A real estate CRM can be a powerful tool. However, like with any tool, the results are only as masterful as the user. There is a lot of real estate training around selling and relationships. So it makes sense that any serious realtor would need a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.
In this blog post, you’ll learn how to maximize a CRM from the standpoint of a realtor.
- Powerful CRM Functions
- Sync Emails
- Organize Tasks
- Leverage Text Messaging
- Sync Calendars
- Appointment Scheduling
- Nurture Leads in a Pipeline
- Automations
Relationship Management is the Cornerstone to the Real Estate Business
The needs the realtor has are different from a regular business. A realtor has a complex offer to sell.
There are multiple people involved in the transaction and many relationships to manage. How much a realtor makes is directly related to how good they are keeping everything together. In other words, the average realtor salary is directly related to their average ability to manage relationships.
The highest producers understand that technology can enhance the relationship and give everybody the one-on-one attention they deserve.
Every email, phone call, text message and homing pigeon needs to go into the CRM. Think of a CRM as an extension to your brain. Whenever something happens you make sure it gets documented in the CRM so that way in the future you don't have to rely on memory.
Sync Emails
One of the easiest ways to maximize your CRM is to sync your professional email address to your CRM. This way, you don't have to worry about anything other than replying to emails. The system acts like your assistant in the background to keep track of every inbound and outbound email.
To really maximize the effectiveness of your real estate CRM, reply to emails from within the CRM directly. This minimizes distractions and allows you to focus on the conversation at hand, get a meaningful reply back, and move on to the next thing.
Organize Tasks
Another way to unleash the power of your CRM is to leverage the task function.
This ensures that nothing slips through the cracks. At the end of the day there is one place to show you a list of all the one-off tasks that you need to handle.
If you really want to get fancy, have your CRM automatically create a task for you when people take certain actions. For example, when somebody fills out the contact form on your website that can automatically create a task for you to follow up with them. Or later in the sales conversation you can have your CRM create a follow up task once somebody has signed a contract.
Leverage Text Messaging
Today, text messaging is as prolific as email. In fact, some realtors use text messaging more than email these days. All modern sales processes for realtors need to consider text messaging. Consumers want to be able to chat with you easily. Text messages also have an insanely high open rate compared to emails, so the likelihood of your message being read is very high.
If you're going to use text messaging as a realtor, just like with email, you need to make sure that your text messages are syncing into your CRM. Remember, the point is to use technology as an extension of your brain and nurture the relationship in the best way possible. Not only should all messages be in one place, you should be able to see a timeline of the communications, too.
Sync Calendars
The most powerful form of communication will always happen in person. This means that your real estate CRM needs to also be able to handle your appointments. Like your tasks, you want to be able to see your appointments in one place easily, especially if you are driving around a lot.
To make sure your appointments do not overlap, connect your CRM to your primary calendar. This way, when you are offering an appointment, you can do it right from within the CRM and not have to worry about double booking yourself.
Bonus points if your CRM can show addresses on a map so that way you can plan for the proper drive time.
Appointment Scheduling
Another thing that you want to try and do with your CRM is give people the ability to self-serve their own appointments. As a realtor, having introduction calls automatically show up on your calendar ensures that you will always have people to talk to. When you can give consumers a link to book a quick call on your calendar, this gives them control of the appointment. They are more likely to show up and there is a more intimate relationship because they chose the time.
Nurture Leads in a Pipeline
We discussed tasks earlier. However, not everything is a one-and-done.
In fact, most sales conversations in real estate happen over a long period of time. When you're choosing your real estate CRM, make sure there is some kind of a pipeline feature to track where every person is in the general process. Not only does this help keep you organized, it allows you to use your time more effectively. For example, if you only have an hour you can focus on people that are in one part of the pipeline to try and push the conversation ahead.
Now let's get to the fun stuff. Most modern CRMs have automation capabilities. This is truly how to unleash your CRM’s full power.
Supercharging Your Real Estate CRM With Automation
As mentioned earlier, when somebody fills out a contact form on the website, this creates a task for you to follow up with them. Knowing that you're going to choose a CRM with pipeline functionality, you can actually have the contact form create a brand new deal in your pipeline.
For even better functionality, you can integrate your CRM with the MLS on your website. So when people inquire about a specific property that information can go right into your CRM. Be aware that these kinds of real estate CRM integrations typically require a 3rd party tool and/or someone to help you make that connection.
Automation doesn't end with the initial inquiry. Not by a long shot.
Book Appointments Like a Super Agent
If your CRM can schedule appointments, then you can most likely automate around that whole experience. For example, after somebody fills out the contact form on your website you can give them the link to book on your calendar. If they don't book right away, you can send a follow-up email reminding them about your calendar.
Once they book an appointment you can have the system send a confirmation email and text. You can even send reminders leading up to the appointment. All along the way, this information will go onto their record in your real estate CRM.
You have become a superhuman realtor at this point.
Remember the pipeline stuff from earlier? Well, once you have your pipeline stages defined you can now build automation to supplement those stages.
For example, you can have a stage for when the paperwork is out and being signed. When you move somebody into that stage, this could trigger some basic automation that follows up with people automatically. Some simple emails and text messages to touch base and make sure that everything is okay. As soon as you move them out of that stage, that series of messages will stop.
Manage Lists Effortlessly
Lastly, no conversation about a real estate CRM software would be complete without talking about the ability to manage various lists. As mentioned in the beginning, there are many people involved in a real estate transaction. To really unleash the power of your real estate CRM, make sure you're keeping a separate list of the various relationships that you manage, not just buyers and sellers. Don't forget about all the bank people, all the contractors, and all the people that you rely on to do what you do.
When you have various audience segments in your CRM, this allows you to do a bunch of cool stuff.
First, you will be more efficient in general because it's easier to find what you need when you need it. These people will be in your CRM like any other person. So conversations, texts, and emails will all be in one place. Do not forget about automation with these relationships either. These relationships also need follow-up as well. Use automation to be as professional as possible with these kinds of outside relationships.
Broadcast to the Right Groups Instantly
Finally, remember to leverage email and text marketing and broadcasts in your CRM. It should be very easy for you to send an email and text broadcast to a segment of your database. This is also another reason why you want to be particularly discerning when creating the audience segments in your real estate CRM. You want to get to those groups quickly.
Find a Real Estate CRM That Replaces Busy Work With Business
Now you're good to go.
You understand that a CRM for real estate needs to take all communications and put them into one easy place for you to see. You get that a CRM needs to help you keep track of tasks to do and the people you need to follow up with. You also understand that the automation capabilities of your CRM are one of the biggest keys to getting more done in less time. If you are a realtor looking for a CRM, make sure you find a tool that can do as many (if not all) of these things as possible.
And yes, since this is on the Keap blog, everything you just read about and more is 100% possible in the software.
Want to explore if Keap is the best real estate CRM for you? Try a free 14-day trial!
About the Author
Paul started using Keap, then Infusionsoft, in the summer of 2008. By June 2009 he was part of the Certified Marketing Automation Coach (CMAC) program, Keap’s partner program at the time. That lasted until 2011 when he worked for Keap directly in coaching and product until May 2016, at which point he became a certified Keap partner again to serve entrepreneurial small businesses.
