Being a real estate agent is not an easy career. Every day, you talk with many people and at the same time, you must record vital information from those conversations. Keeping record helps you remember who your clients are, which properties they’re interested in, and what their preferences are.
Managing this manually can be hard. Loose notes get lost and notebooks become too full too soon. For that reason, many real estate agents are turning to digital customer relationship management, or CRM, solutions. Overall, CRM is an effective system that helps you keep organised records of your daily dealings with different customers.
In this article, we’ll explore how real estate agents are utilising the power of CRM software to manage their clients, and why you should do the same.
1. To upload contacts
One of the best ways to get potential customers in real estate is to have easy access to information of possible buyers. Using a real estate agent CRM solution, you can easily collect and store your clients’ information using your smartphone or tablet.
The best part is, unlike with using a notebook or your phone’s built-in contacts function, you never have to worry about losing your clients’ information. With modern CRMs, the information is securely stored on the cloud. This also means you can access the information at any time, no matter where you are.
With CRM contact management, you can enter clients’ details using your smart device. The submission uploads immediately and the CRM software will even automatically associate the new information with company records available online. Thus, you won’t have to type in every minute detail manually, saving you valuable time.
The CRM allows you to edit contact information easily. While updating the information, you can simultaneously complete your sales tasks on the same screen. That means less switching from one screen to another to get your work done.
2. To manage leads
Having a list of people in your CRM system isn’t enough. You need to keep track of where they are in the sales cycle. This way, you’ll know which actions to take next.
If a lead is ready to buy a property, you can conveniently set a reminder for yourself via the CRM software to send a follow-up email. You may want to encourage the sale or ask whether they need more information from your side.
On the other hand, if a lead is still in the preparation level of researching the market, you’ll approach them differently by sharing relevant information to help them make the best choice.
By managing your leads properly using a CRM software, you’re improving your efficiency and customer service.
3. To automate digital marketing
As mentioned earlier, some leads may still be in the stage of researching potential properties to buy. One of the best efforts you can make to convince them to do business with you is digital marketing. With effective digital marketing strategies, you can keep your customers engaged, thereby increasing the likelihood that they’ll buy a property through you. Also, your past clients may even refer their family and friends to you because they had a wonderful experience working with you.
A CRM software optimises your digital marketing efforts to help you meet your clients’ needs. The CRM software will help you collect relevant data on how your contacts respond to your marketing efforts, their browsing habits, and other web activities. This information is vital in helping you understand your clients better. The better you understand them, the more targeted and strategic your marketing efforts can be.
If you tailor your marketing efforts according to each customers’ needs, they’ll be more likely to engage and do business with you. For instance, create a virtual tour for social media marketing, so potential clients can easily see what you’re offering. This is especially useful if you’re after millennials who spend most of their time searching on social media for whatever they need. Video marketing, like virtual tours, will attract and engage them.
But if your target is businessmen who spend most of their time using the internet on desktop computers in their offices, it’s best to create informative blog articles of your service and home offerings. Make it engaging by including high-quality photos of the available properties.
Then use your CRM software to monitor which marketing efforts work best for each target audience. With a CRM software, you can automatically detect which clients use social media or standard web browsers. Based on what potential clients are more likely to engage with, you can set your marketing ads to show up to the right target audience, based on the platforms they use.
Such highly targeted marketing strategies make for a more engaging experience, increasing the likelihood that someone from your unique target audiences will contact you about buying a new property.
4. To remind them of appointments and calls
When you use CRM software, it reminds you of important calls or appointments using its built-in calendar. This is especially useful when you have many appointments booked during peak seasons, as it will prevent you from overbooking or mistakenly booking two appointments in the same time slot.
You can also make useful notes on your calendar to remind you whom you’re meeting with and what their preferences are. If they asked you to confirm the meeting, you can set a reminder for yourself one or two days in advance to do so. You can also let the CRM software send you email reminders of upcoming appointments. That way, even if you’re having a busy day, you’ll be reminded of your appointments.
5. To reconnect with former clients
Closing a deal with a client doesn’t mean ending your relationship with them. The more they do business with you, the stronger your customer relationship with them will be. This has added benefits, including that you can be sure of their future business and that they’ll refer anyone looking to buy property to you. And if you nurture the relationship with the new referral, this positive cycle will repeat itself, ensuring that you’ll earn income in the long-term without relying too heavily on new clients.
You can use your CRM software to create a personal follow-up plan for these clients. For instance, you can make a note to ask your past client how their children are doing. For a personal touch, make sure you know their names.
You may even send them greetings on special occasions, like their wedding anniversaries or birthdays. That way, they’ll remember your care and attention to detail, and you’ll be the first agent that comes to mind for their real estate needs.
Conclusion
Being a real estate agent keeps you busy. If your daily business activities keep you from managing your client relations, you’ll lose out on sales. For this reason, many real estate agents are turning to CRM solutions to manage their clients. If you need an effective solution, this is it.
A CRM solution will allow you to build and maintain a contact list effortlessly, manage leads in various stages of the buying cycle, perfect your marketing strategies, and build lasting customer relationships, ensuring the long-term success of your real estate business.
