Following up with clients is one of the most important steps for ensuring long-term business success. Real estate is a profession about relationships and selling, and it may take 9-12 follow-ups before your lead is ready to take action. That's why Homesale Realty emphasizes sound follow-up skills.

One interesting challenge in real estate is the fact that leads may take weeks or even months before they are ready to jump into the market. While you can advise them along the way, you're unlikely to move them to action on your own: It's a decision they need to come to.

That said, you can be there every step of the way and elevate your chances of becoming their agent.

Let's look at a professional process for client follow-up:

• Respond Immediately to Queries, Including the First
  Believe it or not, most clients are not out there interviewing several real estate agents before they pick the right one for them. If you are the first to be interviewed, you are far more likely to be chosen. This means setting up your website so queries get texted to your smartphone, and you can respond fast.
  
  
• If You Don't Hear Back Immediately, Get Ready for Callbacks
  What happens when you respond to a query but don't hear back? Internet leads can go cold in as little as 5 minutes, and leads from other sources may have unpredictable availability. Call back the next day, and continue the pattern until you reach six-eight calls. At nine calls, you've hit diminishing returns.
  
  
• Optimize Your Response to Make the Right Impression
  You get your lead on the phone. Great! Now, you need to deliver value. That means answering their original question, first and foremost. Provide enough information to whet their appetite, so they'll sincerely want more. Then, invite an appointment. It may be a home or area tour or a meeting.
  
  
• Capture Lead Information to Diversify Your Follow-Up
  Real estate agents need to strike a balance between being easy to reach (ideally in just one click) and getting insights into their leads. Give website visitors plenty of opportunities to join your email list and sign up for texts, using high-value online content to entice them.
  
  
• Use More Than One Follow-Up Option, Especially Text
  Studies have shown that Millennials and Generation Z do not generally care for voice calls—and as they make a bigger impact on the market, you'll need to adapt. If you have alternate means of reaching them (and they've consented), try interspersing text messages along with your voice calls.
  
  
• Add Value Before You Close an Agreement
  As a real estate agent, you have a unique opportunity to preview the value you offer. Useful content like a neighborhood guide or local market report will show your leads you are a trusted expert. Share this kind of material to deepen relationships with leads rather than waiting for them to choose you before you act.
  
  
• Guide Leads Into Your Content Ecosystem
  Calls and texts can be thought of as "hard" follow-ups, while emails and social media are "soft" follow-up. They're less interruptive and help to showcase your skills in the best light. Be sure you're sending leads a curated list of homes by email each week, and use social media if a new listing arrives mid-week.

It can take some time to find the right cadence of follow-up for you. Don't give up, and use the lessons learned from your successes and setbacks. Want help from experienced mentors who've been there? Contact BHHS Homesale Realty today to find out more or get started with the winning team.