Agents Stop Spamming Agents: The Follow Up
Marketing, REALTOR Community Monday, August 31, 2009 at 4:25PM 
A few weeks back, I wrote a post that was published on the Chicago Realtor® blog about the massive amounts of agen-to-agent e-mails promoting their listings. It seemed to conjure up more comments, public and private, than anything else I had posted as a regular blogger. Some commented publically, others privately as well as being the hot topic of conversation when meeting with other real estate professionals.
I thought I would share with you what was shared with me. Most agents don’t read listing flyer e-mails. Many block or unsubscribe to the sender or the e-flyer service. A handful read them based on address. Only two people actually admitted to reading them unconditionally.
One of the most constructive responses was from Robert Darrow, a Realtor® with @properties. Within his criticism he offered solutions for communicating electronically. Besides knowing him from showings, I have been following Bob on Twitter and his blog, where he demonstrates a clear understanding of how to market one’s self in this Web 2.0 world, utilizing social media. My theory has always been if you market yourself correctly the business will follow.
My rant came out of the amount of e-mails overwhelming my inbox, that I was missing the important information buried in e-flyers. What I discovered through all this was the power of unsubscribe. Over the last weeks, e-mail by e-mail, I have been clicking on the unsubscribe button. I no longer receive an overwhelming amount of e-mails containing information easily accessible elsewhere. I have been working with buyers and guess what folks…. I found your listings in the MLS.
Reader Comments (2)
Great post. Reminds me of a post I wrote on my blog in 2007. I remember the very first email I got that triggered the incessant listing spam. See link below...
http://www.chitownliving.com/2007/11/15/youve-got-mail/
That said, I am OK with emails if they have some fresh news to convey such as a new development, drastic development price decrease/promotion, etc.
I do glance at or scan 200 emails a day at least. There are agents that seem to send blasts that have nothing to do with my clients or the area I work and they can be annoying. I only take offense when they are sending 5 a night. I have unsubscribe just once for that reason. I also unscribed to a whole company service just today, I resented that for the past 3 years they have sent to my email address information and address me in the name of an assistant that has not been with me for the last 3 years. But when an agent changes a price on a listing, I showed and sends me the email I do appreciate it and it is beneficial to their seller. I may even get that agent a contract.