Email Etiquette

It’s no secret that most people, these days, would prefer to deal with you through email.  It saves money, it’s quick and easy and they can write and check their emails from just about anywhere.  But with this new wave of inquiring comes etiquette problems.First and foremost, you want to make sure you respond to your email inquires immediately.  Everybody is moving at a fast pace these days and if you wait too long, they will email another property and you have just lost a chance to sell this person on your property.

Check your email often.  At least 3 times a day.  You can have a standard email that goes out to prospective residents, but make sure you add something just for them.  Make sure it has their name on it, don’t say, Dear Prospective Resident…they want to know that you care and are taking the time to respond to THEM…

Also, don’t forget to end your email with a question.  This helps keep your propect coming back and gives you a better chance of getting them to your complex.

Don’t send attachments (floor plans, photos, etc.) in your first response.  You want to ask if it would be okay to do this and if they say yes, then you can do so.  With the computer viruses that go around, some people might not like the idea of having to open an attachment for fear of a virus.

Using hyperlinks (links to your website, or other important online sites for your property) can be used within the email.  This gives you a chance to show what your property has done.  If your property has been in the paper, for something good, then you can link to that newspaper article, etc.

Try to schedule a telephone appointment during your email.  This gives you a chance to turn a few words into a more personal contact.  It is sometimes hard to show your excitement about something in an email.

Never use ALL CAPS when responding.  This can seem rude and it will make your prospect feel like they are being yelled at.

If your prospect is long distance, the email might be the only way to correspond with them.  This is fine, just make sure you have all the paperwork formatted and ready to go out if they request it.