Do you struggle with how to convert more leads or just want to get better results?

The most significant impact you can have on your real estate business is to increase your conversion skills. Leads are easy, but lead conversion takes skill, and it’s what separates the good from the great.

Honestly, lack of conversion on leads is our number one source of client turnover. It’s something we’ve been working on helping our clients with over the last couple of years, and we’re making it a focus for our clients to improve these skills.

Looking for valuable resources, thanks to my friend Nicholas Kusmich, I came across Phil Jones. Phil is one of the foremost authorities on sales, and I’ve personally implemented his teachings and have seen immediate increases in results.

Originally writing a book called ‘Exactly What to Say,’ Phil recently made an adaption for the real estate industry called ‘Exactly What to Say for Real Estate Agents‘. So I asked him if he’d do a workshop for 20 people. That specific workshop was a one time only event and only available to those who attended; however, I still wanted to create some takeaways so that even those who didn’t participate can benefit from it.

There’s gold here. You can take things from this and directly apply them, and you will see an increase in converting your real estate leads.

3 Keys to Show up to Every Single Conversation

 

1. Curiosity
2. Empathy
3. Courage

Curiosity: If your goal is to create certainty, you have to show up with interest. Ask carefully crafted questions to learn more about your prospect.

Empathy: Genuinely seeing it through the other person’s eyes. Empathy is taking an interest in what’s important to people you care about.

Courage: Have the courage to ask bold questions. 

How to Open Every Call To Convert More Leads

 

Every call you take, you should open it with a:

• Polite Opening: Hi, this is Andrew from Just Sell Homes.
• Mutually Agreeable Fact: You were on our website looking for homes under $800,000 in Newmarket. 
• Easy to Answer Question: Did the list of homes come through to your inbox ok?

It’s all one line. “Hi this is Andrew from Just Sell Homes, you were on our website looking for homes under $800,000 in Newmarket, did the list of homes come through to your inbox ok?”

DO NOT ask, “Is now a good time to talk?” – If now wasn’t a good time to talk, they wouldn’t have picked up. Go right into the call with a polite opening, mutually agreeable fact, and an easy to answer question.

Shifts in Your Language 

 

Don’t say, “Tell me more about what type of home you’re looking for?”. That has an implication of infinite length in an answer. 

Instead, say, “Help me understand what you’re looking for in a home.” There’s a specific end to the conversation in your understanding of their needs.

You’re giving the person a goal to work towards instead of the more open-ended no set goal, “tell me about…”

Long Term Follow Up to Convert More Leads

 

Haven’t been in touch with someone looking at homes in a while? To convert more leads, you’re going to have to go back to your older ones.

“You got in touch about X, have you found a home yet?”

You don’t need to overcomplicate these calls with a ton of follow up questions. Simple and to the point often works the best.

Start the Close

 

“How open-minded would you be to look at some other properties with me as your agent?”

Nobody wants to seem close-minded. By asking them if they’d be open-minded about it, they’re more likely to entertain the idea.

Are you closing someone but are intending them to work with someone on your team, other than yourself? Try this:

“How open-minded would you be to working with one of our experienced buyer agents to help you find your dream home?”

I’m working with an agent already.

 

Don’t bring up the topic of another agent they may be working with at the beginning of the call. 

Learn about them and let them see the value you bring to the table. Some will use the “I have an agent” as a brush off, but they haven’t committed to anyone yet.

Show the value, then after you’ve learned about their situation, ask how open-minded they are about working with you, THEN ask if they’ve signed anything with another agent. 

If they haven’t signed yet, you can continue talking to them more in-depth about the process.

How to Respond to Listing Inquiries

 

“Hi, it’s Andrew from Just Sell Homes, you looked at [ADDRESS], is that the only home you’re interested in?”

“What was it that interested you in that property?”

Let them create context, then narrow it down. The goal is to start with a broad question and then really drill down after they engage so you can learn about their unique situation.

Empathy is the key. 

No Phone Number or Wrong Phone Number

 

Don’t think of it as them trying to lie to you. It’s not a personal affront to give you the wrong information. What they’re doing is telling you how they want to communicate with you.

Open your email with your intro as we’ve detailed above and then say, “I’ve tried calling the number you left, but I’m guessing your preferred method of communication is email anyways.”

Turning Up The Heat

 

When someone opts-in initially, you follow up a lot. After a few weeks, you slow it down, but then after they’ve been receiving your slow-drip campaign, ramp it up again with 3-5 quick in succession emails. 

This will push them to either unsubscribe from your emails or move forward with you. 

Unsubscribes aren’t bad as they give you an answer. It’s better to force someone towards an answer than to be left in the dark.

Focus on Getting Responses

 

If there’s a period at the end of your communication instead of a question mark, you probably won’t get an answer.

Your goal with lead conversion and sales is not to go straight for the close. Once you get them engaging, the goal is to get them to keep engaging.

Learn about their wants and needs, uncover their motivation, and become their trusted advisor.

Questions build relationships, and relationships are the key to help you convert more leads.

How to Handle Voicemails

 

Wherever possible, don’t leave voicemails. The second you leave one voicemail, you give control to the other person. Don’t consider leaving a voicemail with the person until after 4 or 5 call attempts.

When you do, here’s what Phil recommends:

“Hi, it’s Phil calling from [TEAM/BROKERAGE], I’ve tried to reach you several times, I’m guessing you are either away right now, or I haven’t found a good time yet. I’m going to try and call you again on Monday at 4 pm. If that doesn’t work for you, give me a callback or a text with a better time.”

6 Stages of Writing Good Emails

 

Emails remain a gold mine, especially when trying to convert more leads. Phil shared his 6 P’s of writing useful emails. If you’re ever stuck, remember: 

1. Perspective
2. Problem
3. Pain
4. Possibilities
5. Plan
6. Pleasure

Perspective: Use some form of scene-setting. Example: Like many of you, I’m spending more time at home and making plans for the future. 

Problem: Identify the problem that you’re reaching out about. Example: When searching through our records, we haven’t been in touch in a while.

Pain: Address the pain point: Example: and I realize I had no idea what’s happening with your existing circumstances. Whether you’ve found a property, still looking, or decided to stay put.

Possibilities: List some opportunities. Examples: Perhaps you’ve been working with another agent or maintaining the search yourself online and reading the emails we’ve shared. I’m still here to help you with your real estate needs.

Plan: Layout the method of how you’ll be able to help them from here… Example. I’d love to connect over the next seven days and learn more about your circumstances.

Pleasure: Reverse of the pain. Example: At least, that will happen with this is I will have a better understanding and be able to help you more effectively in your search.

Now let’s put that all together so you can see what an email that helps you convert more leads looks like.

Hi <name>,

 

Like many of you, I’m spending more time at home and making plans for the future. When searching through our records, I noticed we haven’t been in touch in a while.

 

I realize I had no idea what’s happening with your existing circumstances, whether you’ve found a property, are still looking or decided to stay put.

 

Perhaps you’ve been working with another agent or maintaining the search yourself online and reading the emails we’ve shared. I’m still here to help you with your real estate needs.

 

I’d love for us to connect over the next seven days, where I can learn more about your circumstances. At the least, what will happen is I will have a better understanding and be able to help you more effectively in your search.

 

Looking forward to connecting,

 

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With anything, what works precisely for one real estate agent, may not work for another. Take the ideas here, adapt them, test them, and find the combination that works to convert more leads. 

If you want more leads in your business, we can help you get them. We help real estate agents grow their business online. Our specialty is Facebook ads, but we help with all online marketing.

Our goal is to help you grow your business, which is why we engage with the best in class people like Phil Jones, to learn and convert more leads.

Want to book a call to chat about how we can help grow your business? Click here.