When Real Times founder Jody Lane created the first free electronic newsletter for agents to e-mail to their contacts, he knew it would be a home run. What he didn't know is that he hit the ball out of the park, and then he watched it sail across the country.

"Word of mouth is spreading among agents," maintains Lane. "With just one article and a sign up button, we have signed up over 3,000 agents in just 60 days."

In addition, Real Times has offered to co-brand the newsletter free of charge to large organizations with great success. After talking with just a few, the Internet news service has signed some pretty big organizations - NAR affiliates which include the CRS Council, the Virginia, Tennessee, Wisconsin and Maryland Associations of REALTORS®, as well as smaller regional boards such as the Austin Association of REALTORS®.

HomeSeekers.com has just signed an agreement with Lane and plans to offer the newsletter to its agents with Web pages on the large home search site. Other organizations are pending, according to Robb Deitrick, Real Times director of sales.

Word of mouth is spreading via trainers such as Tami Fite, a Michigan Internet specialist. She reports that in teaching Internet and e-mail classes, that the agents "are so excited when I show them how to set up this (the newsletter) service."

Agents who have adopted the Internet as among the primary means of communicating and marketing to clients have embraced the Agent Newsletter wholeheartedly.

Sharon Marsh, a Dallas Realtor, wrote, " Within a couple of hours of emailing out my February Real Times newsletter, I receive an e- mail of thanks from a retiring couple. While they admitted to having visited my site often, they'd never written to me until they started receiving the newsletter. They wrote that it was nice to see that the real estate industry is not only embracing technology, but customizing it for the benefit of homeowners like themselves. They went on to request me to arrange a referral for them to an agent in Boulder, CO in the price range of $200,000."

She continues, "Then, two weeks ago I received a phone call from a couple in Oklahoma saying that they'd received several relocation packages from different agents, including me, but my staying in touch with them with the Real Times newsletter had been the deciding factor in their choosing me as their REALTOR®."

"The newsletter had helped them to get oriented to the relocation and buying process. Although this was our first conversation, they told me the monthly newsletter made them feel as though they'd known me for years. They'll be in town this weekend to buy their new home in the price range of $150,000."

John Ague, a Montana broker had a similar response. "I have had a number of letters of praise from clients and friends on the newsletter and its professional presentation," says Ague. "I am very excited about the newsletter and the opportunity it allows me to touch base with my clients every month with valuable information."

Ague sends the newsletter out to both listing clients as well as prospective buyers. "My listing clients get valuable information and it shows them that I'm on the cutting edge using technology which in turn gives them confidence in my marketing their properties," explains Ague. "My prospective buyers are also getting great real estate information and by making sure to contact them a minimum of once every month. I am able to stay connected with folks who are still in the investigative stage and my not purchase for months or longer, but when they do it's likely I will be the Realtor of Choice."

E-mail is becoming the communication medium of choice

There's no question that many people are coming to prefer e-mail as a primary form of communication, a factor that plays an important role in the newsletter's success.

While only about 30 percent of the U.S. population has Internet access and use e-mail, Jesse Berst, editorial director of ZD Net's Anchor Desk, says that e-mail is "the top application and activity on the Web."

It is estimated that 59 percent of Internet users use e-mail on a daily basis. More significantly, 88 percent of users use the Internet (and e-mail) for personal reasons. This figure dovetails with research done over a year ago that found that most home buyers shop the Web while they are at work, not at night or on weekends as previously thought.

How important is e-mail to the home buying consumer? Although only 30 % of Americans have e-mail today, virtually 100% of home buyers who look for homes on the Web do have e-mail.

Why the big organizations are getting on board

Not all organizations are embracing the newsletter. Some are wondering what's behind the win-win scenarios that Lane outlines - a free professional looking newsletter, Real Times does all the work, agents save time and money, and the organization gets to participate in its agents marketing free - what's the catch?

"There isn't one," says Lane. "Some just don't get it."

Others do, and right away. Bypassing the bureaucracy that slows down the delivery of agent benefits, CRS Council president Toni Sherman pushed the newsletter agenda the day she heard about it.

"I thought it sounded like a great benefit for our 42,000 members and it turned out it was," explains Sherman. "The response was overwhelming. What I liked about it was the quality of the newsletter. I also liked the ability of a member to partake in it or not as their own decision. That way, we do not give out anyone's e-mail address or invade anyone's privacy. It's there for the taking, if you so desire."

Sherman confirms that within the first twelve hours of offering the newsletter in a co-branded arrangement with Real Times, response from happy CRS designation holders bordered on the delirious.

"I can't believe this. This is the greatest thing since sliced bread. THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU," exclaimed Florida CRS Council member Rita Todd, CIPS,CRS,GRI,RECS. "This is the best benefit for my dues that I have ever seen."

George Durkin with Realty Executives in Las Vegas e-mails copies of his newsletter to people who inquire from out of state, for an average of 21 viewings of the newsletter per month over the last two months.

"It makes a very professional appearance, looks like I've worked on it for days,and lends a lot of credibility to our firm and myself to people that have never met me," enthuses Durkin. "I highly recommend the service!"

Florida Realtors Sandy and Frank Lipscomb report that numerous inquiries from customers are linked to the newsletter.

Agents are welcomed to sign up individually or through any organizations with which they are affiliated which have an agreement with Real Times. The cost is free, and the newsletters are sent out monthly.

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In addition, Real Times also offers e-mailed headlines of its stories daily. Subscribers can sign up for this service HERE.

Published: February 16, 1999

Use of this article without permission is a violation of federal copyright laws.

Blanche is a renowned author of five real estate books. Her newest, Bubbles, Booms and Busts: Make Money In Any Real Estate Market, McGraw-Hill, was rave-reviewed by The New York Times. She was also selected from hundreds of real estate experts to contribute to Donald Trump's book, Trump: The Best Real Estate Advice I Ever Received: 100 Top Experts Share Their Strategies, Rutledge Hill Press, and is featured on page 68. Order Now Review - Honors In 2006, Blanche was selected among scores of candidates to author two consumer real estate guidebooks for the National Association of Realtors: The NAR Guide to Home Buying, and The NAR Guide to Home Selling, Wiley & Sons. She is currently planning two new books for the NAR and its members.       Known for her keen insight into real estate industry issues and for her ability to make complex subjects easy to understand, Blanche is a sought-after keynote and continuing education speaker. Real estate organizations from MLSs, to brokerages, to franchisors, to associations hire her to provide up-to-the-minute analysis of real estate industry news and advice on how to improve revenues. Her passionate delivery, peppered with stinging wit, is a huge hit with audiences and fans. Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors, Blanche Evans, Richard Courtney, president 2007, GRAR "The GNAR membership meeting last week featured Blanche Evans as the keynote speaker. Her comments and insights resonated extremely well with those in attendance and we have had many requests for copies of her PowerPoint Presentation. She was a terrific part of the membership meeting and convention program!" - Don Klein, CEO Greater Nashville Association of Realtors Coverage from WSMV, Nashville - 8-14-2007 That Interview Guy - Get Inside The Head Of Today's Generation 2007 AE Institute Session - To purchase 2006 AE Institute Session - Parts 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 HouseValues Mastermind call - Parts 1 2 Blanche's fireside chat with Jeremy Conaway, HAR - Click here. For more articles by Blanche, click here.