1: What You Should Avoid Putting in a Letter to an Agent

I have sent thousands of letters to agents over the years, and I have learned through experience (both good and bad) what agents like and don’t like, what they react well to… and what goes in the trash. Remember that agents are salespeople. They sell their services every day. They also send letters to potential clients and referrals as well – so they know about the whole “letter writing” game and are pretty immune to “sales tricks”.

So keeping that in mind, there are a few things that are usually a good idea to avoid. Here are a few of the top ones:

Envelope Stuffing

I received an ad from a mold inspection school recently. Was it a good school? Was it a course I would like? I have no idea because I threw it right in the trash – because their envelope was stuffed with brochures, business cards, and more. The same goes for emails that are stuffed with TOO MUCH information. If your message isn’t clear, people ignore it.

 

Talking About Yourself Too Much

I started to read a book once that I was really excited about reading. As I read the first few pages my brain turned off though. Why? Because the author spent the first part of the book talking about himself – and it was mind-numbing. The same is true about writing letters to agents too. I always try to use the 80/20 rule – 80% talking about the person reading the letter and 20% about you and your services.

Using that general rule keeps the agent interested and vested in what you have to say, but still gets your two cents in there about why they should refer you.

 

Expecting Too Much

Don’t write your letter so that you sound like you expect them to start referring you immediately. Unless you are a professional writer, it usually comes off as sounding desperate. Make the letter more of a soft introduction.

 

Making it Impersonal

This is a big one. If you are mass writing emails and letters, it is easy to make the letter sound like it was just mass-produced. Try creating letters and emails in smaller groups. For instance, instead of writing one email for all the agents you have, break them down by the agency they work with. Or better yet, by what area they typically work in.

If you break your list of agents into groups, you can change your letter to fit that group a little better and make your words seem more genuine.

2: What You Should Put in Your Letters to an Agents

So let’s take the flip side of things. What should we include and how can we best write a letter to an agent? Here are a few tips that I learned after a couple of hundred agents started to refer us:

Use Their Personal Name

If you are using an email system, then this just takes a few moments to configure it. If you are writing letters by hand, then this will take a bit more time. However you are writing your letters, this is an important element. Why is that?

I own a Jeep (and I love it by the way). Every once in a while I get a letter from the manufacturer that says “Dear Jeep Owner” – and I chuck it in the garbage. I do the same with their emails. I do it because it looks like junk/spam. But my dealership, on the other hand, uses my personal name in their letters and emails, and as soon as I see my name I instantly read the next line to see what it is about.

There is a psychological trigger that makes us pay attention more when people use our names. If you want real estate agents to even read what you wrote them – then use their name. It is well worth the effort.

 

Be Professional, but Somewhat Casual Too

There is a fine balance here. You don’t want to be TOO casual or OVERLY professional/polite. The point is to make it real – like you were having a conversation with them.

Only you can strike this balance knowing your area. In my area, I have to be careful of which region an agent is in when I am writing a letter. For instance, most of the agents West of me appreciate me starting a letter with “Hey Greg!” for example. Whereas in most of the offices East of me I would start my letter with “Dear Greg”. So just know your area and what the agents appreciate more – to be more formal or casual. Either way, make it genuine.

 

Keep it Short and Simple

This goes back to envelope stuffing. If I open an email and there is a paragraph for me to read, I just don’t read it – and that is how most people statistically work. Keep your letters and emails SHORT.

 

Add Your Contact Info

This seems like a no-brainer, but too many times I see the contact info missing or hard to find on letters and emails that I receive. You don’t want to throw your contact info in the face of your reader, but give them your contact information in a readily accessible place.

 

Get to The Point

What do you want to do with this letter/email? Is it an introduction? Is it to tell them about a new service you offer? Do you have a coupon? Then get to the point. Don’t try to tell them everything about you and your company in one letter. Get in, make your point, then end the letter in a pleasant way.

3: Which Medium Should You Use?

There are arguments for all sides of this point, but here are my two cents. First of all, email is by far the easiest and cheapest way to reach real estate agents. So that is an easy one. But there are advantages to other mediums as well.

For instance, you could consider sending cards or paper letters. Especially if it is an “old school” agent. I have seen them really appreciate a paper letter, or even something handwritten.

A card is a nice way that I have introduced myself to agents even in recent years. I send a card with all my logos and such on the front, and then a simple message of introduction on the back.

There are also text message services as well too. Be careful with this one though. You don’t want to use a text message as an introduction, but more for agents you already know. You don’t want to do it more than once a year in my opinion, as you end up spamming them. Keeping your message short is important too. I have never used this method, as I have seen good and bad come out of this method.

 

Services For Sending Letters

Below are some services that we and other inspectors have used to design and send letters, emails, cards, and more. There are other services as well, but these are all great options:

 

4: Sample Letters to Real Estate Agents

So here we are. Below are some sample letters to real estate agents. Be sure to customize them for yourself and make them fit you and your style – or better yet, take the ideas here and create your own and make it yours.

Sample #1: Introduction Letter

“Gary

I’m reaching out to you today because I notice that we work in the same area. I could also be a real asset to you and your clients. I have over 20 years of construction experience that helps my clients understand their home, and the issues with it, without being an alarmist.

I also make sure that I am there for my clients afterward and I take the time to answer their questions and make them more comfortable owning their home.

I would love to sit down and talk with you sometime. You can call or email me using the information below and we could set up a time. Thank you, and I look forward to hearing from you!

John Doe
555-555-5555
[email protected]
www.mywebsite.com

Sample #2: Introduction Letter With Inspector Toolbelt/Online Scheduling

“Jane,

My name is John Doe, Owner of Home Inspection Company. We are a local inspection company that services your area, and I wanted to introduce myself.

We have been in the construction and inspection industry for many years, and we believe we could be a real asset to you and your clients.

We offer many benefits, including online scheduling for you and your clients 24/7, 365 days a year. I would love to talk with you more about our services and benefits. Please let me know what would be a good time.

John Doe
555-555-5555
[email protected]
www.mywebsite.com

 

Sample #3: Introduction Letter With Buy Back Guarantee

“Sally,

I’m reaching out to you today because our company is offering a new program called the InterNACHI BuyBack Guarantee.

This means that if anything is missed on a  home inspection, InterNACHI will buy their house back for the exact price they paid for it. InterNACHI has bought homes back from buyers all across the country.

I would love to discuss this program with you if you have a moment. Please let me know what would be a good time for you. Thank you!

John Doe
555-555-5555
[email protected]
www.mywebsite.com

Sample #4: Introduction Letter To Brand New Agent

“Bob,

My name is John Doe of Inspection Company. I wanted to take the time to introduce myself and congratulate you on becoming a licensed real estate agent.

I think we could help each other and open up a networking opportunity. If you have a few moments, I would love to talk in person. Please let me know what would work for you. Thank you!

John Doe
555-555-5555
[email protected]
www.mywebsite.com

First Impressions

First impressions are really important, especially when running a business. Be sure to know your audience and take the time to write your letters/emails of introduction to realtors the right way. We hope these sample letters help you. Please also take a moment to read our related article: How to Market to Real Estate Agents.