Why I Believe In Email Marketing - My Story

In 2000 I started my first business, Massachusetts 4 Sale By Owner.  In those days, for-sale-by-owner was a new concept to Western Mass residents. I needed to find a way to reach out to people and provide ongoing education about the real estate sales process.  Being banned from advertising by local newspapers, I turned to a new tool called "email marketing" to help. I used my magazine, (Picket Fence Preview of Western Mass*) and my website to encourage sellers to sign up for my newsletter in order to learn about upcoming workshops, special promotions and educational resources.

What I learned was this:  Email marketing worked and it worked very well.  Everywhere I went, people would say, "I'm on your mailing list", or "I love getting your emails!"  It was not unusual for a new home seller would walk into my office with a magazine tucked under his arm and exclaim, "I've been following you through your newsletter for three years . . . .we're now ready to sell and we want to use your services."

Email marketing allows us to build and keep relationships unlike social media or our websites.  It's cost effective, easy to use, looks professional, and you own it.  What are you doing to build YOUR list?

* The magazine was retired in 2008 as the business moved to an Internet model.  Today, the website uses social media to promote its listings.