If you’ve been savvy enough in your real estate marketing strategy that you’re generating significant web traffic and warm leads through your digital efforts, congratulations! Our guess is you are now thinking, “okay, great, but now what?” An influx of leads, while desirable, always brings up the important question of how does one properly respond, manage and disperse those leads to successfully convert them into new business?
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Be the first one to respond.
It’s easy to sit back, let the leads come in and respond at your leisure, but that won’t successfully convert them. In real estate, leads coming in aren’t typically tied to one special agent, although we’d like to think they are. Inquiries from third parties are farmed out to multiple agents, or potential clients are stacking their bets and contacting multiple agents.
Most buyers or sellers expect a response in a matter of hours, and they won’t be shy about moving on to someone else in the absence of instant gratification. So, to convert web leads that come in your first step is to follow up with them the first moment you can. And if you keep a busy schedule as most of us do, enlist the help of an auto-responder through an intuitive CRM system. Here is a great blog on the power of Rapid Lead Response to help illustrate the importance of “being fast and first.”
Don’t stop there.
Even if your CRM Lead Management efforts are left unanswered or sent to voicemail, continuing to follow up is what may seal the deal in your efforts to convert a web lead. According to recent studies, 40% of agents only make that first effort to follow up with a web lead and then quickly give up or move on.
Think about how many times you’ve forgotten to text back a good friend or ignored that call from your repairman because you’d rather deal with your broken window next week. Many times, a lead ignoring your initial call or e-mail isn’t due to a lack of interest, but a result of distractions and busy schedules.
The magic number of follow-up calls or texts required to elicit a response is a whopping six! So, for those real estate agents stopping at one, you’re selling yourself short and giving up before the game has even begun. Converting web leads to new clients will take a bit more effort than a single phone call.
Attack from all angles.
While we don’t condone harassment or stalking when it comes to hunting down leads, polite persistence may be just what the doctor ordered. Just don’t stick to one method of contacting your web leads in your follow up.
Since you’re reaching out to a lead you know almost nothing about, part of your strategy around follow up should allow for different methods of communication. Maybe your lead is a little phone shy and is more likely to respond to a text. Perhaps they prefer to receive e-mails they can easily reference and respond to later. Give your web leads a chance to connect with you in the way they prefer!
Don’t forget documentation.
With all this continual follow up and varied methods for reaching out to your web leads, staying organized will be crucial to your reputation and success. A comprehensive real estate CRM and marketing software that records every single touch point, and even reminds you when it’s time to follow up, will not only help you keep your head on straight but will measure the effectiveness of your strategies.
With dozens of web leads in need of conversion and the multiple touch points required to convert, it’s almost impossible to manage it yourself. Is it time to invest in a comprehensive CRM to increase productivity, peace of mind and ultimately, the size of your wallet?
SIMPLE. POWERFUL. FOR REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONALS.
If you’re interested in learning more about Propertybase Real Estate CRM technology, automation, or have questions on how to streamline your business strategies, please contact us! Visit us at www.propertybase.com to request a demo + trial, or contact us via email at marketing@propertybase.com.
