On rare occasions a real estate agent has an easy time in procuring clients and seeing the process swiftly to fruition. Infrequently a prospective property owner make a cold call to an agent and hire them as their listing agent., and very rarely will a home be sold to the first prospective buyer. While these instances may be nice, in most cases the agent must nurture a relationship and potential sale through follow up.
A good and successful agent will have a system for following up leads. It doesn’t have to be a sophisticated system, just one that serves as a method for turning every meeting into a potential sale. Remember, leads can come by the thousands in a thousand different ways. It is what you do with those leads that converts them into sales.
Here are a few follow up methods most employed by real estate agents:
Phone Calls – You almost never see an agent without a phone, or not on the phone talking to a client or lead. The direct approach is one of the first steps in following up a lead. Did a friend tell you about a neighbor who is planning to sell their home? Get that number and make a phone call. Sometimes being “Johnny on the spot” can get you a good listing before a property owner ever starts looking for an agent.
Email – Gather emails for your contact database. This is essential to staying in touch with a short email message to prospective clients, and for your newsletter.
Email Newsletters – You should have an electronic newsletter that you send to all your contacts. These contacts don’t have to just be past clients, but friends, family, people you’ve met – anyone who can benefit from your message and send along your name to someone who can use your services.
Follow Up Rules:
- Disqualify – Not all leads will convert. Disqualifying a lead will help you focus on the ones with the best potential.
- Take no for an answer – People will have an easier time trusting someone who is not a high-pressure salesperson. Besides, getting a no answer allows you to move on to better, more qualified prospects.
- Go for the appointment – For qualified leads, book that appointment to meet or to show a home.
