How your texting strategy can make you rich

texting strategy

“The poem is a perfecting of a feeling in language – it’s a way of saying more with less, just as texting is.” – Carol Ann Duffy, British poet

If you’re an agent or broker seeking the next, new, sizzling marketing tool, look down at your fingers. Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you the next great device: texting.

I know this because I have personal experience. I learned a while back that when I wanted to reach my kids, calling them was pointless. When I left a message, I’d never hear back from them. But when I texted them, they responded immediately. I knew it was only a matter of time before my texting strategy would become a critical tool for REALTORS®.

Today your texting strategy is as popular as a heaping scoop of vanilla ice cream on a hot summer day. Why?

It’s pervasive: Pew Research says two-thirds of Americans use a smartphone and that text messaging is the most widely-used smartphone feature.

It’s effective: A study by Conversational Advertising says 90 percent of all text messages are read within three minutes. Plus, Tecipedia found that the open rate of texts is 98 percent compared with only 22 percent of emails.

It’s interactive: Texting is a two-way street that gives consumers the power to interact and it lets you make that interaction fun and profitable. On your yard signs, for example, you can invite prospects to text key words for all the listing’s details, your contact info, or even take part in contests or trivia games. Every person who texts you can be added to your database of phone numbers.

It’s personal: Texting lets you reach prospects individually and create relationships.

It’s immediate: Today’s consumers have come to expect speed in practically every facet of their lives and texting doesn’t disappoint because it’s extraordinarily fast.

It’s do-it-yourself easy: You can launch a text messaging campaign yourself with some simple web-based software (there’s plenty to choose, just google texting software).

It’s inexpensive: Most mobile phone plans include at least a few hundred messages per month, and additional messages cost only pennies to receive. Or you can get an unlimited texting plan.

When you consider these bullets there’s no reason why you shouldn’t have a texting strategy as part of your marketing plan. I’ll end with a few more details on mobile marketing:

1. Property Codes: When you first start, you’ll pick keywords for each of your listings. Property codes simply represent and describe your listing. When consumers text the code, they’ll get the listing information instantly.
2. Sign Riders: Add the property code on your yard signs with a simple call to action to get consumers to text. For example “Text ‘A1111’ to ‘12345’ for this home’s specs!”
3. Lead Generation: After prospects text the property code, their mobile phone numbers are automatically placed into your contacts so you can follow up – which you should do as quickly as possible. Then you can automate your text messaging just like an e-mail drip marketing campaign to stay in front of clients and prospects.

Trust me when I tell you mobile marketing for REALTORS® will only continue to grow as a vital channel. By starting a texting strategy effort now, you can build on your current relationships and create many more in the future.

Shoot me an e-mail at Article@CorcoranCoaching.com and I’ll send you free of charge a handout with more tips on how to start a successful texting campaign. And let me hear from you on Facebook. Are you using texting strategy in your marketing efforts? If so, what’s been your experience so far? Share at www.facebook.com/CorcoranCoaching.

By Bob Corcoran