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When is it time to say stop followup

By Michael Roberts

Real Estate Agent with Real Estate Professionals of Glynn

August 31, 2006 09:14 AM

Recently I have had this discussion with several other brokers and a few agents and it seems there is a considerable gap in opinions. I am somewhat old school in my tracking and followup practices. I believe that one should maintain contact "until the client/customer either buys or dies" and even then intermittent contact should be maintained in hopes on a continued business relationship. However, on the other extrme others feel that one can dilute ones time if all one does is followup so time limits are set. Experience in internet marketing has taught me that net clients typically begin their search several months out and don't typically follow through for 60 to 90 days. But the key is consistent constaint contact. Providing the answers to all questions asked and even a few that the potential client/customer may not have asked. Likewise, person to person contact with a walk in requires similar handling but when do you stop? My best advise to my agents has been to not be overly pushy, but always make a contact worthwhile (provide some kind of new information) and personal (bring up some comment or inquiry about something they may have mentioned previously. Tell them something that is superficially personal about your activities or family) but always going back to your objective (RealEstate) but without being too obvious. Anyone have any suggestion or advise in howyou time your followup term wise?

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Teri Isner

Keller Williams Realty at the Lakes - Orlando, FL

GRI, CRS, CIPS

We have 3 categories of drip systems cold warm hot...cold get dripped for as long as they allow us, warm are coming in 6 months, hot in 30 days or less. If the information you send out is relevant and interesting keep sending it. We have had people in the system that turned up 3 years after the initial contact...

Aug 31, 2006 09:20 AM

Jason Sardi

Auto & Home & Life Insurance throughout North Carolina - Charlotte, NC

Your Agent for Life

I'm infamous for closing loans for clients whom I had first contact up to 3 to 4 years prior. I try to keep my follow up consistent and varied with mailers/phone calls/& emails if applicable. Some clients are on a montly basis, some quarterly, the 2/28 adjustable rate clients I usually follow up with 3 months after closing, then nine months later and always a year into. At this point, my call on them is by no means a sales call, but a follow up to make sure they are making mortgage payments on time so they can qualify in another year with a more conforming fixed rate. Consistency is key and I usually try to jot down a list of things to do and people to follow up with the night before my work day begins.

Aug 31, 2006 09:36 AM

Eddy Martinez

Nationwide Funding Group - Highland Park, CA

As a loan officer i keep in contact with all of my past clients despite the type of loan they closed on at least once every three months. I have a database of all of my closed deals and sift through them accordingly.

Aug 31, 2006 10:19 AM

Sue Melhorn

The Bean Group - Dover, NH

Licensed in NH, ME and FL!

My email drip campaigns go out about every three weeks but it depends if the client is a short or long term buyer or seller. Every third contact is done by phone vs. email but my system alerts me of when a call is owed and give s script. My circle of influence gets a mailer from me quarterly although I am debating on using Brian Buffini's monthly system. Good luck with what you decide.

Aug 31, 2006 10:46 AM

Michael Roberts

Real Estate Professionals of Glynn - Saint Simons Island, GA

I'd like to thank everyone for their comments. I gather from the variety of responses that whether you call it a drip, a track, set it up as hot, warm, cold, weekly, monthly, daily or quarterly the key operations are to be "Consistent, relevant, interesting and informative". I would add one more operation personalization! The entire point of these operations whether they be accomplished by email, net newsletters, phone calls, snail mail or some combination thereof, would be face time leading to name recognition.

I believe my message to my group will be just that which you all have essentially described Consistency, Relevancy, Interesting Topics, Informative and Personal" to all your clients/customers regardless of what the client/customer's stated time frames are. Individualized schedules of contact based on individual interpretation is fine but the key is to interact in a manner which contains the afore noted operations. Thank You all !

Aug 31, 2006 12:52 PM

Adam Dalton

Century 21 M&M and Associates - Turlock Real Estate - Turlock, CA

Realtor - Turlock Homes

I usually follow up after the first conversation with a personal letter or email within a week. After that I will make a phone call about a week after that to answer any questions. Then I alternate about every two weeks between phone and email. My goal is to get them in my office within 2 weeks of the first contact.

Aug 31, 2006 06:57 PM

When is it time to say stop followup

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