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No Thanks, I'm just looking

Shopping for a New Home Have you ever walked into a store and been asked by a salesperson, "Can I help you?"

Of course you have, and if you're like me, it can be irritating. While I appreciate the offer of assistance, it's the timing that is off. It's too soon, feels too pushy. My standard response is, "No thanks, I'm just looking."

Invariably, after I've had a few minutes to browse, I find myself looking around for a salesperson because now I do need some help. I'll wander around for a while, looking for someone to help me. Where is that salesperson who so nicely greeted me with her offer of assistance? To be honest, if I can't find her relatively quickly, I may ask simply ask the next closest salesperson for her help.

Oops. Salesperson #1 has just committed a critical error. She decided that my "No thanks, I'm just looking" meant that I didn't want any help at all and she went on to assisting someone else and forgot about me. The reality is that most buyers, whether online or in person, just want the salesperson to leave us alone but be there when we need them.

Online real estate shoppers are like any other shopper. And I am, for all intents and purposes, a real estate salesperson.

Therefore, visitors to my website, upon submitting an email address, will receive the following email message from me:

"Thank you for visiting my website at www.getmovingwithkelly.com. I hope you will find it an easy to use and informative way to research the market.

It is my sincere desire that you feel comfortable using my website. Therefore, it is my policy to have you dictate the level of contact that you want from me. This means that unless you specifically request to be contacted by telephone, I will not call you!

Whether buying, selling, or just curious to learn more, I am here to assist you in any way possible. I hope you'll come back soon...and that you will consider me to be your REALTOR of choice when the time comes to buy or sell a home."

And I mean it! I know that you are "just looking." I won't forget about you and move on to the next prospective client. I will stay in touch; from time to time you will receive a short email from me containing tidbits of information or announcing a new listing that you may be interested in. Other than that, I will leave you alone to gather information at your leisure.

When you do need assistance...more information about a particular listing, perhaps...I will respond quickly to get you the information you need. I will never be pushy or pressure you into setting up an appointment with me to look at homes. It's perfectly okay to simply hang out on my website and window shop. Have fun!

Posted by Kelly Sibilsky on 08/09/2007 09:42 AM

Comments (25)

real estate websites, shopping for real estate, real estate information, customer care, buying a home, selling a home

Originally posted at: lake zurich...and beyond: No Thanks, I'm just looking

25 Comments on No Thanks, I'm just looking

AUG

2007

Kelly - great post! I love my real estate career, and I am NOT an aggressive salesman either. I want my web visitors to know I am here to help in anyway - but I don't want to pressure-sell them either. This great info on how you present that.

Thanks, Christine! I'm glad to know others feel the same way as I do!

Good Post, I agree!

RE/MAX Lead street has some excellent drip campaigns you can use for this or create your own. I try to keep up on my clients web activity and when they start saving listings to thier favorites folder, I send them a non-generic email to get them to ask for some more help.

James, I love Lead Street! I send more personal emails, but the concept is similar. Sounds like you are on the same page as me!

Kelly, That has got to be the best opening for a webpage I have ever seen. It would have me on the phone ASAP. I hate pushy sales people. That might be just the perfect approach.

Kenneth, Thank you! I appreciate your kind remarks.

When I owned my retail stores I would fire any salesperson how ever said that us-less line. Can I help you no your fired. Funny thing is the aggressive sale people always make more. Not that I'm saying everyone should be aggressive but you can be nice and still be aggressive not pushy.

Scott, thanks for stopping by to read my blog!

AUG

2007

The web lead-in is the right stuff. It does work as well. Wanted to thank you again for taking your time to comment on something we recently did. It was most appreciated.

AUG

2007

Great post Kelly

It is the gentle, but non threatening presence we need to keep so they know we are there when they need us. It is a fine line to be available vs. irritating, I think your online quote is a great way to do it. Thank you for sharing.

Gary: Thanks...and you're welcome!

Janie: Thank you for taking the time to read my post! :)

Great tip Kelly. Your email and approach is very respectful and honest with your web visitors. Thanks for sharing!

Well put, Kelly. We follow the same policy for those coming in on our web site. For those who leave a phone number - it is not required - we make a follow up call and judge from the response whether we should call again. Most prefer to receive listings and tolerate our drip email campaign. We have people finally coming to buy after two or three years in the system!

Kelly, good post. Most buyers don't want an aggressive agent calling them and hounding them with tons of e-mail when they are just starting to think about moving and may be 6-12 months out. Eventually the serious ones will raise their hands and contact you when they are no longer "just looking" and need your help. I've had prospects who've received my e-mails regularly (usually with home listings or other advice) for upwards of a year call me and say they're ready to buy. By the time you meet face to face, they often feel like they know you, because you've been sending them (automatic) e-mails all this time.

Ginger, Joe and Brian: I agree, I try to "respect their online privacy" at all times. I have potential clients who have been using my website for a long time...and I hope that when the time comes they will want to work with me!

Kelly

Very nice message, I don't call anyone unless they asked to-be called from my web site. They do however receive drip mailings.

Gary: Same here. Thanks for reading!

Kelly, Thanks so much for a GREAT Post!!! I think we all try to figure a way to balance out the desire to be helpful without being pushy - what an awesome sample email to set the tone right from the beginning. I hope this gets featured - I rated it 5 stars.

Wow, Erica...Thanks! I hope it gets featured, too! :)

That comment makes my skin crawl. Especially when I just say Hello to someone entering my open house.

Tina: It's become such an automatic response...sad that the consumer feels jumped on even with a simple hello!

Thanks for the very helpful post. I think your verbiage is excellent and achieves just the right tone!

Susan: Thank you! I'm glad you think so. I'd like consumers to feel welcome at my site!

Kelly,

This is so true, it always seems to happen as soon as you walk in a store. As soon as your ready you can never find a salesperson. Great analogy and approach! :)

Kelly, this took me back to my time working at Nordstrom! This was back in the hey day of customer service when it was important to give it...don't get me started lol. They (the company) were horrified when a sales person (for the life of me I can't remember what we were called, it wasn't sales rep) said what you quoted in your post...and of course most people in retail do that don't they?

I really like your email message and I bet your consumers do as well!

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