Making Text Message Marketing for Real Estate Companies Easier and More Efficient

The explosion of SMS marketing is well-deserved. Its reach, efficiency, affordability, and ease of use make it a favorite for marketers and customers alike. Text message marketing for real estate is where SMS marketing can shine even brighter. Time-sensitive information can be sent at the touch of a button, while bulk SMS texting means agents can share new listings with entire customer bases just as fast. While real estate companies that don’t make use of it risk being outperformed by those that do, they also need to ensure their contact lists stay clean of unwanted numbers. Failing to do so jeopardizes both your customer’s rights to privacy as well as your bottom line.

Source: Unsplash

How Real Estate Text Marketing Works

Real estate companies will typically use shortcodes consisting of 5 or 6 digits for their SMS texting numbers, rather than the 10-digit numbers standard mobile phones rely on. The advantage of this is that they’re easier to read and remember, which is perfect for real estate ads posted on lawns for prospects to drive past.

Shortcodes also assist with text riders, which are one of the main uses of text message marketing for real estate. Whether it’s a lawn sign or a poster on the gate of an apartment complex, all text riders require is a bold call to action for prospective buyers. The call to action simply needs to contain a keyword, such as ‘HOME5’—to text the corresponding shortcode. Prospective buyers then receive an automated text with all of the property’s information in seconds. It doesn’t get more efficient than that!

That information should include key details, such as the property price, number of rooms, address, and contact information should they wish to book a viewing appointment. Using this method stands to increase the number of prospective buyers you attract, book viewings faster, and make it easier for customers to keep in contact with your real estate company.

Is Text Marketing Effective For Real Estate?

SMS marketing has been effective in many markets, and the same is true for real estate. This is largely due to the ubiquity of mobile phones. They’re either on us or within earshot—so it’s no surprise text messages boast an open rate of 98%. There’s simply no better way to gain the attention of prospective clients.

Source: Unsplash

Another reason why text message marketing works so well for real estate is its speediness. We live in an era where customers are used to getting what they’re after instantly, after all. Many industries, from fast food to banking, have been able to satisfy these demands by embracing new technology.

You can give your customers an instant experience too with SMS marketing, too. Using the correct texting software, you can set up automated texts that supply customers with information—and even appointment booking opportunities—upon request.

Benefits of Text Marketing for Real Estate

Still not convinced of the benefits text message marketing can bring to your real estate business? Consider the following:

• SMS marketing helps establish leads: When you allow customers to text you, you expand your contact list. This database can be used to send personalized marketing, appointment reminders, and announcements of new properties for sale.
• Your competitors aren’t doing it enough: Despite 40% of real estate clients preferring to speak with their agents via text, only 15% of agents oblige. Set yourself apart by catering to this neglected market segment!
• Better response rates: Emails disappear into the spam folder. Calls get sent to voicemail. Texts, on the other hand, grab a client’s attention without interrupting their busy day. That’s why SMS marketing enjoys a response rate of 45%—much higher than the 6% its traditional counterparts warrant.

Best Practices For Real Estate Text Marketing

Real estate is an industry where time is both of the essence and invaluable. No-shows and late clients can derail the whole day’s schedule, leading to decreased efficiency and less money in your pocket. Text message marketing works to combat all of that. That doesn’t mean you should completely abandon all of the other marketing strategies you’ve poured so much time and money into developing, though. Quite the contrary—SMS marketing should be used alongside those other methods. Teamwork makes the dream work!

Moreover, you don’t have to be bound to the 160-character limit of standard text messaging if you don’t want to be. You can opt for MMS whenever you please. Not only does it bump up the text limit to 1600, but you can also add media. This includes images and audio. Instead of just telling a client about a house, show them. It’s a surefire way to leave a lasting impression.

Last but not least, even bulk texts can still be personalized. Using texting software to include the client’s name is a great way to differentiate yourself from other run-of-the-mill marketing texts. It also paves the way for more trusting and personal customer relationships.

Your Real Estate Business Needs SMS Marketing

Putting SMS marketing to work and bolstering it with these best practices can exponentially expand your list of contacts and quality leads. Without the right systems in place, however, it can do more harm than good. Having contact lists riddled with landlines, fake numbers, and numbers on the Do-Not-Call (DNC) registry will heavily chew into your marketing budget. Granted, it’s incredibly laborious and time-consuming to scrub your contacts lists of these numbers manually. Don’t worry, Landline Remover is happy to do the heavy lifting for you.

Landline Remover and Text Message Marketing for Real Estate

As tedious as cleaning out old contact lists can be, Landline Remover is as user-friendly as it gets. Better yet, there are no complicated subscription plans to deal with—you only pay for what you use. At a rate of $0.002 per number checked (equal to only $2 per 1000 numbers), it’s notably cheaper than sending wasted texts or incurring a hefty fine from the FTC for violating the DNC registry.

Get started with Landline Remover today and receive 1000 credits free. It’s the easiest way to ensure your SMS marketing strategy remains cost-effective and up-to-date.