How to build a lickle goldmine of potential vendors
Happy New Year folks.
Does anyone know when we can stop greeting people with ‘Happy New Years’?
Surely it’d be easier for us all if there was a set etiquette established around this?
As you can probably tell I’ve had far too much thinking time on my hands during the Christmas break especially a seven hour trip on the M25 after Boxing Day.
Painful, very painful.
Far less painfully I received a few enquiries during the festive season including a couple relating to databases (often called lists) and how estate agents can build them, grow them and then eventually harvest them into valuations and hopefully instructions and commissions.
Here are some quick dos and donts when it comes to building a database list of prospective clients. I’ve built my business off the back of this sort of thing so I know it works and know it can work for you guys.
I’ve several clients doing it and doing very well from doing it.
DO:
Do have some way of getting visitors to your website to leave a fingerprint / trail i.e. their email address.
This could be by using instant valuation software or by offering a free download to them such as a guide to Selling Your Home Successfully or How to Avoid Tenancy Nightmares.
This builds your database and gives you permission to keep in contact with them.
Do commit to contacting your database regularly once they have subscribed to you. Weekly messages work well IF they are interesting, topical and helpful.
Do be bold enough to think outside of the confines of your office. What’s making the news locally or nationally and how can you comment – think Housing shortage, government policy changes, local council news, community events, fun stuff etc.
DON’T:
Don’t bombard people who have signed up to your database with sales messages.
Don’t expect instant miracles from your database. It took Leicester City ten months to achieve a miracle. You can expect the same sort of timescale.
Having said that if you follow the Dos above you should see your database grow steadily and depending on the skill and knowledge within your messages it will lead to valuations / interest from prospective sellers.
Don’t worry if people who have signed up to your list unsubscribe. It happens. Better to have an audience that wants to hear from you than someone who sees your messages as an intrusion.
And finally please, please, please Don’t buy databases of names in your area – If you are going to waste money do it down the bookies as there’s more chance of a return on your investment.
Finally, if you can get building and communicating with your database right, it will pay off eventually, and given its low costs, profitably.
Thanks for reading and here’s to your next instruction.
Jerry of propertyprexpert.co.uk
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