CB Direct Connect FAQs
1. What is CB Direct Connect?
CB Direct Connect is a web-based software platform which allows you to create sophisticated e-mail
marketing newsletters and send them to your contacts.
2. How does CB Direct Connect work?
The system allows you to quickly and easily create a variety of marketing pieces including eNewsletters,
just listed eCards and AVP eCards for you to e-mail to your primary sphere or targeted audience.
3. Does the system have tracking reports?
Yes. CB Direct Connect allows you to easily access data regarding the performance of your eMarketing
efforts. This tracking data includes who received the e-mail, whether they opened it, if they viewed the
email and how many times they may have returned, you can also see if they searched for additional
listing information, and so much more. Now you have the real time information you need to know in
this competitive market.
4. Does CB Direct Connect feature full IDX?
Yes. Regardless of whether you have listings or not, you can select from any active listing in the MLS
(Metrolist, PPAR and IRES) to create your eMarketing pieces.
5. Is there way to effectively “harvest” email addresses for my sphere and past clients?
Absolutely! Make the phone call to your sphere and ask for their e-mail address. Make sure to also ask
for e-mail addresses at every open house, events, public appearances or interaction you make with
potential prospects.
6. How many emails can be sent via the CB Direct Connect system?
If you have license with the company and are paying to the AVP, the company will provide you with an
unlimited number e-mails each month that you can send to your sphere regardless whether you are an
individual, partner or team. Each licensed agent has an individual account with CBDirectConnect.
7. What if I’m part of a team and also want to have a separate e-mail account for my
personal marketing separate from the team’s, how does that work?
You already have a separate email account which you can send out emails on behalf of your team leader
or as an individual within the team or partnership.
8. How much does CB Direct Connect cost a Coldwell Banker Agent?
It’s included with your AVP with no additional costs. In fact it should actually be saving money from
printing and postage.
9. How many email databases or client lists can be loaded or added to CB Direct Connect?
Unlimited. As many as you like.
10. Can I move an existing database over to CBDirectConnect and loaded into the system?
Yes. Any Outlook-formatted .CSV (Comma Separated Value) file. Refer to the CBDirectConnect site
for instructions on exporting an Outlook-formatted CSV file from most database management
programs. The most important part of transferring your list is to make certain the list includes email
addresses.
11. Who should I contact for technical assistance with CBDirectConnect?
Click the Customer Support button in the top right corner of CBDirectConnect.com, complete the
online form and hit submit. You may also contact Jon Horsman at 303.409.6477 or
Jon.Horsman@coloradohomes.com.
12. Is CB Direct Connect an exclusive to Coldwell Banker Colorado?
Yes.
13. Do I have to use CBDirectConnect?
No, however all AVP (and KIT) mailers will be sent via this system.
14. Will CB Direct Connect be the only way to send out my AVP mailers?
Yes. However if you would like to send out a standard postcard you may order them in conjunction
with each AVP monthly mailer through our local printer Color Productive. The Color Productive
postcard order form is available under CBAgentinfo.com > Marketing > AVP > Color Productive AVP
postcard order form. They take major credit cards and checks at the time of the order. Merrill will no
longer be supporting the AVP mailers so DO NOT go to Merrill looking for these monthly mailers any
longer please.
15. How often will the AVP Mailers go out?
The AVP will be going from four primary mailers a year to now twelve reasons to email, call and
connect with your clients. Once a month an AVP mailer will automatically go out to your sphere.
16. Are the AVP Events and Sweepstakes still including with the new program?
Yes. In fact the four AVP events you’ve been accustomed to (Holiday photos, client appreciation events,
and two sweepstakes) will all be the centerpiece of the AVP program. These four events will be emailed
to your sphere as apart of the AVP program.
17. What are the other Eight Mailers (totaling twelve) AVP mailers for the year?
A complete list of all the AVP mailers including dates, deadlines and send dates are outlined and can be
found on CBAgentinfo.com > Marketing > AVP > 12-Month Calendar. In addition to the four primary
AVP events the eight new AVP eMailers are relevant and provide you with a purposeful and meaningful
reason to send out the electronic postcards and pick up the phone to make contact with your sphere.
18. Will I be able to see what the eMailer looks like before it goes out?
Yes. It will be on CBDirectConnect when you login plus marketing will send out an eBlast that has a
sample of the ePostcard for you to preview ahead of time.
19. What do I need to do to activate my AVP mailers in CBDirectConnect?
When you login for the first time you will be prompted to enter your credit card information. You will
want to make sure you have at least 100 email addresses in the list that reads “Primary Sphere”. Every
month we will automatically send out the AVP using the Primary Sphere list on CBDirectConnect.
20. What if I want to Opt-Out of a Monthly AVP mailer, what do I do?
There will be an opt-out button. If you want to opt-out you will need to do so for each individual AVP
mailing..
21. What if I want to Opt-Out of all the AVP mailers, what do I do?
Be sure not to enter any email addresses in the Primary Sphere and nothing will go out.
22. Can I use CBDirectConnect to market my own listings?
Yes. We recommend that you create Just Listed eCards, eNewsletters promoting Open House,
eNewsletters following an Open House and so much more.
23. What if I don’t have any listings, how can I use CBDirectConnect
As noted earlier, CBDirectConnect pulls the full IDX feed from Metrolist, IRES and Pikes Peak. From
there you can create any type of eNewsletter, orJust Listed eCards promoting your listings or any listing
and send out it out to target lists or your sphere.
24. I’ve heard about Email Fatigue, what does the mean?
The best rule of thumb with emails is not to overload or over send too many emails to your sphere in a
short period of time. If you do, they may become annoyed and are inclined to unsubscribe from your
email send list. You don’t want this to happen.
25. How does a client or prospect contact me when they receive my DirectConnect
emails?
There are three ways:
1. They can hit reply and it will respond right to your “real email address”
2. Your profile has all your contact info on each eCard you send out
3. The system is connected with LeadRouter for DTA leads to your phone and email
26. Can someone in my sphere choose to unsubscribe to my ePostcards?
Yes. There is an unsubscribe link at the bottom of each ePostcard/eNewsletter that is sent out. How
it works since it will have an effect on your ability to send newsletters. If an agent’s contact elects to
unsubscribe, either through a newsletter that the agent has assembled and sent out, or through the
monthly AVP postcard, that contact is electing to receive NO emails via the CBDirectConnect system.
This would be a good opportunity to notify your sphere that you are now going to be sending them all
communications via email and to not unsubscribe however possible.
27. How can I learn how to use CBDirectConnect to the fullest?
1. You can ask your manager or OA
2. You can attend any of the regular Propel classes
3. You can click on the CBDirectConnect on CBAgentinfo and watch the video
4. You can contact todd.moir@coloradohomes.com or jon.horsman@coloradhomes.com in
Marketing
28. Can I have my own marketing pieces created and uploaded to CBDirectConnect?
Eventually we will include a series of templates that you can, but not at the moment.
29. Within CBDirectConnect, under the reporting section where it show “Clicked Links”
and “Views”, what does this refer to?
“Clicked link” refers to a recipient clicking any hyperlink within the email like the click here to purchase
or entry to win, links, etc. In a normal eNewsletter this could mean that a recipient clicked to view
property details or a news article. “Views” is the same thing as opens, they opened the email and
looked at it.
30. OA’s please email in new Email addresses for New Agents to establish a new
Rezora/cbdirectconnect account for agents. To Hugh at hugh@rezora.com
Must have these items to establish an account: First Name, Last Name, Office and Email Address
31. Need Username and Password:
Username is your Coloradohomes.com email unless you requested to use a different email address –
Password is sent to your email address once the account is set-up with Cbdirectconnect.com – if you
don’t have a password click on the “Forgot Your Password” after you tried to login. Password will be
emailed to your email address.
You Must Restart Your Browser/Computer For The New Password To Work.
32. Don’t use ALL CAPs and Multiple exclamation marks: “While there is no magic bullet that
guarantees that an email will not end up in the spam folder, we do everything we can to keep it out.
One of the most common reasons we see for the newsletters ending up in the spam folder is because of
the content the agent is adding, including using ALL CAPS and multiple exclamation marks.
These are things that are out of our control but are red flags to spam filter systems.”
33. Where to go to get info on how to use cbdirectconnect
You can also see videos about CBdirectconnect from Cbagentinfo.com
http://images.coldwellcolorado.com/Marketing/CBdirectconnect/landingpage.pdf
34. Do not delete contacts from your account
Deleting contacts from the main list will delete contacts from the distribution list
35. Can I export and import contacts from your account
Yes, You can export and import your contacts from Rezora. As far as importing into other
vendors(that will be on the vendor program side to accept the CSV file).
36. Adding a contact
Login into your CbDirect account and click on the Contacts – click on add a new contact (must enter a
name and email address) save the contact - go to the bottom and add contact to the Distribution List
Membership – then click on add to list button
37. Adding contact to the Distribution Lists
Watch this link...
http://www.cbagentinfo.com/aux/tv/album4/EditingandCreatingDistributionLists
Please create a distribution list/name and then click on that Distribution list and click/select on the
Contacts in blue that you want in that distribution list(by clicking on the box on the left side - it will turn
the contact "green" and you must save the new contacts added to the distribution list).
38. How to do a distribution
http://www.cbagentinfo.com/aux/tv/album4
- view the videos.
Import Contacts into the system (if they haven't been added)
Create a Distribution List(By typing in the name of the Distribution list) and then selecting the contacts
from the main page for the distribution list - this will copy the main page contacts into the Named
distribution list. Save Distribution list
Click on Real Estate Marketing tab - create your newsletter - follow prompts - select distribution list
name that you created and then click on the send.
39. Spreadsheet won’t upload
Please make sure your CSV file matches this format...see http://www.cbagentinfo.com/aux/tv/album4 for
CSV template
Make sure the header names are not changed or altered in anyway (it must have first name, last name
and email address for this to work).
40. Profile Photo Upload
Please set your photo to be vertical in format - Like 100px x 150px high... png worked great for me...
41. Adding Contacts to the Primary Sphere
click on CONTACTS
view Drop Down to Distribution Lists
click on PRIMARY SPHERE
click on SHOW ALL CONTACTS
click/select box next to contact to be added
click SAVE DISTRIBUTION LIST at the top of the page
42. Change Email address of a contact
Please go to contacts and double click on the Email/Name that is in blue that you want changed...
Go to Edit Contact on the top right
change the email address in the email box...
save changes...
43. import my CSV file and it's showing that the import was
complete, but I have 0 contacts
Go to People /Distribution Lists drop down – pick distribution list – it will show Primary sphere in blue
– click on the Primary Sphere Link – Click on show all contacts or (the number of total contacts) Select
and deselect contacts to add/delete with the check box and save Primary Sphere by clicking on the Save
Distribution button at the top
44. Will everyone of my contacts receive the sphere emails?
Only if they are in your "Primary Sphere" or "Distribution list" that you select.
Contacts need to added to your distribution lists (Primary Sphere or Distribution list that you create)
45. how can I add a 2nd email address
You must create a new name and email address (system will not accept duplicate emails)
46. Deleting all of the Contacts
You can remove all members of a list by clicking on the name of the list from the main contacts page
and then using the Select/Deselect All toggle at the top of the list to un-check the boxes by all of your
contacts' names, and then save your changes. Second, you can delete a list altogether by clicking the
Delete link to the right of the list name on the main contacts page (for any list you have created
yourself, but not for the Primary Sphere -- it cannot be deleted).