Have suggestions for products that you’d like to see reviewed by our real estate technology expert? Email Craig Rowe.
I spend a lot of time in wilderness.
To safely lead people in and out of hot and dangerous rocky environs, it’s important that I have the proper mix of essential equipment. Professional guiding is not a survival reality show.
At minimum, a sturdy shelter, potable water and a couple of layers of clothing will see me through. When I can afford comfort, I carry more.
A successful backcountry trip isn’t unlike building a profitable real estate business. You need some essentials to make a living, like a license and MLS membership (maybe). To make a “comfortable” living, you need the right combination of the following technologies:
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Website
If you can’t afford a fully custom site, look for developers that can alter templates from major provider platforms such as WordPress, Squarespace, Moonfruit, Weebly or Wix. Consider perusing sortfolio.com, which sorts Web design firms by budget and location.
Smartphone
The iPhone rules this market, but Android phones are really pushing Apple’s buttons. Samsung’s new Galaxy s6 has a 5.1-inch screen, 16-megapixel camera with an array of pro-level features, exceptional battery life and intrinsic wireless charging capabilities. If you like your gadgets to shine, consider the Galaxy Edge. Whoa.
Samsung Galaxy S6 – image courtesy of Samsung.
Windows phones are opening up eyes, too. And when Nokia phones become Microsoft phones (soon), expect much more. The last Nokia-labeled phone, the Lumia 735, will be available in July. It has a more active Windows mobile interface, interchangeable color backplates, and is the ideal balance between screen size and weight.
Email marketing
The smart use of email can help you sell homes and stay in touch with customers outside of the share-that-like-this din of social media. Segmenting lists, alternating subject lines, and integrating with your contact databases are essential facets of a solid email engine.
For small budgets and simplicity, take a look at MailChimp, TinyLetter and Vertical Response.
A TinyLetter subscribe page.
More robust email marketing platforms include Emma and Rezora.
CRM
You need to manage people, their homes, their mobile numbers, their personal email addresses, and how often you should visit, dial and send to each. A CRM may not be essential for small teams with a handful of repeat clients.
As an agency grows and team dynamics dictate a central intelligence hub for contacts and market wisdom, a CRM solution is a worthy investment. Your options are many.
I like Realvolve, Bullhorn, the mobile GoConnect and agent-built RealtyJuggler.
Bullhorn’s “Pulse” tool.
Other items agents may choose to include in their Swiss army knife of sales and marketing gear include some social media management, marketing content generation, and some form of video production.
Granted, these can be big-ticket items. If handled well, your business will look sharp and cut right through the market.
Do you use any of these tech tools — and what do you think? Leave a comment and let us know!
Do you have a product for our tech expert to review? Email Craig Rowe.
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