EZ Texting’s Curb Appeal in Real Estate

From finding renters and buyers to coordinating property visits and loan information, the real estate industry is fast, furious, and not for the faint of heart! Also, trying to hit your numbers while juggling so many plates might seem like a Herculean task, so what’s the solution for real estate professionals who want to reach their goals but not drown in administrative tasks?

How about texting! Yes, the same tool we all use for sending baby pictures to friends and family is also a secret weapon in real estate. Read on to learn more about how texting, also known as SMS marketing, can help you drive growth, coordinate with agents, and even manage HR tasks!

Keywords and Short Codes

Text marketing is often based around short codes, which are 5 and 6 digit numbers that are shared by multiple businesses. Keywords are used to ensure that text messages sent to a shared short code end up in the right mailbox. Confused? Let’s see it in action then break it down:

“Text NEWHOMES to 858585 to see all the new property listings in the Vista del Playa neighborhood!”

In this advertisement - which could be on social media, in print, or on a billboard - 858585 is the shared short code used by multiple companies, while the keyword NEWHOMES is used by the Vista del Playa management company to ensure texts from interested buyers go to them, not anyone else using that short code. As a best practice, you can set up auto-replies that provide customers with their requested information (in this case, home listings). You can also use keywords as a way to divide customers into groups.

Segmenting Contacts Into Groups

You might have a red hot list of contacts who’ve opted in to your texting channel, but not all of them want the same thing. One group may be looking at oceanfront duplexes, while others are looking for student apartments. By dividing them into groups, you can ensure that your marketing budget is being used effectively and cost-efficiently.

Without groups, you’d send every marketing message to everyone on your list. That wastes resources because no matter what you send out, a large portion of clients have no interest in the message.

Recurring Texts

This function of SMS marketing helps you save time by cutting down on repetitive administrative tasks. For example, if you’re holding an open house every Monday until the property sells, then recurring texts allow you to “set it and forget it”; simply create the content of the text, select the groups you’re sending it to, and create the schedule of how often you’d like it sent. Once you set it up, you never have to do it again. Think of how much time this saves when you have multiple open houses for multiple properties!

These are just the most common ways texts can facilitate real estate success.

Get started today! Call our Client Success Managers today at (800) 753-5732 to learn more!