Today we are going to talk about Property Management Marketing techniques; specifically, how to close Internet Leads.
Without a proper lead management strategy, all the ways to grow your property management business, such as marketing, social media and pay per click programs are just fancy ways to spend money. If you really want to make the cash register ring and add the dollars to your bottom line, you need to have a lead follow-up strategy that works. So, I’m going to go through a few things that I do and that successful property managers do. This will help you identify and implement your lead management system.
1. Know where the leads are coming from. Think about the information you put out – what phone number are people calling? It may be your office line or your cell phone line, either way you have to know which number your leads will call. Pay attention to what’s on your website and your social media platforms. The same thing applies to email addresses. When someone fills out a form on your website or on your blog, which email address receives it? What subject line will be visible in your inbox so you know it’s a request for information from a lead? You need to know which address receives the lead and how you can find it.
You must be able to quickly and clearly identify where those leads are coming from for two reasons. One, so you know if your marketing dollars are being spent in the right place, and, Two, to set up a process to ensure that call or email is noticed, so you can…
2. Reach out to your leads within 10 minutes. If you can’t pick up the phone when they call you, make sure you can call them back within 10 minutes. At 30 minutes or less, your chance to speak to the person who submitted the lead is around 80%. If you let an hour or more go by, the chance you have is mostly gone. If you wait 24 hours or more, your chances for contact drop to around 10 percent. Don’t wait. Get on the phone within 10 minutes.
3. Follow up. Once you have the initial phone call or you send the first email, follow up with your lead. I recommend doing it at least three times within the first week you find the lead. Each touch should include both a phone call and an email. This is essential because the person who has contacted you might not be ready the first time you talk. They might be thinking about it, or they might be talking to other property managers. You want to show that lead how much you want their business. Touch each lead at least three times during your follow up within seven days, and use phone calls and email.
4. Closing the month. Some of you might notice that you’ve heard from me at the end of the month, which is when I start calling everybody. If you ever submitted a form or talked to me at a conference, you surely heard from me, and you should use the same strategy for your business. Right before the end of the month, go through all your old leads and check your email forms and phone calls. Touch every single lead before the month ends. Offer a deal. Entice them to use your services. This means working really hard at the end of every month. It’s your job, and I know it requires eight to 10 hours of work every day. It includes rejection and hearing “no” and leaving voicemail messages. However, there is a payoff. Half of our business at Fourandhalf comes at the end of the month, which should tell you how well that strategy works.
If you have any questions about how to close and manage your leads, please contact us at Fourandhalf, where we are always happy to hear from you.
Want more in-depth information? Grow your Owner Portfolio with our free 18-page guide on the “Art of the Sale – A Process for Property Managers” and sell more today.
