As I was logging into AR, intending to write my post, I was sidetracked by Laurie Manny's post this morning on Lead Generation. Great article, which I happen to agree with 100%. We tend to get pulled in so many directions, without a plan we just end up spinning our wheels with no results. Laurie set the stage for what I wanted to discuss, which is lead conversion.

We tend to put our efforts into generating leads and not much real effort into converting that lead into business that actually puts money in our pockets. We are all guilty of letting leads fall through the cracks because we are either too busy or because we really think that the drip email campaign we set up will do all the work for us. My experience as both a licensed Realtor and as a Virtual Assistant (myREassistant.com) tells me this is not the case.

When I was out in the trenches selling and had a buyer in my car or was sitting at a prospective seller's kitchen table, I would always ask, "Why are you in my car and not some other agent's?" or "Why am I sitting here in your kitchen and not some other agent?" The answer was always the same, "Because you called me and no one else did."

I may have been lucky and made an appointment after 1 or 2 phone calls or it may have taken calling for 1 or 2 years. But, I never gave up. I always remembered what my first managing Broker ever told me when I asked, "When do you stop calling?" She said, "When they buy, they die or tell you to stop."

I keep hearing that in this slower market we need to get back to basics. Phone calling is basics!! and it works.

These days, my Virtual Assistant Team follows up on Internet leads for a number of our agent clients. I must admit, I wasn't sure how this would work at first. As I am in Virginia and my agent client is in Charlotte NC. But you know what? The buyers in North Carolina are the same as the buyers in Virginia. They have the same concerns, the same needs, and all they really want is for us to be attentive to those needs...no matter where we are located.

Let's face it, those first contacts with a prospect are about connecting and giving what my husband calls 'warm fuzzies' and it really doesn't matter if the call is coming from VA or any other place, as long as it comes.

The agent I started this experiment with is Active Rain's own Leigh Brown. Here is what Leigh has to say about our Internet lead follow-up program:

"The best investment I've made in my business-EVER-was in my virtual assistant team. They were great anyway, but we discovered an amazing opportunity when Ruth Ann and her Team started doing the initial contact and follow-up on the website leads. Since the incubation period is longer than ‘normal' leads, it's too time-consuming to do a good job when you're currently working with clients. They have allowed us to actually convert ‘B' and ‘C' leads throughout the year, in a seamless manner. In fact, our buyers are sad to learn that after talking with Ruth Ann and her Team for 8 months, they have to go find a house with me!  Our conversion ratio on web leads is naturally higher than ever, and we are able to cull the leads before spending money on relocation packages.

I'm sure that some of the credit is mine, but I'm only as successful as the people who work with me as a part of my team. But the numbers do speak well-8% of my 2006 business was website related, in 2007 it was 23%."

So, I encourage you to pick up that phone, call those leads and don't give up until 'they buy, die or tell you to stop.' Or give me a call and my Team will do it for you:

Ruth Ann Macklin, www.myREassistant.com, ruthann@myreassistant.com, 757-271-6047.