There's Power in Personalization: Article by Eileen Harris

Here's the last of the winning articles from the "I Can Relate: Business Relationship Tips" newsletter contest. This entry was received from Eileen Harris, a Realtor with Zip Realty. Eileen is a Real Estate Agent in Scottsdale, Phoenix, and other areas within the Valley of the Sun.

In her article, she hits on the importance of personalization in building her client relationships, and just how much it effects her bottom line. I hope you enjoy the article!

Jacki

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"There's Power in Personalization"

by Eileen Harris

As a Realtor, each month, I send out my company newsletter by email to all of the clients in my database. It is a well-written, informative newsletter that I enjoy reading each month and I'm sure my clients enjoy it as well.

Last month, I sent out 750 newsletters by email. My response: 4 clients telling me how nice the newsletter was and thanking me for sending it.

At the same time, I sent out 10 cards from my Send Out Cards account. Response: 1 client wanting to buy a $500,000 home!

Do the math: 4 responses to 750 emails = less than .01%

1 response to 10 personal cards = 10% (+ the potential for a big commission!)

Sending cards is a no brainer; just a couple of minutes and a few clicks can reap big benefits, personally and professionally. There is power in personalization. Send a card NOW and tell a few friends.

Winner of the I Can Relate Article Contest - Blackberry Interpretation by Dave Segrove

I ran a contest in my weekly newsletter, "I Can Relate." The contest was to submit an original article that was relevant to the newsletter premise, which is improving business relationships. The winner of that contest was Dave Segrove, owner of JDE LTD. This blog entry is his article....enjoy!!!

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An increasingly large number of my clients are getting Blackberrys (or is it Blackberries, mouses, mice, who knows) and other texting devices. After all, it's a tried-and-tested technology for those on the move. But speed and convenience seems to be leading to short replies that may be misinterpreted.

When your email is routed to your Blackberry and you want to reply, it's relatively straightforward: type and send. However, the nature of the devices tends to mean that quick, one-liners are the norm. I often get these in reply, with a message footer "Sent from my Blackberry". I know that a short and often abrupt-seeming reply is nothing more than that. Be careful, however, if you're replying to a client or someone who may be a little more sensitive.

Interpretation of email and text messages can be very mixed. I, for one, am guilty of misunderstanding a sentence or two as meaning something quite different than intended by the sender. The written messages don't reflect the tone of the sender, so it's prudent to take a moment and consider how the message may be interpreted.

Am I too concerned? Perhaps. But if someone sends you an email, for example "is this the best offer we can get" and you, caught up in a thousand other things, respond "yes" on your texting device, will your client think you're being a little abrupt...even rude because they're used to you explaining yourself in "regular" email or on the phone? Will they understand popular texting abbreviations like BRT, LMAO or CUL8R (I've seen this happen)?

As technology moves forward and communication gets quicker, it's easy to forget that what you meant to say and how it was perceived can be very easily blurred.

Don't text and drive!!