In a recent survey by Forbes, it was found that over 71 percent of Internet leads were lost, marked dead or simply thrown out. So how could this happen when a company’s hard-earned money was allocated and budgeted for online lead generation? It’s simple. Lead management is still a significant problem for many real estate professionals.
While the reality of online lead generation is that many consumers may not be ready to commit right away, real estate professionals cannot take that as a sign to give up on the lead. Systems must be put in place to keep track of, nurture and convert those leads.
Below are three tips to create a successful lead generation and follow-up system:
Assess Your Lead Sources
Once a quarter, review where your leads are coming from and which source generated the bulk of your business.
Then create a system to track each of these leads by assigning them to a category. For example: move your leads into an A, B, C or hot, warm, cold category. There is no right or wrong way to handle this. Just ensure it is a system that allows you to easily identify each lead and where it is within the process.
This is where a contact management system will be very helpful. Adding these leads to a system that sends useful emails to the warm and cold leads is a great way to stay in touch without manually contacting each lead every week.
Review Contact Management System
Every email you send can be automated through a drip email campaign. They are available from a variety of companies and may be available to you through your brand.
An important note to always remember is that all email must be permission based as well as clear, concise and actionable.
Have a Solid Marketing Foundation
Here are four best practices to employ:
• Employ high frequency to stay top of mind.
• Include a high-impact message to build a relationship.
• Make it easy to contact and connect with you.
• Always include a call to action.
While I believe that technology is essential to keeping and staying in touch with leads, you can only automate so much. The rest will come down to the fundamentals of great customer service.
1. Get back to people quickly.
2. Listen and respond professionally.
3. Do your homework.
Think about how you are managing your leads now. Is there room for improvement? Determine what changes you can make and how to capitalize on those leads in a better and more efficient fashion going forward.
Amy Chorew is the Vice President of Platform Development at Better Homes & Gardens Real Estate.
To read this article on Better Homes and Gardens’ blog, “Clean Slate,” visit http://bhgrealestateblog.com/2013/03/15/creating-a-successful-lead-generation-and-follow-up-system/.
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