What should be the lag time to follow up to an email lead on your listing? Is it 1 hour, 2 hours, next day, or 3 weeks?!
3 weeks! As a test I filled out a contact form for a new condo development in NYC (a National recognized condo developer) and in the message box I wrote this, “I am ready to buy. Please contact me.” I received a phone call from the admin at the sales center 3 weeks later. The time between me filling out the form and getting a phone call was so long…I forgot I even filled out the form. Bad business if you ask me.
Internet leads are so precious these days; a plan must be prepared so we know how to manage them. I recommend responding to email leads as soon as possible. If wait too long, the potential buyer loses interest or may have found something else. Responding quickly sets you apart from the crowd; you are a professional in your field and you are ready to conduct business. Of course, you will have those leads where the email address doesn’t work or someone that never gets back to you after you have responded so promptly to them.
These are some thoughts I gathered, which should help you put together a plan on how to manage email leads; for brokers, agents, and on-site sales & marketing teams:
1. Invest in powerful CRM (customer relationship management) software. One of the better CRM tools that comes to mind is Sales Force (www.salesforce.com). From within the online software (it will take some time to learn, but it will be so important down the road) you can do the following:
-Store and manage all your Internet and phone leads
-Links to your PDA device and or Blackberry
-Allows management of multiple email address for your different domains
-Customizable fields particular to your business or development
-Build reports (i.e. lead to close ratio)
-Manage your business from any Internet connection
-Customizable email campaigns:
Allows you to stay in front of those tire kickers (soon they will buy)
Allows you market your new inventory, price reductions, specials, or inform the buying public on positive market news in your area…on a weekly or monthly basis
Allows branding of yourself in your local market as an expert and professional.
-Plus much much more...
2. Also prepare 5 to 10 standard brief email responses in a word document:
-Allows for quicker follow up
-Filters out tire kickers much quicker
-Allows for quick cut and paste from your PDA or Blackberry to respond to email leads.
-Sample:
"Hi HOME BUYERS NAME,
Thank your for contacting YOUR COMPANY NAME about DEVELOPMENT NAME OR LISTING. I would like to connect with you as soon as possible to help answer any questions you may have. When is a good time to discuss and what is the best number to reach you at? We are here to help.
Thanks, Your Name and Contact Information"
Any other suggestions out there? Obviously follow up time is important…but more important is getting the home buyer into the property or into the sales center, that’s where the true magic happens.
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