Just like your personal hygiene, data hygiene is the act of keeping your data clean and tidy. However, instead of making sure you take a shower every day, data hygiene deals with cleaning up your marketing lists and ensuring your data is accurate, like with Site Impact. Real estate professionals must have good data hygiene practices to reach their target audience and not waste time or money on bad leads.
What is Data Hygiene?
Data Hygiene is the process of keeping your data clean and accurate. This includes removing duplicates, updating outdated information, and filling in missing fields. Good data hygiene practices are essential for real estate professionals to ensure they are marketing to the right people. If your database is full of outdated information, you could send mailers to people who have already sold their homes or no longer live in the area.
Why Is Data Hygiene Important?
Data hygiene is essential for real estate professionals because it saves time and money. If you are using a database full of outdated information, you are wasting time and money on leads that will never turn into anything. By keeping your data clean and accurate, you can be sure that you are only marketing to people interested in what you offer.
How Can I Improve My Data Hygiene?
Here are some tips on improving your data hygiene in real estate.
Remove Duplicate Records
One of the easiest ways to improve your data hygiene is by removing duplicate records from your database. Duplicate records can introduce inaccuracies and cause problems down the line, so getting rid of them as soon as possible is important. Duplicate records can also lead to miscommunication and sale inaccuracies down the line. There are a few different ways to identify and remove duplicates from your database.
One way is to use a deduplication tool to help you quickly identify and remove duplicate records. Another way is to review your records and look for duplicates yourself manually. This method may take longer, but it can be helpful if you’re unsure how to use a deduplication tool.
Update Outdated Information
Outdated information can also cause multiple problems in your database. Suppose you’re still using the old contact information or inaccurate property details. In that case, you could miss out on opportunities or make things more difficult for yourself down the road and impact the buyer. That’s why it’s essential to update your information regularly. You can do this by running an analytical report or simply reviewing your records regularly.
Standardize Your Data
Another way to improve your data hygiene is by standardizing your data. This means ensuring that all your records are consistent and follow the same format as you would with Site Impact. For example, if you have multiple listings for the same property, you should make sure that the address is formatted in the same way across all of those listings. This will make it easier for you to search for and find specific records later.
Keep Your Database Clean
Lastly, one of the best ways to improve your data hygiene is simply keeping your database clean. This means regularly reviewing and updating your records to be accurate and up-to-date. Doing this regularly can avoid many common problems when data becomes outdated or inaccurate.
What Can Outdated Or Inaccurate Data Lead to?
When data becomes outdated or inaccurate, it can lead to several problems.
Miscommunication With clients
If you’re using outdated contact information, you could miscommunicate with your clients and miss out on opportunities.
Wasted Time and Money
Outdated data can also cause you to waste time and money on leads that will never turn into anything. This can cause a lot of frustration and miscommunication down the road.
Inaccurate Reports
Inaccurate data can lead to false reports, which can cause problems when making decisions based on those reports.
Missed Deadlines
If you’re relying on outdated data, you could miss deadlines or make things more difficult for yourself down the road.
Bad Decisions
Making decisions based on inaccurate data can lead to bad decisions that could have been avoided if the data had been accurate.
Final Thoughts
Data hygiene may seem dull, but it is essential for real estate professionals. Good data hygiene practices will save you time, money, and valuable resources by ensuring you only market to people interested in your offer. Use a quality CRM, review your database regularly, and use tools like RPR to enhance the accuracy of your data. Your business will thank you for it.
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