The idea of promoting your listing via SMS text messaging seems to be taking off. Before you take off with it, ask yourself “how much flare do you dare for a sale?”
Over the past several weeks I’ve fielded questions on SMS for listings and Mashable recently highlighted startup ForSaleByTXT.com.
ForSaleByTXT allows Realtors to automagically send property info to any prospective buyer who texts a special code. Kinda cool, but…
Do you dare flare?
If you’ve seen the movie Office Space then you know full well the immense lameness of flare – silly little buttons and badges folks pin to their suspenders, hats, lapels, whatever.
Unfortunately, the love of flare has carried over onto the net with overly widgetized websites. And now Realtors are contemplating flaring/widgetizing their yard signs.
Before you slap a widget onto your listing consider…
Is this the best avenue to reach my buyers?
Just because you can do it doesn’t mean you should… or that prospective buyers will.
“Just one more way to get the message out, hoo-ah!”
Not everyone considers text messaging a viable communication channel. So, consider the property and the type of buyers it will attract. Will they hop onto SMS like an eager beaver?
Flared up about follow-up
I haven’t fully investigated the line of features ForSaleByTXT offers but they do offer stats for you.
What I’m wondering is, what type of follow-up strategy do you use for something like this? Would you actually pick up the phone and call them, “Hi, this is Gary Gogettum and you text’d an inquiry about a house. What questions may I answer for you?”
Seems presumptuous to me but it probably works for some folks.
I believe ForSaleByTXT allows you to include info to direct folks to a webpage. Hopefully it’s a page of your choosing and not a ForSaleByTXT page.
Frankly, I think there’s a definite future for TXT but it’s most likely going to be with the currently young and thumb generaton that has no qualms about relationship break-ups and other involved conversations via text.
Heck, while you consider widgetizing your listing, might as well pick up a SMS driven shirt to go with it.
How do you see SMS text messaging impacting real estate?
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Reading: Will SMS Texting Sell Your Next Listing? http://bit.ly/vPN0T
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
I recently started using http://www.drivebuytext.com for my listings. The featured listing page is simple and looks good on most phones I’ve seen – try it by texting PROP1109 to 88000.
I think listings that have more street traffic will do better with this technology right now. It hasn’t seem to hit the mainstream yet, at least in my market.
BTW – I absolutely LOVE the movie Office Space. Of course I worked at TGI Friday’s for 8 years so how could I not?
RT @tweetmeme Will SMS Texting Sell Your Next Listing? — HomeStomper http://bit.ly/vPN0T
This comment was originally posted on Twitter
@Ben Goheen – more traffic always ups your odds a bit but i think SMS extends beyond mere traffic. it’s a perception issue – many folks simply don’t perceive SMS as a clear channel of communication. except, of course, for the young and thumb crowd. take a look at most of the promos that target/encourage SMS… most are geared to a younger crowd. it’ll hit mainstream, for sure, once the adopters grow up.
so, uh, got a pic of you wearing all that flare? i dare ya to post it
I have no shame – the photo is here on my facebook profile: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=51213&id=721839368#/photo.php?pid=1740179&id=721839368
Check out the sign in the background, then look at the Office Space photo you used. They nailed it with that movie (except for the game the cooks played)
@Ben Goheen – you are brave, my man