5 Ways Agents Can Use SMS to Sell Real Estate

By Michael Ouellette

RISMEDIA, September 1, 2008-Adopting new marketing techniques is a necessity for agents to keep up with an evolving buyers market. One of the newest technologies agents are using today is mobile marketing by way of SMS (“short message service”), most commonly referred to as a text message. While many may perceive mobile marketing and SMS as a way to strictly target teenagers, recent data has dispelled that perception. According to mmetrics, a mobile marketing intelligence service, right behind teenage users, SMS is most heavily used by women ages 25-40.

Using SMS and mobile technology to reach buyers and generate leads is easy through services such as HItxt. Using these technologies, agents and brokers can use an online system to enter their listings. The listings are approved, assigned a unique code, and pushed to all major wireless networks such as AT&T, Verizon, etc. The agent is then given the corresponding code for each listing for advertising purposes. Whenever a buyer sends a text inquiry on that listing, the agent receives an immediate notification of the inquiry and information on how to contact the potential buyer. The buyer receives property information and pictures instantly on their mobile device.

There are many ways to leverage this technology to your marketing advantage, here are just a few ideas:

1. Posting a mobile information sign at the property-Giving buyers the ability to acquire your property information on their cell phone while they are sitting in their car in front of the property is extremely powerful. Mobile listings can immediately provide the buyer critical information on the property and pictures of the interior or backyard. Also, agents can immediately follow up with the potential buyer while they are still sitting in front of the property.

2. In your classified listings-Quickly save money in classifieds advertising with unique SMS listing codes. In your classifieds ad provide details on one property in the ad, and list four SMS codes under the listing detail indicating that readers can find additional info on like properties by sending a text message to the advertised codes.

3. On your business card and signatures-One of the great things about SMS listings is that they are completely reusable and only expire when an agent wants them to. On business cards and e-mail signature place one or two SMS listing codes that contain information on your latest listings. This gives prospects immediate access to your listings while they are communicating with you and shows then that you are technically savvy marketer.

4. Link your mobile listings-SMS listings give you the ability to cross-promote other listings without taking a significant amount of space. Place a short line at the bottom of one SMS listing with the unique code of another similar listing. Buyers can end up browsing your entire listing portfolio from one inquiry and while driving to their next home showing.

5. Keep them engaged-Establishing communication with a buyer on their personal mobile device is an extremely powerful position for any sales person or agent. Without abusing that important line of communication, SMS gives you the ability to contact the buyer with additional property information or listings immediately, when they need it. Timing is almost everything in sales and SMS removes any potential time lag that may have been a factor in the past.

These are only a few ideas on how to use mobile marketing to enhance your advertising and marketing efforts.