Who sent me this email?

If you're going to be in sales, I believe you should look like it every chance you get - including when you are using your email. Save the inventive names associated with your yahoo, hotmail, msn, gmail, aol, and other accounts for personal use or when you are trying to maintain some level of privacy or anonymity.

Unless you are known by your nickname and it appears on your business cards, it should not appear anywhere in your email address.

Let's look for a second at why you send someone an email - to have it opened and to have your message read. Two inherent issues here: (1) the intended recipient has to get it, meaning that it has to get past the spam or junk filter and (2) they have to open it and read it, which stands a greater chance of happening if they recognize who is sending it.

I'm not saying you shouldn't have a yahoo, gmail, hotmail, aol, msn, or other account. I'm not saying that at all. However, compare "steve123@generic.com" with "steve@companyname.com." In the first instance you (or my customer) might not recognize or know who it's from. In the second it's identifable as a business email.

Now, you may not have a company domain or website to use as part of your email address. If this is the case, use your whole name (first and last) or the name of your company with the public email address. If you have a registered domain name, use that in your email - people will more easily understand who it is from and you'll get another opportunity to brand your company or community.

8 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Sales Trainer/Coach, Sales Books Author, Photographer • January 29 2008 09:35AM

Forget the tagline (for now), go for the bottom line

I am amazed by the number of new (and existing for that matter) Realtors who think that one of the first requirements for success is a cute or catchy tagline - or that one is required to be noticed.

The truth is that many people have been successful in many types of businesses for years and never have used a slogan or tagline - they rely on results to speak for their abilities.

This idea of needing a tagline to grow your business or before even starting out in business is a classic "chicken-and-egg" argument.

Which do you think will cause people to want to engage your services and allow you to build a successful real estate sales business - a clever slogan attached to your business card or actual, demonstrable results?

The thinking seems to be that with so many Realtors in any given marketplace that a new or relatively inexperienced Realtor needs to differentiate themselves from all the others and give the public a reason to want to do business with them.

I'm all for building a name for yourself and standing out from your competition, but do you really think that a few words on a business cards or on your personal web page will make that kind of difference?

Just a clever slogan will not generate business - it may not even impress a search engine. It may raise an eyebrow, generate a second look, evoke a chuckle, or provoke a question. Then the rest is up to you. You still have to produce.

The best way to attract new sellers and buyers is to be active in your market area, to be sincere, to develop relationships, and to sell yourself. Then actually do what you say you'll do - and then some. But be realistic in what you promise. Don't overpromise or your underachievement will be quite noticeable.

Remember that regardless of how well known or prominent your agency or franchise name is in your area, you still are the one making the presentation to a prospective seller about listing their home or to a potential buyer about using you as their representative.

A tagline or slogan won't help you get business in the early going. It won't even describe what you do or what you're good at. Instead, it will be more like an affirmation or a statement of how you want people to know you.

Just keep in mind that if your business skills and abilities are weak, the greatest tagline in the world won't carry the day. Conversely, if you are a known quantity, taglines may not even be necessary.

Go for the bottom line now - results for your customers and your agency. There'll be time enough for taglines and slogans later.

9 comments • Steve Hoffacker - Sales Trainer/Coach, Sales Books Author, Photographer • January 22 2008 09:37PM