Hey, folks!
It's the middle of the night, I'm on the Second Floor of a Bungalow on the Northwest Side of Chicago, and I'm composing a blog post!
Am I a die hard . . . or what?
Do you sell for a living? Real Estate? Something else?
Well, if you're in any kind of relationship-based selling or consulting business, where most of your income is derived from what you sell, rather than how many hours you work, you've heard the following words -
LEAD GENERATION! Or, as some prefer . . . PROSPECTING!
Every day, we each go into our offices, or stick our Bluetooth Headsets in our ear and head to the car, or to the local Starbucks, list of prospects in hand, and hit the phones.
We try to mine for gold from the clients we currently serve. Or have served. Or those prospective clients we met casually - at a networking event, at a party, or on the street.
But what do you do if business is down. Further, what is the next step if calls to those you have worked with, or those you know closely, bear little fruit?
Those in the Real Estate Business have recently seen buyers move back to the sidelines pending extension of the Federal First Time Homebuyers' Tax Credit. Or, they are waiting to see if the current, set to expire the end of this month, will be expanded to current homeowners, not just first-timers.
Sellers - if they are not truly motivated - either by wanting to move voluntarily, or, unfortunately, involuntary, due to financial hardship - are delaying going to market until things get better. When? No one knows!
Several top Realtors in our Keller Williams Lincoln Square, Chicago office are taking a very successful paradigm-shifting class called BOLD. This seven-session, once-a-week class is geared to instill the habits, skills, and attitude necessary to succeed in the real estate business today.
And one of the things the class emphasizes is LEAD GENERATION . . . and lots of it!
Each class participant is required to make at least 100 Phone Contacts each week. Not just calls to voice mails or answering machines, folks. Actual calls, and attempt to get actual listing appointments - at least 5 each week!
Sounds good, doesn't it! Those who know me know I prospect or lead generate religiously - and I only call 15 people each morning - about 75 each week. Contacts - about half that number. Usually, one or two listing appointments each week - hopefully, I will land 2 or 3 listings each month - my average.
But hard core, intense lead generating via phone - to warm leads around a listing or a listing just sold - does this really work these days? Will any appointments gotten be qualified, or just weak, casually-interested leads who just want to talk to a salesperson because they are lonely?
Indeed, those in our office participating in the Keller Williams BOLD Program are contacting people, and getting appointments. The conversion ratio - the jury is still out on that one!
But perhaps it's all a numbers game. A bit like hockey. You take enough shots on goal - you eventually land a few.
So . . . what say you? We all need to expand our business. Will heavy, telephone-based lead generation do the trick? Or, is there something else that might work better.
Please, share your experience with us! There are a lot of nearly-starving sales consultants dying to know!
DEAN & DEAN'S TEAM CHICAGO
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