Today, in real estate and other professions, the communication tool of choice usually is e-mail. Although phone calls and face-to-face communication are still important, e-mail is often the quickest and most effective way to keep your clients informed about new properties and answer questions about specific properties or the buying and selling processes.

For example, a property comes on the market during late Tuesday afternoon, and you know that it would be perfect for a couple you've been working with — the property is in the right neighborhood, is the right size, and is listed at the right price. You think that your clients are probably at their desks in their respective offices, so you send them both e-mail messages about this new development and include a link to the online listing. They let you know they're available to see it tonight. You check your calendar, confirm that you're free, and set up the appointment.

Later in the process, if your clients decide to buy, you may find that e-mail saves you time as you and your clients review and discuss details such as the initial offer, inspection results, and the purchase and sale agreement.

Of course, using e-mail in your everyday real estate business isn't just a matter of writing a few quick sentences and sending the e-mail message. The conventions of professional e-mail communication, as well as the enhancement and protection features, figure prominently into the mix.

The following articles and templates can help you make the most of e-mail in your real estate business.

• E-mail tips for real estate agents (Article)
  Don't get left behind. Learn to maximize e-mail communications to enhance your business.
• E-mail checklist (Template)
  Use this checklist from e-mail management specialist McGhee Productivity Solutions to ensure that you're sending clear messages that elicit specific action.
• Delay or schedule sending a message (Article)
  Give yourself a second chance to make a change. Set up your e-mail to hold messages in your Outbox for a specified time after you click Send.
• Create an e-mail message with restricted permission (Article)
  See how you can protect the contents of sensitive e-mail from being forwarded, copied, or printed.
• Create a signature for messages (Article)
  Sign off on all messages with a personalized signature.
• Customize Desktop Alerts (Article)
  Set up your e-mail so that you are notified immediately when you receive a new message.