Email is a great way for your business to deliver your message, to engage and build rapport with existing and future clients. This form of communication is incredibly accessible to a wide range of people, plus it is a cost-effective strategy and it has a great return on investment (according to Hubspot data, email ROI is an impressive $36 for every $1 spent). For real estate agencies that have a wide and varied database, delivering news via email is a must.
But how do you make an email interesting? Is it engaging storytelling, or perhaps offering useful tips and advice?
The answer is both – but knowing how to tick these boxes can be challenging, particularly if you don’t understand the role content strategising, and well-written copy play in email marketing.
Thankfully, there is the option to learn, and the first step is in understanding the difference between sales emails and cold emails, both of which can benefit your business.
Sales emails will promote your agency’s services in a bid to increase revenue, while cold emails are personalised and address a specific interest or question that a customer might have. These are usually created to bolster client relationships and are the types of emails you want to be sharing given that real estate is built upon reputation and relationships.
Of course, the challenge lies in consistently creating unique and compelling content that subscribers will want to read. This is why it is crucial to develop a smart and savvy email marketing strategy that not only aligns with your agency’s branding but is also relevant and valuable to your target audience.
Lucky for you, we can tell you exactly how to do this.
5 Real Estate Newsletter Ideas to Use For Your Email Marketing
So, you have decided to invest in an email marketing strategy? Now, it is time to strategise and develop a line-up of relevant content that doesn’t date. Here are five evergreen themes that will resonate with your subscribers, and help boost business.
1. Latest News and Trends in Housing, Mortgage and Property Investment
Australians have a love affair with real estate. Whether it be keeping tabs on property prices within our local area, reading headlines about record-breaking state or national sales, or simply having a stickybeak inside our dream property, we all love property and all it has to offer.
Owning a home has long been the great Australian dream. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, homeownership continues to be a widely held aspiration in the country, giving homeowners the security of housing tenure as well as long-term economic and social benefits.
The research shows that in 2021, there were nearly 9.8 million households in Australia – at least 6.2 million of those were occupied by homeowners. Interestingly, the types of dwellings that Aussies live in have changed in recent years. The proportion of households occupying separate houses sits at 71 per in 2021, compared to 76 per cent in 1996. Semi-detached row or terrace, and townhouses made up around 13 per cent of households – up from eight per cent in 1996.
Property data like this, as well as the latest mortgage rates and affordability studies, are top of mind for owners, investors and future buyers. Providing interesting figures, and relevant data about the latest trends in the property market can encourage potential buyers to find out more about your agency and what’s on offer, and prepare them for their own climb on the property ladder.
2. Market Updates
Interest rates may be up, and property prices somewhat volatile, but people are still digging into their pockets to invest in real estate. And, what they want to know is how much they are set to pay for their dream piece of property.
Market updates are a no-brainer when it comes to e-news communications. Will first home buyers and investors return to the market? Are other people snapping up properties? What is the going price for a four-bedroom, two-bathroom home in a particular area? Do your research and provide relevant data and links to keep your readers informed. Providing thorough information and facts will also remind past, present and future clients of your market knowledge.
These are the details consumers crave, and it is vital to provide data and updates across all segments of the market.
Tip: Market updates are also a great opportunity to share client testimonials. Positive stories will give your subscribers a clear understanding of how your brand works, and why it works. It will also help establish that initial connection between new clients and your business.
3. Homeownership Advice
Did you know that the Australian renovation industry was valued at a whopping $12.49 billion in 2021? While this figure has cooled slightly in recent months in direct proportion to the world opening up post-COVID, renovation is still at a high. And with 67 per cent of Australian homes owner-occupied, the vast majority of Australians love discovering new ideas, tips, tricks and designs for home renovation and maintenance.
As an agent, it is important to think outside the marketing box – after all, your brand is competing against dozens of others within your region. Offering home ownership advice and linking it to a relevant property is a great way to engage readers, and raise the profile of a home.
For example, a ‘renovator’s dream’ listing could be accompanied by tips on how to renovate – what council approvals are needed; what home styles are popular; how to budget for a home purchase and a renovation. Not only are you offering a potential homeowner the opportunity to invest in their future, but you are also providing valuable advice and encouragement on how to turn that dream into a reality.
4. Promotion of Local Events, Recreational Groups and Businesses
Developing grassroots connections and rapport with community leaders, other businesses and residents will help your agency become a household name. And when it comes time to invest in property, where do you think people will turn? To a trusted and familiar name, of course.
There is no better way to promote your community involvement than with your own marketing vehicle, which in turn can bolster your brand community. As one of the top trending and most effective methods of content marketing, the brand community works by building brand awareness and connecting with your target audience. This audience then has the opportunity to share your community news (positively building your brand). When there is a strong following for a brand in an online community, a content community can turn into a dedicated brand community.
So, don’t be shy about spreading fun, festive or community news. For example, is there an upcoming event in your community? Perhaps a fete or market? Perhaps you are sponsoring this event, or a team sport or recreational group. This is the news and information to share in all of your digital marketing as it encourages readers to share on their own social media platforms or pass on your email, which will drum up more views and shares of your newsletters.
5. Real Estate How-to Guides
Pause for a moment and consider this: Whether you realise it or not, you are an expert in your field. Writers know how to write, teachers know how to teach, and real estate agents know everything there is to know about buying, selling and renting a property. Facts, figures, sales data – you live and breathe it, and this information is a valuable commodity.
Using your email marketing to deliver real estate ‘how-to’ guides will demonstrate your knowledge, and your experience and provide your subscribers with valuable information to assist them in their property journey.
Prepare a list of possible guides to include in your overall strategy, such as:
- How to spot a good or bad agent
- How to invest wisely
- What to look for in a mortgage broker
- How to spot your dream home
- How to navigate the real estate process
As any content writer will tell you, creating content that is timeless should be your aim. This way you will have a handy backlog of articles to call on.
Starting a conversation in an inbox is a smart and effective way to boost brand awareness and your database. The key is to create a line-up of read-worthy newsletters that will clearly communicate your message. Contact us and we can help you develop an email marketing strategy that works.
