An enquiry or lead is paramount to the success of all real estate agents. Agents spend considerable time and money investing in marketing their properties with the sole purpose of generating leads. So as soon as a lead makes contact it is vital that you – as the real estate agent – respond immediately to engage with that person and ascertain their needs. If you don’t react, then it is extremely likely that they will contact another agent and you will have lost their business.
Treat your leads like gold dust by following our four tips on how to gain trust from your enquiry so that they stick with you for the entirety of their property search.
1. Respond immediately
In an age where we have technology at our fingertips enabling us to communicate instantly, there really is no excuse not to respond to an enquiry immediately regardless as to how they got in contact with you. If you are busy in a meeting or with another enquiry, it will take you less than one minute to respond by phone or email with a holding response explaining that you cannot speak now but you will be able to in an hour, for example. This will assure your enquiry that you are aware of them and their needs, so that they will not consider going elsewhere.
2. Pick up the phone
Never send an email as the first response if a phone number has been provided. You would be surprised at how many of Dot Property’s clients ignore the chance to speak to a prospect and send an email to get lost in their inbox instead. As you type an email, your competitor has called the lead and so by the time they read your reply they would have already been taken care of! Build a rapport by picking up the phone. Call them up to introduce yourself and if they have not provided a phone number, request for one so that you can have a quick chat. Use this telephone call to find out more about the search criteria but to also to determine what is the best form of communication for them. Some people rarely check emails and only use Line, WhatsApp or Skype, so ask them what works best for them to ensure that you can get a quick response from them when you need to get in contact.
3. Listen
Understand exactly what your lead is looking for. The more information that you have, the more you will be armed with to match them to the right property. Ask questions but also listen to be able to pre-empt your next question. If your lead is looking for a home for their family, their criteria will be different than for a buy-to-let investment. Be comfortable to question any of their search criteria, for example explain to a buy-to-let investor that location is a more important than the view from the living room should they request a property with a good aspect. Using your knowledge and expertise to explain which properties and their features let quickly and why, to guide your lead to make an informed decision.
4. Keep in touch
Even if you have not found anywhere for them, keep in touch. Remind them that you are still working hard for them and you have not forgotten them. Update them with market conditions that could influence them to change their wish list if they expectations are unrealistic. And remember to keep building that relationship by asking how they or their family are – a good salesperson is not necessarily someone who does the hard sale, but someone who listens and has a connection with their enquiry.