So … now what?
Building such a list is an impressive feat. But, more importantly, it’s the key to growing your business. And you certainly don’t want to waste the contact information of all those potential clients.
Now you have to decide how to keep in touch with prospects, how often you reach out to them and what exactly your message(s) will be.
There are plenty ideas, and none of them are right or wrong. Which path (or paths) you choose is completely up to you, but here are some ideas to take advantage of your prospect list and keep your name top of mind.
Identify Priority Prospects
All prospects are important, but not all of them are created equal.
The friend of a past client who reached out to you is more likely to utilize your services than the person who just followed you on social media.
Don’t forget about your other prospects but give priority to — and keep in regular touch with — the ones you know are actively looking to buy or sell a home.
Call and/or Email
Two simple answers, of course.
But what are you going to say when a prospect answers or the call goes to voicemail? How often are you going to call them?
Likewise for email: What’s the initial message? How often will you email them? How many times will you email?
If you plan on calling/emailing until you get a response, that’s probably the wrong way to go.
While calling and emailing are effective strategies for real estate agents to reach out and keep in contact with prospects, it might be best to develop one strategy utilizing both communication tools.
After all, times are changing. It’s not just you. People don’t talk on the phone as often as they used to. Or, maybe the phone call is making a comeback.
Regardless of the differing opinions, not all of your prospects are the same. So be sure to test different methods to discover which strategy brings in the best results.
Perhaps try calling first, then sending an email along the lines of “Sorry I missed you earlier. I wanted to share …” and start the conversation that way.
Or begin first by reaching out via email and create a campaign of three or four messages hitting on several different topics to show off your value.
It’s best to do an A/B test with a small number of your prospects, see what works best, and move forward with that strategy for the rest of your list.
Most marketing professionals suggest stopping after three or four emails, ending with a “break-up email” to acknowledge you’re ending the current conversation.
After all, there’s a fine line between being persistent and stalking.
Create an Email Newsletter
Cold calling and aggressive emailing are key sales tactics for prospects who are ready or nearly ready buy or sell a home.
But not every prospect on your list has reached that point.
One way to stay in touch without coming across as too pushy is to send a monthly newsletter.
You can send updates about yourself, of course, whether it’s a cool listing you just put on the market or a photo from a recent vacation.
But newsletters are also a great way to show you’re thinking about your prospects as people. Include some relevant market stats and real estate information, but also news, notes and/or happenings in the general area you specialize in.
Different information such as the above examples can show off your success, real estate expertise and knowledge of the city.
Be Social
Social media is a quick, easy and cheap way to not only build your brand, but also keep in touch with prospects.
You don’t have to write on walls or tweet at people incessantly to keep in touch. A simple “Like” or comment every now and then is more than enough to keep yourself on prospects’ minds.
Be Social (in Real Life)
Consider hosting a weekly or monthly gathering where you make yourself available to answer any and all real estate-related questions in a relaxed, informal environment.
Think about what you enjoy doing and where you spend a good amount of your time, such as the gym or a place of worship, and ask those locations if you can rent out a room for an hour to hold your get together.
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