Five Phrases to Drop from Your Emails!

It never ceases to amaze me how ineffective and lackluster our follow up emails can be. This is a common malady in every industry what with our casual use of email communication. It’s gotten to the point that many of us consider emailing like text messaging and instant messages. Too often emails go out filled with spelling errors, lack of capitalization, poor or no punctuation and obscure abbreviations. I say change the way you think about emails. They are permanent digital opportunities you should use to confidently demonstrate your value to you potential prospect or client.

Opportunity Wasted!

Think about it, a consumer has taken a monumental leap by giving you their name and email address (and if you’re lucky – a phone number too). Next we begin our email with “I appreciate the opportunity to enclose ….” and we conclude our email with, “I look forward to hearing from you soon.” Come on, we can do much better than that!

Consumers Measure Us by the Way We Communicate – Written & Oral

People judge you by the words you choose – yes even in your emails. Think of your follow up emails like your cover letter for a job. In fact, that’s what it is really is. You are interviewing for a job, to be their agent! I’m convinced you are missing opportunities by using these tired, ineffective phrases. Are you ready to come across more positive and in control? If so, be ready to strike these lame email phrases from your correspondence.

Lifeless Phrases You Must Drop

1. Besides the useless phrase “I am forwarding the enclosed list of properties you requested“, one of the biggest waste of digital space and effort is this phrase; “I appreciate the opportunity to …..” While I understand every buyer is a reason to celebrate, I recommend you save and show your appreciation after escrow when you hand your client a closing gift with the keys to their new home. Your buyer has hired you for your “take charge attitude” and your “knowledge as a neighborhood expert.” Be confident, but not arrogant.
2. Another feeble, overused phrase I see is the one that goes something like this; “I hope you like these listings …” If you are basing your business (and your clients needs) on your “hopes“, I recommend you change thew way you write your emails immediately. Buyers and sellers want market leaders who “know” how to meet their needs not hope or guess at it.
3. Do you lead off your emails with “I am very interested in ….” (fill in the blank with any assortment of services you normally provide)?. Let’s be clear, if you weren’t interested in the prospect or the client and their needs, why would you be writing the email in the first place?
4. Have you ever used any of these weak phrases in your emails? “I am energetic” or “I am a professional“, or “I am ethical“. Geez, I thought maybe you were lethargic, unprofessional or maybe a liar and a cheat. Sure the perception of a real estate agent by the general public is dismal,  and yes there are a few “bad apples” in our business, but that’s true of any business. I say be a real estate agent who is about the business of confidently changing the public perception of your craft. Demonstrate your abilities to prospects by “walking the talk” and being the high-octane,  take-charge kind of neighborhood expert they want.
5. I’ve saved the best worst phrase for last, “I look forward to hearing from you soon.” If you’re on my short list of potential agents I’m about to hire, and you include that phrase in your email you will be “looking forward” for a long time. When you have the prospect’s phone number I say take control of the email and state in a very matter-of-fact manner that “you will be calling on Tuesday afternoon at 4PM EST.” Then let the prospect let you know if that time works or not.

The I’s Have It!

What is the one common denominator about every one of these mealymouthed, over used phrases? They all lead off with the pronoun “I”. Point #1 – your emails should always be about the consumer, the client or the prospect and their needs. Point #2 – consumers deserve to be the focus of our business (OK-major understatement). As much I like every real estate professional I have ever met, this is not about you.  The sooner you get this point and focus your email correspondence to the recipient and their needs the better off you will be.

Your Feedback to the Post

What other weak phrases have you seen (or possibly used) in emails to clients and prospects? Admit it, we have all used these at sometime or another.

Helping you communicate more effectively,

Bobby Carroll – Dakno Real Estate Marketing