Email Campaigns That Convert
Social media builds awareness. Email closes deals. While everyone obsesses over likes and followers, the agents quietly building email lists are the ones converting leads into clients at the highest rates.
Today you'll learn how to use AI to build drip sequences for buyers and sellers, craft open-house invites that actually get people through the door, write just-sold announcements that generate new instructions, and create nurture sequences that keep you top of mind for months — all without spending hours writing.
Why email still wins in real estate
Email marketing has a 36:1 return on investment — for every $1 spent, you get $36 back on average. No other channel comes close.
Here's why email works so well for real estate:
It's permission-based. Someone gave you their email because they're interested. That's a warmer lead than any social media follower.
It's personal. An email lands in someone's inbox alongside messages from friends and family. It feels more intimate than a social media post that competes with 500 other things in a feed.
It's persistent. Social media posts disappear in 24-48 hours. An email sits in an inbox until someone reads it or deletes it.
It's automatable. This is the big one. You can set up a sequence once and it runs forever, nurturing every new lead automatically. That's what drip campaigns are — and AI makes building them incredibly fast.
The buyer nurture drip sequence
A buyer who enquires about a property but doesn't buy immediately isn't a dead lead — they're a future client. Most agents send one reply and then forget about them. A drip sequence keeps you in front of that buyer automatically.
Here's the structure of a 5-email buyer nurture sequence:
Email 1 (Day 0): Thank them for their enquiry. Send details of the property they asked about. Include 2-3 similar properties. Offer to book a viewing. Warm, helpful tone.
Email 2 (Day 3): Share a helpful resource — a guide to buying in the area, a market snapshot, or tips for first-time buyers. No hard sell. Pure value.
Email 3 (Day 7): New properties that match their criteria. "Based on what you're looking for, I thought you'd want to see these before they hit the portals." Creates exclusivity.
Email 4 (Day 14): Social proof — a recent client success story. "We just helped [first name] find their dream home in [area] after a 3-month search." Builds trust.
Email 5 (Day 21): Soft check-in. "Still looking? The market in [area] is [doing X]. Happy to chat if you'd like an update on what's available." No pressure, just availability.
The seller nurture sequence
Sellers need a different approach. They're not browsing — they're considering. Your job is to prove you're the most knowledgeable, trustworthy agent in their area.
Email 1 (Day 0): Thank them for their valuation request. Include a brief market snapshot for their street/postcode. Mention when you're available to visit.
Email 2 (Day 3): Send a "what we'd do differently" piece — your marketing plan for their type of property. Show them the Instagram carousels, professional photography, and targeted marketing you offer.
Email 3 (Day 7): Recent sold prices in their area. Hard data. "Your neighbour at number 42 sold for $X last month. Here's what that means for your property."
Email 4 (Day 14): A client testimonial from a similar seller. "The Johnsons were in the same position — wondering if now was the right time. Here's how it worked out."
Email 5 (Day 21): "The market won't wait forever" — a gentle nudge with current market data showing demand in their area.
Prompt template:
"Write email [number] of a 5-email seller nurture drip for a real estate agent. The seller owns a [property type] in [location] and is considering selling. This email should focus on [topic]. Keep it under 150 words, professional but warm. Include a clear CTA."
Open house invite emails
Open house emails need urgency and excitement. Here's the prompt:
"Write an email inviting prospective buyers to an open house this Saturday. Property: [details]. Time: [time]. Address: [address]. Create excitement about the property and the event. Mention there's no appointment needed. Include details about parking. Add a CTA to RSVP or book a private viewing if Saturday doesn't work. Under 120 words."
What makes open house emails work:
- Subject line with the address and "Open House Saturday" — be direct
- One compelling sentence about the property
- Time, date, address — crystal clear
- A reason to come: "See the garden before the summer rush"
- An alternative for people who can't make it: "Can't do Saturday? Reply and I'll arrange a private viewing"
Just-sold announcements that generate leads
A just-sold email isn't about celebrating (though you should). It's about generating your next instruction. Every time you sell a property, the neighbours are wondering what their home is worth.
Prompt template:
"Write a just-sold announcement email for a real estate agent. We just sold [property type] in [area] for [price/result — e.g., 'above asking price in 10 days']. The email should congratulate the seller, highlight the strong result, and then pivot to: 'Wondering what your property is worth in today's market? I'd be happy to provide a free, no-obligation valuation.' Keep it under 130 words."
Send this to your entire database. Send a targeted version to people in the same street or postcode. Neighbours are your warmest leads after a successful sale.
Setting up your email system
You don't need expensive software to start. Here are practical options:
Free/cheap tools: Mailchimp (free up to 500 contacts), Brevo (free up to 300 emails/day), MailerLite (free up to 1,000 subscribers).
Real estate-specific CRMs: Follow Up Boss, LionDesk, or PropertyBase have built-in email automation.
The minimum setup:
1. Choose a platform
2. Import your contacts (past clients, enquiries, open house sign-ins)
3. Create your buyer and seller drip sequences using AI
4. Set triggers: new buyer enquiry starts the buyer drip, new valuation request starts the seller drip
5. Let it run
This takes an afternoon to set up and generates leads for years.