New to working with online leads – or just need a guide to help you navigate the process?
The good news is that there’s plenty that you already know! It turns out, online leads aren’t so different from your traditional clients – and in fact, they’re often the same people. The skills you’ve already built up for managing customers will serve you well.
But there are also a few things to note and expectations to establish so that you go in prepared and ready to win some business.
First: Be ready for the long-haul.
Online leads tend to get to you a little earlier in the process of buying or selling a home than a lead who walked into the office might have. 50% of online leads take at least 6 months to close a deal – maybe more.
That means that if you’re tossing out every lead who’s not ready to go in the short term, you’re could be giving away half of your potential business.
Here are our tips for sticking it out to reap the rewards:
- Introduce yourself early on. Because online leads get to you early in their home search process, you have the opportunity to be the first agent that makes a meaningful connection with them. You can learn more about quickly accepting and getting in touch with new leads here.
- Get your leads on New Listing Alerts. If you’re dealing with leads who say they’re still browsing, New Listing Alerts should be your best friend. They’ll help buyers stay aware of new homes that they might be interested in – and keep you right there in their inboxes.
- Stay informed! Look at each lead’s ZapScore activity – and be aware of any big changes. If your customer’s activity picks up, so should yours! Try recommending some more properties, making a phone call, or adding Property Insights for homes they’ve been checking out.
Second: Persistence is key.
- Find creative ways to reach out. No valid phone number – or no answer? No responses to your emails? If your customer is still logging in, you’ve still got a shot at making a connection with Agent Recommendations. They’ll appear right on your customer’s Account screen, so they’re pretty hard to miss!
- Switch up your forms of communication. It’s true that many agents prefer leads that come in with phone numbers. But some potential buyers just aren’t ready to talk on the phone yet – and that’s okay! New Listing Alerts, Follow-up Plans, and even individual emails are other ways to ease your customer into engaging in conversation with you.
- Be ready when it’s go time. Of course – respond quickly once an online lead does request information or service. They may take their time getting to the point where they’re ready to talk business – but once they get there, your responsiveness makes a means a lot, and it sets the tone for your future interactions.
Third: Be proactive.
- Have a game plan for window shoppers. Because you already know to anticipate a longer timeline, you can plan ahead. Have a Follow-up Plan in place for those “just browsing” leads, so that when you hear “I’m just browsing, for now,” there’s no hiccup in your conversation – you know just what to say next and how to let them know you’re ready when they are.
- Use the insights you have. On an active lead’s Contact Profile and Contact Summary, you’ve can access their saved homes and searches, recently viewed homes, stats on homes they’re looking at, and even a breakdown of the geographic areas they’re searching in. Use this information to inform your communication!
With your Zap website, your mobile app for consumers, and all the tools built into your platform, you’re well on your way to success with online leads.