...Because it really makes my blood boil when I read things like this and this - about how agents get sucked into these great-sounding lead products and end up flushing their money over and over again and can't get out.
If you read some of those comments in the links, you'll find that even their ex-employees are jumping ship and siding with the consumer/agent.
I say, good for them.
Because if you're paying for something like a lead generation program, you'd better have something to show for it.
A Really Good Lead Generation Program will do 3 Things:
- They will set up their system so that you can get back your initial investment (and then some). Any good referral company wants you to try their product and LOVE it, because you are how they get their business. If you can't realistically make back your initial investment plus profit through commissions you earn in the first year, drop the program.
- They'll be there for you. If you read the reports by agents in the links above, you'll see that they were sweet-talked into signing up for a service, then treated like the scum of the earth when they tried to cancel. What ever happened to customer service? If you have an issue, whether it's with a referral, with your billing, with your contact information - whatever, you should be able to reach a knowledgeable, friendly, supportive person on the other line and get your problems resolved. Simple as that.
- They'll give you your money back. It's your money, and if you didn't get any value out of their service, why shouldn't you get it back? Lead generation programs that take your money, then refuse to give you a refund if you're not satisfied are only looking out for themselves. Worse yet, they "lock you in" to a long-term contract, knowing very well that you'll soon see them for what they really are and ask for your money back. That's when they can gleefully point to the fine print you signed where you basically agreed to burn your hard-earned cash for nothing.
If you've already signed up for a service that doesn't do these three things...be prepared to live on water and crackers for awhile because that may very well be all you can afford. You'll begin to think that the real estate industry did this to you - that it's not worth the trouble and time to follow up with all those fruitless leads.
But there are genuinely interested prospects out there. If you know how and where to find them. You do this through your own traditional prospecting, but you also work together with a company that knows how to reach out to local buyers and sellers and get them to act.
Real Estate Client Referrals actively calls the individuals who request CMAs, or free lists of MLS homes, and we verify their interest in either buying or selling. We don't use a computer filtration system - so you don't get bogus 555-1212 numbers and have to pay for it.
Get in touch with real clients who genuinely want to work with an agent. We only work with one agent per area - so the sooner you join up, the sooner you'll see results. There's no additional charge for extra areas either, so take all you want (or actually - take all you feel you can reasonably handle!)
So, are all lead generation companies scams? No, of course not. But it pays to look through all the advertising hype and glitzy TV ads and see them for what they really are.
Comments(5)