Real Estate CRM: 9 Benefits and 5 Must-Have Features
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Most organizations rely on smart technology tools – like customer relationship management (CRM) – to help them manage leads, customers, and relationships. The real estate industry is certainly no different. At Buffini & Company, we often emphasize that relationships are at the core of your business! Every action you take to generate real estate leads and referrals ties back to how effectively you build and maintain your relationships. Your real estate CRM plays a vital role in this strategy!
What is Real Estate CRM?
In short, a realtor CRM is a solution-oriented software system that enhances the management of your real estate business. A top-quality real estate CRM allows you to quickly input and organize all your client and lead information, ensuring you can easily access it whenever necessary.
That said, a robust CRM for real estate can go beyond just relationship management.
Why Do You Need Real Estate CRM?
Like many real estate agents, you might be storing your clients’ contact information in one place, keeping your schedule on a phone app or in a planner, and jotting down lead generation notes elsewhere. While this might seem organized, your system could benefit from some streamlining. It’s challenging to keep everything under control when it’s scattered across various locations.
To operate your business more efficiently, investing in a quality real estate CRM software tool is crucial. Realtor CRM does more than just help real estate professionals organize their contacts; it’s also invaluable for managing other facets of your business.
What are the Benefits of Real Estate CRM?
Rather than merely utilizing your real estate CRM to dispatch email blasts about new listings, explore ways to use it for more meaningful engagement with your database. In today’s crowded digital landscape, it’s crucial that your technology is employed to enhance service and deliver value to your clients in a manner that is effortless, straightforward, and automated.
Here are nine ways to reap the benefits:
- Manage your database effectively. Think of your database as a collection of valuable relationships. When you operate on a referral basis, these connections—and their subsequent referrals—are crucial to your business’s success. CRM for real estate agents consolidates all your client information in one place, allowing for quick access. It’s important to keep this information current so you always have the necessary details to reach out to your clients.
- Connect with clients efficiently. Are you wondering who to contact today for a check-in or to request referrals? Using a CRM like Referral Maker® simplifies this process. Specifically designed for real estate professionals who rely on referrals, it helps you identify whom to call, send a personal note to, or drop off a small gift (a Pop-By). If you’re unsure what to say, the CRM also provides scripts to help kick-start these conversations.
- Track your productivity. How effective are you each day? Your CRM provides a clear overview of all your weekly activities. With this data, you can assess what’s needed to end your week on a high note. Monitoring your tasks not only enhances your productivity but also keeps you driven to achieve more.
- Stay on top of your finances. For small business owners, financial tracking is essential. Understanding your income and expenditures allows you to manage your budget better, ensuring the financial health of both yourself and your business.
- Set and achieve your goals. Setting goals is a vital step towards success, but it doesn’t stop there. You need a solid action plan to ensure these objectives are met. Referral Maker CRM enables you to establish goals in both your professional and personal life and helps you monitor your progress. This systematic tracking ensures you not only set goals but also achieve them.
- Log calls as you make them. Always keep your CRM open. When you finish a call, log the details right away, rather than hurrying on to your next task. Making this a consistent practice will help you naturally keep track of these interactions.
- Utilize the mobile app. Don’t let being away from your desk be an excuse to overlook your CRM responsibilities! Your real estate CRM mobile app is a crucial tool for managing lead generation activities on the go. For instance, the Referral Maker® CRM mobile app allows agents to record Pop-Bys with just a screen tap while out, ensuring they remember to log these interactions.
- Set aside time for weekly reviews. Dedicate one to two hours every Friday to catch up with your CRM. Log in and make sure all your lead generation activities and transactions from the week are accurately recorded. If you weren’t able to log activities in real time during the week, use this time to update everything.
- Delegate responsibilities. If your workload is overwhelming, consider training an assistant to manage CRM data entry for you. Delegating this task is perfectly acceptable, provided you communicate clearly what needs to be entered.
What are some Key Realtor CRM Features?
Going beyond the basics, Referral Maker Pro CRM delivers key features that allow agents to generate leads through smart relationship building.
- Priority Action Center – This tool indicates whom you need to write, call, or visit to generate your next lead and maintain alignment with your income goals.
- Recent Contact Activity – Track your recent interactions to stay informed about when you last contacted someone and the details of your communication.
- Database Rankings – Upon importing your contacts into Referral Maker CRM, you’ll be asked to rank each person from A+ to D based on their likelihood to refer you. Prioritize your efforts on A+ and A clients to foster high-quality referrals. Remove D-ranked individuals who are unlikely to work with you.
- Customized To-Dos – Maintain a personalized to-do list to keep up with essential actions needed to nurture your relationships. Mark items as completed once done.
- Video Messaging – Enhance your emails with this new feature in Referral Maker CRM that allows you to include videos for a more personal connection. Benefit from detailed analytics on your videos to refine your future communications.
CRMs Enhance Relationships
Research from the National Association of REALTORS® indicates that more than 80% of all real estate transactions stem from repeat business or referrals. Although many consumers start their property search online, most tend to work with an agent who has previously offered them or someone they know excellent service, rather than an unfamiliar agent who makes contact through electronic means to establish a digital relationship. A proven real estate CRM system is a critical tool to managing these ever-important relationships.
