RISMedia, June 9, 2011—In an industry reliant on progressive communication and efficiency, it is no secret that agents and brokers should utilize the best and latest technologies to set themselves up for success. With help from the Lowe’s Program for REALTORS®, members of the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) are finding it easier and faster to take their business to the next level.
Partnered with NAR through its REALTOR Benefits® Program, the Lowe’s program is designed to save REALTORS® time and money by providing innovative solutions for building and maintaining relationships with clients and prospects. The resources offered by Lowe’s are cutting-edge and aim to assist REALTORS® with many of their everyday tasks. From customized direct mail, email, and e-newsletters, to discounts and coupons, the Lowe’s Program for REALTORS® connects many important dots for its members.
“We build relationships in a lot of ways in this business and this program is one extra way to maintain these relationships,” says Lois Hanson, a REALTOR® for Coach REALTORS® in Northport, N.Y.
The recently launched iPhone application facilitates REALTORS®’ access to Lowe’s offerings even further. Now available on all three smartphone platforms (iPhone, Android and BlackBerry), the Lowe’s Program for REALTORS® app allows its users to continue their marketing efforts from one easy mobile location. Through their mobile devices, REALTORS® can send free direct mail to clients and email digital cards to buyers and sellers, both with valuable coupon offers attached and branded for the agent. The app also allows for the easy addition of new clients into the program or the ability to select existing clients already entered. And all of this can be done in the palm of your hand.
Hanson has been using the Lowe’s Program for REALTORS® for approximately four years. She now accesses the program through her Android and uses it to enroll clients at closings and open houses. “I think it makes my job easier because if you think of a task, you can get it done immediately,” she says.
“It makes it mindless,” says Shannon King, owner of TriBella Realty in Austin, Texas, and co-founder of Schoolhouse Realty, Solana Beach, Calif. “I don’t have to think about running back to the office. When I’m there with my clients doing the walkthrough, I take five seconds before I take off and I don’t have to remember to do it later. I do it while they’re top of mind.”
King has been utilizing Lowe’s Program for REALTORS® for five years and now accomplishes many of her daily tasks via the program’s iPhone app. She frequently takes advantage of sending her clients 10 percent off coupons for them to use in Lowe’s stores. “In addition, if REALTORS® want to give their clients a gift card, we save 5% on that. That’s huge,” she says.
In conjunction with these various offerings, both King and Hanson continue to fuel healthy relationships with their clients and are more efficient in their daily business.
“My clients receive promotional material that I don’t have to spend any time or effort on,” says King. “If I were to create a brochure and send it on a regular basis, it would take me time to create it, pay for postage and mail it. It takes me literally less than 45 seconds to sign them up to start receiving things from me. I don’t have to do anything at all.
“There’s no reason why any agent shouldn’t be using it. It’s free, it’s easy, it’s a benefit for our clients…now with it being mobile it makes it more brainless,” she continues. “Before, it was hard for me to remember to do it at the office. Now, I do it on-the-go. It’s great.”
Accessing the Lowe’s Program for REALTORS® on a mobile device is an added bonus for real estate professionals. “It’s easy for agents to access and that’s where we need to be—it makes our job easier,” says King. “All companies should have mobile apps and what Lowe’s did best was provide us with a service that we can provide to our clients. It’s a win-win for everybody.”
The Lowe’s Program for REALTORS® is free for NAR members and offers personal marketing tools from Lowe’s through its partnership in NAR’s REALTOR Benefits® Program.
For more information, please visit www.lowesrealtorbenefits.com.
