Creating and sending real estate agent recruitment emails is a year-round task for human resource staff members in brokerages. While cold emails have a low response rate—typically hovering around 5 to 20 percent—they’re also one of the most effective ways of attracting new talents to your company. If the response rate for your recruitment emails is below average, it’s a great time to evaluate the template you are using and see if it can be improved to elicit more positive responses from the recipients. Click here to get a good look at the dos and don’ts of choosing an effective email template.
Adopting a personalized approach to sending recruitment emails is also a great way of attracting the interest of up-and-coming real estate agents who are on the lookout for a new brokerage. If the recipient knows that the email is specifically intended for them, they’re more likely to open it and respond to the sender. Sending a personalized email requires a bit more work than going with a templated email, but with a system in place, you’ll be able to streamline the entire process. Here’s how it’s usually done:
The first step in creating a personalized email for a prospective real estate agent is researching about the recipient. It would be difficult to customize the content of the email if you don’t know the basics of the person you will be sending it to. There’s no need to do in-depth research on the person; a look at their LinkedIn or Facebook profile should provide you with enough information about the topics they are passionate about, their latest projects and accomplishments, or an organization that they belong to. Incorporate these details into the email in order to find a common ground with the recipient.
Don’t Email Straightaway
It’s a mistake to think that all your efforts in making a personalized email should be contained within the email itself. When the opportunity arises, use other channels of communication to engage with your target audience. You can use your HR-related social media accounts to retweet or follow a prospective agent, like a real estate-related post or content they uploaded, or even add them as a contact. These will make you more familiar to the recipient, and they’ll know that you’re paying attention to their work. When you do send the personalized email, the act won’t seem odd or completely unexpected because you’ve already established a connection or a mutual contact.
Come Up With aCatchy Subject
Curiosity compels us to do a lot of things, like opening an email from a new or unfamiliar person. An email subject that sparks the curiosity of the recipient will more likely see the light of day. It’s safe to say that a straightforward subject explaining the content of the email and hinting that the email was sent specifically for the recipient will take anyone’s interest.Beware of click-bait titles, though, as they’re often misleading and disappointing. Think of a 36-character title that will prompt the agent to think about how the move will advance their career or what your brokerage can do for them. If the email subject can answer these questions, then you’re on the right track.
Focus on What the Receiver Wants
A personalized recruitment email is not focused on what your company wants, but on what the real estate agent can get by joining your brokerage. Reveal the details of your job opening in a way that passive candidates can easily determine what’s in it for them and what benefits they stand to enjoy by joining your company.Make the email about the recipient and you’re more likely to get a response.
Keep It Simple and Concise
No one likes reading emails with multiple paragraphs especially if it came from someone they don’t know well enough. Composing a short and straightforward email will save you time, and the recipient will most likely appreciate your effort to get straight to the point. Establish common ground and provide a few relevant details about the position you are offering—just enough to encourage the recipient to contact you for more information. You can also opt to mention a few benefits that come with the role and what makes the recipient an ideal candidate for the position.
Follow Up Using Other Channels
After you’ve sent the personalized recruitment email, you can follow up with the passive applicant by giving them a call. Perhaps they were not able to see your email or they forgot about it. Calling or messaging a high-potential applicant will let them know that you’re waiting for a response and that you’re serious about exploring the possibility of them joining your team. Take note of what works and what doesn’t, and don’t be afraid to experiment and tweak the process to suit your needs. Over time, you’ll be able to refine this general step-by-step guideline and find a system that goes well with the recruitment goals of your real estate brokerage.
