As the demands placed on real estate professionals continue to increase, the proverbial backburner is piled high. From showing properties to prospective buyers to writing up contracts—and everything in between—it’s no surprise that activities such as creating marketing materials for new listings are typically the first to get pushed to the bottom of an agent’s to-do list. But thanks to marketing technology company Imprev, real estate brokers can provide their agents professionally designed marketing materials to promote their new listings—everything from print and digital to social. And the best part is agents don’t have to lift a finger.
For Dan Troup, director of technology at RE/MAX of Michigan, adding Imprev’s Listing Automation in March 2015 was a logical enhancement to the RE/MAX Design Center (built on the Imprev marketing platform). “Our agents provided feedback over the past few years that they loved the Design Center, but we saw an opportunity to make their lives even easier with automation,” says Troup.
Not only has Imprev’s automation platform provided the firm with an elegant route around this stumbling block, it has also solved one of the biggest hurdles for agents by automatically delivering marketing materials right to their inbox.
According to Stephen Shivers, regional technology director at RE/MAX of New Jersey, Inc., the response among agents has been phenomenal since implementing the automation platform this past May. “Our agents have been very receptive of our decision to take advantage of Imprev’s Listing Automation service,” says Shivers, who explains that the firm was also originally utilizing the RE/MAX Design Center. Shivers goes on to say that agents really appreciate the value and benefit of having their marketing materials created for them.
While a majority of the process takes place behind the scenes, it begins with the gathering of data from the MLS. Once the data is received, it’s syndicated into Imprev, and the marketing materials are generated for the agent. “The agent then receives an email saying ‘Congratulations on your listing at 123 Main Street.’ All they have to do is open the email and use the materials that have been provided. It’s that easy,” says Shivers.
From there, the agent is responsible for distributing the various marketing materials created on their behalf in order to keep their listings in the public eye. Whether through Facebook, printed postcards or flyers, or even through single-property websites, Troup notes that agents are interacting with the product from the get-go. “Agents are interacting with pieces that have already been created. Not only is this upping our engagement level, it’s given agents the opportunity to spend their time more productively by being in front of clients.”
While the creation of marketing materials is completely automated, for those who’d like to add a level of customization, the opportunity is there. “Agents have the ability to upload a new photo or rearrange the photos so that something is displayed more prominently,” says Shivers, “allowing them to market the listing more so than they would have done themselves.”
With a solid product already in place, Imprev is constantly upping the bar, something that both Shivers and Troup don’t take for granted. “Imprev has always surprised us with what they’re working on, and I’m very happy with them as a vendor,” says Shivers. “Not only is Imprev a great partner, but when they do things, they want to do them as best as they possibly can,” says Troup, “and they do a good job of that.”
For more information, visit www.imprev.com.
