The day of New Technology

As the real estate industry grows more technology based, many realtors lose track of the personalized platform the real estate industry has traditionally done most of its business upon.

New Technology, in a real estate sense, is interpreted as system advancements that create a new business model the industry operates upon. Old Technology, on the other hand, is the way the real estate market has traditionally done business.

Old Technology is the personalized approach to real estate—the relationship between an agent and customer that is built on rapport. In the Old Technology business model, customers would find a real estate agent that suited their needs, and would likely work with him or her the rest of their lives. Real estate agents were like doctors—you had one for your family and, barring any extreme circumstances, told your family and friends to use him or her.

New Technology is the antithesis of the old school ways. The New Technology business format implements actual technology as a way of doing business. Web sites replace handing out business cards. Search engines replace cold calling. Drip marketing supersedes building customer rapport.

The New Technology model of doing business is as much a necessity as a revolution. Generation X and Y-ers are more likely to purchase multiple homes than settling in one for the rest of their lives, and less likely to use the same real estate agent to do so. This is the generation of the Internet, and the Internet has quickly and overwhelmingly replaced for-sale signs as the easiest way to find a house. This is also a generation of customers who, when they want something, want it instantly. This may add to why, unlike Baby Boomers, the new generation is chock-full of consumers who never do business with a friend or family member who is a real estate agent, but instead research to find their own agent.

The problem the New Technology business model creates is agents too often hide behind their Web site and E-mail instead of actively searching for new business. It is easier to purchase pay-per-click search engine optimization and sit on a computer waiting for leads to pour in from their Web site than actually marketing themselves to potential customers. This is great if it can create new business, but it will not, by itself, create customer loyalty.

Some real estate technology companies have seen this and already innovated new technology to abide it. eCards is a new technology that allows agents to uniquely build rapport with friends, family, past and potential customers. Delta Media Group, a top real estate Web site and lead management developer, recently released their eCard system to provide agents a successful avenue to manage customer relations.

Delta Media Group’s eCard system allows agents to create eCards (E-mail postcards) for announcements like an open house, a just sold listing, new listings, a new price, or a thank you card. Each card is fully customizable with any listing off the MLS, and takes seconds to create. An agent can use any photo the listing offers and customize the message the card displays. The eCard will automatically upload the agent’s photo, company logo and contact information for better branding, though each of these categories is customizable as well.

Once the eCard proof is created, agents can send to a single customer, multiple customers, or blast a contact database. All eCard proofs are saved in the agent’s Delta Media Group lead management system and can be reused for future purposes. The Delta Media Group system also records the history of eCards that were created and sent so agents can better manage their customer relations.

“The eCard system is probably the best technological innovation in building rapport between a real estate agent and their customer database,” Delta Media Group president Mike Minard said. “Our eCard system is unique because it allows agents to better market listings, but also to keep interaction with friends, family and past customers in an appealing format. Consumers are more responsive to eCards than spam mail because eCards take a friendlier, less sales-driven approach. Meanwhile, eCards work better for agent name branding and are more likely to win over a customer than a cold call.”

Delta Media Group’s eCard system is available exclusively for Delta Media Group customers, and works through the Delta Media Group DeltaNet lead management system. The DeltaNet system gives brokers and agents a single access point to control all leads, contacts, pipeline management, listing optimization, customer marketing and more. With over 200 subscribing brokerages and 30,000 agents, Delta Media Group’s Web sites and lead management systems are proven the most profitable on the market.

Visit www.DeltaGroup.com for more details on Delta Media Group.

Visit scutright.propertypursuit.com to access the nation’s largest independent property search engine.

Sean Cutright is a professional newspaper journalist and graduated from Kent State University’s esteemed School of Journalism and Mass Communication. He currently serves as the Public Relations director and the Midwest account representative for Delta Media Group, the nation’s leading real estate Web site and Lead Management systems provider.