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"Hey You Guys!!" - a Marketing Mistake!

By
Services for Real Estate Pros with Marte Cliff Copywriting

Your favorite blogs and newsletters probably all have something in common… they probably feel like they were written directly to you.

 

There's just something more appealing, more personal, to a message that says "you" instead of "you guys." And it doesn't matter that we know the message is going out to hundreds or even thousands of other people.

 

That's why one of the "rules" in copywriting is to remember that you're Write to just one prospect at a timewriting to an individual. There may be many individuals, but each one will read your message separately. And they will respond to feeling worth your personal attention.

 

That's why, when you use an autoresponder, it's good to take time to set up the "Dear" function to add a name. And, if you've collected the information, take it a little farther and mention their city, their subdivision, or even their job.

 

Today's technology makes it easy.

 

But don't stop there. Create your entire message as if it had been written just for them. 

 

How to write to just one person:

 

If you're writing to people you don't know yet, hopefully you know something about them, so you can make up someone in your mind. Some copywriters even cut out a magazine picture of someone who looks like their client's "ideal prospect." Then they post it on their monitor so they can see who they're talking to.

 

If you know someone personally who fits the profile of the person you're writing to, put them firmly in your mind and then write to them. Go so far as to write "Dear George and Sue," and then write the letter to them.Some writers "trick themselves" into the correct writing mode by beginning the letter with personal comments that they'll delete later.

 

Now talk to them like you would if you were sitting across the table. You wouldn't sound stiff and formal, and you wouldn't say things like "People like you." No, you'd say "you" instead. Assuming that you have pretty good language skills or you wouldn't be in real estate sales, simply write like you talk. Far too many good messages are ruined in an attempt to be either too formal or too grammatically correct.

 

Give plenty of thought to the person who will read your message. And don't try to create a "one size fits all" letter - because one size will end up fitting no one.

 

 Image courtesy of Dreamstine.

 

Comments (26)

Evelyn Johnston
Friends & Neighbors Real Estate - Elkhart, IN
The People You Know, Like and Trust!

Great tips Marte, and they make sense.  If they can't feel your warmth, they will likely not read to far into the letter or newsletter.

Sep 26, 2011 03:18 PM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Marte, this is such good advice, and something I've never really thought about before reading your post.  So thanks!

Sep 26, 2011 04:16 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Evelyn - Thanks. It's true that we all want to feel special - even when we've never met the person writing to us!

Patricia - You didn't have to think about it. You do it naturally!

Sep 26, 2011 04:23 PM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Hey, You Marte!  I included this post in Last Week's Favorites.   Have a great Sunday!

 

 

 

 

Oct 02, 2011 02:36 AM
Judy Jennings
Top Agent Plus - Middleboro, MA
Tap into Judy's real estate expertise & resources.

Marte - Love this advice. Most of the time, you can tell when it is an auto generated response as it is rarely personalized.

Oct 02, 2011 03:05 AM
Barbara Calwhite
Keller Williams Realty of Southwest Missouri - Joplin, MO
417-438-7387 Specializing in Relocation
Great post! It also helps to check out what the form letters say if you are using a system that provides them. For one thing, if you do get a response you will know what they are responding to. And most of them can be edited if you want to make some changes.
Oct 02, 2011 03:44 AM
Teral McDowell
Referral Patners LLC - Murphy, TX

Good information to adding the personal touch; thansk Marte.

Oct 02, 2011 04:32 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Patricia - thank you! Now I need to get over and see if any of your other picks are posts I missed.

Judy - And isn't that silly? It's so easy to add personalization to auto responders these days.

Barbara - Absolutely. For one thing, form letters can be dangerous unless they're written for your specific state. And - sometimes they don't reflect your own attitude. Edit - make them be "you."

Teral - You're welcome. Thanks for stopping by!

Oct 02, 2011 06:08 AM
Ed Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally

Marte, excellent advise. Making an email appear to be directed to someone one in particular, and not a blast mail will always be better received.

Oct 02, 2011 10:18 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Ed - Yes it will. Then it's equally important that the copy be written as if you were speaking to just one person.

Oct 02, 2011 12:29 PM
Kay Van Kampen
RE/MAX Broker, RE/MAX - Springfield, MO
Realtor®, Springfield Mo Real Estate

Great information to follow.  I need to go back and change a few of my personal letters.

Oct 02, 2011 02:12 PM
William Johnson
Retired - La Jolla, CA
Retired

Hi Marte, Excellent tips and I do one other thing before I start. I smile big as I want that to be felt and interestingly, it just happens.

Oct 02, 2011 03:31 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

William - That is wise advice! You write (or speak) what you feel, and if you're feeling a friendly smile, others will feel it in your words.

Oct 02, 2011 07:12 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Erica - The reason so much writing is awful is that people are trying to sound "proper." "Write the way you talk" is very good advice.

Kay - There's always room for improvement - we just keep working at it.

Oct 02, 2011 07:16 PM
Hannah Williams
HomeStarr Realty - Philadelphia, PA
Expertise NE Philadelphia & Bucks 215-820-3376

Marte   I am so glad Pat Kennedy choice you as a favorite pick  "write as you talk" is something I stive for .I think it is very important . One of my instructors also taught me years go to keep a mirror next to me and always smile because a smile can be heard through a phone and heard in words .I really like your style

HelpfulHannah

Oct 03, 2011 05:15 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Hannah - Your instructor gave you wise advice. It doesn't matter if you're meeting in person, on the phone, or via email or a letter... put your smile on before you begin.

 

Oct 03, 2011 05:28 AM
Susan Neal
RE/MAX Gold, Fair Oaks - Fair Oaks, CA
Fair Oaks CA & Sacramento Area Real Estate Broker

Great advice!  Comments that I have gotten on my blog from consumers talk about the fact that I'm not trying to sound "high-fallutin", and just sound like I'm talking.  They don't feel intimidated or uncomfortable, but they do learn things about real estate, the area, or just about me.  I have gotten clients from my blog readers who feel like we are friends before we've ever met.

Oct 03, 2011 01:11 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Susan - There's a lot to be said for being genuine!

Oct 03, 2011 03:32 PM
Patricia Kennedy
RLAH@Properties - Washington, DC
Home in the Capital

Marte, I'm getting ready for a listing appointment tomorrow, and I've completely redone my presentation after reading this post.  Great stuff.

Oct 06, 2011 03:24 PM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

Patricia - I can't believe that you ever made any of your clients feel less than special.

Oct 06, 2011 05:23 PM