Special offer

Never count a lead out.

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Cornerstone Business Group Inc 0225086119

I know it can be frustrating trying to keep your pipeline full at times, but like most things, this business ebbs and flows. I met up with a couple tonight that I've always enjoyed working with. And speaking of working with them, we've been working together for about 4 years now. We've had multiple homes under contract, but one crazy circumstance after another has caused each one to fall apart.

Typically, my young couple disappear for a few months with no word, and then like magic they reappear and we're off again. Eventually, we'll find the right house, everything will work out and they will take up housekeeping in a new home, but for now I commit to not count them out. 

I would encourage you to keep track of those here again gone again potential clients. I sold a home for one of them last year that turned into a very profitable deal. That on and off relationship only bounced around for about 6 months, but it was never a certain thing. I committed to stay in regular contact with the seller until he told me to go away. He never did. I listed his home, had it repaired, cleaned it, maintained the lawns and sold it as the highest sale in that neighborhood in 2018. There were a number of times I thought it would never go anywhere, but it did. Never count a lead out.

Comments(32)

Dorte Engel
RE/MAX Leading Edge - Bowie, MD
ABC - Annapolis, Bowie, Crofton & rest of Maryland

Dear Mike,

My clients have fallen everywhere from 1 day to 11 years. Most are probably 6 months to a year. However, if you need to eat tomorrow, this business may not be for you. Gotta have some fat to last the distance.

Mar 28, 2019 09:05 PM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

You can never really burn a bridge like that because you just never know nowadays. Any given day, miracles can happen. :)

Mar 28, 2019 10:42 PM
Laura Cerrano
Feng Shui Manhattan Long Island - Locust Valley, NY
Certified Feng Shui Expert, Speaker & Researcher

It takes a lot of hard work or persistence to go to this distance and come out the other side.

Dörte Engel

Mar 28, 2019 10:43 PM
Kat Palmiotti
eXp Commercial, Referral Divison - Kalispell, MT
Helping your Montana dreams take root

I agree - we never know when someone might come back into the picture.

Mar 29, 2019 03:56 AM
Gordon Crawford
Gordon Crawford Home Selling Team - Morristown, NJ
Your Morris County Specialist!

Mike,  couldn't agree with you more.  I have one client that took 10 years to find that dream house.  We finally found it!

Mar 29, 2019 04:28 AM
faye schubert
Retired - Branson, MO
Living the Branson Lake Life

That one lead can sometimes lead to a lifetime of "leads" from that person!

Mar 29, 2019 05:24 AM
Dave Rosenmarkle
Highland Realty, Inc - Fairfax, VA
33 years of providing fully satisfying service!

Great post Mike! Having been down this path for 32 years, the majority of my business comes as a result of keeping my list of past clients and prospects current and communicating with them monthly.

Mar 29, 2019 05:30 AM
Shirley Coomer
Keller Williams Realty Sonoran Living - Phoenix, AZ
Realtor, Keller Williams Realty, Phoenix Az

A great post to remind us to stay in contact with folk and out of judgment.  Sometimes things are going on in their life they don't care to share, but will eventually change.  Once their personal situation changes, they reach out to us and appreciate our continued communication!

Mar 29, 2019 06:26 AM
Bruce Hicks
Best Homes Hawaii - Honolulu, HI
Your Best Hawaii Realtor!

Sometimes it can be not so happy Mike Cooper, GRI .  Over 10 years I had a person who always bought and sold through me.  Every week or two being in contact for one reason or another. We had announced and went on a 11 day trip, without advanced notice, they listed and sold their home through one agent and purchased a home through another agent.  When I called, they said "you were on vacation, so we couldn't wait".

Mar 29, 2019 08:15 AM
Mike Cooper, Broker VA,WV

That's sad, Bruce. 

Mar 29, 2019 08:27 AM
Marte Cliff

Some people are just not nice. A sad fact.

Mar 29, 2019 10:12 AM
Anne Corbin
Long and Foster - Lake Anna - Spotsylvania, VA
Serving Lake Anna & Central Virginia

Thanks for sharing! I struggle with resilience and sometimes take things personally. If I don't hear back from a client or potential client, I can have unwanted thoughts. I, too, try to reach out to maintain that relationship. I appreciate you sharing your experience so I know that I'm not alone in these situations. 

Mar 29, 2019 08:43 AM
John Wiley
Fort Myers, FL
Lee County, FL, ECO Broker, GRI, SRES,GREEN,PSA

Here today and gone tomorrow. Gone today and here tomorrow.

We can not always know if the consumer is going or coming, so keep in touch.

Mar 29, 2019 09:19 AM
Jerry Newman
Brown Realty, 210-789-4216, - San Antonio, TX
Texas REALTOR, San Antonio Military Relocation

Mike, I agree with you 100 percent. I have had some similar experiences for clients who re-appear after going MIA for awhile. 

Mar 29, 2019 09:28 AM
Marte Cliff
Marte Cliff Copywriting - Priest River, ID
Your real estate writer

The only client I ever counted out was an arrogant attorney. He had some expensive property to sell, but after closing one of them I went straight back to the office and purged his name from my contacts list. I never wanted to see him or hear his voice again.

You did remind me of a couple I liked very much. It all started with him wanting to find a house before he got married. As the years went on we looked at homes first with him and his wife, then with their first child along, then with both kids in tow. They would show up about once each year and we'd spend a few days searching. Then they'd go home to their rental.

The last time I ran into them the kids were in school and they were still in that rental.

The up side was that I always enjoyed their company.

 

Mar 29, 2019 10:16 AM
David Smith
Brokers Guild Classic - Lakewood, CO
Residential and Commercial Broker

Congrats on the persistent success, I love it when a plan comes together!

Mar 29, 2019 10:53 AM
John Juarez
The Medford Real Estate Team - Fremont, CA
ePRO, SRES, GRI, PMN

Long-term follow-up takes a plan and a schedule. Staying in touch and offering to be there when they need you is the approach that works. 

Mar 29, 2019 03:31 PM
Diana Dahlberg
1 Month Realty - Pleasant Prairie, WI
Real Estate in Kenosha, WI since 1994 262-308-3563

Never throw a Lead away! Great advise.

Two weeks ago I had a buyer walk into the office sayibg "I would like to buy a house."  After a few minutes he also said "you have been sending me leads for a few years now."  After a quick search I realized this buyer has been getting MLS Updates from me since 2003!!!  PROOF that we should never give up!

Thanks @Mike Cooper 

Mar 29, 2019 05:29 PM
Debra Leisek
Bay Realty,Inc Homer Alaska - Homer, AK

I so agree... just work with people and help them find what they are looking for at their own speed

I knew an agent who would send buyers a letter after 6 months if they hadnt made an offer to tell them it just wasn't working and they should find someone else to work with. I actually saw the letter several times from these discarded buyers. I was always very happy to work with them for whatever time it took. We are a slow market... I never understood this guy.

Mar 29, 2019 11:54 PM
Richie Alan Naggar
people first...then business Ran Right Realty - Riverside, CA
agent & author

A door that never opens prevents coming and going....richfusicous

Mar 30, 2019 08:36 AM
M.C. Dwyer
Melody Russell Team at eXp Realty of California, Inc. - Felton, CA
MC Dwyer-Santa Cruz Mountains Property Specialist

Feast or famine is common in this business it seems, even when we are pumping and priming our pipeline all year round.      I enjoyed reading how you stayed in touch with the seller and eventually got him the best price in that neighborhood ever.    

Mar 30, 2019 02:20 PM
Paula Hathaway, REALTOR, LBA
Douglas Elliman Real Estate - Southampton, NY
...A Local Expert in all The Hamptons

Hi Mike: I am working right now with a couple who has been looking with me for 2 years---they have a daughter who, I suspect has too much to say about what they are going to buy. She is a millennial and I am certain she has the say-so about anything they look at...Now, I know that she still lives at home (she is 22) and that she has no plans to buy anything on her own but I find it strange that this couple have givien up any decision making and I do think that is why nothing has come to fruition---the daughter has the final say. In spite of all this I will not take them lightly---they will buy one day and they only look through me so I feel pretty comfortable spending lots of time with them. Thanks for the excellant post---I'm glad I read it and am going to see to it that I don't lose faith in them!

Apr 01, 2019 12:14 PM