3.5 Using Tags for Organization (e.g., Buyer, Seller, Hot, Sphere, Property Type)

What are Tags?

Tags are simple, flexible labels or keywords that you can apply to Contact records. Think of them like sticky notes or categories you attach to a contact's file. A single contact can have many different tags applied simultaneously.

Why Use Tags in Real Estate?

Tags provide a quick and versatile way to categorize and segment your database for various purposes:

  • Primary Role/Type: Buyer, Seller, Renter, Investor, Past Client, Sphere (SOI), Agent (Co-op), Vendor (Lender, Inspector).
  • Lead Temperature/Status: Hot Lead, Warm Lead, Cold Lead, Nurturing, Unresponsive, Appointment Set, Actively Showing.
  • Lead Source: Source: Zillow, Source: Realtor.com, Source: Website Valuation Form, Source: Open House 123 Main St, Source: Facebook Ad - Spring Campaign, Source: Referral - John Doe, Source: Manual Add. (Tracking source is crucial!)
  • Interests/Criteria (Use Tags for broad categories, Custom Fields for specific data): Interest: Condo, Interest: Waterfront, Interest: FixerUpper, Area: Downtown, Area: SuburbX, Timeline: 3-6 Months. (Note: For structured data like exact bedroom count or price range, Custom Fields are generally better and more filterable).
  • Workflow/Sequence Status: Nurture Sequence: Email 2 Sent, Post Closing: Review Requested, Birthday Campaign Active.
  • Event Attendance: Event: Attended Home Buyer Seminar Oct 2024, Event: Visited Open House 456 Oak Ave.

Creating Tags:

  • Best Practice (Central Management): Go to Settings → Tags. Here you can view all existing tags, create new ones (+ Create Tag), rename them, and delete unused ones. Keeping your tag list organized here is recommended.
  • On-the-Fly Creation: You can also create new tags directly when applying them:
    • On an individual Contact record (in the Tags section).
    • Via the Bulk Action + Add Tag.
    • Within a Workflow using the Add Tag action.
    Simply type the new tag name and hit Enter or click the option to create it.

Applying Tags:

  • Manually:
    • Individual Contact Record: Open the contact, click in the Tags area (usually in the left panel), start typing to search for an existing tag or type a new one and press Enter.
    • Bulk Action: Select multiple contacts from the list, click the + Add Tag icon in the Action Bar, select the desired tag(s).
  • Automatically (Highly Recommended for Consistency & Efficiency): Use Workflows! Trigger a workflow based on an event (e.g., Form Submitted, Appointment Status Changed, Opportunity Stage Changed) and use the Add Tag action to automatically apply relevant tags based on the trigger or other contact data. Example: When a "Home Valuation Request" form is submitted, automatically add the tags Seller Lead and Source: Website Valuation.

Removing Tags:

  • Manually:
    • Individual Contact Record: Click the small x next to the tag name in the contact's Tags section.
    • Bulk Action: Select contacts, click the - Remove Tag icon, select the tag(s) to remove.
  • Automatically: Use the Remove Tag action within a Workflow (e.g., remove the Prospect tag when the Client tag is added).

Tagging Strategy & Best Practices:

  • Be Clear & Consistent: Use a standardized naming convention. Consider prefixes like Status: Hot, Source: Website, Type: Buyer, Interest: Condo, Area: Downtown. Decide on a convention (e.g., lowercase_with_underscores or Title Case) and stick to it.
  • Use Tags for Labels, Custom Fields for Data: Use Tags for flexible categorization and status flags. Use Custom Fields for structured, specific data points that you need to filter precisely (e.g., exact price range, number of bedrooms, specific dates, yes/no answers). Don't create hundreds of tags for things that should be custom fields.
  • Automate Tagging: Rely on Workflows to apply source tags, status tags, and workflow step tags automatically whenever possible to ensure consistency and reduce manual effort.
  • Clean Up Regularly: Periodically review your tag list (Settings → Tags) and delete old, unused, or misspelled tags to keep your system organized.