Let’s face it: the majority of us are apprehensive when it comes to writing. Whether it’s writing copy for a marketing piece or corresponding with our clients, it can seem like a daunting task. However, writing a personalized letter can provide your business with numerous opportunities.

In today’s episode of Stay Paid, Josh and Luke discuss the importance of personalized messages, how to segment your audience, and a few writing tips to help you reap the benefits.

Key Points

• A personal note is a rarity in a world driven by technology
• Building personas can help you segment your audience
• Using a conversational tone can be an effective way to convey your message

The Importance of Personalized Messages 

On a daily basis, we’re exposed to over five thousand marketing messages or advertisements. This can make it extremely challenging to connect with your audience. So, how do you go about connecting? By sending personalized messages.

Personal notes are a rarity. Thanks to technology, impersonal messages are readily accessible and easy to send. Think about it this way. When is the last time that you opened your mailbox, and pulled out a handwritten note? More than likely it has been a while. This is why sending a personal note can be both more valuable and memorable. In fact, we’re seeing a rise in direct mail because of the influx of technology.

In addition to the value, a personal note can help give your recipients the nudge that they need to reach out to you. Your recipients might feel compelled by the time and effort that you put forth to send the note, which gives you the opportunity to build a strong relationship with them. Once that relationship has been established, it’s more difficult for your clients to sever ties with you.

How to Segment Your Audience

We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, your network is your net worth. How well you segment your network will drastically affect your efforts. For starters, you must group your contacts into segments. Rely on common demographics—gender, age, location, income, etc.— to help you better break down your network.

Next, you should start building out different personas. Take your list, and picture real people. Jot down their demographics, pain points, and desires. Create an actual person who has a name and image associated with them. This will be who you are gearing your writing toward. The idea of creating personas stems allows you to tailor your message to each specific audience. Being willing to learn what your recipients go through on a daily basis will help you gain confidence and deliver authentic messages.

Friends and family

Your friends and family are quite often the most overlooked group. There is absolutely no reason that you shouldn’t be writing a personal letter that is geared toward them. While the majority of people find this unnecessary, we find that a lot of our clients’ friends and family members are unaware of what they do for a living.  If your Uncle Joe doesn’t know that you’re a real estate agent, how can he use your services or refer someone that’s in need of an agent?

Day-to-day routine

These are the people who you cross paths with every day. Whether someone at the gym, at church, or even the mailman, they all provide you with various opportunities to build beneficial relationships. For starters, you see them almost every day. Meaning you will be able to build and nurture your relationship with them. They also cross paths with a plethora of people, which can help to expand your network.

Past and current clients

For real estate agents, past and current clients is a segment that you don’t want to miss out on, and for good reason. According to a study done by the NAR, over 88 percent of buyers say that they would use their agent again, but only 11 percent actually did. By segmenting this group and personalizing your messaging, you’re able to stay top of mind in hopes of capturing their repeat business.

Sphere of influence

Your sphere of influence is simply all of the people who know and like you. They will vouch for you when someone asks if you’re qualified to do your job. It’s best to break your sphere of influence into three separate groups: your A list, B list, and C list. Your A list will consist of the people who you’re closest with, will your B and C lists are people that you’re loosely connected with. Your messaging will vary between each list.

How to Write Like a Pro

You don’t have to be a professional to write like one. When constructing your personalized message, it’s best to not overthink the writing. Write like you speak and keep the tone conversational. Also, include a strong call to action. While status updates are beneficial, they won’t help you take your relationship beyond the letter. It’s best to keep in mind that with a personal letter, your goal is to be persuasive, thankful, and authentic.

Action Items

Following the podcast, our goal is to provide you with as many actionable tips as possible. This episode includes…

• Take your database, and write a personal letter to the core people who have really made a difference in your business this year. Thank them for being a part of your life, and ask them to pass along any referrals.

As always, take action on these tips!