E-mail may be the norm, but don't underestimate the popularity of texting and instant messaging for soon becoming a routine way to communicate with clients, field their questions and deliver the latest available information on properties.

“One of the first things I ask when I meet new clients is if they can receive text on their phone, and if they prefer to communicate by e-mail or text,” says Richard Van Kluyve, sales associate with Century 21 Premier, Mount Juliet, Tenn. It’s an even break: Half opt for e-mail, the others text. 

Texting is now standard on most cell phones, and all age groups—not just younger clients—are tapping into its convenience. They’re texting their real estate professionals with quick queries, to arrange a meeting, or to share comments on homes they’ve toured. Van Kluyve tells of one house-hunting couple in their 20s for whom it was the preferred communications mode.

“We may have spoken on the phone 10 times, but we’ve probably sent 100 text messages back and forth in the weeks I’ve been working with them,” Van Kluyve says.

Texting is already popular among real estate professionals: 35 percent in the industry say they use a cell phone for texting on a daily basis and 17 percent on a weekly basis for personal and business reasons, according to the 2008 REALTOR® Technology Survey.

So, if you're not already texting yet, should you be?

 When to Text, E-mail or Call 

Given so many options of communicating with clients today, real estate professionals have to carefully decide which to use and when and what will be the most effective?

That decision should always be guided by the client. Ask how they prefer to be contacted and follow that lead. Realize too, if you don’t offer all options—texting, e-mail and phone—some clients may not want to even work with you, since all modes offer their own degree of convenience to the customer.

Here's a breakdown of the mediums and what to consider.

• Phone: A share of buyers and sellers still exist that haven’t transitioned to the Internet. For them, the personal touch of a phone call will always be required. Regardless, there are some situations in which a phone call is the only solution: A spoken conversation carries nuances that are often missed or misunderstood in a written message. So if your message is complex and has a lot of elements to it, you might want to try an old-fashioned phone call instead.
  

• E-mail: E-mail’s initial popularity in real estate was driven by the combination of immediacy and the anonymity it offers. A person can inquire about a listing without engaging your services until ready. Note, too, e-mail can shape initial perceptions about your professionalism. If you don’t respond within a day or hours, that anonymous inquirer will likely move on to someone who will.For many, e-mail remains the preferred mode of correspondence. It’s proven invaluable for ongoing dialogue with clients and for quickly moving forms and contracts to them as PDF attachments.
  

• Instant Messaging: Instant messaging (IM), the texting equivalent of a “live” conversation, has not yet become that prevalent in real estate because it’s not yet universally available on cell and smartphones. On the computer, though, many users “IM” as they surf the Web using popular services like Yahoo Messenger, AOL’s AIM, or MSN Messenger. As a professional tool, most real estate professionals might first try instant messaging for “live chats” with consumers as they tour your Web site. If that’s an option you want to promote, let visitors know when you are available.
  

• Texting: Texting’s casual convenience serves in any situation where a quick and informal response is all that’s required. Quick messages always work best (you don't want to text a 100-word response to a client's  property question!). Longer messages are left for other communication tools. 

Watch Your Texting Etiquette

There's a right and wrong way to text. Keep these things in mind:

1. Don't text without permission. Unlike e-mail, in which someone can anonymously contact you, texting usually requires that a personal or professional relationship already exists. Ask clients if you can text them or add them to your IM buddies list. They will either agree (allowing you to text away!) or you’ll be locked out of their inner circle, in which you'll need to respect their no-text wishes. After all, some people may be charged by their cell phone carrier per text sent or received and they might not welcome the cost of your message. Plus, texting a prospect you don't know can land you in big trouble: It's illegal under the Can-Spam Act of 2003 for real estate professionals to bulk text, or e-mail for that matter too, individuals without permission or prior business dealings.  

2. Learn the lingo. Texting is all about fitting the most words in the smallest number of characters for the sake of speed and convenience in reading and responding. So you'll want to master texting’s cryptic lexicon. Otherwise, you'll be slow at responding or have no clue at what the other person is even saying. (See: Texting Shortcuts) 

3. Be considerate of when you text. Texting can quickly become addictive, constantly reading and responding to messages. When meeting a prospect or client, professional etiquette applies: Nothing can seem as rude as someone absorbed with their Blackberry, hammering out messages, during a face-to-face visit. Let clients know at the outset if you’re anticipating a message you’ll have to respond to, and apologize. Otherwise, set your phone in silent or vibrate mode and text later.

4. Be ready to be on-call. When you encourage others to text you, you’re implying that you’ll always be ready to respond. Think about that before you promote this option. You may want to establish hours when you’ll be available, or be able to live with the 24/7 texting consequences.

Texting Goes Mainstream
 Texting’s application in real estate reaches beyond messaging back and forth. It’s also spawned a class of specialized marketing services for delivering cryptic listing data directly to a clients' cell phone.

With affordable services like CellSigns, House4Cell and Ritracker.com, the person texts a code from a yard sign and information about that house or property is on its way to the phone in real time. (Read more: Curbside Audience: Drive-by Marketing) 

As for Van Kluyve, he hopes for the day when clients can even receive text alerts as listings are added to his MLS, just like the way the e-mail alert system works.

As texting continues to increase in popularity, don't be surprised to see such texting tools popping up more, offering you another way to reach clients instantly.