Branded Email in the Real Estate Industry

Branded Email in the Real Estate Industry

You're in the real estate industry, and that means you've got a brand. Chances are, you've spent quite a bit of money to build that brand, whether it's through franchising fees, marketing, websites, business cards, other print materials, advertising, yard signs, and/or through other means. And whoever answers your phones probably answers it with your brand as well – "Good morning, thank you for calling Your Brand Here Real Estate, how can I help you?" Your brand is out there, getting you business, because people recognize and trust it. But what about your email? How much could it benefit you to include your brand on each email you send every day?

I'm not talking about mass email campaigns. I'm talking about branded email that transforms your everyday, plain text emails into dynamic sales pieces. With a good email branding system, you can include your logo, colors, your picture, and links to your website. Some solutions even allow you to upload pictures of properties directly into the designs. Because over 90% of all communication is visual, the power of having graphics in your email is tremendous. Also because of this, branded email will soon become a standard or even a "requirement" in the real estate industry, much like business cards and websites.

A Quick Scenario

Lets look at this scenario – you are a prospective homebuyer and you receive email from two real estate agents. One is a plain text email that introduces the agent and directs you to his website for more information. The second one you receive is branded with the brokerage logo, colors, and it fits with all of the rest of their marketing material, so you instantly get a great impression in your mind of her company. The agent introduces herself and directs your attention to a picture of a newly listed property in your price range, and tells you to click on it for more information. Are you more likely to search the first agent's website for a property, or click on the image to look at that house and possibly similar houses?

Branded email also helps build a relationship with your client. In the situation above, you received an email from the agent with a link to a house in your price range that you may be interested in. It was tailored to you, who would you go back to for more information or more listings?

What Should I Look For?

Next, I want to give you a quick rundown of what to look for when you're considering a branded email system. First and foremost, if the company has a free trial, take it. You don't want to purchase something and end up hating it. While you're researching, here are some questions to ask –

• Do the emails get past spam filters? This question is rather self-explanatory. If your emails don't get to their recipients, the solution is a waste of your money. Note that the body of the email also has a lot to do with getting past a spam filter – if you're using big, bold, red fonts, CLICK HERE links, and/or the word free (or other flagged words) repeatedly, chances are your email won't get through.
• What size are the branded emails? In this case, bigger is not better. (If you're using Microsoft Outlook to send email, it may be embedding the images on its own. Ask your solution provider how to turn this off)
• Is the product easy to use, or do you have to change the way you currently send email?
• Can the template be set up to contain links to different pages/areas of your website? This is very big question, since being able to say "Click on the Virtual Tours link above to check out our properties!" is much better opportunity than "Hey, go check out my site at www.EmailAppeal.com and click around until you find our tours." As the old adage goes, on the Internet you're always 1 click away from losing a customer.
• Can you easily change your contact information, picture (if the system allows you to upload one) and any other sensitive information on your template, or do you have to pay the solution provider to change them for you?
• Do you have control over the aspects of the design, or can the users change the design at will? Brand control and consistency is a big deal in any business.
• Does the system require you to send your email through a different server or to a different email address? This is a security risk whether they say so or not, as your emails are all being routed through a third party server. A good system will work without requiring you send your email through any third party.

What Kind of Pricing Should I Expect?

Most branded email solutions are very cost effective, so your decision should boil down to features. Make sure you get the answers to the questions above, and make sure those answers are in line with your expectations of any software provider. If you do a little homework, find a great product, and use it diligently, branded email will pay for itself with increased sales over and over again.

Copyright 2005 Jason DeVelvis – www.EmailAppeal.com

About the Author:
Jason is a long time web developer and the owner of Email Appeal, an email marketing company located in Holland, OH. You can contact him by calling 866-665-3887 or by visiting http://www.EmailAppeal.com

Related Articles:

A Bahamas Golf Vacation On Great Exuma
A Bahamas Golf Vacation, staying in a top class Resort and Spa on Grand Exuma could be the best of both worlds Golf for the golfers, and the Resort and Spa for the non golfers, and of course for apr?s golf too

Golf! How To Power That Drive Away
Anyone who tells you, that he or she would not like to hit the golf ball further is either a liar, or Tiger Woods.Drive for show and putt for dough maybe sound advice, but if you ask the average weekend golfer whether they would like to putt like Brad Faxon, or regularly belt the ball like Tiger, most would opt for Tiger's power off the tee.

Golf Head Cover Designs
Playing golf can be one of the most favorite past times for a wide variety of people. If you have the time, the right golf technique, a good movement coordination, and of course, the resources to acquire golf equipment and to get to a golf course where you can play golf, you are almost all set to enjoy golf. However, although many may seem to nod to the idea that golf is all about those mentioned basic requirements, some beg to disagree. There's more to golfing if you are a fun-loving person and that is making your equipment top of the line, golfing accessories included, such as golf head covers.

Arizona Wedding Reception
The Arizona Inn is just the place that you are looking for if you seeking for neat and well-cared for lawns and trees combined with lush gardens and a serene view. Apart from that, this inn is also filled with fragrances of roses and oranges as well as eye-catching fountains.

Eva's Village, A Homeless Shelter in NJ Makes Last Call for 2008 Golf Outing Sponsorships to Help Fund Anti-Poverty Programs in New Jersey
Eva's Village (www.EvasVillage.org), a non-profit, comprehensive, social service agency in Paterson, New Jersey with a four-part mission to feed the hungry, shelter the homeless, treat the addicted and provide medical care to the poor with respect for the human dignity of each individual announces The L. Robert Keller Memorial Invitational Golf Tournament. The NJ Charitable function will be held on Monday June 23, 2008 at The Montclair Golf Club in West Orange, NJ. Proceeds from the tournament will benefit Eva's Village and the people who use their services.

Best Florida Attraction - Everglades Airboat Rides
My husband retired last year, and I have always been a stay at home mom raising the kids. However, our wonderful children have since grown and are living their own lives, so my husband George and I can do what we want to now. Not that we couldn?t when our kids were growing up, but you know what I mean ? we can start having adventures again.

Improve Your Golf Game Using the Unlimited Power of Your Imagination
Today, it seems, that many people are all too familiar with what they can't do. We need to spend more time and thought on what we CAN do.

California Overtime Lawyer Unveils Civil Rights Division
California overtime lawyer Angie V. Phung, in many instances, takes on the role of a Civil Rights Activist. The lines are blurred when it comes to right and wrong for some employers and the payment of overtime wages and the protection of the civil rights of some clients overlap.

Don't Miss Out -- Register Now for QARACC's Upcoming 'QMS Requirements Training' Seminar in Tampa, Florida
QARACC is offering an excellent 2-day QMS Requirements Training seminar for the medical device industry at the newly renovated Westin Tampa Harbour Island Hotel in Tampa, Florida, on October 17th and 18th, 2007. This course is ideal for those individuals involved in the design and manufacture of medical devices and is designed to provide medical professionals with an in-depth knowledge and perspective of the FDA QSR and ISO 13485 quality management system requirements.**

Summer Deals Offer Incentives to Visit Florida Keys
Florida Keys hotels, attractions and restaurants are offering summer deals and value-added incentives to help stretch vacation dollars.