New Real Estate Agent? Be Sure You Choose an Email Address Wisely!

There are thousands of books, blogs, articles and videos on how to be a better real estate agent, get more sales, be more profitable. While the current marketplace may not be ideal for a new agent, there is much to be said for getting started in a market like this one: great advice never goes out of style, and principals of salesmanship create survival in any professional field.

But what about the nitty gritty stuff? Like choosing an email address?

Choosing an email address is the kind of thing most agents either come to the table with already or hastily put into place when starting a real estate career. But CHOOSE CAREFULLY!

Building a following of repeat customers is any agent's holy grail, and that means being able to be found by potential clients, past clients and referral clients. For most people that means via email or cell phone. In your career, you will likely work for more than one agency and maybe even yourself one day. Set yourself up now for the future of your business.

GENERIC EMAIL: If you already have a generic, web-based email address (Gmail, Yahoo, Live, etc.), that's great. You'll have a lot of flexibility, likely logging in anywhere there is Internet service to check email; getting email from your Internet-ready phone on-the-go. But if you don't already have an email address, or are thinking about a NEW address, perhaps one attached to the firm you're joining or about to join, consider these two points:

1) An Agency-Based Address: If you choose a name like, "YOUR-NAME@BESTREALESTATE," that means you'll have to notify everyone you've ever worked with or handed your card to or ever met, if you decide to leave BESTREALESTATE. If you do a lot of networking, handing out cards, meeting people and building multiple on- line profiles (which you'll need to do to be successful), your email address will have to be updated everywhere. And you'll miss people, for sure. Worst of all, if someone types in your email address and their message bounces back as not deliverable, most people will do little else to hunt you down.

2) A Personalized Address: Now's not the time to hang on to your esoteric, odd email address, either. ILOVESUPERSPICYFOOD@ is not the kind of email address to start a career in which you want people to trust you to handle their largest investment. Consider your name or some sort of moniker that shows you're serious. Even if spicy food is your favorite.

DOMAIN EMAIL: This is the ideal. Having an email address that doesn't promote anyone else BUT you. That means that instead of letting Yahoo! or Google get credit for your address, you do!

Registering NOW for a domain name is a good idea for a few reasons, even if you don't have the time or money to develop a website. A) It secures a name you want and prevents others from getting it, forcing you to use something that's not your first choice; B) reinforces your professionalism as you post your address on multiple social networking sites and other places.

There are lots of sites on the web that will allow you to buy a domain name and set up your own email address like, "BillSmith@BillSmithRealEstate." Typically, you own the name for a few years, and keep renewing to maintain ownership. Places like HostMonster.com and GoDaddy.com can help you set up your own domain name and attached email quickly and inexpensively.

Like most things, the devil is on the details. Choosing an email address is critical to success in real estate, or any self-employment career. Choose carefully once, and you'll be set for a long career full of opportunity!