Email newsletters are a useful tool, but only if the content is valuable to your readers. Educational-based marketing turns the tables by making the pitch more about the reader than the business.
By Dave Hershman
Previously, you talked about how often newsletters should be sent out. In your answer you talked about newsletters and other "content" marketing. What other type of content would you send to your database?
That is a really good question and I appreciate you noticing that I broadened my response from the focus upon newsletters to content in general. Remember that I believe your database should be comprised of much more than your sphere. It should be comprised of referral sources, prospects, vendors and more. What type of content would they be interested in? Let me give you a few examples--
- Articles about finance. You should have a library of articles on different topics. For example, if someone calls about a loan and they did not know they were eligible for a VA loan (perhaps they were in the reserves)--you should be able to send an article about VA.
- Articles about real estate. Remember, your contacts are not interested in home loans. Your contacts are interested in real estate. Therefore, you should have articles for buyers and sellers.
- Sales and marketing articles. Your top referral sources are in business -- from real estate agents to accountants. They are interested in doing more business and you should be helping them increase their business. That is the highest-rated value you can deliver.
- Up-to-date news articles. What is happening in the real estate and finance markets today...from legislation to rates to real estate sales volume. Not old and recycled news, but news they can forward to their clients to keep them up-to-date.
I could continue with examples, but I think you can get the picture from these samples. The next question is the use of the materials. From prospect conversion to getting more referrals, it is the use of the materials which is most important and that includes social media. So let's cover that topic next week.
Are you interested in seeing samples of content for marketing? Visit www.originationpro.com to download samples or to try out the system which will give you 14 days of full access.
Dave Hershman has been the leading author and a top speaker for the industry for decades with six books authored and hundreds of articles published. His website is www.originationpro.com. If you have a reaction to this commentary or another question you would like answered in this column? Email Dave directly at [email protected].
