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Andrew Ikeda

Initial contact: by email or phone?

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Greetings Everyone,

 

I'm curious as to how you are doing your marketing. Do you initially send an email and then follow up with a phone call or the other way around?

 

I've been sending emails out first. The reason is that I want to see if there is any interest before using up my minutes and chatting for long periods of time only to discover that their not willing to sell on an L/O or CA and they are not flexible with their asking price. If they are warm, then I'll pick up the phone.

 

But I got to thinking that maybe calling would be more personable and a better way to warm up. What do you guys think?

 

Thanks!

 

Andrew

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Andrew, there's no one size fits all when it comes to marketing. Everyone will tell you what the "best" method is. I say try different approaches and determine what works best for you. What suits your personality and your budget?

Personally, I much prefer using emails as my initial contact method. It's free and time efficient, versus taking the time to every Tom, Dick, and Harry on the phone, answering all their questions, only to be told they're not interested. Not for me. :unsure:

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Greetings Everyone,

I'm curious as to how you are doing your marketing. Do you initially send an email and then follow up with a phone call or the other way around?

Greetings to you to too :lol:

 

I also have used email in the past but I have learned that email is becoming old to me maybe because so much email scams out there these days that recipients are not taking them serious any more and just toss them which explains why we don't get as much deals via emails as before for most.

 

Now, I'm using a different approach which is different (not too saturated.. yet), free, interesting, excellent icebreaker, and so far it has worked pretty well for me :unsure:

 

The approach I'm using is "Texting" the recipient directly to his cell phone (yes, most ppl these days have cell phones with text feature), and if the phone they place on the ads is not a cell or does not take text, I still text them and then follow up with a phone call or email asking them if they got my text (great icebreaker here), they will say something like.. "no, I don't have txt capability, but what was it about?".. BANG! Green Light! :blink:

 

If they get my text, they reply via text right away (all free online texting)

 

BEV!

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Greetings Everyone,

I'm curious as to how you are doing your marketing. Do you initially send an email and then follow up with a phone call or the other way around?

Greetings to you to too :lol:

 

I also have used email in the past but I have learned that email is becoming old to me maybe because so much email scams out there these days that recipients are not taking them serious any more and just toss them which explains why we don't get as much deals via emails as before for most.

 

Now, I'm using a different approach which is different (not too saturated.. yet), free, interesting, excellent icebreaker, and so far it has worked pretty well for me :unsure:

 

The approach I'm using is "Texting" the recipient directly to his cell phone (yes, most ppl these days have cell phones with text feature), and if the phone they place on the ads is not a cell or does not take text, I still text them and then follow up with a phone call or email asking them if they got my text (great icebreaker here), they will say something like.. "no, I don't have txt capability, but what was it about?".. BANG! Green Light! :blink:

 

If they get my text, they reply via text right away (all free online texting)

 

BEV!

very interesting Bev.

When is your home study course going to become available?

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I've tried:

 

1. email, then follow up with email

2. email, then follow up with phone

3. phone (cold calling)

 

Emailing, initially, then following up with a phone call has worked

best for me. I know varying methods work different for different people.

Like Michael stated, do 'em all. Then use what best works for you.

 

 

and if the phone they place on the ads is not a cell or does not take text, I still text them and then follow up with a phone call or email asking them if they got my text (great icebreaker here), they will say something like.. "no, I don't have txt capability, but what was it about?".. BANG! Green Light!

If their phone doesn't allow or take texts, then why do it in the 1st place? :unsure:

I know if I asked a person, who had an ad with a land line phone if they got my text, they'd

write me off right then and there. :blink:

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Thanks everyone,

 

Bev, that is an interesting approach. MC, I'm more with you on the email first.

 

Several observations:

 

1. I've tried both my personal email and another email (homesolutions4u@yahoo.com) and have noticed that the personal email gets the most response.

 

2. Also, I've tried being direct with my first email: "Would you be interested in selling your house on a L/O?" and that has not worked as well as this one:

 

Hi Seller,

 

I'm interested in buying your house but have a few questions:

 

1. Why are you selling?

2. How soon do you need to sell?

3. Have you had many offers or interested parties?

4. What are you going to do if you cannot sell?

 

Then I wait for their reply. If they do respond, then I'll send another email with the questions about selling on L/O. This method has worked best for me so far (I just started up again this week) and have 3 interested parties.

 

Thanks and keep the ideas coming.

 

Andrew

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It's also good to keep in mind when email is your first contact, it should be warm, friendly, but honest, clear and direct. Typos or unclear logical flow really detract from an email first impression. For me personally it's the difference between deleting a message halfway through, and reading it to finish.

 

I think it's interesting that personal email addresses got a better response. That's something I will have to look into to.

 

Basically, I think people are adapting to all of the calls that they normally receive, and getting something new in an inbox is relatively safer.

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Hey Bev,

 

Do you have a standard text that you blast out to people or do you do each one individually? What I'm asking is if this method takes a lot of time or can it be done quickly?

 

Thanks, and don't be a stranger.

 

Andrew

 

Greetings Everyone,

I'm curious as to how you are doing your marketing. Do you initially send an email and then follow up with a phone call or the other way around?

Greetings to you to too ;)

 

I also have used email in the past but I have learned that email is becoming old to me maybe because so much email scams out there these days that recipients are not taking them serious any more and just toss them which explains why we don't get as much deals via emails as before for most.

 

Now, I'm using a different approach which is different (not too saturated.. yet), free, interesting, excellent icebreaker, and so far it has worked pretty well for me :blush:

 

The approach I'm using is "Texting" the recipient directly to his cell phone (yes, most ppl these days have cell phones with text feature), and if the phone they place on the ads is not a cell or does not take text, I still text them and then follow up with a phone call or email asking them if they got my text (great icebreaker here), they will say something like.. "no, I don't have txt capability, but what was it about?".. BANG! Green Light! :angry:

 

If they get my text, they reply via text right away (all free online texting)

 

BEV!

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Hey Bev,

 

Do you have a standard text that you blast out to people or do you do each one individually? What I'm asking is if this method takes a lot of time or can it be done quickly?

 

Thanks, and don't be a stranger. Andrew

Drew, I text it the same way I email it. (short and very personalized)

 

 

BEV!

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Bev:

 

Just started texting recently. Do you have to put in each text individually, or is there a way to copy and paste or email yourself and forward or some other trick so you don't have to re-enter each text message?

 

Thanks for the suggestions!

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I started this about a month ago and just made up a personalized e-mail address but noticed that I get a lot of responses. Most are "no" but at least I know people are reading it. I send out 20 e-mails a day 7 days a week and I'd say I average about 8-10 responses a day. So many people underwater on their homes out here and the people with any real equity seem to be holding but it's just a numbers game so it'll hit eventually.

 

It's also good to keep in mind when email is your first contact, it should be warm, friendly, but honest, clear and direct. Typos or unclear logical flow really detract from an email first impression. For me personally it's the difference between deleting a message halfway through, and reading it to finish.

 

I think it's interesting that personal email addresses got a better response. That's something I will have to look into to.

 

Basically, I think people are adapting to all of the calls that they normally receive, and getting something new in an inbox is relatively safer.

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Bev: Just started texting recently. Do you have to put in each text individually, or is there a way to copy and paste or email yourself and forward or some other trick so you don't have to re-enter each text message?

Thanks for the suggestions!

Rev Kev, I text it on an individual basis because I want to stand out from the rest.

Lets pretend they have an ad that says...

 

" For Rent - Beautiful house close to ABC school. Has new carpets. Located in San Francisco. Please call Marco for details 408-555-5555 "

 

Since I don't know if Marco is an agent or the owner or if he can get texts on his phone or not (or if is a cell for that matter lol)

Here's what I would probably text to him.

 

"Hi Marco, how are you? Are you the person with a rental in SF? You say is close to ABC school, that's fantastic!

I'm extremely interested if the owner is open to long term lease. Please Reply to discuss."

 

That's just one of hundreds of scripts I use, is not the same over and over again.

If I get a reply then we discuss all the details, if I get no reply it means they never got my text and I email or call them to follow up.

All I want is to break the ice gently, that's all :blush:

 

BEV!

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