How to Customize Outlook for Real Estate Contact Management

A successful real estate agent keeps track of everyone who has expressed interest in buying or selling, as well as past customers. Real estate marketing is easier when you customize Microsoft Outlook with customer contact information, allowing for broadcast emails and individual follow-ups. Customize Outlook to track your real estate email correspondence with individuals as well.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Go to the "Tools" area of Outlook in the email view. Click on "Forms," and select the "Design a Form" option.

2. Select "Contact" from the dropdown menu to customize your first real estate contact in Outlook. Notice the screen has tabs labeled P.2 , P.3 and so on. Also, notice the "Field Chooser" menu that opens up on the side.

3. Fill out the contact information. Customize the emails you send from this database by using the P-numbered pages to insert your design, including photographs and company logos.

4. Determine the correct field or fields for the contact. Use the "Field Chooser" menu and select "Categories." Use the same field for each contact. This builds your Outlook real estate management list.

5. Check the Fields under the "All Fields" tab. Add information as needed under the "Details" and "Actions" tab.

6. Finish customizing Outlook for real estate contact management by using the "Properties" tab to fill in the kinds of emails that you plan to send to your contacts—for instance, your general marketing material or listings in a certain price range.

Tips & Warnings

• Purchase software that allows you to customize Outlook for real estate contact management, rather than doing it yourself. It saves time. Plus, some programs allow you to simply import from your regular address book without doing a lot of re-entry.
• Save, save, save. As you go along, make sure you are saving information from one screen to the next. Those with experience in computers know only too well how a lot of work can disappear into space with the wrong click.
• Take the opportunity to extend your brand by using company graphics, logos and links as you customize.
• Do a sample list of about five contacts, then check and test before entering everything.