You already know your database is one of your greatest assets. Yet, if you are like many of our clients, you also know how quickly they become outdated.  These days, when your subscriber’s information can change in a heartbeat, keeping a current contact list is a major challenge.  People can update their email addresses, names and living situations at any time.  According to recent studies, 50% of your database is obsolete within a year.
If your contact’s details are out of date, you reach fewer people and run the risk of sending irrelevant content, which hurts more than it helps. However, keeping your database current will have vast impacts. Updating your contacts will allow you to extend your reach, make better connections, and turn contacts into clients.

Here is what you can expect with an updated database.
     Expand your audience – Email marketing is one of the most effective ways to communicate with your contacts. It allows you to reach a massive audience with minimal effort. However, creating efficient leads is more than emailing your listings to an eager crowd. You might as well be shooting an arrow in the dark and hoping for a bullseye. You need to engage your readers with relevant content and persuade them to essentially “raise their hand” through calls-to-action. This is nearly impossible if your contact details do not reflect your client’s current needs.  A healthy, updated database will lead to better open rates, and contain the specific details you need to understand your contacts.
     Understand your contact’s needs  – There is power in knowing who your contacts are, what they need, and when they need it. The more you know about your contacts, the more productive your marketing will be. However, this is an unrealistic expectation if existing contact data is collecting dust in the “to do” pile on your desk. It is about knowing your contacts today, not 12 months ago. As well, by keeping your database current, you will be able to predict your client’s next step. This will put you ahead of your competition when your contacts choose to make a move in the market. By determining who they are, and what they want, you can begin to send relevant content that meets their needs.
     Send relevant content – Nobody likes to receive junk mail. To ensure your subscribers value your campaigns, every message must contain pertinent content for every recipient.  This means knowing your contacts individually, while understanding those who have similar interests across your database. Research shows that relevant emails will have double the clicks than non-customized content. A lack of updated information will lead to subscribers receiving irrelevant information, and losing interest in future emails.  Grouping like-minded people and sending messages with mass appeal will develop trust between you and your audience.
     Gain your contacts trust – Clients choose agents with whom they trust. Like any relationship, you need to constantly reaffirm your contacts trust by listening to their needs, and delivering content that reflects their situation. Contacts will not trust you if you are sending unsolicited, generic emails. There is no point showing a million dollar listing to a couple who is saving change for their first home. If your messages contain relevant properties, in their price range, and appropriate to their stage of life, you prove you are the professional who listens to their needs.
Updating your contact list and managing your database might seem like a tedious task, but without it you run the risk of losing your connection with contacts. Doing so will lead your subscribers to trust you, and transform contacts into clients.