What to Look for in a Real Estate Contact Manager
There are all kinds of contact management systems on the market today but how do you know which one is right for your business and fits your budget? Well, first things first, you need to know what your options are. Let’s go over the different types of systems out there:
Generic: Outlook is an example of a basic, generic manager. What’s nice about this type of product is that you probably already own a copy of one. If you have Microsoft Office or Open Office it’s already included and ready to go. Unfortunately, it takes a lot of time and customization to tailor it to your needs as a real estate agent. While this option may be the least expensive, most of the time this type of system won’t be able to tie into the rest of your business like lead generation or marketing solutions that come with contact managers specifically designed for our industry.
Industry Specific: These contact managers give you a lot more control over your business than the more generic options. Most include features like lead tracking, listing integration, drip campaigns, and more. Since the software is already customized for real estate you save the time and energy of trying to create something as efficient out of a generic program – nobody wants to reinvent the wheel! This convince, however, will usually end up costing you more. Personally, I believe that since communication with clients and leads is the heart of real estate, it’s worth it to make sure you’re doing it right!
Web based solutions: These are the newest type of contact management systems and where the industry as a whole is heading. While you can have a «generic» web based solution (like Gmail for instance) the industry specific systems that are also web based give you the best of both worlds:
- You have access to your database of contacts anywhere and anytime, not just at your office computer.
- Your contact manager can be automatically tied into your website and lead generation tools.
- Take control of your marketing with targeted e-mails and drip campaigns.
- Real-time site monitoring will give you instant notification of sign-ups and other website activity through your email or your mobile device!
- An integrated calendar can use scheduled messages to correspond with leads based on site activity or special events such as birthdays.
If you’re in the market for a new contact manager I would definitely suggest an industry specific, web based product that will give you the best and newest technology to stay ahead of the curve!
After narrowing down the field, however, there are still a bunch of different options. So what kinds of features should you look for to get the most bang for your buck?
User friendly: While there will always be a learning curve with new software, look for something that has a good user interface and is easy to navigate. See if you can get a demo of the CRM to make sure you like it before you buy it!
Customizable: You are going to want to set up your account your way! Do you want all your emails to be forwarded to one primary address? Maybe you’ve made a nice signature that you want to be able to put at the bottom of your emails. A good contact manager will let you customize it the way you like.
Interactive Calendar and Scheduling: The right CRM will help you have better communication with your leads and clients. Having your email tie into your calendar will let you schedule important messages, get reminders and notifications, and plan follow-ups with ease.
Integrated Website and Lead Generation: When your contact database is connected to your website and lead generation tools, you can track all your leads’ activities and then send them personalized property information automatically. Be sure to look for a CRM that has great statistics and reports so that you can see the results of your marketing efforts and respond to them directly.
Built-In Marketing Options: Whether it’s social networking, drip campaigns, or pay-per-click, newer contact management systems have these options build right in. Wouldn’t it be nice to tweet directly from your CRM or have pre-written marketing scripts ready to be sent at the touch of a button? These features are available with some of the newest technology.
Transaction Management: I’m sure you’re emailing documents to your clients all the time as you take them through the process of buying or selling a home. If you have a transaction management system as part of your CRM, you can track all your paperwork, request electronic signatures, and keep all of your digital files organized as you send them back and forth.