Working in the real estate industry is all about maximizing your ability to render data. Whether you are listing pieces of property or looking to help buyers book showings all around the city, you’ll need to be able to track all of this key information. If you are working with an entire real estate office, you’ll need to be able to seamlessly share all of this data amongst one another. We are living in the age of the internet and that means that we have to be able to use it for our advantage. If you want your real estate company to take the next step, you are going to want to take a long look at CRM software.
The Benefits of CRM Technology
We are living in the age of Big Data and that means if you aren’t keeping up, you are falling behind. Data is what makes the world go round and if you want your real estate firm to stay competitive with the rest of the industry, you are going to need to embrace CRM. CRM is a fantastic tool that has been developed and refined over recent years in order to give real estate agents the ability to juggle clients, sell properties, and help themselves succeed. While there are various CRM products available for purchase, you’ll need to know what you are looking for in order to get the best bang for your buck. Today, we are going to take some time in order to highlight seven key features that your CRM program will need in order to be functional and effective.
- Manage Contacts – If you are going to operate any successful business in today’s digital world, you are going to need to be able to manage all of your points of contact. The very first feature that you should be looking for when shopping around for CRM is a contact management feature. This feature allows you to sort contacts into different groups so that you and your team can cater to them in the right way. With grouped contacts, you’ll be able to make quick adjustments and quicker outreach messages.
- Lead Outreach – When a potential buyer is perusing different listings on platforms like Zillow or Homes.com, they are actively looking for a home to purchase. With a relatively tight purchasing window, you need to make sure that contact is made almost immediately. With a Lead Outreach feature, your CRM will allow you to connect with potential clients as soon as they fill out a form. By automating this feature, you’ll be able to connect as quickly as possible so as to prevent the possible loss of a client.
- Lead Nurturing – You are never going to help a client buy a home if they don’t become your client, to begin with! In order to make sure that you get a potential lead to turn into a client, you may need to do some nurturing. Lead Nurturing is a feature that every real estate CRM program should possess. With lead nurturing, you send potentially interested customers an email that is filled with information. Let’s say that you have a potential client that is looking at ranch houses in a certain price range, let’s say $100,000. With a lead nurturing program, you will automatically send them a list of houses that fit their search criteria. This is a way to nudge your lead toward retaining your services without demanding an answer up front.
- Dashboard Reports – As we’ve said before, data runs the industry. If you want to stay competitive with your peers, you need to know what is working and what isn’t working. Dashboard Reports are a great way to take a look at all of the statistics that are percolating inside of your CRM program. You’ll be able to get visualized data reports that detail what is landing with customers and what isn’t working. With this kind of information on your side, you’ll be able to accurately maneuver your business forward with logic based decisions.
- Seller Nurturing – While the real estate game is primarily marketed toward buyers, sellers need some help along the way, too. If you have clients on your roster that are selling their properties, it can help to stay engaged. With Seller Nurturing as part of your CRM package, you’ll be able to reach out to property sellers with update information that can help to facilitate quicker transactions. Consider automating market condition reports and having them sent to your sellers on a regular basis. These reports can help your seller to stay apprised of what’s going on in the industry.
- CRM Calendar – One of the simplest features that your CRM program should have is also the most important: a calendar. With a CRM calendar feature, you will be able to make appointments and instantly notify all parties involved. A CRM calendar will allow you to use specific details in order to keep your organization level up to standards. With a CRM calendar feature, you’ll never have to worry about losing track of your work.
- Sales Performance Records – Finally, it’ll help to have some sort of sales performance feature installed into your CRM program. In order to truly succeed in the long term, you’ll want to be able to take a long look at data as it pools into your system. If you are a larger real estate broker, it can help to have a sales performance report feature so that you can analyze what properties are selling and for what price as well as who is making the sale. These reports are a great way to visualize the performance of your staff while recognizing the best of the punch as well as who is struggling.
There are countless CRM products available on the internet for real estate companies. Use our guide in order to find the right program for your personal needs. Never settle for a second-rate CRM product and your company will find success!
