We already have a fantastic way to get the word out about our listings... it's called the MLS - works like a charm!  Why pay extra for redundancy that many recipients view as spam?  

I have used them only a few times, mostly to satisfy the seller that I am marketing their home to all agents in as many ways as possible.

Of all that I have received, I have only "used" one. It was a home in an area that I had a buyer for and it did match what she was looking for. I mentioned it to her even though it was also included on her search that I have set up for her.

I don't really view them as spam, only as an unnecessary piece of email that I have to delete. I get very few but I am sure there are others out there that receive several a day, that would get annoying.

I'm not picking on you, Gary...

Something that I am hearing more and more often lately from agents is the phrase "I am doing it to satisfy the seller."

Is there any other profession that does numerous unnecessary things just to pacify their customers?  I don't know the answer but I am curious.  For instance, at a medical convention do you hear doctors saying things like, "I only do appendectomies to satisfy my patients"?

At what point do we take control and explain to our clients 'what we do' and 'why we do it'?  Susan and I decided this was the route to take about a year ago and our clients absolutely respect it and appreciate it.  

We study the market, marketing trends and carefully monitor what works and what doesn't work on a daily basis.  We are the experts!  (And, besides... it is our time and money that is put on the line.  We do not recoup that time and money unless the property sells - you can be darned sure that we are going to maximize our time and money to the sellers best interest because that is what is also in our best interest!!)

Thoughts !!!! about e mail flyers you ask?

Wow you just hit on the number 1 topic I can not stand.

I have been turning them into http://www.ftc.gov/spam/

These companies just don't get it , I have unsubscribe for the last time.

With millions of homes out there in this market why on earth are people wasting money sending these e flyers in a market like this is beyond me.

You want flyers go here http://VanceMLS.com there are over 100 thousand plus listings here and I bet the e flyers are one on them...

"""I know sellers think they're wonderful as way of getting the word out about their listing to agents in the area.""  

Any thoughts?

Contact me @http://www.ftc.gov/spam/

I bannish them to the junk mail folder, which I scan several times a day.  If one catches my eye I will have a look but it is the MLS that I rely on for buyer searches.

I'm a mean girl when it comes to e-flyers. If I didn't request the info, I will round file that and future communiques.

I get hundreds of e-mails a day that are quite enough to manage. And like Tim said, the MLS and specialization sites I use are sufficient to keep me posted on properties.

Tim and Susan, I appreciate the comment. I am guilty as are many others here. I totally agree with you but I am still a little "old school"...meaning that I consider our profession a service oriented industry. I want to provide my sellers with the best service I can offer and sometimes it requires doing something that I know won't generate any results (email flyers is a good example) just to show them that I know what I am talking about.

More and more, I get into a discussion with the sellers about how I am marketing their home. I have sellers demand that I use print advertising when I know this is not a good tool to use. I have sellers demand open houses when I know that, at least in my area, they are not a good use of my time.

I don't want to hijack this thread...I am going to post another thread to generate some discussion about this.

There has to be odd ball in the group and so I will elect myself.  I do receive and review eflyers because (a) the agents that send them know my area of expertise and vice versa and hence we keep each other posted; (b) I also build and am looking for highlight properties that might work for myself or my clients; (c) I work long hours and the eflyers do save me considerable time.

I do not get alot of eflyers.  In fact my emails are pretty much under control because 95% of them are serious real estate related instead of alot of junk or spam.

I believe its what works best for the individual agent.

I don't get a lot of them, either, so I do tend to open them.  I have never used them myself.  If I were being inundated I'd probably delete and opt out.  Not many in my area use them unless it's to announce and open house.

I appreciate the listing agent's desire to market, but I hate getting e-flyers.  And really dislike the general norm that there is no opt-out feature.

And where do the LAs get my email address so they can spam me?  My local Realtor association sells it to them (or a title company, or others).  PMAR, hard at work on my behalf again!

There are times when I look at them but most of the time I don't unless the title tells me it's a property that I may have a client for.

I have used them in the past when there weren't as many agents using them but now I only use them to get the word out when we're offering a bonus or something of that kind that may not be noticeable in the MLS - anyone can see in the MLS that there was a price change on a listing but wouldn't know there was a change in commission or that the seller is offering credits, etc. unless they looked at the details of each particular listing.

I almost always look at flyers that I get from agents I know ... I see it as a friendly courtesy ... I look at theirs, they look at mine.

I have to agree with Barb on this one and go outside the box.

I have used them to get the word out about a brokers open house or a unique listing. I only send it to the area that the property is listed in. It has worked pretty well.

For an example of bad e-flyer etiquette, if I receive an e-flyer from one more person from FL, AZ, NV or anywhere else that I do not plan to sell in I am going to burst.

As for all of you that say I can just look it up in the MLS, you're right you can...but will you see this particular property, that was e-flyer'd to you, if it doesn't come up in a particular search that you think your client would fall into? NO! I actually sold a house that was in the next town over from where my client thought they wanted to live. It had everything that was listed on their wish list and then some. I sent it, we looked, they bought!

So, because of an e-flyer I sold a property that I never would have seen unless I received that e-flyer.

Joe, you are right ... they work quite well for Broker tour announcements as well.

BTW, Joe, what happened to your partner in crime? You now have a solo photo?

Ahhhh...we divorced! Totally amicable, just heading in different directions with where we want our businesses to go and how we want to get there.

[Joe sez: For an example of bad e-flyer etiquette, if I receive an e-flyer from one more person from FL, AZ, NV or anywhere else that I do not plan to sell in I am going to burst.]

THAT'S what I'm talking about. If I asked for property outside my state or locality, different story. But the unsolicited stuff, yuck.

When I do use them, it is ONLY to my local area. If I have a buyer for another area, I will come here and contact one of you directly and I know most of you would do the same thing.

Might be different if it was a multi-million dollar or unique property but then I would do something else besides an email flyer.

I work in a market with fewer than 400 agents and often even fewer listings. Most don't use email flyers to promote. I have had some success in "pre-marketing" coming listings. In other words, "Just wanted to give you a heads up on a listing that  I have coming Friday." I include some basic details and a link to the listing on my website so there's no attachment. I do include an opt out link which actually works and I rarely get such a request.

I generally agree with the idea that it's best not to email about something which is already on the MLS. I know how to find that stuff if I need it. :)  If you can tell me something I don't know I'm much more open to receiving it.

I look at more than most agents based on the response you  have received. I certainly would look at one that you sent since I think a good looking picture starts the ball rolling and you are very pretty. It does give you an advantage but it also works in your favor. Now some will say that is vary superficial but in reality it is hard for me to delete any email I get from a pretty girl. It is just the facts. So when sending out email flyer's the secret is to put a good looking gal on the page. May be you or an imaginary assistant, I'll open it and probably 10,000 others will as well.

Email flyers are not going to be opened by a lot of people but it only takes the right one to count. I am for them and make sure there is eye candy to boot! I am talking about a good shot of the home!

Amy,

I have to say I love these.  Yes, read rates average between 20%-30%.  Guess what?  You can know that . . . there are reports.  Plus I have seen direct correlations to increases in online viewing of listings (since links can easily be incorporated into the HTML) and showings each time these sent out to both professionals and personal contacts.  I use a service called Sharper Agent which also allows for setting up automatic email campaigns for a "buffett" of monthly mailings such as newsletters, home tips, etc.).

How about sending straight from your Point2 site? I get a lot of requests for lake maps. I send new lakefront listings I get to those people. You could set up a group of agents in your area and just e-mail new listings or open houses, etc. to that group.

[Amy sez: and my magic wand...now where did I leave that?]

I have some extras Amy if you need . . . LOL