Does anyone here use text messaging to collect leads

[NealRM]

Does anyone here use text message to provide listing information and gather leads. I'm talking about placing a sign at the listing stating "Text HVOL ##### to #####" for listing information.

If so, what is good and bad about your current system? Do you get good leads?

[docmuller]

I am wondering how much info you can provide via text? other than pricing info?

[NealRM]

It depends on the type of phone. For the older text phones you can provide Price, MLS #, Bed, Baths, agent name & number. For the new phone you can provide a link to a webpage showing photos and full information.

[Rbowen]

We have multiple agents through-out the US using our text messaging application for the Real Estate market. We also have exclusive rights to US Short Code 732589 (Realty).
Our platform will send an auto-response message to an inquiry from any cell phone. The response message is limited to 160 characters, but that message can contain any information the agent may wish to include such as an embedded url link so those phones with web access can view pictures, graphics, floor plans etc., specific to that property.

In addition we simultaneously send a text message to the Real Estate Agents phone with the keyword to identify the property and the cell number the inquiry was sent from.

We have no setup fees, no minimum monthly fees, unlimited keywords and we only bill for traffic, so the only risk is the cost to place a sign on each property.

Rick Bowen
Agile Communications Group
813-259-9100

[NealRM]

What is the cost per message?

[Rbowen]

There are three messages in each transaction as I described. We bill at $0.10 per message, with a bulk discount to $0.08 per message at 100K message per month.

First Message (Inbound)- Buyer sends keyword to 732589
Second Message (Outbound)- Auto reply message you place in system.
Third Message (Outbound)- System sends the keyword and the buyers cell number to your phone.

[cookarikappou]

i personally is not in favor of that strategy,,, I feel like i am not getting the services that i need, you have to wait for the auto reply for the next step? I am not that good in waiting.

[Rbowen]

With the right partner the auto reply comes back to the end-user in less than 5-seconds. If replies are taking longer than that to get back to you, make sure you are with a major cell provider and make sure that the reply is sent from a short code. Both of these can cause delays.

[cookarikappou]

yeah that's the major problem,, and i think this is unpredictable,, overloading may cause problems as well,.

[Rbowen]

Overloading on a per cell tower basis is not an issue because the text messages are sent on a sub-carrier route. There could be an issue at the Cell carrier's queue but again the major carriers are processing over 690,000 text messages a minute in the US and they have expanded their capabilities. As a comparison, the UK processes almost 5-million messages a minute.