Strike while the iron is hot
We spend a ton of money or a ton of time on our online presence through our web-sites or blogs. (You’ve got mail!) You get a lead or a request for information…now what?
Your heart starts to beat faster, YEA a contact. You think… I’ll call them after I do this that and the other. No, “Time is of the essence” in contacting the person or responding to their request. We have a goal on my team to contact them before their hand leaves the mouse. They are online, looking, looking, looking, searching, searching, searching.
Make the call
A friendly, helpful voice calls, offering help or assistance. You make a potential friend. This is a warm lead, if you wait a day or two or three, it is now a cold lead. Our first phone call or email is not pushy; we are just trying to find that commonality to see if we can start to build trust.
Capturing a lead is nothing if you don’t strike when the iron is hot or in this case when they are in the process of searching for homes. Statistics prove that the first person they speak to is the one that ends up being their Realtor.
Don’t be afraid
Some people are afraid to pick up the phone. Don’t be, this is the easiest way to convert them from a contact to a prospect to a potential client. I honestly can say that 90% of everyone that you contact immediately is not mean or rude but glad you called. Perhaps they are just starting to look, or not moving for a year but many times they are just waiting to find the right person to help them in their home search.
Hire someone
If calling is just not your thing, then hire someone. Many people have great telephone skills and have a natural ability to connect with people. If you honestly say I just can’t do this, I don’t like to make those phone calls, then find a person to help you out with it.I spoke to a woman from Reno last week that makes all the initial calls for her team leader and once she knows their needs, assigns them to the buyer agent that would make the best fit for a successful relationship.
Just don’t let that potential client go unattended.
***Photo from Jared and Corin on Flickr***
Chris Shouse
November 11, 2008 at 10:35 pm
You are right Missy and I have probably been guilty of losing leads because I was not wanting to bug people who I thought maybe was starting on line because they wanted no pressure but @mizzle during her presentation at Blogworld turned me around and I have had a really good response from sending an email very quickly!
Kat DeLong
November 12, 2008 at 9:34 am
Missy: Right on the money! People nowadays are on the Internet, and IF one Realtor does not respond, QUICKLY, they’ll move on before you can blink.
Sally Butler
November 12, 2008 at 9:35 am
I think it is the natural reticence to not intrude into others’ privacy; however, I must agree that most people are willing to take a few seconds to talk/listen to you. Having a great script is one of the great ways to capture that potential client.
Josef Katz
November 12, 2008 at 9:46 am
Completely agree. Leads need nurturing as soon as you get them. Everyone in a sales role should ask themselves did I do everything I can to sell or build a relationship with that lead?
Andy Piper
November 12, 2008 at 2:56 pm
I find that clients will submit on several sites, and continue to use several sites even after they have made a connection with us – thats just the way it is.
Establish a good rapport up front and you have the best chance at working with them.
Cathy Tishhouse
November 12, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Missy: I have heard you say this before and it is always encouraging as I am definitely one who is shy about calling. I think it is because I usually don’t want to be called by anyone and I assume everyone feels the same. However, I do spend a significant amount of money and time on my websites and why waste it – I definitly want the leads.
Pam Graham
November 12, 2008 at 3:48 pm
Yes this is me in a nutshell. Fear is a terrible thing when you let it get the best of you!
Kate Elim
November 12, 2008 at 8:35 pm
Missy…I now require a phone number when people contact me through my Web site. It is precisely so that I can call and get additional information in order to help them better and faster.
I hope others will heed your advice.
Kate
Missy Caulk
November 12, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Pam, hire someone or find someone to network with that will do it.
Chris, I have heard Mariana speak and she rocks!
Cathy, we all spend so much money to get the leads and then don’t follow up, doesn’t make sense to me, just saying.
Josef, so true, it is all about building a relationship.
Sally, honestly we rarely encounter rude people.
Kat, that is why it is important to connect with them and start the relationship building.
Andy, went into the office the other day and saw on James board a prospect that is searching his site and mine. He just shook his head when I said, “oh do you know____?”
Elizabeth Nieves
November 12, 2008 at 9:51 pm
Missy,
This is absolutely fabulous advice, as usual. There is no time like the present. Waiting only gives the prospect time to find someone else. I think about how I feel when my mind is focused on a certain thing. I want help and answers at that moment…not three days later. If I don’t receive the help I need from one person, I move on to another. GREAT REMINDER!
Blessings!
Elizabeth
Emily Johnston
November 12, 2008 at 10:08 pm
I cannot agree more with what is being said! I am a new agent. At first I used our different leads by only emailing because I was shy about calling and kind of unsure of what to say. But after not getting much response from emailing, I decided to make a few phone calls. That worked.
I have yet to make a sale, but have many more opportunities to do so now, just because I am calling. Sometimes I think in this world of technology we forget that people want a person, not an inbox full of messages! Great article!!!
Paula Henry
November 12, 2008 at 11:35 pm
Missy – I can’t tell you the number of people we have called and they said, we were the only ones to call them. I know I lose some out of sheer busyness, but when they are online, they usually welcome the assistance.
Missy Caulk
November 13, 2008 at 6:58 am
Paula, we find the same thing and many say, “thanks for calling, you’re the only one who called the rest sent emails”. Now if they they are just looking don’t contact, we don’t just let them explore in their own time and pace.
Emily, if you nurture the ones you spoke to in a friendly, non pushy way they will remember you and it is all about the start of a relationship.
Elizabeth, very true we want an answer when we are looking now, not in 24 hours when we are onto other things or already found the answer out.
Vicki Moore
November 14, 2008 at 3:23 pm
Great advise. It took me a while to get over the fear of calling too. Now I just start dialing before I have time to change my mind. When someone’s rude I look at it the same way I do when someone’s rude on the road: Oh well, they must be having a bad day. NEXT.