7 Emails You Need to Send to Real Estate Leads

August 10, 2021

Joanna Harrison

Consider the emails you’re sending to your leads. Would you open them if they appeared in your Inbox? More importantly, would you respond or visit a website? Prospects these days have an inbox full of info and offers, most of which they will consider “junk,” and delete. This is why you have to follow the best practices to help your email outshine the rest.

Readers don’t delete emails that interest them. Easy as that. The 7 emails below will help you earn your way into their Inbox.

1. The Introduction Email

We strongly suggest only emailing leads who have opted into communication with you. Otherwise, it can feel like an invasion of personal space. This first email serves as the “welcome mat” for the rest of your email communication.

Don’t overwhelm with too much information! Instead, quickly and casually introduce yourself and give a short snippet of what you can offer them.

Start by asking yourself the questions below:

Who are you?
Why are you emailing them?
What value are you providing to them?

Introduction Email Example:

Hi Cindy,

I noticed you recently registered for e-Alerts on my website. I’m glad you signed up, as this is the quickest way to receive up-to-date information on listings in your area! Our website is refreshed every hour, so you will be the first to know when a home that fits your preferences hits the market.

Over the past 7 years, I have worked in the area selling homes and helping buyers find the perfect property. Buying a home is an exciting time and I am here to help you navigate through the process. Below I have linked to one of my blog posts about preparing to buy a home and how it is different this year over the others.

Read More: How to Prepare Yourself to Buy a Home This Year

Have a lovely day,

Annie Agent

2. The “Establish Expectations” Email

The Welcome Email should go out almost immediately after you receive their information or when they register on your site. The “Establish Expectations” Email should follow in the next day or two, and will answer the following:

How frequently you will be in touch?
What action should the lead take?
Are you showing your value as an agent?.

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Establish Expectations Email Example:

Hi Cindy,

I hope your home search is going well! As of now, you are set up to receive emails when your preferred listings come on the market. I’ll keep you in the loop with any important market information that may help with your search as well.

If you’d like to see a home, please don’t hesitate to reach out at (###) ###-####. My door is always open at the office as well!

Continue Searching For Homes

I’ll be in touch,

Annie Agent

This email reaffirms why you’re reaching out, and then follows up with another Call-To-Action. These are important steps! Here are a few pointers for what you should be accomplishing with each email:

Provide a valuable offer of information or service to your lead.
Make it easy to take action with a clear link or button.
Do NOT make it all about you. This completely defeats the purpose.

Remember, you have to EARN your way into their Inbox. Just as any other business or service earns their way into your readership.

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3. The Content Email

Here is where we engage the lead through valuable information. You can send the Content Email in the form of a regularly scheduled newsletter, or, save yourself some time and plug it into an email drip campaign. You want to provide value through content you aggregate or already have on your site. The best option is to combine the two!

These emails allow you to establish yourself as the local expert. Consider including any of the following:

Local Market Updates
Average Days On Market Breakdown
Seller Market Versus Buyer Market Explanation
How to Buy a Home in the Current Market
One of Your Sold Listings (if it is a seller lead).
Area Events Calendar
New Development Updates
Fixer-Upper Average Costs
Turning Your Home Into the Ultimate Investment

Showcase all of the best content that you’re sharing on your website, blog, and social media channels. The goal is to get the lead to interact with you, so it can be useful here to usher them to other channels where you share information. Link to one of your posts or events on Facebook and try to get them to “like” your page. Let them know if you’re “going live,” or connect them to a blog post through a Twitter or LinkedIn link.

If you really want to up your game, sites such as Canva can help you create quick and easy, professional-looking images. People respond to visual stimuli! In the end, put yourself in their shoes: If you opened this email, does the content really add value? Nobody needs fluff.

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4. The Testimonial Email

Now we’re really heading in the right direction. You want to have a nice mix of content emails, and more personal information. At the end of the day, you are trying to get this lead to convert! The testimonial emails really take your marketing email marketing efforts to the next level.

Remember, testimonials are an incredibly valuable tool to prove YOU are the right person for the job… however, you don’t want it to come across as too, “in-your-face.” Here are a few pointers for accomplishing that balance.

Do:

Include recent testimonials.
Frame a story around the testimonial.
Relate your testimonials to current market updates.
Use them as a call to action. (Meaning, include a link to your website where they can read more, or a phone number to speak with you.)

Don’t:

Only include testimonials in the email.
Put a seller testimonial in a buyer’s email drip campaign.
Use an outdated or unrelated testimonial.
Place testimonials in the email without any context.

Testimonial Email Example:

Hi Cindy,

I hope you have been able to browse some of the market updates I sent over in my last email. If not, I have a blog post here explaining the current market and how to position yourself as the best buyer in the lot.

In this market, it often comes down to negotiations between agents in order to close the deal on a home. And I wanted you to hear a few stories about how I’ve helped some locals find their perfect properties over the past few months.

“Annie worked magic in a market where I never thought I would be able to afford my dream home. She managed the process from start to finish and my family and I could not be happier.” -The Jones Family

“My home search was full of ups and downs, but Annie never stopped in the search for our home. After helping us sell our current home and find the new place, we could not have asked for a better experience.” -Matthew Trice

Browse more testimonials on my website here.

Starting the search is the first step in finding your perfect property, and I am here to help!

Talk soon,

Annie Agent

5. The “Get to Know You” Email

This email is your opportunity to gather more information about your lead. Up to this point, you may have an email, home search preferences, or a phone number. If you have already spoken, then this email should be more specific to their wants and needs. But if you have not spoken to them yet, use this as your chance to figure out how to customize your value proposition. Try to drive a conversation.

These “Get to Know You” emails should be sent within a few weeks of your “Welcome” email and will also help you to gather specific information about your target audience.

According to the Content Marketing Institute:

86% of people skip TV commercials.

44% of direct mail is never opened.

91% of email users have unsubscribed from a company email they previously opted into.

Bottom line… let your readers be in control of their content!

“Get to Know You” Email Example:

Hi Cindy,
I want to make sure I am sending along the right information to help you with your home-buying decisions. In order for me to show you the best homes available, I’d love to speak with you about your home search. My number is (###) ### – #### if you would like to give me a call. If it’s easier, you can reach me at this email!

Until then, here are two of my client’s favorite resources for home buying:

The Ten Most Commonly Asked Questions in Home Buying
The Homebuyer Checklist: Everything from Pre-approval to Post Purchase Taxes

Please don’t hesitate to reach out!

Annie Agent

6. The Oh So Subtle “I-Haven’t-Heard-From-You” Email

We are all wired to get excited when someone likes a status on Facebook, or shares your post on Twitter. So when we don’t hear back from leads it becomes frustrating fast.

Keep in mind you are approaching strangers in very personal space: their Inbox. If you have made it this far and they haven’t unsubscribed or marked your emails as spam, then they are keeping you around for a reason. This email is your chance to really peak their interest.

Consider including any of the following:

Invitation or incentive to use at a local event.
Reminder of the tools you have available on your site.
Inspirational and recent testimonial.
Inquiry into whether or not they still want to receive emails or e-Alerts.

First Example

Hi Cindy,
I hope all is well with you and you are seeing a few homes that pique your interest on the site. In case anything has changed, you can easily update your preferences in order to receive properties better catered to your search. Please reply to this email if you would like to be removed from e-Alerts and I can do that for you!

Change Your Preferences Here!

Best,

Annie the Agent

Second Example

Hi Cindy,
I hope all is well with you and you are seeing a few homes that pique your interest on the site. In other news, we will be at the Downtown Carnival Extravaganza this week running a raffle! We’ll have an extra t-shirt waiting on you, so feel free to stop by our booth any time.

[Insert Event Image Here]

Hope to see you there!

Annie the Agent

7. The “Request-a-Review” Email

Also known as the post-deal email, this is your chance to congratulate your client on their closed deal and inquire about a review. Keep in mind after your client either buys or sells their home the emails are not over. You should have a drip campaign ready to go in order to keep your name top of mind for the years to come.

Until then though, you need to ask for a review.

“Request-a-Review” Email Example:

Hi Cindy,

Congratulations! I am so excited for you about your home purchase. This is a big deal and you should be extremely proud of yourself for owning your first home.

I will drop by a little gift from our company to you later this week, but until then I wanted to ask a quick favor. As you know it always helps to have a few nice words to share with future clients. And if you would be so kind as to share a few words about your experience via email or online here, that would be wonderful!

Let Us Know How We Did Here!

And again, don’t forget to submit your permanent residence application this month. We will be in touch to remind you when the date comes closer for that as well.

Congratulations again!

Agent Annie

How to Order Your Email Drip Campaigns

The number of emails and order of those emails in a drip campaign are specific to your audience. Leads who wanted to buy yesterday should receive emails more frequently, whereas casual browsers should receive at minimum a monthly check-in.

No matter the email, always remember our three rules for all communications: