post is labeled "Easy," "Intermediate," or "Expert" based on the concept being discussed.