Why Create a Text Messaging list for Potential Tenants?
Landlords all over this great country of ours are consistently looking for the next tenant to fill their next vacancy. The problem in this process is that too often a lot of leads are not utilized. Only one family can live in a single family home at a time, or to my knowledge- lol.
What happens to the potential clients that call our ads, call our signs, and come to our showings, but don’t become the next tenant for 1023 Main Street? So how do you capitalize on the remaining leads? My answer to this problem is to create your own text marketing system for your real estate investing.
I will share with you my own personal 6-Step Text Message Marketing Plan that I use in my Landlording and leasing real estate investing business.
How To Setup Text Message Advertising For Rentals
1.) Capture Every Lead.
When advertising rentals we receive a lot of calls to our cell phones, offices, etc. The question is how many of those calls are actually captured? The first step to successful text marketing or any real estate investing marketing plan is to capture all leads. Every person that calls your signs, newspaper ads, online ads should be captured because they can be your future client or put you in contact with your future clients.
No matter if you pay or if you paid for the leads – best to have a way to capture every lead. Capturing as many leads as possible will allow you to start with 20-30 maybe even 100 leads instead of starting every vacancy with zero leads. The more leads you have from the beginning of your search for a new tenant the faster and easier it is for your home to go from vacant to a home occupied with a tenant.
2.) Create Group or List For Captured Leads.
Once you captured the lead – create a list or group for your leads that is specific to their needs and the services you can supply to them, in this case it would be finding a new rental home. In my personal text marketing system I would name the group “Potential Renters” or “Potential Tenants”.
Creating a group allows your text messaging to be directed toward your lead’s interest, which in this case is renting a home. Also recommended when creating a group or list is to get specific with your leads wants and needs. An example of this is pairing their names with the type of rental they are looking for as a potential home.
—-> Tom would be saved in your cell phone as Tom 1/1 or 2/1 renter. This pairing allows you to know what your leads specific needs are and allows you the landlord to have a better chance of renting your home more efficiently.
3.) Create Text Message Catered To Target Group’s Interest.
Next step is creating a message that is catered toward your target market. The ultimate objective is to create enough interest that your home rents quickly. I often offer my vacant rentals to my text messaging group before I advertise on Craigslist, newspapers, or put out sign in the front yard.
The rationale behind this is that these individuals are people I have worked with before, looking to rent from me, and understand our procedures. They understand it may take a while or an appointment is needed to view the house due to the current tenant being in the process of moving.
Often I will text them a message that will read as follows: “We have a new 3/2 rental coming available in May. It is located in the 123 Subdivision for $950 a month.” Often times they will respond with, “What’s the deposit?” “What’s the address?”
—-> You now have their interest; next you answer the amount for the deposit, give them the address, and inform them that the tenant is still in the home. My text normally says: “The tenants are in the process of moving but feel free to drive by it. The 3/2 in 123 Subdivision address is 123 main street, San Antonio, Texas 78208.”
—-> Your text message is twofold at this point. First you keep their interest in the home and get them a step closer to actually renting the home. Second you don’t want to disturb the current tenant with a million tire kickers.
Once the potential tenant drives by and texts me back, “I love the outside! Got any pictures of the inside or is there any way I can see the inside.” Once you get this text immediately send them a couple pictures of the home, ask for several times the prospective tenant can view the home, contact the current tenant with the times that would be convenient for both parties, and finally show the home.
This method works for both parties and often shows a great deal of respect to the tenant that is moving out, which in my opinion can only place you in a positive light with your prospective tenant. Again never forget to do your due diligence of the prospective tenant via rental applications and job verifications.
Next step…..List Management. I’ll share the last (3) steps of my 6-Step Text Message Real Estate Marketing Plan that I use in my real estate investing and Landlording business in Part 2.
As always thanks for reading and successful investing.
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