Email Leads: The Sooner, the Better

Your website is optimized, you’ve mailed out dozens of postcards and your contact information is all over town. A lead pops into your inbox, but you’re up to your elbows in paperwork and, if you’re working at home, the dog is begging to go out…

What do you do?

Pick up the phone and punch the number.

Right?

Time is of the Essence

You’ve likely used that phrase, or some variation of it, when talking to your clients about bidding on a home. Are you practicing what you preach?

Marketing Sherpa, one of the most respected research institutes around, says you have less than 10 minutes before a lead starts to grow cold. Why? Because people have relatively short attention spans and when they want information, they want it five minutes ago. If you haven’t answered, they’ll often move on to someone who will. The Marketing Sherpa study also demonstrates that the longer you wait, the worse your odds become of even getting in touch with the lead.

The Right Kind of Follow-Up

When you’re doing the initial follow-up with an email lead, it’s best to keep things simple. Don’t push too hard, but don’t come across as if you don’t know much; either way, you’ll scare them off and into another Realtor’s® inbox.

Read the information they’ve provided before you call. That way, you know how many bedrooms and bathrooms they need, as well as where they’re interested in looking; you’re not wasting their time or yours.

Introduce yourself and let them know why you’re calling (you received their email). If they’ve asked about a specific listing, relay the information you have and ask if they have any questions. Find out when they plan to move and how far along they are in the process.

Close the call by offering to send them a market report, a list of similar listings or a free eBook you’ve written.

Make the Most of Your Leads

While the initial call should be brief (unless, of course, they want to keep you on the phone—then, by all means, stick it out!), you always need to ask them if you can follow up again. Whether you want to send them listings, call them in a few days or otherwise stay in touch, subsequent follow-ups are almost as important as the first.

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