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HOW TO INCORPORATE
How to Incorporate Current Events to Your Email Blasts and Stay Relevant
Email marketing is a cost effective and straightforward method of getting your name and services in front of clients with just a few keystrokes. This tried-and-true approach to digital marketing is a favorite of many, and there are countless ways to customize (and maximize) your email blasts to reap superior results. Despite this, many real estate professionals are content to standardize their email advertising and take a broad, one-size-fits-all approach to capturing interest and leads. While an up-front sales pitch certainly has its uses and benefits, it doesn’t hurt to shake up your routine and refresh your email marketing approach by adding specifics that draw renewed interest from your audience.
One way to accomplish this is by tying in current events and local happenings to your email blasts. After all, your sphere of influence likely receives countless marketing emails per day. To cut through the noise, sharpen your message with a few specifics that separate your communications from the pack. Not every email should be focused on closing a sale, or else your audience will learn to stop listening. How do you build your brand, stay top of mind, and keep the lines of communication open with your clientele? Here are a few ideas to get you started.
against an old rival? Do they host themed fan days honoring veterans or catering to families? Tailoring your communications to a local sports franchise’s big news or next event can draw intrigue and provide added value for your clients. Remember, not every communication you send should be focused on pitching and closing a sale, otherwise your audience will tune out your emails altogether. Instead, incorporate fun, community-oriented content that lets readers know you’re a resource for much more than real estate.
Sports news makes a splash
People love to rally behind the home team. Is a regional, local university, or professional sports team in your area headed to the playoffs or the championship? Are they facing off Become a one-stop-shop for holiday fun and seasonal ideas.
From Mother’s Day to Thanksgiving, anyone can send an email wishing clients a happy holiday. While the sentiment is a good one, you’ll be one of dozens flooding inboxes with
your well-wishes. Instead, go beyond the traditional greetings and good tidings and become a hyper-specific resource for clients. Create a gift guide for Mother’s Day, outline family-friendly local events occurring in your area around the holidays, or engage in a promotional partnership with a local business who’s offering a holiday special of their own. In other words, don’t settle for just saying hello during certain times of the year. Instead, up the value of your email blast by offering clients curated information that relates to their interests and area. Doing so makes your emails a must-read, while demonstrating your ability to go the extra mile.
Pop culture serves as a fun and timely tie-in.
Is a new gaming app sweeping the nation? Have your social media feeds been flooded with the same viral video? Is everyone gossiping about the same TV show premiere? Pop culture tie-ins in your email marketing campaigns can be extremely effective, but in order to for them to work, you’ll need to move quickly and keep your focus on the phenomenon, rather than your service pitch. The goal behind pop culture marketing tie-ins is communicating the progressiveness and hip factor of your brand, while capturing timely, topical interest that’s at a fever pitch. Everyone wants to be in on a running joke or trend, and if you leverage trending pop culture moments in your email marketing, you’ll be able to draw views and clicks from a wide audience.
Plenty of services offer standardized email marketing templates and content for today’s real estate professionals, and while the motivation behind marketing is transactional, your communications don’t have to be. The surest way to make an impact in your clients’ inboxes is to add original value and break apart from the pack. Consider updating some of your routines with these current events oriented techniques and your email audience is sure to take a second look.
SARAH TOSO
Top Agent Sarah Toso is a solo agent for RE/MAX Ultimate Professionals based in Crest Hill, Illinois, covering the southwest suburbs of Chicago.
Sarah Toso was raised in a big family–seven siblings to be exact–but she says her dad was always prepared to take on the new addition. “We outgrew homes fairly quickly, so he would purchase the lot next door in preparation for building a larger home,” she recalls with a laugh. “We would do our best to help. So basically, I grew up learning about homes, real estate, and construction.”
Initially, Sarah pursued a teaching career, which she loved, and was even awarded the Walmart teacher of the year. However, as fate would have it, Sarah’s middle son was born with a heart defect and required surgery at just eight days old.A decision about her career had to be made as doctors suggested her son not be around other kids in a daycare situation for at least a year. For a while, the family tried to survive on one salary, but that wasn’t working.At the time, they had been living in a custom-built home of their own design and labor. “Because we could no longer afford to live there, we sold it and purchased our first foreclosed home
while I was pregnant with our third son. It was a disaster of a home, but when we were finished, it was gorgeous,” she says.
Shortly after moving in, the family discovered there was quite a jump in the market, so they took a chance at selling and finding another project. They ended up flipping homes several more times.Their construction skills became so well-known locally that a real estate agent approached them asking if they would do some general contracting for a home he was representing. Sarah’s husband, who was a firefighter studying for a promotional test, said he didn’t have the time but encouraged Sarah to take
on the project. She oversaw the entire construction from start to finish and the house sold quickly. It was at that point she knew her calling and decided she needed to get her license. That was in 2017, and she’s never looked back.
From grading papers to acing homes, she now works as a solo agent for RE/MAX Ultimate Professionals based in Crest Hill, Illinois, covering the southwest suburbs of Chicago
Only in the business for three years, Sarah’s skills have already helped her to take a spot with nationally recognized Lennar Builder for several communities; gain several awards for RE/MAX, including Executive, 100%, and Platinum Club; and named in the top 100 for Chicago Realtors. She reports her business is already 80% repeat and referral clients. “I think my clients not only appreciate that I have certain knowledge, especially about construction and the inner workings of a home, but also that I take the time needed to help them get projects in order or resolve problems,” she explains. “I can point out issues before inspectors arrive
and tell clients what might need to be done in a home prior to hiring the inspector.”
Sarah loves personally reaching out to her clients. “I really connect with my clients and get to know them on a personal level; their story is important to me,” she says. “I make a lot of phone calls and plan meet-ups for lunch or drinks”.
Prior to marketing a home, Sarah does a thorough walk-through, inspecting every nook and cranny looking for potential issues the clients might need to address. “It’s all about cost effectiveness,” she asserts. “If the budget is tight and there isn’t the room for a major fix or repair, we’ll do what we can to spruce up the home to make it ready for sale.” She then utilizes professional photography and drone shots to show off the home to its best advantage. “I’ll also have the photographer grab some unique shots from the subdivision, town or nearby area to show the lifestyle associated with the home,” she says.
Sarah says what she loves most about her job is the opportunity to dream with her clients. “Whenever we walk into a home, I can visualize the potential of it, which some clients often can’t see,” she says. “They may not like certain aspects of a home, but I can show them where and how things can be improved so they can have the home of their dreams.”
Sarah is very involved with her community, especially local businesses, which she features in her own project she calls, Local Life Live. “I want to help the small local businesses get noticed, so I’ll do whatever I can, including a video highlight, and raffling off gift cards to their establishments,” she says.
When not working or giving of her time, Sarah loves to spend time with her family on their newly purchased 3-acre farm working at “Building Boys”; involving them in the work and construction of our forever home.” I ultimately would like to open up to the community for visits and photos,” she says.
As for the future, Sarah hopes to build her brand, Sarah Sells It, so her name becomes synonymous with local real estate. She adds, “I want to continue to serve and educate local buyers and sellers, enabling more families to realize their dreams of home ownership....and a little sweat equity.”
For more information about Sarah Toso,
please call (815) 603-7493, email sarahtoso16@gmail.com, or visit www.remax.com/real-estate-agents/sarah-toso-crest-hill-il/101916353
