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The Golden Rule of Real Estate

Highlands Ranch Sunset Lately I've been reading about how many people begin their home search on the Internet but are unhappy with the lack of response from Realtors they email.

The numbers are staggering 70% begin their search but only 15% purchase! There must be a reason for this huge disconnect.

Doing an Internet search for a home is attractive to many consumers because they don't have reveal their identity. They can surf from city to city looking for the perfect neighborhood at a price they would like, or they can dream search to find a house to plan ahead for!

Asking anonymous questions is easily done, but getting them answered is a different story.

The disconnect comes from the type of communication Realtors are getting. Anonymous questions are fine, but if the question is not structured right, or written clearly identifying what it is the consumer is trying to do, the communication will be dis-guarded as bogus, unworthy and a general annoyance.

So like the boy "who cried wolf too many times" real estate leads are being ignored. Thus consumer dissatisfaction with the system.

This is too bad!

As an Internet savvy Realtor, I would like to offer a few suggestions to the Consumers out there who genuinely want to communicate via email. The people who get and keep my attention are the consumers who introduce themselves to me and tell me what it is they are interested in doing. It's very much like meeting someone face to face, shaking hands and sitting down with a nice cup of hot coffee.

Make me feel you are a REAL person and I will assist you as best I can. You will have my attention. As a Realtor I don't expect to make a sale from everyone I assist. I enjoy helping people just for the sheer "thank you" I receive. Solving problems and teaching people about the Denver real estate market is what I do. Along the way I sell houses.

I can't speak for my colleagues, but I would bet they feel very much the same way. Our ears love the sound of "thank you". We are only human after all!

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Kristal Kraft

Broker Associate, ABR, CIPS, CRS, GRI, ePRO, PMN, PNG
TheBerkshire Group, REALTORS
3801 E. Florida Ave., Suite 400
Denver, Colorado 80210
303-589-2022 ~ direct 303-953-5362 ~ fax

Selling Colorado Since 1984, Serving the Following Areas:

Denver Home Search	Highlands Ranch Home Search	Parker Home Search	Englewood Home Search
Littleton Home Search	Search Denver Foreclosures	Greenwood Village Home Search	Relocation to Metro Denver

Posted by Kristal Kraft ~Denver Real Estate~303-589-2022 on 07/16/2007 10:09 AM

Comments (95)

denver home search

Originally posted at: Denver Real Estate & Relocation: The Golden Rule of Real Estate

This post has been included in Colorado Information

95 Comments on The Golden Rule of Real Estate

JUL

2007

I think most agents have had a "gut full" of all of these lead companies promising the moon, only to discover that the moon was not out.

Kristal, Great post!

In addition to dubious communications from Internet buyers, so many agents send out auto-replies that are just inappropriate to whatever inquiry the prospect has made. I've seen agents spend fortunes on web sites and blow it all away because they think technology will do all of their work for them. Some, maybe. But not all!

Kristal, this is a great way of describing it. You are right, when a lead is seen as bogus or extremely non-committal, what agent wants to take their time to pursue it? Not many.

Kristal - Right on target. Every lead has to receive an extremely fast initial response, followed by a drip campaign until the consumer is ready to engage and move forward.

Kristal, technology is great and has a role to play in marketing. But for a good reputation, I believe nothing will ever replace personal contact and good personal service to prospects, clients and customers.

I certainly agree Internet prospects could be a little more respectful of our time and a simple "thanks" goes a long way. Our company offers what we call the "24 hour CMA" that allows a seller to receive an approximate value of their home without having an agent see the property. We go through all the same procedures as a "normal" market analysis and many never even acknowledge receipt of the report. Since many "spam" filters will trap email I usually follow up with a phone call, one prospect was down-right hostile because I called to "hound" him.

KK- You bring up some interesting points in this post, as you do in all your posts. I love your title and I am wondering if there should be a silver rule and maybe the bronze rule of real estate?!? I don't think we can take for granted the smallest leads or opportunities! One of the agents in my area had a young lady come into her office for a list of possible open houses, and it turned out she was the daughter of the CEO of a very large corporation. She ended up buying 2 homes from another agent in another office only because the other agent took her around to view the open houses instead of just handing her a map and saying "Good Luck!" Go figure!

Some of the info requests that come from R.com or my broker's site are so vague or 'strange' that I'm not sure they're not spammers looking to verify an email address. I love the ones that say, "I'd like more info on this property" when everything was included in the site they came from. To those I reply asking them what specific additional info they would like. I never hear back. That's why I question as to whether they were a legit buyer.

You're exactly right to guide the consumer to ask better questions if they want us to take their question seriously and to provide them with the info they actually want.

I have had several internet inquiries thank me for a response to their email and then add that I'm the only agent out of 10 or 20 that replied to their email. My biggest closing ever was from a client that decided to go with me when he sent out several email inquiries over a period of several weeks and I was the only agent to respond. Woo Hoo, was I happy about that, but also sad for the light that sheds on our profession.

I haven't had internet inquiries that looked bogus; I guess I don't get enough yet to have had that happen. I responed to everything.

Fran

Great point. I'll also add that the leads with phone numbers that are real, usually want a followup phone call. I can't tell you how many leads have been very grateful that we picked up the phone and called them (of course there are folks who get mad when you call, but those are usually not the ones providing real numbers), instead of relying on static emails. It's a fine line to walk, you want to demonstrate that you provide great service, but there are finite hours in the day and we owe the greatest responsibility to the folks who have actually hired us.

very good points Kristal, some advice to the 'internet searcher'. i will reply to anyone who gives me a valid phone number or email. I always send an email letting them know i'm here for them to assist them and to feel free to call me to better understand their needs. Other than that, most people have just been calling me from the beggining. :)

Kristal, we do feel the same! I'm happy to help, if I know enough so that I really will be a help. And I don't have to get a sale out of every person I meet. Part of it is just for the joy.

I think there are too many people that are behind the tech-curve in both real estate and mortgages... they don't know how to deal with these special needs clients...

on the Blog Tour RV I met a Miami realtor who ONLY caters to internet savvy clients...

I think that the days of realtors and razrs is past... we need a major update.

HP has been pushing it for years...

more blackberries, more treos, more aircards...

you have a short window of opportunity to reach these people - shorter than on the phone!

I had someone contact me through AR; they were from another country and that is fine. But they were talking about buying 100 units etc and it really seemed like spam. I chose not to answer that one, and I hope I was not wrong. Every now and again I feel like I have to make that choice. However, if someone is just asking general questions I answer all other requests. As a matter of fact I think that is the only contact I did not reply to. Very nice suggestions here, KK.

Real estate is a service business and you want to train the consumer to do it your way? If you want to market on the internet, you're going to have to retrain yourself to do it the online consumers' way.

Fran has it the right idea. Put systems in place to make sure you're responding to EVERYTHING. Don't overthink the process, just get a quick response out there and make it as personal as makes sense for your system. And have a follow up campaign right behind it.

Great post Kristal. I added a line at the end of one of my website forms called: Comments -Your wish list: It is amazing how real the buyer becomes to me by what they put on their wish list.

you are so right Kristal!

great post!

Great timing Kristal! This is the subject of tomorrows office meeting. HIT Print!

I have e-mail coming to my phone and I do respond to all that send me messages. If it is not a clear question I will send back that I do not understand the questing and for them to please give me a call, or reformat the question so that i might better understand how to help them.

Kristal, very interesting point... you are so right... I respond to all questions that I receive via email, but sometimes it's hard to know who is legitimate and who is not. The emails many times are incorrect and the phone numbers are wrong... Great tips for consumers.

In our market in tennessee I receive quite a few inquiries on properties listed in our area.Clarksville is a unique place to live, specially with Ft. Campbell next door to us. I personally answer all my inquiries good or bad. It has worked for me and I have sold some of my listings this way. When I respond I usually give my cell phone number out and it has worked for me.

Kristal,

Great post on something that we have all experienced. Thanks for putting it so eloquently! Also, congrats on the Land Broker feature. I thought I'd seen your name somewhere recently!

I have probably about 80 e-leads that I have been working for a year now. I send them all e-mails on a regular basis...copy of my blog posts, interesting articles and community events anything to stay in their face. I never hear a word back and imagine that most of them delete what I send without reading.

Recently 2 separate couples have come to life...when I met them for the 1st time they both had big smiles on their faces and stated how they felt they already know me. It was so funny to hear them say that. Made me feel like some people do read and pay attention and that I am a real person to them.

Kristal - So well put. I do hope that this wonderful post reaches the eyes of many folks who are searching in earnest on th web. I know that there are some who really want to buy homes. Unfortunately, they get jumbled in the mess of Charlie Brown's and Mickey Mouse inquiries. Your suggestions are right on target. With just a bit of disclosure, we are eager to help, if the only result is a Thank You, I'm happy to work with anyone who seriously inquires.

Kristal

Thank-you for the post. As Julie indicated this is certainly something that we have all experienced, not only via the internet but also on the phone. I run into this both as a realtor and as a home stager. Most of the time, the first question is - how much?????? and once that question has been answered it is bye, bye, buyer/seller. Are these really the consumers you want to deal with?

Lots of folks try so hard to remain anomonous, they get no help.

I answer all e-mail even it it's just to tell folks that I can't help them with so little informtion. Sometimes they open up or take my invitation to call. All inquiries are different.

The ones I like are the inquiries for floor plans, standard features, interior photos, plat, tax info, assessment into, blah, blah, blah, and no phone number, no address to know if they're local or out of town.

I send mail back asking for the name of their agent so I can send it to them. Sometimes I actually get an agent's name and phone number. Gotta love it.

I do a lot of follow-up to get the information I need to consider the contact a referral. And I do it quickly.

I always try to respond as quickly as possible, there are lots of tire kickers out there. Occasionally a good lead

Excellent point - when prospects open up it shows they really want our help - it does tend to get them to the front of the line.

Let me reference something Realtor Magazine Daily e-News picked up from Inman, something Bernice Ross said. Here's the link.

She raises the age issue, suggesting that the fact most Realtors are Baby-boomer age or older, lends to a disconnect when it comes to using technology.

Speaking as someone looking from the outside in, I wonder if it's also a matter of agents not taking the internet seriously enough and/or brokers not implementing policies which dictate how internet inquiries should be responded to (or systems to make this easier).

I do like what Fran said. She responds to "everything!" That seems like a good policy to me.

Typically, the most basic and simple is often times the most overlooked.

Can't tell you how many times people have told me I'm the only one to respond. Sure, there are lots of time wasters out there, but you gotta sort them out to get to the nuggets of gold. About 75% of my business is from an initial onlin contact (some local, most not). The rest is from referrals, friends and family.

Excellent post! All internet buyers listen up - introduce yourselves and you have my full attention. I agree with Kristal on all points, but the anonymous vs. 'real person' inquiry fully determines the response (always quick!) you will receive from me. So go ahead buyers and sellers, ask me anything!

Excellent, Kristal. Great advice for consumers. It is always helpful to know a bit more about what the consumer needs help with. And I certainly appreciate if they are not ready to commit to anyone yet, but simply need some information. Isn't that what the Internet is all about? I enjoy helping those that have questions even if it does not go any further - that's part of the service business.

Anyone who feels every inquiry will be a sale or purchase, and who responds in a way that alienates the consumers, is doomed to fail.

Jeff

I agree, sometimes a thank you would be nice. I gladly answer any question and don't pressure to sell a house...just don't take my info a run. I do know there's a lot longer time to build trust over the internet... a good drip mail will keep them in "touch" with you.

I am happy to see some posts cthat are talking about the responsibility of the consumer if they want good information.. anonymous posts and questions are OK but it would be nice to get a little feedback from the consumer about whether the information was helpful.

I appreciate your post Kristal. I too feel like you do about what is said in emails from prospects. Many of the emails I receive are very vague, often times not answered and when I have called, some of these people are put-out by my phone call. Hard to know what to do sometimes. Thanks for talking about this subject, I don't feel so alone now with your post and the comments.

You have to respond to every lead as if your going to get the sale. Even if they don't purchase and you give them great customer service, they may recommend you as a referral. We all know that its frustrating, but if you don't have your buyers pre qualified before your showing them houses thats your mistake.

I just wanted to say "nice photo." I like the way it is presented, too.

Kristal thanks for pointing that out. The Internet is a great place to begin research for just about anything these days. On web inquiries the first thing I do is respond with a question. I'm not trying to grab a lead first and foremost, what I'm trying to do is find out if there really is someone on the other end. With a web presence I don't think consumer realize just how much junk comes in hourly from people that really don't want anything to do with real estate, more often than not it's a computer checking for valid addresses to spam.

I take the time to answer even the annoying ones. Recently my website generated five new leads in a week. 2 were absolutely worthless....but I searched back the iP address from the originating party....did a who is search and found the name......turns out is was a neighbor. I printed the material and walked two doors down and asked if he would like more information on the area. He was very red faced and asked how I knew it was him. I am an Internet professional.....I am supposed to represent my buyers and sellers so part of that representation is protecting their interests. I would do the same for you if your were my client. I left him with some information based on what he was looking at on my sight. Yesterday he called to list his home.......no they do not all turn out this way. A little extra effort can go a long way! Nice post.

Kristal, I just had an internet lead today and she said she had sent out 10 emails to REALTORS and I was the only one that responded to her. I cannot get that R to show after the REALTOR word because I have a Mac. I try to respond to everyone of them even though most of them will not reply back to you. Some of them would even give you a wrong email address or phone number or both. I had a few that were nice, so not all of them are bad.

I respond except to the ones that are trying to get me to accept money from foreign bank accounts!

Kristal,

I too get "leads" from my website... I always respond back with an e-mail as well as a phone call if the phone number is given. I ask a few more questions to see what their level of interest is and then proceed from there. It is always nice to get some sort of communication back from them and in a timely fashion as well. This also helps me set the pace as to what is expected from me on this end. I personally prefer the phone but I am willing to do the e-mail shuffle if that is what is best for my potential new clients.

Todd ~ You have a point about the lead aggrator companies. The only experience I've had with them is their infernal cold calling. I refuse to ever buy a lead. Never not ever will I do it.

Patricia ~ Relevance is the key in every walk of life. If you can't be relevant, why bother?

Christina ~ There is only so much time in a day and we all have to pick and choose what we must do.

Tony ~ You are so right about being speedy. Consumers are like us, they want to know and they want to know now!

Derrick ~ I agree.

Dan ~ Wow, that is a lot of work. Obviously the consumer has no idea you are taking so much time to prepare it. Values don't come out of the computer by pushing one little button! I hope you find some business from it, otherwise I would stop working for free!

Brad ~ Face to face inquiries certainly are on a different level from blind inquiries. Your walkin was a perfect opportunity to ask and see what you could do for her to assist. Glad to hear someone helped her!

Elaine ~ LOL I so agree. I love the ones that come in and say, "please send me all the information you have on xxxx". I want to give them the address of the internet. :) Seriously though, I remember when I was in grade school. We had to do reports on all the capitol cities of every state. Being the consumate student I was, I wrote to every state asking for all the information they could give me! Of course that was way prior to computers...and I did receive wonderful packages of literature about all these wonderful faraway places. I was probably 10 years old. Sometimes I think these inquires are from 10 year olds with a computer!

Fran ~ You are so right that does shine a poor light on our industry. It also is an indication of how little extra we need to do to rise above the crowd.

Leigh ~ I like your last statement, "we owe the greatest responsibility to the folks who have actually hired us." That is certainly a good response to those who are considering hiring us.

Nick ~ Good response and I so agree. I also won't call someone if they state they prefer not to be called. It is always nice to know the consumer's preference.

Sarah ~ Joy is a big part of what we do. I know many consumers think we only do things for the money. Payday is important but more important is the satisfaction of doing the right thing.

Kristal,

Makes 100% sense. Bridging the communication gap is always a good idea.

Kristal - welcome back! It's good to read you.

When people start asking questions, they generally identify themselves. For those starting out, browsing, learning, there's lots on our web site, including a full MLS search, and they do NOT have to identify themselves to get information - which is important to many people visiting the site. When they are serious, and if they want to work with me, then they'll identify themselves and we'll go to work.

David ~ Interesting response...I can identify with the Realtor who only deals with Internet Savvy consumers. It certainly is frustrating to have to go back in time, dealing with consumers who don't have email or cell phones! Worse yet are those agents who don't have them!

Carole ~ LOL those spammy emails are getting more clever each day. They are hard to identify sometimes I know. There have been times when I have responded just because they might be real. Usually they come back even stranger.

Tracy ~ Actually I would like to train the entire universe to do things my way. However being the practical person I am, I've accepted the reality the only trainable person in the equation is me. :) I had to go read your bio and now I totally understand your perspective.

Mitchell ~ What a good idea to elicit a response. Most people recognize a wish list is actually just that, a wish. But it does get them talking and the next step is reality.

Jennifer ~ So how do you get to be a Realtor Extraordinaire? :)

Dena ~ So now I know why my ears will be burning tomorrow!

James ~ Sounds like a good strategy. I know sometimes I get to typing thinking I know what I'm talking about even if nobody else does. :)

Irina ~ Consumers aren't always comfortable with email. I realize oftentimes we need to remember it's not second nature to everyone like it is to us blogger people!

Renate ~ Giving out a cell number is an invitation to call you. Calling is the best way to communicate. We can jump over hurdles we didn't know existed. Congrats on your success!

Julie ~ Thanks for the congrats on the Land Brokr thing...LOL! Kudos to you as an apprentice. I hope you had an enjoyable and worthwhile journey.

Monika ~ You certainly deserve to be rewarded for your consistency in keeping in touch. I know how frustrating that must be. At the same time you shared some good information about how we should be incorporating our blogs into our emails! As usual Monika brings good stuff to the table! Thanks Teach!

Marlene ~ LOL so Charlie Brown contacts you too? I really want to believe serious people don't do that. The best way to get relevant information is to be open and up front. As a real estate broker I know I won't sell everyone I talk to a house. I don't expect that and I certainly don't push people to buy. Most brokers are like me and you. We are happy to provide the right information. We send enough good out into the world some comes back at us!

Cheryl-Anne ~ The people who ask how much must learn at some point the cost doesn't equal value. Maybe they will, maybe they won't....next! :)

Lenn ~ LOL as always I love your no nonsense approach. This comes not from being pragmatic, but from having a strong steady supply of leads coming in. When you deal in numbers it is easy to throw away the silly ones.

Michael ~ tire kickers, lookie lous or people who are just in the beginning of the buying cycle. They may be years premature but need info. In any event they would get better service by being up front and open about it.

Jack ~ Trust happens in an instant when the consumer opens up.

Paul ~ thanks for the timely link. There is a huge disconnect in our industry from the average age of Realtors vs. buyers. Quite frankly for me personally I don't mind the fact agents are lax in responding to consumers. That just means when they find me and my group we will wow them! Responding to everyone is difficult when you have large numbers. Triage becomes the word of the day.

Rich ~ you are right.

Carol ~ 75% is a good number. Mine is there too. And I don't respond to all! :)

Jennifer ~ You've got a great attitude!

Jeff ~ Maybe I've been in the business for too long, but I can always think of a million questions I need to have answered before I answer their first question. there really isn't a one size fits all!

Bob ~ Thank yous are always nice and a good way to live. Unfortunately many people aren't familiar with the concept! Hey Thanks for stopping by Bob! :)

Kaye ~ That is true. I often wonder if the information was relevant to the question. If not, it is easy to be relevant if we know what direction they are going!

Cynthia ~ I don't mean to come down so hard on consumers, but the reality is we could do a better job with more communication and recognition if we are on the right track or not.

Nick ~ Well stated! Thanks!

Chris ~ Thank you. I missed the sunset and was happy to be able to catch what I did. Tomorow I'll try again...

Brian ~ The junk mail we get certainly does desensitize the good stuff. I know I miss things from people who don't use a signature block but are friends. I can say I hate spam!

Gary ~ LOL searching an IP addy and then ending up at the guys door? You are amazing! I never would have the nerve to do that! I'm glad he wasn't totally spooked and you got a listing! :)

Terry ~ Your comment is not unusual, which is good for you but does not speak well for our industry.

Renee ~ LOL how do you know you aren't missing out on being a gazillionaire? :)

Donna ~ I bet you find the serious people appreciate your attentiveness. Nice plan!

Eric ~ The quality of our life is equal to the quality of our communication!

Sharon ~ Thanks. You have created a bond of trust by giving before you receive. Good strategy!

An interesting perspective Kristal. You always make me think. I hope lots of consumers read your post.

Kristal, if I get an e-mail and the person explains there situation and what they are trying to do, I do my best to answer their questions. But if they just come out with the old what is your interest rate, I will respond by telling them to call me so I can get the information I need before I answer that. Usually the rate shoppers don't call back don't call, but I am sure someone gave them a interest rate without making sure that they qualified for what they were quoting. I guess this is my long way of saying that I agree with you. If they are unwilling to communicate with me, I am not interested in talking to them.

Well said my friend. I have a web site that refers me hundreds of buyers & sellers each year. There are some that are front and honest and are ready to do business. There are many however that give false email addresses and false phone numbers. You wrote a great post and made a great point. Thanks for sharing and I hope all is well.

Kristal

You are so very right - cost does NOT equal value. Those that do seek value are serious consumers. They will be honest and up front as George said and ready, willing and able to do business. Unfortunately we live in a disposable society and loyalty is only a word. Your post is timely and provides valuable (not costly) information. Hopefully there are consumers out there who will appreciate the valuable information you have imparted and will offer their thanks.

As a consumer I know I like it when I make a real connect with a real person on a website instead of a constant stream of automated responses. Thanks for a great topic.

Kristal - great post... I have gotten so many bad leads via the email..it becomes easy to disregard someone that doesn't state clearing what they want....

the best way as you said... is to introduce yourself and let me know how I may help you....

Kristal - internet leads are like floor calls, they need to be scrubbed - many of them are not worth pursuing, plus it is a special skill set that can convert them. Even someone as proficient as you is coming up with few good ones...I always have wondered why someone takes the time to inquiry and then puts in a bad email address - have they nothing better to do?

I respond to everything - I am always checking e-mail. The problem I have is that I don't open anythng I don't recognize to avoid SPAM etc. There were a couple of times that the subject didn't seem like someone who wanted more info. Lucky for me that I had a doubt and opened it so I love your advice to consumers to make it very clear as to what they want--better chance of getting a quick response.

Many of the clients from the web have ulterior motives. I used to care about that. I don't now. I just give them the information they requested, if I can, and avail myself should they need anymore info. Round two is when things change. :)

Spot on, Kevin!

Love this post. Goint through my email is like a kind of triage. I have to ignore the lunatics and wacko's, and sort out the peoeple who will just take my time before their agent shows them so me more houses. Some want a second opinion even though they already have an agents. Others do thank me for my prompt repsonse. i do ignore the annoymous type. I figure if they don't have the integrity to give me a name then I don't want to work with them. Bad attitude I know/

I want to loose myself in that picture....but I cant. Trying to culivate my internet leads!

Nice post, as usual Kristal. Communication is usually the first breakdown on the road to excellent service.

Personally, I respond to all emails that aren't obviously spam. And, like you, I find that I help more than I make my own bottom line swell -- but I love what I do, so it's all win-win for me. I love seeing real estate professionals that consider service first and sales second (of course I appreciate all service providers with those same priorities.)

:O)

Good post, I have always had trouble with the first response to internet leads

Linda ~ Glad you are thinking! :) I must confess I wrote this blog and posted it before on February 2005. Things haven't changed much!

George ~ Guess you mortgage guys have the same issues. My point here is really to help the consumer to get better information, not be critical. We are human too! It's ok for consumers to recognize that.

George T. ~ Do you George's follow each other around? I find you next to each other all the time. I didn't think CT and MT were that close! :) All is Ok and as good as to be expected. Glad to hear you have a lead producing pipe line!

Oh I don't know who wrote this you didn't sign in! I like your words and appreciate your support. Thanks!

Grant ~ Oh how true. The automated stuff just kills me. I want to scream "hello? is anybody home?"

Nattalie ~ Yes, you are right. Intros are the best way to start a serious and productive conversation.

Beth ~ I love your term, "scrubbed". It is fairly accurate. I wish we didn't have to do it at all. It would be nice if the inquiring person would give themselves a number. 1 for serious and 3 for just looking. They would get the same service and we wouldn't have to bug them!

Cathy ~ sad the bad apples have to spoil our internet communication. I wish we could send a lightening bolt up their computer...spammers that is! ;:)

Kevin ~ Yup it's a full time job. Round two does get serious.

T ~ I am going to refrain from making remarks about your clients. Or rather your amazing ability to attract wierdos, wackos and freaks. Or did I refrain? :) p.s. I know have a piece of fruitcake...

Katie ~ I've been toying with the idea of showing the entire surround of the photo. It will blow everyone's socks off (unless they live here). Keep working those leads...

Angela ~ so well said. We have to put service first in order to survive. I enjoy talking to people, especially the ones who take the time to thank me for helping them. Appreciation goes a long way.

Michael ~ I do believe working with internet leads is a trained skill. It doesn't come immediately and you don't always win. That in itself is discouraging, but keep trying. They are real and you will get better at it. :)

Kristal, you are one smart cookie!
And that's all I have to say about that!
Great post as usual, you go girl!

I can tell you from personal experience, the lack of follow-up from Realtors on Internet inquires was astonishing to me when purchasing a home last fall. My wife made numerous inquires regarding homes in which we received only a 60% response rate and many of those were from auto-responders with no personal follow-up. We finally did go with a Realtor that did follow-up and his service was fantastic. What was alarming was his response was the exception. By the way, the name of the Realtor was David Holmes out of Kennesaw, GA...thought I should mention.

JUL

2007

Excellent post and my exact sentiments. A thanks you is fine. I am a professional and I expect to advise where I have knowledge and don't mind it all if that is all they need. Superb attitude. Being a graduate of Michael Russer's e-productivity course teaches exactly how to assist the Internet Empowered Consumer. (IEC)

I get a lot of comments from clients that I was the first to answer their email or phone call.... it makes me wonder when an agent puts all this time and money into marketing only to loose them to me..... of course I am not complaining :o)

Some good lessons in here for the public - they use a contact form with a bogus name, no or bogus phone number, no "wish list" for a home... and they expect personalized attention in response. If someone could just educate them to make a sincere inquiry, it will open a whole new level of response from busy real estate professionals who are eager to help consumers, but not to waste their time.

Kristal,

Very good post! I answer all my e-mails. Yes, some are bogus, but most aren't. They may not be ready immediately to either sell or buy, but if you are persistent and consistently keep in touch, somewhere down the line they will be ready and contact you because you answered your e-mail and your name was in front of them. That's the name of the game.

Fantastic posts. Many great points and suggestions for agents and consumers alike. I'd just like to share my experience... I've never sold a house online, though most of my non referral or farm clients find me first online. I've said before that buyers use the internet to 'EXCLUDE' homes that they don't want to purchase, and use online ads and MLS searches to find areas and types of homes they're are interested in. Microsoft promised us years ago that by the year 2000, you could search online for a home, write an offer, finance it, and close the deal all online. Clearly that hasn't happened (but it seems we're getting closer), nothing can take the place of good old customer service, and friendly agents presenting homes that buyers want.

The other interesting thing about my online experience is that MANY MANY web leads that I get, are just in the very beginning stages of being able to own a home. And they use the internet to gather the information to put in place a plan of action (which I am very supportive of). Lots of my clients have bought homes after 6 months, a year or two, from me that started out looking at listings on my site and asking questions. I've had dialogs with people over very long periods before they're "ready" and when they are... We've already established a relationship, and they know just what they're going to get by choosing me as a realtor, in effect they already have.

Kristal;

To-day on the Internet the consumer is in charge. Realtors and mortgage broker whom are unwilling to get that will loose out to the ones who do.

We don't get to dictate how to do business with them, they do!

To Your Success;

Coach Steve

Kristal, well you did it again, well written and right on target. I know the internet leads can be responded to effectively and with success. We just need to understand how this market works and adapt our reponses appropriately. As in many other programs, there are lost leaders to gain the bigger prize. Yes, we have those you don't want our help, but there are those that really do. Respond to everything in multiple ways until you make it happen. Use email, phone, autoresponders, direct mail (if you can get the address) and stay in contact with them. Find referral partners to work the leads with you until one of you hit the mark, then agree to refer the business to your other partners. Maybe I should turn this into a blog post. Congratulations you hit a nerve and one that is in need of discussion! Thanks!

The article is thought provoking

and the picture is BEAUTIFUL!!!!

JUL

2007

Great post ! As realtors we need tolearn how to react to " digital customers ". They are different, they don't act like they used to, we don't know how to best serve them !

AUG

2007

This just seems crazy to me, but I know it is true. My team has a goal of feedback in less than 15 minutes. Now this may mean just a phone call or email of acknowledgement, but they will get contact. Consumers are amwazed by this, but this is what sets us apart.

OCT

2007

Interesting, what a small percentage!! It is important for consumers to be specific, there are too many bogus emails going out nowadays that it can be difficult for agents to sort through.

JUL

2008

Not sure where you got the 70% and 15% numbers (maybe NAR), but I would argue that the large percentage who don't buy aren't buying because of anything a Realtor did or failed to do, they simply realized they could not yet afford a home or were just window shopping in the first place. I get about 80% of my leads from my website. I don't do outside marketing and I sit in an office one day a week. I respond to every possible lead that comes my way as I presume most agents in this market do, but the anonymity of buyers can only be kept for so long and then they have to share something of themselves for greater help. I'm all for online communication, but the break down is more often than not from the buyers not the agents. Just like you, I'm happy to try to answer a question a hundred times if they still don't understand, but I don't know anyone that really wanted a house but decided that they weren't going to buy one anymore because they had a bad experience with a Realtor, those people were never serious to begin with.

Kristal- Your point is well made. Unfortunately "buyers" relying on the anonymity factor the Internet provides, are too often fearful they will end up getting blitzed with junk mail. As result, they often do not give enough information for us to assist them- your post points that out very well.

Good Luck and Sell Well!

Krystal: In our high cost area of homes (average sales price is $420,000) Our mls has leased properties also listed. It shows the montly lease amount... ie $1,200 or $1,400 I get WEEKLY calls from people wanting to BUY these properties....well DUH! If the actual asking price WERE that much do they REALLY think it would get all the way to the point of getting into the mls before it would be SWOOPED up by some other buyer? It is insulting for them to believe for a MINUTE, that ANYWHERE in the USA that a home would be for sale for $1,200?????????????????????????????? THAT insults them and ME! I HATE THOSE PHONE CALLS!

I would have to say that this one goes both ways....we have an obligation as Realtors to inspire the type of dialogue that we are looking for to create these kind of online relationships....the content of our websites should be approachable and clear....many Realtors seem to clutter their pages with junk links and ways to lure in prospective leads......

I appreciate your post; it is interesting to try to wade through the internet demand.

I'm a very internet savvy broker who gets about 80% of my buyer leads via our site. Our site gets about 3000 unique IP visits monthly (not hits...which is a misconception about website popularilty). It's unique IP visits that generate massive amounts of leads. While the Internet can be a great place to harvest leads, please know that the actaully success rate is only about 1% (maybe even less)! So for every 100 leads you may generate from your site, only 1 will probably actaully convert to a final closing when all is said and done. My advice is to try different things and shake it up with different kinds of responses to see what happens. I do use a standard bag of responses, but all are tailored (or can be tailored easily by me) to different situations or consumer questions. If you don't develope a bag of standard responses so to speak, you'll do nothing but sit at your desk all day writing emails from memory taking valuable time and energy away from other tasks.

Personally my biggest complaint and number one mistake I see with agents and their websites is that they center the entire site around "Me, me, me...look how great I am...me me me." (put me to sleep...ZZZZ) The average consumer searching is looking for whatever helps them. Frankly, at first they could care less about you and more about what helps them! Gear your site around what helps them...not what makes you feel good or enhances your ego! We show pictures of homes, prices and floorplans...that's it! It's what people want late at night while they sit at their computer looking for real estate. Keep in mind most people have little research time (when they finally get the kids off to bed for instance), make it productive for them. Not an auto-biography about you. And please keep pictures of you and your dog or that silly hat you wore at last year's office party off your site...consumers don't think it's cute and really don't care.

But your exactly right gearing your blog towards consumers. There are many more "bad" consumers out there then there are "bad" real estate agents I'll assure you.

You're right on. Houston Association of REALTORS has a wonderful program that helps this situation...leads can be directed to your cell phone or text for immediate response. What we're finding in our market is that the frist to respond gets the client. I also like the technology that allows the client to respond to an email through text messaging (a paid provider not associated with Houston Association of REALTORS). Generation Xer's tend to communicate most often by texting.

Krystal, among the hundreds of articles I've seen about Realtors not answering emails quickly, you are the first to address the idea that consumers who don't identify themselves and ask direct questions, may not be taken seriously by agents. We only have a limited amount of time in the day, and we have to prioritize what we do. Naturally, we give the quickest responses to those prospects who seem the most likely to be future serious buyers or sellers.

A agree with you KK. Meeting with a woman in the neighborhood right now to help her estimate the value lost as the result of a flood. It will most likely not lead to a pay day of any kind but it is the right thing to do. Karma is real. Do right by people and everything else will work itself out.

I respond to all of our internet leads. Rarely to I get an contact back from them and I find it frustrating but I keep on doing it... I worry about the definition of insanity here. My response is not canned and I try to address each prospect as though I am communicating with them alone. I am happy to say I have communitcated with Bob Hope, Brad Pitt and a couple of people I cannot repeat the addresses... Now, I tend to ignore and delete them from my website now. If they can't be straight forward with me, why should I waste my time.

I love your post and its relevance to consumer responsibility.

Krystal:

Good blog article about assisting buyers and sellers for Denver real estate.

Harrison K. Long, Explore Properties Group

What a great post, and very true. I enjoy serving clients whether or not they purchase a home, and the entire process is more enjoyable when they are direct in their desires instead of focusing on maintaining their "hidden agendas or identity." I hope more consumers get a chance to read this.

Krystal; very good points! I feel that if the potential buyers want to know about and be able to contact me, I want to know who they are and be able to contact them! I have never found that an "real" potential client has a problem with identifying themselves and what they are looking for. Even in this high-tech world, personal communication between two interested parties is what will help both the brokers and the buyers/sellers.

JUL

2008

Entusiasm and customer service go a long way. REALTORS are ready to assist BUYERS that are forthcoming and determined.

Sharing contact information and goals is a great fisecond step after the first cyber step. Annonymus buyers, isn't that like no hope for a success story?

oops, i think ar ate my first comment.

i think you made a very good point, sometimes consumers don't know how to convey what they really want. For me, as a stager, a lot of times competitiors pose as consumers to ask for information or copy down the way I explain my services (I have heard typing while I was explaining over the phone). Either way, I still explain inquiries, bogus or not. It's my job! ;)

Cheers,

Cindy

Krystal, Well said as usual! I get some of the same thing as a stager. People email me and ask my price, but don't leave a phone number, and some don't even add their real name. So, I'm left to guess what they really want.

When working with the public, you meet all kinds, don't you?

Debbie Fiskum, Denver Stager & Decorator

Perfect Transformations Home Staging & Decorating

www.ptstaging.com

JUL

2008

Hi Krystal - As a new agent, I found your post and the ensuing discussion full of good points. I look forward to having so much email that I have to filter....

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Kristal Kraft ~Denver Real Estate~303-589-2022

Denver, CO

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The Berkshire Group Realtors

Address: 3801 E. Florida Avenue Suite 400, Denver, CO, 80210

Office Phone: (303) 953-5222

Cell Phone: (303) 589-2022

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