I sign up each and every one in my SOI (sphere of influence) for automatic updates for properties in their neighborhood. I taught this trick to a new agent in my company. She went from an SOI of 38 people to over 100 in just 5 months just from sending updates. She is still working that list and things are growing like crazy for her.

Here’s how I do it.

My MLS allows me to hot sheet each person and will automatically email whenever a property matching the criteria I enter pops up in their area.

For example Jane lives on Center street and Main. I set the computer to search from 800 W to 800 E and 800 N to 800 S (approx 1 mile in any direction) I (the computer) look for new listings, new under contract, and new sold properties each day and emails Jane every day at 10 am.

Jane thinks I search every day and keep her posted. She knows everything in her neighborhood before everybody else, and knows I am on top of the market every day. I come across as the expert and I seem super busy (and able to handle it) all the time.

In my 14 yrs experience, I have found that people like to deal with people who appear successful and stay approachable. Set it and forget it! Why would she buy or sell with anyone else?

By the way, I only spend about 3 minutes per client entering the data into the computer and it works forever. I suggest entering 10 per day until you have everybody entered. Then add new people as you meet them.

The best part of my system?

When Jane gets my email, the message tells her that if she has friends, family, neighbors, or co workers who might be interested in getting emails for their neighborhood, I can add them- no problem. It’s a built-in way to build my client base.

The people who don’t have email get a postcard. It takes less than 10 min a day to send all the postcards. I simply write the information on a preformatted postcard -Address, price, activity (new listing, under contract, sold) and some basic info (bed, baths, garage, remodeled, 100% finished, hot tub, etc.).

I’m not violating any rules about advertising other agent’s listings because I send a client report that lets them know I am providing the data at their request with verbiage from my MLS, similar to when you provide a list of homes or CMA.