Textiquette for Real Estate Agents 101

More and more reports are showing that Americans prefer text messages to phone calls. In fact, The Chicago Tribune reported Americans spend a reported 26 minutes a day texting, compared to six minutes on phone calls. With mobile devices, the lines between professional and personal worlds get a bit blurred. And as a real estate agent, you may be wondering how your texts should look, sound, and when to send them. In this post, we'll get down to the do's and don'ts of texting as a real estate professional.

The Do's and Don'ts of Texting for Real Estate Agents

1. Don't Get Sloppy

Just because you are sending a lead or client a text, instead of a formal email, does not mean all proper grammar and punctuation go out the window.

Pro Tip: If you are constantly fighting auto-correct in your text messages, turn it off from your phone's settings. You'll save yourself time and lessen mistakes if your spelling and grammar is already up to par.

2. Don't Text Late at Night

Just because people bring their smartphones with them everywhere does not mean they want to be contacted whenever. Leave conversations via phone calls and texting for normal business hours (unless, of course, the contact states otherwise).

3. Don't Use Weird Emojis

You don't need to use all 3000+ emojis just because you own a smartphone. Play it safe and use emojis that can be easily interpreted, such as a smiley face, thumbs up, or a house emoji. It can be difficult to read meaning through the internet, so play it safe.

4. Do Ask for Permission

Before you begin texting your contact, ask if they prefer text, phone calls or emails. They'll appreciate you asking, and you will benefit from communicating according to their preferences.

5. Do Keep It Short

Save lengthy messages for email. No one appreciates a long-winded text message related to business on their personal phone. It can be difficult to store that information for later and it involves stopping your day to read the message.

To view the original article, visit the Zurple blog.