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Call to follow up (or not) and what to say?

I know I 'll get a lot of help on this one, as, I am sure, it happens to every Home Stager....Someone contacts you for information. You take several minutes of your time to answer all their questions and explain how Home Staging works and how he/she will benefit from it. The prospect is excited and tells you he/she will be calling back for sure. Then....nothing.

What should you do? Do you call him/her back after a few days? If so, what do you say? Or you don't do anything and hope he/she will call back?

I know we don't get to sell to every person who phones. Recently, Debra Gould had a comment on that topic - and the reasons why...Actually, I would like to know what % of prospects DO you sell to? For me, I would say the average is over 50%, which I know (from being in sales for so long) is very good. What about you?

Still, I am wondering - what's appropriate in terms of a follow up with a prospect and what do you do?

Have a wonderful STAGING day!

Posted by Sveta Melchuk (www.home-staging-montreal.com) on 08/24/2007 02:06 PM

Comments (6)

home staging, house fluffing, home stagers montreal, montreal home staging, valorisation residentielle montreal, professional stager

Post is included in group: Stage It Forward...

6 Comments on Call to follow up (or not) and what to say?

AUG

2007

you have to remember once you put your number out there you our going to have to deal with those people who are starting the same type business you are and are just trying to get free info from you, it happens to us alot.

I say you ask how interested they really are, if the have a Realtor, how long has it been on the market just questions to find out how serious they are, and if you think they are truly legit, I would give them a follow up curtsy call to see if they decided what they were going to do?

Calls are free, they called you first so why not follow up,, you might end up getting the job.

Best wishes,

Sandra~ All In One Staging inc.

I say follow up as well. Use the "just checking to see if you have any additional questions".....line.

It just depends on the individual's situations. Sometimes people continue calling others, so if they talked to someone with better pricing, then they don't call you back. Or it's a polite getaway for them to end the conversation. But it really never hurts to follow up. The worse thing is that they didn't call you back. I have also gone months where I handed out a proposal and never got a call. Then out of the blue they called up and say "my house is ready and come stage!" And I am like "What? Oh, great!"

You just never know! What did Debra say about it?

Cheers,

Cindy

Sveta, if I know how to get in touch via snail mail with the caller, i.e. they are in the phone book, then I send a thank you card for contacting me and enclose a business card. Every realtor that calls gets a thank you card. I run into the same thing. I now know when they say they are excited and will call "next week" they never will. Go figure.

Sveta,

When I take a call, I also ask the caller questions about their home, if it's listed yet, how many square feet, etc., as well as answer their questions. I always get their email address and after the call, I email and thank them for contacting me, and perhaps add some information about how staging benefits sellers, and how I'd enjoy viewing the property with them. This almost always results in their contacting me when they're ready for a proposal or a consultation.

(By the way, I went to my first year of college in Montreal and I just LOVE your city! You are so lucky to live in such a beautiful place! I was only there for a year but really enjoyed it.....I lived in West Montreal on Sherbrooke St. I came back home and kept saying "eh?" and my family told me to cut that out! But I said "cut that OOT?")

AUG

2007

Hello, ladies

sorry for taking so long to respond - I did a 60 Km walk to raise money for breast cancer research center in Montreal this weekend and I am still sore! But it was a great experience.

I LOVE your answers and suggestions - I also spend a good 15-20 minutes on the phone with them asking detailed questions about the property to make sur they are <real>. I agree that one follow up call (a week or so later) is the way to go. Love Cheri's line - "just checking to see if you have any additional questions".

Cindy: Debra explains that it's normal for people not to call back for several reasons and we shouldn't take it personally - examples could be - sold the house without staging, decided to take it off the market, decided to do it themselves, the agent talked them out of it, found another cheaper stager or just didn't establish a connection on personal level (that happens but that is the one I would have the most difficulty to accept).

Terry - love your suggestion on Thank you cards. I always call to thank them and keep them informed but a Card is really a classy touch!

Maureen - I do the same - sending a prospect an email to thank them for contacting me and inviting them to call me back anytime. LOVE your story about Montreal, I actually live very close to Montreal West myself, so I could visualize exactly where you were. Great city, except for the climate, EH? I hear Portland is a nice place as well but I haven't has a chance to visit...

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