Content marketing is a popular and highly effective strategy across many industries including real estate. By sending regular updates to your clients you are not only reminding them you exist, you are also offering them something of value.

Or are you?

It is pointless sending newsletters if they are not going to be read. And they won’t be read if they aren’t interesting and well put together.

Here are some tips for creating a real estate newsletter your clients will be excited to read.

Create relevant content

Every homeowner is interested in local property prices. However, if you simply fill your newsletter with sale results it starts to look like bragging.

Along with current market updates, look to include articles, infographics or even video links which will be of interest to your customers. Titles such as ‘How to improve your home’s value for less’ or ‘Five reasons 2018 is the year to invest’ are likely to grab their curiosity and drive traffic to your website.

Include local area updates as well. Changes to bus routes, development approvals for new community centres or recent council announcements are all relevant information for your audience.

Segment your newsletter

Your email marketing doesn’t have to be one-size-fits-all. Thanks to popular and easy to use template software like Mailchimp you are able to divide your audience into segments.

You could create a newsletter for property owners, one for renters and one for active buyers. Alternatively, divide your audience into millennials, families and downsizers.

Each version doesn’t have to be completely different but you can swap out one or two items to grab the attention of the demographic.

Add external links

Some agents put all the information they want to share within their newsletter. In fact, you are better off adding an introduction then linking out to property listings and blog posts on your website.

Sending your audience to your online location boosts your site’s reputation with Google and helps to increase brand recognition.

Be mobile friendly

As an agent you know all too well - people are increasingly accessing their emails on their smartphones rather than their desktop computers.

Nobody has time to squint their way through tiny text! Your email software needs to be ‘responsive’, i.e. able to send emails which look good and are easy to read on mobile.

The good news is almost every modern email template software will automatically create mobile friendly versions of your newsletter.

Outsource to an expert

If you’re busy with the day-to-day and can’t send a regular newsletter, consider allocating the job to a third-party provider who specialises in electronic marketing. They will be able to help you come up with a strategy and create a consistent framework.

When working with a provider, consider the voice and tone you wish to deliver. You may find a fun and friendly vibe garners more clicks than a formal and professional feel.

Don’t forget to be aware of what’s in your newsletter! Your clients may mention the latest communication and it’s not a good look if you don’t have a clue what they are talking about.

Track opens and clicks

Newsletter software allows you to keep an eye on the success of each email you send and also compare your open rate to others within your industry.

As well as checking how many people are opening your email, take a look at how many clicks each link is getting. If your property listings are the most popular, keep them front and centre. Feature more advice if this is showing to drive traffic to your website.

If nobody is opening your emails, try A/B testing your headlines. You may find adding a question or a snappy phrase gets better results than a simple ‘Q4 Property Update’ heading.

You may find the traction you are getting on your newsletter isn’t worth the investment. In this case, take a break and consider where else you can direct your marketing budget.

BDH Solutions are rent-roll agents with over 30 years experience in connecting the right vendor with the right purchaser. To stay up to date with our latest listings, register here.