Bringing a person from being a lead to generating a transaction is becoming increasingly more complicated…or is it?  I am looking at this situation from the brokerage point of view and how company generated leads are being handled and what we can do to help generate solid business for our agents from these inquiring consumers.

I really don’t like using the term lead for this article because the consumer I am referring to, has actually taken the initiative to “contact” the brokerage either by phone, walk-in or an internet form inquiry.   See my article “Real Estate..A Full Contact Sport” for further explanation.  For now, I will refer to these consumers as “contacts.”Our new local brokerage is growing.  One way to know is the obvious increase in agent count and volume.  The other is that our phones are starting to ring and we are generating internet and walk-in contacts without any real initiative.  As of yesterday, we had not yet established a “floor time” policy and I thought it was time to do so.  We met with our agents to get input on how they felt these contacts should be handled.  Their initial response was to have the calls or e-contacts go directly to whoever was next in line on floor duty.  They felt that they should be able to sign in for duty whether they were physically in the office or not.  I then asked them “What qualifications should we use to determine if someone is able to even be on floor duty?”  They all looked at each other…..silence…..   No one wanted to exclude another from participation but I could also feel the tension between the top producers and the newer agents.

I just sat quietly as they started mumbling their own “self serving” ideas.  Then I asked the question “What do you think I want to happen to those contacts?  Who do you think I want to assign them to?  They were, for the most part, generated by my corporate initiatives.”  A 35 year veteran and prior Broker/owner spoke up.  Her words were music to my ears.  She said “You want the contact to go to the agent who is most likely to make a sale and create a client for life..”   Wooo Hoooo!!!  They all nodded but were not quite sold on me being able to choose who the contact goes to.

Again…I sat in silence for a bit while they pondered then asked, “Why do you think it is important to ALL of you that we make sales from these incoming contacts no matter who it is referred to?”  The answer came from one of our newest agents in the industry whom I have had the pleasure of brainwashing….oops, encouraging to promote the belief that the company is only as strong as its parts, and that each agents’ success will bring more credibility to our organization.  He said “We all win when someone is successful.  We all look good and can use that success to build our story as a company and bring pride to our own personal business.”   Gave me the goose bumps.  I felt this huge awareness that our industry is emerging (or should I say re-emerging) into a more selfless and supportive space.  The Western region has seen enough selfish business practices over the past 5 years.

I have never been a big supporter of the rotation floor duty model.  First, agents sign up and don’t show up leaving my staff scrambling to find a warm body to dump the contact on.  Not good.  And second, the person taking the contact may not even be qualified to offer support to that potential client.  I am also not a big supporter of any “broker initiated” automated leads distribution system that sends contacts directly to agents’ phones or text messaging systems.  Most of the contact calls and internet inquiries that I have personally fielded have resulted in a contract or listing.  I feel that getting back to a very personal interview approach with these contacts is essential.  Yes, they are looking online and yes, they have all the house magazines, snail mail and email solicitations they could ever wish for but what they don’t have, and what we have been lax on, is truly qualifying their wants and needs.

We have believed that the consumer wants us to leave them alone until they are ready to put the key in the door.  Not true, especially in this confusing and challenging market.  These contacts need us more than ever to counsel them, guide them, comfort them and laugh with them….for crying out loud.  Have fun with them, get to know them.

By the end of our agent meeting, it was decided that I would put together a contact management plan that included an initial interaction with our business development team prior to assignment to agents.  We have been taught that the contact wants to speak to an agent immediately.  Sometimes this is true and you have to be prepared to assist them, but most times it is not.  Most people would be willing to wait a bit, and even a day or 2, for the “right” agent to get in touch with them and not be passed on to the “next-in-line” agent.   It is all about the expectations we set.  Here is my opening welcome and some questions I ask every contact whether it be in person, on the phone or via email:

Thank you for calling Avalar Advantage Realty. My name is Robyn. I am a customer support representative here to serve you. How can I help you today?Notice that I DID NOT ask them if they were working with another agent.  That is a HUGE turn off in a first dialogue. Makes them think that if they say yes, you won’t really help them.  I can’t tell you how many people who were working with another agent still referred my services to others just because of my helpfulness.  Yes, the question of agency will be asked eventually or it will reveal itself on its own, just don’t ask it in the initial conversation or email.

Their answers to the last question guide me to the next, 1a or 2a if they just want quick answers or, if they are looking for a relationship then b.

1a.

Can you hold while I find someone to assist you or would you like an agent to call or email you back within the next 5 minutes?2a.

How can I help you?b. (for sale)

Tell me a bit about your goals, where you would like to live and what type of property appeals to you.b. (for listing)

Tell me a bit about your home, its location and your timeframe for selling.That’s it.  The rest will all unfold and I always have lots to share with the agent I assign this lead to.  Yes, it takes some time but it is time well spent.  If the person is rude and doesn’t want to give me any information then why would I want them as a client??????? 

The other day I was sitting at our front lobby desk and a call came in from a woman who found us in the YELLOW PAGES….yes, the book, not the online version.  She doesn’t even own a computer.  She was calling on behalf of a friend (who also doesn’t own a computer) who is relocating and she was dialing every office she felt was in the proximity of where her friend wanted to live with the belief that we, as an office, would only service specific areas.  Felt like I was whisked back in time 20 years and it felt damn good!!!We talked for 10 minutes, laughing and sharing and when the conversation was over she said to me…  ”I am so happy I dialed your number.  This has been the most inspiring call of the 10 calls I have made this morning.  I will make sure that your brokerage represents my friend and I will refer you to anyone I know who wants to list or sell.”  My husband was in his office, just off the lobby, while I was in this call and heard snippets of my conversation.  He came out and asked me which family member or friend I had been talking to.  I told him I now have a “new friend”.

Every contact has the possibility of becoming a client for life. Treat them like they already are.  (oooo.. nice quote Robyn….)