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Selling - Internet Real Estate Leads “ Its not the quality of the lead – it’s the quality of salesmanship”
This article is meant for professional salespeople with the desire to make more money and to succeed in today’s Internet real estate industry. If you are an order taker and looking for easy leads and customers climbing over each other to sign purchase agreements, Internet leads (all leads) are not for you. Internet leads are real people (customers) with real needs, wants and desires. Customers have taken the time and given us trust by filling out the lead form and submitting their personal information. Customers want and need help with their search and purchase. Agents that can sell the idea of meeting are the agents that will get the sale. This report is short and to the point, with little fluff. Selling is not rocket science and you do not need to read 100's of books or listen to scores of tapes. What you do need to do is follow some basic principles and start looking in the mirror. If you currently have a system that converts a good percentage of leads into appointments then by all means use it. Keep in mind that you have to work hard and smart - all the time. You are in competition with other agents and you must sell your value and what you can do for the customer. This report has three goals; first, to help you understand what leads are. Second, to help you develop techniques that are simple and easy to use. Finally, help convert more leads into appointments that become sales. 2. Today’s Real Estate Industry The fundamentals of real estate marketing, lead generation and lead management have changed significantly. The Internet and its use by consumers has reshaped the real estate industry as it has in other industries such as airlines, booksellers and financial. Gone are the days when you could run a newspaper ad, have an open house, mail to a farm area or count on your sphere group and receive multiple leads. Sure, sometimes you can find a new customer but the ROI is not there. The sales cycle is longer - to cultivate a sale from a lead takes longer, that is today’s reality. Today’s smart agents are building database systems to manage all their leads on a continuous and long-term basis. They understand that their leads may not buy tomorrow but they will buy, and when they do buy their leads know whom to call. Companies and real estate agents call the process of marketing to their databases “Incubating”. I prefer to call the process, “not sold – yet”. The important distinction is the lead will be lost and gone from your database as soon as a professional salesperson sells them.
3. What is a Lead? “Leads are real people similar to people coming to your open house or calling you on the phone, treat them as such, ” Eliminate the use of the word, ”lead” and substitute it with “customer contact”. New customer contacts are the live blood of your business. New customer contacts are the well that feeds the pipeline to sales. Without customer contacts you will have no sales. A customer contact gives you an opportunity to put on a show and to sell your services. Internet leads are real people (customers) with real needs, wants and desires. Customers have taken the time and given us trust by filling out the lead form and submitting their personal information. Customers want and need help with their search and purchase. Agents that can sell the idea of meeting are the agents that will get the sale. 4. How to Acquire Internet Leads Opportunities to acquire Internet leads are plentiful. The challenge is to find sources for leads that have the best probability of converting to an appointment and are affordable. Sources for Internet leads are as follows:
a.) Your own web site
b.) Your company's web site c.) Advertise on websites such as Realtor.com, Newspaper web sites, etc. d.) Keyword advertising with search engines such as Google, Yahoo, etc. e.) Outsource lead generation to a company similar to www.CondoBuzz.com f.) Arguably, the most important source for new and continuous supply of leads
is the Internet. The most important reason is that 85% of buyers begin their search on the Internet.
Realtors that capture, properly service, follow-up and market for Internet leads will
build loyalty and acquire more sales.
5. Internet Real Estate News Below are recent news articles about Internet customers.
a.) National Association of Realtors states, “85% of buyers and sellers search the
Internet”.
b.) Nielsen/Net Ratings states, “shopping for homes is one of the Internets most popular activities. Nearly 10% of online surfers (12 million people) looked for real estate in March of 2003”. c.) California Association of Realtors found that 78% of Internet users found their realtor online! d.) Realtor Magazine, August issue; ‘Internet Gold is Real” They way Realtors do business has changed. Realtors must do business on the Internet that is what customers want. Obviously Internet leads are a vital source for your future income. 6. What is a Good Internet Lead? A good lead is one where you have an opportunity to contact someone to sell your self and your services. 7. What is a Bad Internet Lead? A bad lead is bad only when you have insufficient or false contact information. All Internet leads are good. They give you the opportunity to put on a show and sell why they should meet / work with you. Don’t assume a customer contact is bad if they do not call you back. Call them again in a week, month, etc. Put them on your mailing list and continue to market over the long term. You are in competition with other agents – out-perform them. 8. What to Expect with Internet Leads Keep in mind every lead has an interest in purchasing or selling real estate, condos or town homes. Some leads will be honest and say right from the beginning what kind of service they want. Some will be evasive and you will need to use your sales skills to sell them and have them open up to you. We have seen cases where prospects say they want to buy in a year but end up buying within days. Some will say they are working with another agent, but may still buy from you. Some will say they are just looking, da - all buyers start out looking sell them on the idea of you helping them look! Do not qualify to eliminate prospects - qualify to meet with and sell prospects 9. How to Handle an Internet Lead First, remember your goal is to create a sale. To create a sale you must follow a process, with no short cuts. See the below proposed sales process; if you have another sales process that works, by all means use it. Below you will find a recommended sales process;
a.) Generate Internet lead (provided by www.CondoBuzz.com)
b.) Build rapport and gain their trust (you must call /talk and sell the idea of working with you). You must chase them (other agents are) call them up to 5 times, be persistent. c.) Set up meeting and/or showings (get prospect excited about meeting with you and seeing properties) d.) Ask questions, listen and close (overcome objections, create urgency and close for the appointment). 10. First contact Strategies Goal – Get an Appointment with everyone – no matter what they say! Here is an interesting fact – Virtually every lead or customer contact will buy or sell within 12 months! (Or knows someone who will).
a.) Contact lead ASAP. First by phone, leave message if you cannot
reach them. After you call follow-up with personalized email. Continue to call
every day for 3 days until you reach them. Then once a week for 4 weeks, then
2 times a month for 3 months.
b.) Assume the web site did not answer all of their questions and tell them you can find the information for them and take care of them. c.) Build rapport and excitement. Your main goal is to get an appointment to provide a free no-obligation consultation or look at available MLS and non- MLS listings etc. d.) Try to answer their questions and ask more. Always close for the appointment. e.) Ask if they need to sell their house. Tell them you will go to their house to prepare a market evaluation and also bring specific information on condo or single home properties that meet their criteria. f.) Tell them it is never too early to start the process. Tell them an appointment is free with no obligation. 11. Sample 1st contact Phone/Email Messages: The consumer has made the first move to request more information. They have filled out a form, gave personal information and are waiting for your response. It is up to you to sell yourself and give the customer a good reason why they should communicate with you.
a.) Hello, Mr. Smith. Thanks for your request from StPaulCondoGuide.com. I am happy to help
you: I am an expert in the area and this week I have preview properties that meet your criteria
perfectly. Please call me so we can discuss and possibly set up a free no-obligation showing.
b.) Hello, Mr Smith. Thanks for your request for a list of available properties from StPaulCondoGuide.com and I am happy to help you. I am an expert in the area and have seen and have information on most properties. Please call me so we can set up a free no-obligation appointment at my office to go over the available properties. c.) Hello, Mr Smith. This is Jane calling in regards to StPaulCondoGuide.com and your request for a list of available condos in the St Paul area. I am happy to help you and an expert in the St Paul area and I have seen and have information about most condo projects and properties available. To help narrow the search please call me so I can ask a few questions to make sure I find the right properties for you. 12. Handling Objections - CLOSE FOR THE APPOINTMENT To become a successful real estate salesperson you must be able to overcome all objections. Below you will find some common objections with recommended responses. Use your best judgment how to handle objections. The important point is “overcome objections – set appointments and watch sales grow”. Always close for the appointment know matter what they say.
a.) Customer Objection: “Can you Email me the list of available condos?”
Agent Response: I am happy to help you. I have complete brochures on projects and we can view complete MLS information on available properties. By going thru the process together I can better assist you and find properties that best meet your requirements. Also, I can help with information about neighborhoods, dining and entertainment, schools, the buying process etc. I recommend meeting at my office. The meeting will be short, free and you are under no-obligation. Are you available Thursday evening or Saturday Morning? b.) Customer Objection: “ We are not going to buy for about a year”. Agent Response: Perfect! Now is a great time to see what is available and to know your options – I am happy to help you. I am an expert in the area and at my office I have complete brochures on projects and we can view complete MLS information on available properties. By going thru the process together I can better assist you and find properties that best meet your requirements. Are you available Thursday evening or Saturday Morning? c.) Customer Objection: “ We are just looking”. Agent Response: Perfect! Now is a great time to see what is available and to know your options – I am happy to help you. At my office I have complete brochures on projects and we can view complete MLS information on available properties. By going thru the process together I can better assist you and find properties that best meet your requirements. Are you available Thursday evening or Saturday Morning? d.) Customer Objection: “We already have an agent emailing properties to us”. Agent Response: Do you have a contract with them and have you physically been out looking at properties? Customer: “No”. Agent: I am an expert in the area and I recommend a meeting at my office where I have complete brochures on projects and we can view complete MLS information on available properties. By going thru the process together we can better sift thru properties and find properties that best meet your requirements. The meeting is free and you are under no obligation. Are you available Thursday evening or Saturday Morning? e.) Customer Objection: “ We don’t have time to meet, can you just email us a list? Agent Response: I understand that you are busy and I can save you a lot of time and make it very easy to meet. One of my offices is 5 minutes from your home/work. I can meet you at your convenience and it will take less time than you think. Would you like to meet before or after work? 13. Working Out of Town Internet Leads The main goal with out of town leads is the same as any other lead – set an appointment. However, the process is a little different, you have to develop a process that is simple and that the customer can easily participate in. Basically, you want to send information about properties that meet their requirements and schedule a time for the customer to travel and see the properties they want to look at. Proposed Script: Agent: Hello, Mr. Smith. Thanks for your request for a list of available
properties from StPaulCondoGuide.com – I’ll be happy to help you. I am an
expert in the area and have seen and have information on most properties. Are
you thinking of a second home or are you looking for a year round residence?
Customer: We are looking for a second home to use about 3 months of the year. Agent: Based upon the information you submitted I have many properties that currently meet your requirements. I recommend a process where I send you information about properties, you decide which properties you like, I then provide information about the area and you decide what properties you like to see and schedule a time to travel so we can look at the properties together. After you selected properties you want to look at do you want to travel during the week or on weekend? Customer: Weekend would be better. Agent: That will be fine. I’ll send you some information and we’ll get the process started. 14. Manage the Internet Lead: Goal – Get an Appointment with everyone – no matter what they say! Below is a recommended lead management program. If you have another system that works, use it.
a.) Have lead go into contact management program such as Top Producer.
b.) Phone Program - Contact customer contact ASAP. First by phone, leave message if you cannot reach them. After you call, follow-up with personalized email. Continue to call everyday for 3 days until you reach them. Then once a week for 4 weeks, then 2 times a month for 3 months. Then once every 3 months. Only stop if they tell you to. c.) Email Program – Develop an email program to use on a continual basis for buyers and sellers. Try to keep it simple. Have a newsletter that you can send once a week. Newsletter should always sell the idea of free no obligation appointments, free market analysis, announce new listings, industry news, free mortgage qualifying, we love referrals program, etc. d.) Mail Program – Mail your newsletter 3 times a year. Mail theme postcards once a month. 15. Summary Treat every lead as a customer looking for help. Be persistent, helpful and close for an appointment. Do not qualify to eliminate customers – sell customers on meeting with you. Monitor and experiment with different techniques and scripts. “ Its not the quality of the lead –it’s the quality of the salesmanship”. Send comments, suggestions and successes to: info@CondoBuzz.com Randy Kempenich President Kemteck Inc www.CondoBuzz.com Copyright 2005 Kemteck Inc |
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