So, you’ve taken the plunge and signed up for American Lifestyle magazine—congrats and welcome aboard!

But, what’s next?

While your personal Marketing Advisor will assist you in getting the logistics—your headshot, logo, and appropriate contact information—squared away, there are three things that must be on your radar if you want to start leveraging the magazine to its full potential.

Build and segment your mailing list.

This may seem like a no-brainer, but there’s more to building your mailing list than just scrolling through your e-mail inbox in search of a few contacts. In order to create a comprehensive mailing list, you must dig a little deeper, and focus on three groups—your family and friends, social routine, and past and current clients. Including these three types will lay the foundation for you to not only continuously refine your list, but also target those who will drive your business.

Take advantage of the promotional copies.

Promotional copies are a hidden gem that not every ALM client utilizes. What makes them so valuable is that they get sent directly to you, meaning that they’re available for you to use per your discretion. We strongly recommend that you incorporate them into your open houses, listing appointments, and pop-by campaigns. The allow prospects to see the quality of the magazine and serve as a valuable takeaway.

Practice proactive follow up.

In layman’s terms, pick up the phone! There’s no room to sit back and wait for the phone to ring in an industry that’s as critical to maintaining relationships as real estate. After your first issue hits mailboxes, call at least 50% of your mailing list to gauge how they enjoyed the magazine. Choose one of the articles or customized content pieces to leverage. This will add a personal touch and keep the lines of communication open.

At the end of the day, we’ve spent years developing a multitude of relationship marketing tools for you to garner repeat and referral business, but when it comes to maximizing their value, the ball is in your court.