How to reverse-engineer a highly engaged database

Stop deleting people from your database. Why do we go about putting people into our database over time only to then delete them when they don’t engage? The reason they’re not engaging isn’t their fault. It’s ours. So we’re deleting people who could be ideal As.

It’s possible that they couldn’t engage. We haven’t given them any topic to engage with (besides real estate). And from a marketing perspective, having real estate as your message is a tough way to create interaction.

Rather, let’s build a database with more intention. In fact, let’s build it for engagement.

[Tweet “Let’s build a database with more intention. In fact, let’s build it for engagement.”]

Wouldn’t it be great to have a database of people who want what you send? One that responds when you email and answers when you call?

That can only happen when you have the right message.

The right message is an overlap of two things: what you find interesting and what they find interesting. Where those two things overlap gives you the best chances of reverse engineering a database of people you won’t have to delete.

Here’s a video I recently did explaining this principle:

An agent viewer then asked: “Aren’t I the common interest?”

To which I replied:

This approach of starting with a topic that’s not real estate throws many agents for a loop. They wonder, “If I talk about my interest in cooking, how does that lead to real estate?” To which my response is, “How many cooking enthusiasts have real estate in their future? Maybe 90 percent? Perhaps, 99 percent?”

As agents, we already bring up real estate with people. We do it through direct mail, Facebook, phone calls and videos.

[Tweet “We already bring up real estate with people through direct mail, Facebook, phone calls and videos.”]

We already do it. We’re just doing it with a less engaged database.

Bridging the conversation to real estate

There are many ways you can bridge from the topic of interest to real estate. Because you’ve become interesting, it’s an easier transition.

I have a client right now who loves urban farming. He knows all about it. He’s an expert. So we’ve set out to build his database with people in his town who want to learn more about urban farming.

We’ve enhanced his Facebook page. We’ve split tested Page Like Ads. We’ve created landing pages and blog posts. And we have created a funnel where people can download his 2016 Planting Calendar (his lead magnet).

As they opt in, he grows his database full of people who are not only interested in urban farming but also see him as the authority in that conversation.

This is the power of a tribe. This is the power of reverse engineering your database with people who like the content you like as well.

The power of a tribe

When he sends a call to action to his database of 500 urban farming enthusiasts such as “find out what your home is worth” or “6 things every urban farmer needs to look for in his or her next home,” he will have a higher response because his message is relevant to those he built his database around.

When we find the right message, it’s easier to find others who like that message. When you’ve found the people who like your message, it’s easier to build your database with only those people. And when you invite them to open up about real estate, they’ll be more likely to respond.

[Tweet “When we find the right message, it’s easier to find others who like that message. “]

This is the power of a tribe. It’s a more intelligent way to build your database. And it’s a call for us as agents and the industry to become more relevant to those we seek to serve.

Do you want a practical way to reverse engineer your database in a farm? Use my Smart Farming Launch Guide to build a database of engaged homeowners.

Chris Angell is an author, speaker and coach with Groundswell Business Consulting. You can find him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/thechrisangell or Twitter at @chrisangell.

Email Chris Angell.