Stop Sending Boring Newsletters. Here’s What Actually Works

Funnily enough, the first newsletter I’m publishing is about… newsletters.

So let’s dive into it. Newsletters, for the most part, are filled with junk filler and treated as a to-do list objective by most agents/agencies. The reality is, if you have an email list of contacts, you need to treat this as a massive opportunity. As a real estate agent, you understand how difficult it is to establish new relationships from cold outreach methods, so why do I see so many agents not engaging with their warm contacts via an email list??? Seems counterintuitive right?

There’s a lot I want to cover about newsletters, so I’m going to provide you with a general framework you can follow to boost engagement from your emails, while also discussing the high-level objective you should aim to achieve. Plus, I’ve got a golden strategy that no one’s using, which I guarantee will bring in more business from your newsletter.

Okay, let’s get into the actual layout of an email. You need a strong subject line, something that will make your lead want to click on the email. Pro tip: use the contact’s name in the subject line, e.g., “John, you won’t believe what this property just sold for in [insert suburb]…”. Many CRMs with email builders allow you to insert custom values like the contact’s name for personalisation.

Next, keep your email template simple, like the one you’re reading now. Your email should push the contact towards one clear CTA (call to action). For example, if you send an informative email about a shift in local market demand, the message should spark interest in getting a price update on their property. The only button in the email should direct them to receive a free property valuation. Less is more, too many images or links to social media can distract the contact and prevent them from taking the desired action.

Another pro tip: Google and Microsoft are strict with email compliance. Reducing images and links can improve deliverability and prevent your email from being flagged as spam.

Now, let’s talk about the content your newsletter should include. In my recent video, I provided five key topics for newsletters, aimed at engaging past and present homeowners. If you have a segmented database, you can add topics to engage buyers, such as off-market opportunities. Here are the five essential topics:

1. Just Solds: Showcase properties recently sold in your area, especially those that reflect market trends or achieved great results.

2. Legislation Updates: Keep your audience informed about relevant law changes, interest rate adjustments, or regulations affecting market sentiment.

3. Local Community Events: Share information about local happenings—whether it’s a restaurant special or a community event.

4. Monthly Suburb Updates: Provide insights into how your local market is performing, including trends, sales volume, and median price changes.

5. Client Success Stories: Use storytelling to highlight a client’s problem and how you helped them overcome it to achieve their desired outcome.

The key is to ensure these topics provide value to the reader. When your content is relevant and informative, readers will engage with it. Subconsciously, they’ll start to know, like, and trust you... the agent.

People do business with those they trust. As a real estate agent, building relationships is your game, so design newsletters that reflect this value.

If you already send a highly templated monthly newsletter filled with images, I’m not suggesting you stop. Instead, start sending additional emails that focus on value, encouraging engagement with your audience.

If you’ve stuck around this long, then I have a reward for you: Use a software called Loom to add video to your emails. With Loom, you can record yourself and your screen simultaneously. I won’t dive into all the details of using video in your emails, that’s for another article, but by using video, you’re going to be able to build that know, like, and trust factor with your viewers 100x more effectively than through text alone.

If you’re curious about implementing this strategy or want a review of your existing newsletter completely free, shoot me a message!

p.s notice how I kept the CTA simple at the end? ;)