Real estate newsletters are an important part of any agent’s outreach strategy as they allow you a way to regularly share up-to-date key information with your clients and prospects. Not only that, they also give you an opportunity to brand yourself as the informational real estate agent who helps their buyers and sellers make more informed decisions.
However, it can be daunting to start a newsletter from scratch, which is why we’ve pulled together several ideas you can use to generate content along with examples of how each idea is used.
1. Neighborhood Newsletter
There is no time better than the present to get to know your neighbors. This is why creating a newsletter for your own personal neighborhood is a sure-fire real estate marketing idea. Start with something you know firsthand and can speak from experience and familiarity. This is an opportunity to demonstrate your knowledge of the area—including home values. As a result, neighbors will recognize you as the expert in the market and their real estate agent of choice.
For example, I’ve previously advised my neighbors to have their home either in a trust or have another party listed on title as a section in my newsletter. I was then able to explain how this would help them avoid probate. Of course, your newsletter should always include ways for your neighbors to contact you to learn more.
If you aren’t sure what topics to cover in your neighborhood newsletter, consider visiting Parkbench. The service not only gives you the ability to connect with other local leaders in your area across multiple industries, which can help you gain neighborhood insights, it also offers tools to assist you in getting more exposure within your neighborhood beyond your mailing list.
Example Neighborhood Newsletters
(Source: Townsville Heights)
2. Holiday Newsletter
When writing a holiday newsletter, the first holiday that will come to mind is Christmas. Clients, friends, and family will receive a plethora of cards, pictures, and mail during the Christmas holiday season. Why would you want your newsletter to be included among the masses and risk it being overlooked?
I like to step out of the box and do the unexpected with my marketing materials. For example, I send an annual newsletter in September, instead of at the end of year, that focuses on the holiday of Halloween. My entire database will receive a newsletter sharing information about a local pumpkin maze, including hours of function, schedule of activities, menu of refreshments, and food items at the country store.
Example Holiday Newsletter
(Source: At Home Real Estate)
3. Seasonal Newsletter
An excellent topic for real estate newsletters are the seasons. You can send a quarterly newsletter that shares information on each of the four seasons: winter, spring, summer, and fall. There is no shortage of topics you can profile with each season.
When writing seasonal newsletters, share with your clients what your favorite season is. You can also do an interactive newsletter whereby you ask the reader to answer a trivia question. The reader can either text you or email you the answer. Each reader who participates may have an opportunity to be included in a raffle giveaway. This is a perfect way to stay top of mind with your clients.
Examples of information covered during each season could be a community event, a home maintenance tip for that specific time of year, and a favorite seasonal recipe. You could possibly include how to plant flowers and trees during the fall issue. Another great topic to cover in your seasonal newsletter is when school is in session. Share some of your thoughts and knowledge of how the school year can affect the real estate market and sales—which helps educate your clients on how to plan ahead when buying or selling a home.
Example Seasonal Newsletters
(Source: Seven Hills Properties, courtesy of Constant Contact)
(Source: Royal LePage Team Realty)
4. Recipe Newsletter
When I first started out in real estate 21 years ago, I would send out monthly newsletters that would include a few of my favorite recipes. Since I am not a gourmet cook, my shared recipes were simple and easy to follow. Many of the recipes would only have five or six ingredients and could be prepared in less than an hour.
I tried to focus on people like myself who would run into the house at the end of the day wondering what they were going to make for themselves or their families for dinner. Of course, everyone in the household may be on different schedules, so I also included recipes for meals that could be easily reheated.
When putting a recipe newsletter together, I like to include pictures of the meal-making process as well as the finished product. I am of the opinion that there are more cooks out there like me who really need all the help they can get in making and eating an edible meal.
Example Recipe Newsletters
(Source: Burwick Apartment Homes Farms Community Newsletter)
(Source: Real Estate Marketing Club)
5. Home Maintenance Newsletter
The beauty of creating different types of newsletters with a variety of many different topics is because not all of us like to talk about holidays or share recipes. All real estate agents should be sending a home maintenance newsletter to our clients at least two times a year. A great time to send these newsletters is during Daylight Savings Time.
Setting the clocks backward or forward during the fall and spring is a great time to remind our clients to change the batteries in their smoke detectors and to replace the heating air filter. Another helpful maintenance tip is to make sure to clean out your gutters before the major rain season starts so you can avoid overflowing gutters that can leak water into the home.
In addition, reach out to your home, pest, pool, and roof inspectors to share some of their expertise. This is also a great opportunity to co-market with the professional inspectors and possibly underwrite the expense of your mailing costs.
Example Home Maintenance Newsletters
(Source: RE/MAX Fine Properties)
(Source: Dunn Realty Group)
6. Current Market Conditions Newsletter
No matter the location, people are always talking about interest rates and housing prices. A current market conditions newsletter should be considered for distribution when there is a change or news in the market. Your clients perceive you as an expert, so always write about an item of value or with important information they can take away from it.
Consider another networking opportunity with other associates, including attorneys, accountants, tax preparers, and financial advisers. These professionals have an incredible amount of information to share. A mutually beneficial relationship could be formed—and referrals can go both ways.
Example Current Market Conditions Newsletters
(Source: Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices, courtesy of the Cape Gazette)
(Source: Domain Realty)
7. Community Event Newsletter
I have a strong opinion that if my community has been good to me, I need to be good to my community. There are many community organizations that would welcome the opportunity to get some press and have their events announced.
Ask the community organization permission to include their events in your community event newsletter. Since you are promoting the event, you should consider attending the event. Any time you can be seen and have a chance encounter with one of your clients will solidify your relationship as their real estate agent even more.
Organizations are also looking for sponsorship and possible donations. By putting this information out to your client database, you are expanding your network and referral opportunities. It is an amazing win-win opportunity for all parties to increase the opportunity for exposure and new business.
Example Community Event Newsletter
(Source: Your Home Sold Guaranteed Realty)
8. Checking-in Newsletter
This is one of my favorite newsletters. It should be sent to your database, friends, and family. This newsletter may be more in the format of a postcard to send a tidbit of information a few times a year. I used the postcard format to touch base with my clients during COVID-19.
I wanted to reach out to each one of them to let them know I was there for them if they needed anything. We had great feedback and many of my clients reached out to me to check in on my family and how we were coping during this trying time. As challenging as this past year has been, I found that I was speaking more frequently to clients and growing an even stronger connection.
Pro tip: Your clients are coming back to you for repeat business because you did an outstanding job in helping them buy or sell a home. Don’t be short-sighted to think it is always about the mechanics of the transaction. Your clients are returning to you for repeat business because they have confidence and trust in you as a person and as a real estate agent.
Example Checking-in Newsletter
(Source: At Home Realty)
9. The Did You Know Newsletter
The topics for this type of newsletter are endless. You can share statistical information about the local market, state market, and national market. Sharing information about where people are possibly moving after they become empty-nesters or retire is another great topic for a newsletter.
Keep the design of your information professional—not gimmicky. Make sure no one may be offended or insulted by the material you share. When you get into a groove of sending newsletters on all topics, clients will get used to and excited to see what information you send them next and will look forward to it.
Example Did You Know Newsletters
(Source: California Association of Realtors)
(Source: National Association of Realtors)
Bottom Line
Each of the above themed newsletters can be sent in hard copy through the mail or electronically via email. They also have the capability to be posted on your website and social media sites. There is an abundance of great information to share and many platforms to share it on. However, it is also a good idea to take advantage of the many real estate newsletter templates to ensure your high-value content is also eye-catching.
