03 Oct Online Marketing for Real Estate Professionals
Personal Landing Page? Check! Contact info? Check! You’re online! Now you just sit back and watch the sales come in, right? Not so fast… While you can convert many of those leads into sales, you can’t rely on the Internet alone. There will be a point where you’ll need to take over from technology and turn on the charm.
Yes – the Internet makes it easier for potential buyers to find you. Email and cellphones make it possible to reach people just about anywhere in the world. This makes timely follow-up ever more critical. Return calls and email replies should be one of your highest priorities; if you take “too long” to get back to a potential buyer or if you send a generic reply that doesn’t address their questions or make a personal connection, they’ll keep surfing until they find someone else. The ease and anonymity of the Internet makes it possible for a potential buyer to contact many agents in the time that it takes to read this article.
Keep in mind that not every potential buyer has money for a down payment or can qualify for a mortgage. Talk to them – get to know the basics of their finances: how much they have for a down payment, what they’re hoping to pay per month, their credit situation, etc. While it would be nice to get a new lead into a home immediately, the first order of business may be to put them in touch with someone who can help them meet the approval requirements. It could be a year before that lead pays off, but if you’re accessible, if you stay in contact with them while they’re on the path toward home ownership, they’re likely to ask for your help when it’s time to find their dream home.
At the end of the day, technology can help you get more leads. But that’s where the rubber hits the road: it’ll be up to you to turn those leads into appointments, and then into sales. With some effort and TLC, you can make technology work for you!