It’s no secret that real estate investing is extremely competitive. Regardless of your market, there are plenty of other investors looking to secure lucrative deals just like you.
One of the ways investors can stand out and beat others is by using SMS software to keep in touch with their clients and stay top-of-mind. However, using SMS software can be challenging and expensive for those unfamiliar with the technology.
This article breaks down the best SMS software for real estate investors and gives you some actionable tips you can use to grow your real estate investing business with SMS marketing this year.
Why Use SMS Software for Real Estate?
Using SMS (short message service) software can be beneficial for real estate professionals and businesses for a variety of reasons. Here are just a few:
- High Open and Response Rates: SMS messages typically have high open rates and high response rates compared to emails or phone calls. This makes SMS an effective way to reach your audience who will open your messages more frequently than emails or phone calls.
- Lead Generation and Marketing: Real estate professionals can use SMS marketing to generate leads and conduct marketing campaigns. They can send property listings, open house invitations, and other information directly to potential buyers or sellers.
- Personalization: SMS software allows for personalization by addressing recipients by name and tailoring messages to their specific needs and preferences. Personalized messages are more likely to engage recipients.
- Cost-Effective: Sending SMS messages is generally cost-effective when compared to traditional marketing methods like direct mail or newspaper ads.
Key Features to Look for in SMS Software
While many popular SMS software have common features, there are several key aspects you should look for before making a decision.
Compliance and Legal Support
Ensuring that your SMS software complies with legal regulations is crucial when marketing to new and prospective clients. Compliance with laws such as the Telephone Consumer Protection Act (TCPA) is necessary to avoid costly legal consequences.
Look for software that offers features like opt-in and opt-out mechanisms, consent tracking, and automated compliance checks to help you maintain legal compliance while running SMS marketing campaigns.
Lead Management
Efficient lead management is crucial in the real estate industry when dealing with numerous potential buyers and sellers.
Look for software that allows you to capture, categorize, and tag leads based on their interests and stages in the buying or selling process. Doing so will help you tailor your SMS messages for maximum impact.
Keyword Triggers
Keyword triggers allow recipients to engage with your SMS campaigns actively. For example, if a recipient replies with “INFO,” your software can automatically send them information about a property.
Features like this not only engage leads but also help you provide relevant information and increase the chances of conversion.
The Best SMS Software for Real Estate Investors
If you’re reading this article, you probably already know that there are plenty of options for SMS software on the market.
However, our goal is to make the choice a bit easier for you by recommending some of the top SMS tools we’ve used ourselves and others that have received favorable reviews from real estate professionals around the world.
Launch Control
Launch Control is an innovative SMS marketing platform designed specifically for real estate professionals.
Founded in 2019 by a team of real estate innovators, Launch Control offers automation, lead list segmentation, and a range of other powerful tools tailored to the needs of the real estate industry.
Key Features of Launch Control
- All-In-One Messaging Dashboard: Launch Control provides a robust dashboard that simplifies SMS marketing for real estate professionals. It includes features for effective message delivery, lead list segmentation, personalized messaging, and a proprietary routing algorithm.
- Spinner Tokens for Improved Deliverability: Launch Control’s spinner tokens create multiple variations of your initial message, ensuring that messages aren’t repetitive and increasing the likelihood of delivery without being marked as spam.
- Automated Lead Nurturing: The platform offers drip campaigns and integrates with tools like Zapier, Podio, and RESimpli to enable automated follow-up campaigns and efficient lead management.
- Segmented Lead Lists: Real estate professionals can organize leads into specific categories based on criteria such as demographics, location, or interests to streamline message targeting and save time.
- TCPA Compliance: The platform ensures compliance with TCPA regulations to help real estate professionals avoid compliance issues and build trust with potential leads.
Pros and Cons of Launch Control
Pros
- Comprehensive SMS marketing platform tailored for real estate professionals
- Detailed campaign and business performance monitoring
- Local numbers for higher response rates
- TCPA compliance for regulatory adherence
- Additional features like Blacklist Litigator and skip tracing
Cons
- Subscription pricing can be costly for novice real estate investors
- Potential learning curve for new users
Launch Control Pricing
Launch Control offers three subscription tiers:
- Lite: $497 per month, includes 10,000 outbound messages, unlimited contact uploads, skip tracing, and group onboarding.
- Core: $797 per month, includes 20,000 outbound messages, reduced skip tracing cost at $0.15.
- Pro: $1497 per month, includes 50,000 outbound messages and the best skip tracing rate at $0.11.
Is Launch Control Worth It?
Launch Control is the SMS software we use for our real estate business and we give it our full endorsement.
Their features are innovative and easy-to-use for most real estate professionals. For those who struggle getting started, there are plenty of helpful tutorials and resources available in their Help Center. For real estate investors with a healthy budget, Launch Control will be a solid choice for SMS marketing for real estate.
Sign Up for Launch Control Today!
Smarter Contact
Smarter Contact is a cutting-edge omnichannel marketing tool tailored for real estate investing professionals. The platform allows users to send automated and personalized bulk messages directly to prospects.
Beyond streamlining text message marketing campaigns, Smarter Contact offers additional features such as skip-tracing, customer relationship management (CRM), and ringless voicemail.
Smarter Contact Software Features & Benefits
Smarter Contact offers a range of features and benefits for real estate professionals:
- Accurate Data: It utilizes advanced geo-location technology to collect lead data from various sources like real estate listings and credit bureaus. Smarter Contact’s technology provides highly accurate data for project evaluation and optimized client interactions.
- Mobile Data Skip Tracing: Smarter Contact employs advanced techniques to track and locate potential leads by providing up-to-date mobile numbers and email addresses.
- SMS Marketing Tool: SMS marketing is made easy with prebuilt SMS templates, auto-reply options, and automation features for designing and scheduling campaigns. Additionally, Smarter Contact’s built-in tracking allows for easy interaction with your existing leads.
- Integrations: Smarter Contact includes its CRM that provides data storage, editing, and export capabilities. It also features an API for integration with collaboration software like Podio and Zapier.
- Templates: Smarter Contact’s prebuilt SMS and auto-response options will allow you to create SMS marketing campaigns quicker than other platforms.
- Automation: Automation features with Smarter Contact include scheduled text marketing campaigns, auto-responders, and CRM tools for tracking and analyzing campaign performance.
- Ringless Voicemail (RVM): Users can reach prospects through text and ringless voicemail to save time while running other parts of the business.
How Does It Compare Against Competitors?
Smarter Contact competes with several real estate investor software solutions:
Smarter Contact vs Batch Leads
Batch Leads offers similar features, including skip tracing, SMS marketing, and lead management. Batch Leads connects directly to USPS servers for accurate lead data but is generally cheaper than Smarter Contact.
Smarter Contact vs Lead Sherpa
Lead Sherpa focuses on SMS marketing and skip tracing, while Smarter Contact offers a broader range of features. Lead Sherpa is more expensive and lacks a free trial.
Smarter Contact Pricing
- Starter: $149 per month (2,500 messages per month at $0.03 each)
- Pro: $299 per month (unlimited messages per month at $0.025 each)
- Elite: $379 per month (Unlimited messages per month at $0.02 each)
Sign Up for Smarter Contact’s Free 7-Day Trial
Textedly
Textedly is a budget-friendly text message marketing provider that offers some of the most cost-effective per-message rates among top competitors.
The Textedly platform excels in making SMS marketing simple, which makes it a great choice for companies with straightforward texting needs.
Key Features
Textedly offers the following key features:
- Affordable Per-Message Rates: Textedly boasts one of the lowest per-text messaging rates in the industry, making it a cost-effective choice for businesses on a budget.
- User-Friendly Interface: The platform offers a straightforward user interface, ensuring ease of use for beginners and experienced users alike.
- Zapier Integrations: Textedly supports numerous integrations via Zapier, allowing businesses to connect with other software and apps seamlessly.
- Keyword Management: Textedly provides tools for creating and managing keywords, allowing businesses to invite subscribers to opt-in based on their interests.
- SMS and MMS Messaging: The platform supports both SMS and MMS messaging, providing flexibility in message formats.
- Message Templates: While Textedly offers message templates for quick campaign setup, users may find the template management system slightly inconvenient.
- Live Text Chats: Businesses can engage in real-time text conversations with customers, enhancing customer service and engagement.
Pros and Cons of Textedly
Pros
- Affordable per-message rates
- User-friendly interface
- Zapier integrations
Cons
- Limited keywords
- Usability issues
- Advanced subscriber segmentation can be challenging
Textedly Pricing
Textedly offers a range of pricing plans to suit various business needs:
- Basic – $26 per month – 600 messages
- Bronze – $38 per month – 1,200 messages
- Plus – $69 per month – 2,400 messages
- Enterprise – $99 per month – 4,200 messages
- Elite – $139 per month – 6,000 messages
- Business – $249 per month – 12,000 messages
- Silver – $349 per month – 18,000 messages
Ease of Use
Textedly offers a user-friendly dashboard accessible through web browsers. The layout is clean but may appear slightly cluttered due to the numerous navigation options on the left side.
Migrating contacts from another text message marketing service requires requesting permission from Textedly, which may be a slight inconvenience. The platform lacks a mobile app, meaning users must rely on tablets or laptops for on-the-go campaign management.
Functionality and Segmentation
Textedly provides essential functions for sending messages to both individual subscribers and groups. It supports SMS and MMS messaging and offers tools for keyword creation and subscriber tagging based on interests.
Segmentation is possible but may be limited for businesses with complex targeting needs. While the filtering tool is powerful, it lacks the ability to save search lists, making segmenting more cumbersome.
The Bottom Line
Textedly is a budget-friendly option for businesses with simple texting needs. Its affordability and ease of use make it an attractive choice, especially for very small businesses and those looking to manage multiple branches or departments independently.
However, it may lack some of the advanced features and segmentation capabilities offered by its competitors.
Get Started with Textedly Today!
Podium
Podium is another SMS marketing platform with a unique focus on obtaining customer reviews and feedback. Its integration with Google Business and a suite of customer relationship management tools aim to set it apart from competitors.
Pros and Cons of Podium
Pros
- Real-time customer segmentation tools
- Easy onboarding for new and existing team members
- Payment processing through text
- Ability to solicit customer feedback in a few clicks
Cons
- Lack of QR code support for users
- Pricing may be higher than some competitors
- Integration process can be slower compared to other options
Key Features
Podium offers several key features, including:
- Google Business Integration: Podium’s exceptional integration with Google Business allows you to easily collect and display customer reviews directly on your Google page, enhancing your online reputation.
- Webchat Widget: Podium provides a webchat widget that you can embed on your website, enabling real-time interactions with customers and improving overall customer service.
- SMS-Based Customer Payments: Podium allows you to collect customer payments via text message, providing a convenient and efficient payment method that enhances the customer experience.
- Customer Feedback Surveys: Automate the collection of customer feedback, including Net Promoter Scores (NPS), through customizable surveys.
- Guided Platform Introduction: Podium offers a user-friendly platform with a guided introduction, making it easy for users to get started and maximize the platform’s potential.
Podium Pricing
Podium offers three pricing tiers:
- Essentials: Starting at $249 per month
- Standard: Starting at $409 per month
- Professional: Starting at $599 per month
Is Podium Worth It?
Podium is a great choice for real estate investors looking to grow their businesses through text message marketing. Its integration with Google Business simplifies the process of collecting and showcasing customer reviews and enhances your online reputation.
The webchat widget and SMS-based customer payment feature improve customer interactions and convenience, making Podium an all-in-one solution for customer-focused businesses.
With an easy-to-use interface, guided platform introduction, and customer feedback surveys, Podium offers a comprehensive solution for businesses aiming to engage with customers effectively.
However, some small businesses may find Podium’s pricing relatively high. Additionally, the lack of QR code support may be a drawback for those looking to leverage this trend in their marketing campaigns.
If you prioritize obtaining customer reviews, feedback, and seamless interactions, Podium is a top choice among text message marketing platforms for businesses focused on building strong customer relationships.
Get Started with a Free Podium Demo
Message Bird
MessageBird serves as a worldwide SMS gateway provider and offers a comprehensive array of dependable SMS features. Rates start at $0.0068 per text message for large quantities of texts for real estate investors, which is considerably lower than some of their competitors.
Key Features
Global Reach
MessageBird stands out as a global SMS gateway provider by facilitating text message delivery to over 140 countries worldwide. This extensive reach makes it a smart choice for businesses with international clientele.
Integration Capabilities
MessageBird integrates with a number of communication platforms for smooth communication and interactions. Some of their most popular integrations include Magento and Zendesk. This feature caters to a wide range of industries like retail, healthcare, transportation, and logistics.
Two-Way SMS
MessageBird offers the capability for two-way SMS communication that allows businesses to engage in meaningful conversations with their customers.
SMS Reporting
The platform provides comprehensive SMS reporting so businesses can track the performance of their SMS campaigns and gain valuable insights for improvement.
Pros of MessageBird
- Reliable Pricing: MessageBird offers competitive pricing starting at $0.0068 per outbound SMS message for bulk volumes. Inbound SMS messages are free, which means it won’t cost anything when your audience responds to your SMS messages.
- Dedicated Number: Businesses can opt for a dedicated number for a reasonable monthly fee of $1. This enhances brand identity and ensures consistent communication.
- International Reach: With connections to over 900 international telecommunication carriers, MessageBird guarantees reliable and efficient message delivery across the globe.
- High Reliability: The platform boasts a 99.95% uptime guarantee, ensuring the dependable delivery of text messages. In case of errors or issues, MessageBird promptly alerts businesses and takes corrective action.
Cons of MessageBird
- Lack of Free Trial: Unlike some competitors, MessageBird does not offer a free trial. This can be a drawback for businesses looking to test the platform before committing to one of their plans.
- Contractual Agreement: MessageBird requires a three-month contract period which limits businesses’ ability to use the platform for one-time services.
- Setup Fee for Short Code: Businesses opting for a dedicated short code number will encounter an additional one-time setup fee of $1,500.
MessageBird Pricing
MessageBird offers competitive pricing for SMS marketing. Their pricing structure differs from others on this list, as they charge users on a per usage basis rather than a monthly fee.
Each SMS message sent costs $0.0068, which means it will cost $6.80 for 1,000 text messages on Message Bird. Click here to see additional pricing information for all Message Bird Services.
The Bottom Line
MessageBird is a powerful global SMS gateway provider with a wide-reaching network and strong integration capabilities. Its competitive pricing, reliable uptime, and high-profile clients reflect its credibility and effectiveness.
However, the lack of a free trial and the mandatory three-month contract period may be considerations for businesses seeking flexibility and cost-effective testing with SMS software.
Final Thoughts
While the real estate industry has evolved significantly over the past decade, SMS marketing remains a tried-and-true way to connect with your potential audience, close more deals, and grow your real estate investing business.
Using any one of the five SMS software services we mentioned in this article will put you on the right path to skyrocketing your success in real estate this year.
For more information on how to start crushing it at real estate investing, visit CrushingREI.com and check out all our resources and guides on getting started.