Tips for Converting Online Real Estate Leads
With a rising number of internet users in India, the online real estate business is expected to improve gradually as real estate websites bringtransparency by providing high quality information about properties & projects.
Property websites are increasingly becoming a tool for research on buying, selling and leasing residential or commercial properties in many parts of the country, as the amount of information listed on these sites is increasing.
If you want to convert your leads then you may need to make a few changes to the way you approach online leads. These six tips will help you refine the art and science of closing internet leads.
Be a solution – Don’t assume that an online lead doesn’t have potential, that they’re not serious about buying or selling, and that they’re just using you for information. These kinds of assumptions are costly – don’t make them! Online leads are searching for the right solution. Be that solution! People start their search – and research – online. Treat online leads with the same care you would someone who stopped by offline. Don’t let them start with you and finish with someone else.
Stand out from the competition in terms of knowledge or service. Don’t merely give an online lead exactly what they ask for. Go beyond! If they ask about a home in a certain neighborhood, provide information about the home and the neighborhood. Then also include information on similar neighborhoods which might meet their needs.
Don’t push too early for information: If someone hasn’t offered more information, there’s probably a reason for it. Be respectful of boundaries. But let’s say you really want to get someone’s mailing address. Let them know you’ve prepared a report that has information that you’ve prepared – information that would be helpful to them. Ask if you could mail it to them. When they then provide their name and address, mail it promptly! What kind of report would they want? What about appreciation rates for neighborhoods in your marketplace? That’s something every potential buyer would value. Sales price and market time statistics would be of enormous value to a seller.
Be consistent: Be consistent.. but don’t be overly persistent. Don’t keep pushing and prodding and asking if people are ready to go. Be a resource, not a persistent pain in the neck.
Be timely: If you are going to work internet leads you must make sure you are notified immediately when a lead comes in. With today’s technology, that’s pretty simple to do. And when you’re asked for information, send it as quickly as possible. If they don’t get it from you, they’ll simply go to the computer and find a different resource.
Keep your social profiles clean : Once a client connects with you online (or perhaps even before) they may take the time to do a little research… on Facebook, on LinkedIn, on Google+, etc. Be sure that the messages you’re sending on these social networking sites put you in the best possible light.
And one bonus tip!
Don’t be too casual: Email and texting has created an environment where it’s ok to be quite casual. These internet leads aren’t your personal friends. Keep the conversation professional, and be sure to use standard punctuation and grammar. No smiley faces, no “U R” instead of “you are.”
If you follow these tips you will significantly boost your conversion rate for online leads. You can also use the same principles if you are generating leads from your own website.
Know what clients want and be sure you can provide it. When someone is ready to move forward, whether they are a buyer or a seller, they typically take the path of least resistance. If you’ve been a good source of timely, reputable information – and you’ve built a respectful rapport – you will get the business
