Online leads are easy to get–that’s the least of any agent’s problems. Some of you may not believe me yet because you haven’t looked into the lead generation strategies I share for Craigslist, Facebook Marketplace, Facebook Ads, and so on. But it’s the truth. Getting contact information for someone online is easy.
There are multiple ways to get an email address, a phone number, and a name to contact by using online strategies. So, be sure to check out one of the many videos on my channel about how to generate leads the easy way.
The hard part of online lead generation is actually converting all the leads you generate. Once you have someone’s name, email and phone number, the heavy lifting begins. That’s what we are going to cover today–the right way to actually convert online real estate leads.
The Process of Converting Online Leads
Let’s set the scene. Say you ran a Facebook ad, something like a “Just Listed” ad where you highlighted a recently listed property. As an incentive, or lead magnet, you offered to send more home information to the people who responded to the ad.
Then, an interested viewer decided to enter their name, email, and phone number in exchange for the additional home information you promised. This is where the transaction “technically” ends. You offered something of value and an interested party took you up on the offer. End of lead generation strategy, right? No Way!
Now, you actually have to work to convert these online real estate leads. You do this by reaching out to the users that became leads by willingly giving you their contact information.
If you’re like most agents, you probably have a CRM. Most CRMs can send an automated text and email when your online lead enters their contact information. This means you can automate two touch points instantly via an email and a text.
Let’s look at those two touch points before we get to the third, most crucial touch point that converts more than any other method.
The Email
The first email you send out should be very simple and to the point. You want to deliver what you promised in your ad, which in this case is additional information on a home that was just listed. Here’s the structure you should use in that first email:
- A thank you for engaging. Let them know you appreciate them taking action.
- A reference to how you got their information (i.e. from Facebook). This is super important because most leads will NOT remember you.
- A delivery of the goods.The information they signed up for.
- An incentive to reach out to you. Offer a free appraisal, your home savings program, your unique proposition that Zillow and your other competition can’t offer.
Let’s take a look at an example of what the ideal email looks like in real life:
Subject: Thank You
[Name],
I hope you are having a great day! First, I want to thank you for your inquiry from [Lead Source like Zillow/Trulia/Facebook].
Here’s everything you’ll want to know about the incredible home we just listed – LINK TO PROPERTY
Let me know when’s a good time to talk. I’d like to share how we’re saving all our buyers at least $5,000 on their home purchase.
Cheers,
——–
Again, note that this email goes out as soon as the lead’s contact information enters your system. You can’t waste any time getting engagement to convert online real estate leads!
The Text
Simultaneously with your email, your CRM should also be sending a text to your lead. Remember, most CRMs now have this capability; if they don’t you can use Twilio, Drip, Textedly, or others. You absolutely want and need this text to go out because you want this text to drive them to a call with you.
For example, the text might read:
“Hi [Name], hope you’re having a great day! Thanks for your interest in [address]. Would you prefer to talk now or would later be better?”
A minute or two later, you’ll want to send a follow-up text that identifies you. This will help the texts seem more organic, even though they’re actually automated. The second text should read something like:
“By the way, this is [Name] from [Brokerage].”
Once that text is sent, should you wait for them to reply? Absolutely not! If you wait for them to reply, you’ll be waiting a long time. In fact, you’ll be waiting so long that you’ll have to apply at McDonald’s because you went out of business (no offense to you McDonald’s people).
People hate calling their friends, family and for sure sales people, so you can’t wait! You have to initiate the call–there is no way around this. We generate THOUSANDS of leads monthly, and I can tell you that the difference between the agents that succeed in converting online leads vs. those that don’t is whether or not they call leads.
Now you may be thinking, “Well, Jaime, why do I even bother texting at this point?” That’s a good question from a cynical and highly observant agent! Your text gives your lead a heads up so it’s not such a cold outreach.
You also allow them to be in “perceived control” because you asked them “is now or later better” for them. That, and you immediately find out who gave you a wrong phone number because you’ll get an undeliverable message so you’re not wasting time trying to convert online real estate leads that don’t exist.
The Call
If I didn’t make this painfully obvious, the most crucial touch point that converts above any other is calling. Call immediately. If you’re doing this right, you should almost beat the email and texts arriving in your leads’ inboxes.
Don’t wait! I get this all of the time, “Jaime, what if they haven’t gotten my email?” If you beat your email to the lead, that’s great! Now you can just jump into a conversation, which is where you can truly help your lead. That conversation may look something like this:
“Hey, is this [lead first name]?”
[Wait for confirmation or denial; 99% of the time, you will respond the same way.]
“Great, it’s [name] with [brokerage]. How are you?”
Wait for their response and listen genuinely. Unless they’re super angry right off the bat, you should move on to the next point. Most people will listen for a few seconds out of courtesy–if they blow up at you though, no need to push them.
Here, you do want to acknowledge their response and give them a genuine comment in return. But, as soon as possible, we want to get back on the road of where we want to take them.
“Awesome, I’m having a blessed day as well. [lead first name], I’ll be super respectful of your time. I noticed you requested additional information on a property I just listed on Facebook. I just sent an email with the details on the property. Did you get it?”
Again, wait for a response. If they ask who you are and how you got their number, just reiterate that they sent a Facebook request by clicking on the ad. Then ask again if they got your email. Here are some common objections and replies you may hear next and ways you can answer them.
- “I haven’t checked my email.”
- “That’s totally fine! Just as a heads up, the property is in [city]. Is [city] the only area you’re looking in?”
- “I did get it, but the house isn’t the right fit.”
- “No problem–I get it! Well let me ask you this, is [city] the only area you’re looking in?”
- “I was actually just looking.”
- “Great! In case you’re pulling that up right now, just a heads up, the property is in [city], is [city] the only area you’re looking in?”
Many of these leads will reply vaguely and give you just enough information so you leave them alone. But, at the end of the day, what you’re trying to nail down is their intent. Are they:
- Intending to sell?
- Then when are they leaving?
- Intending to buy?
- Then for how much and when?
Those are the two key elements you are trying to discover with the first outreach. Once you know if they’re a buyer or a seller, THEN you can dig deeper.
You’ll notice that the question I ask early on (“Is [city] the only area you’re looking in?”) pulls their intent right out of them because they can’t just give you a yes or no answer. They have to elaborate.
Pro Tips for Maximizing Conversions
Now, the email, text, and call sequence is just the starting point when it comes to conversion. To avoid making this an hour-long lecture, let’s look at a few pro tips we have found to work in our business, working with hundreds of agents and thousands of leads:
- If the lead doesn’t pick up on the first call, immediately dial again, but don’t leave a voicemail either time.
- If you’ve gotten no response after the email, text, and two calls, wait a few hours and call them again–this time, you should leave a voicemail.
- Seek out your lead on social media and send them a personal message. Many CRMs actually find the lead for you (check out my kvCORE video on this).
- The next day, repeat the email, text, and call sequence until you get a response.
- The third day, send another email with some useful information.
As you can see, this process could continue for some time. While we could go on and on about the right process, it’d be easier if I just shared the email/text drips I use with you so you can copy and paste them into your CRM.
Converting your Online Leads Successfully
It can take some time to convert an online lead, but you can do it successfully and easily with the techniques we just covered. Just remember that the most important thing is to get your leads on the phone and get at their intent.
Now, don’t forget, a lead isn’t just another number–it’s a real person. Real people have real needs, which is why they reach out in the first place. You want to discover their need and do everything in your power to help them meet that need through real estate. And that’s how you convert online real estate leads.