Go Mobile or Go Home: Texting and Mobile Strategies

Setting yourself up with solid strategy for success is likely on your mind. If you're staying ahead of the curve, you've got your lead generation system on autopilot, a robust online presence working on your behalf (including your realtor.com® profile), a strong CRM in place to help capture and nurture your new prospects and a plan for quick and personal follow-up.

One of the most important components to this strategy, however, is how all of these plans and processes work on mobile. Now that you've done all the work planning for this year, don't miss the boat by failing to optimize your systems where many of today's homebuyers are starting their search - on mobile!

The National Association of Realtors® 2015 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers confirms that using mobile devices is becoming more and more common among all home buyers. In fact, the study reports 72% of buyers found mobile applications very useful during their home search, and 66% of buyers who used mobile searching found their home through a mobile application.

With numbers like these, it's imperative that your lead generation and online presence are working together to help you be found by consumers on mobile devices. Using a platform like realtor.com® ConnectionSM for Co-Brokerage to purchase leads or a realtor.com® Digital Ad Package to get your personal brand seen directly in the client's search stream (including on the realtor.com® mobile application) are great places to start. But, don't forget to Google yourself and update your website and online profiles to ensure consumers are finding accurate information!

What's more, the study reports that 55% of buyers believe an agent's ability to send property information and communications via text message is important; first-time homebuyers found this particularly important. This should leave you asking: Can I send property information via text? Could I communicate effectively via text message?

Tools like FiveStreet, which allows you to send automatic, personal responses to all incoming leads via text message, have helped thousands of real estate professionals capture and convert prospects via text. To help agents brush up on their convert-via-text skills, we've recently released the Text on TXTs: Scripts Power Agents Use for On-the-Go Conversion guide. In this guide, power agents from across the country share the text message scripts they use in various situations to win new clients.

Whether you're just getting started in your preparations for this year or you've been working on your business plan for months, keeping mobile in mind will serve you well in the coming year.

Get the Text on TXTs guide today!