Call capture technology has the ability to dramatically increase the number of leads generated by a real estate agent or business, but only if used correctly. Even the most powerful technology will not produce optimal results if it is not used correctly. Despite the power and versatility of call capture, many real estate agents do not use it to its full extent, and there are five major mistakes that are frequently made.
The first is not following up on calls as quickly as possible. This can be difficult if queries on the call pickup line suddenly spike, but most customers have a wait threshold of only a couple of days or less before moving on to another agent. And there’s really no reason an agent can’t return your call within a couple of hours. Even a quick phone call to let a customer know their inquiry was received and someone will contact them again in the near future with more details can do wonders for retention. People will always leave an agent who they feel doesn’t value them.
The second big mistake agents make is not being prepared. An agent will most likely have multiple extensions on the same line for different properties. Make sure that before you call back a client, information related to the house they were interested in is available. Your questions can range from price to availability time for a viewing, plus more specific design or home improvement questions. A real estate agent who appears unprepared will likely lose a client’s interest. Homes are the most expensive purchase most people will make, and a lack of information will drive them away.
Another big mistake agents make is not giving a reason for callers to connect with the agent right then and there. The recording is likely to be the client’s first presentation of the property; You may have seen a sign or business card with the call pickup number, but you may have never been inside or possibly even near the house. The recording needs to pre-sell the house. Some details are in order, but don’t reveal everything. The idea is to provide enough information that the customer is interested, but leave out enough that they want more details. Agents can encourage a call by using phrases like “For the best upgraded feature in this home, press 0 to talk to me now.” Or they can tempt them with “To find out why the current owners hate selling this house, press 0 now.” Agents then need to make sure that when they go online, they’re ready to deliver on their promise with additional valuable information that wasn’t on the recording.
Some agents simply make the mistake of not using the toll-free call pickup number enough. Many businesses will put this number on for-sale signs in the neighborhood and on their website. Both can generate excellent traffic, but they are just the tip of the iceberg. The call pickup number should be on everything the real estate company produces. Business cards, pens, pads of paper, mugs – if you have room for the number, it should be there. Anything the agent needs to be connected to the call pickup number. If the company sponsors local teams, for example, make sure this number is mentioned or displayed in their games. This is because an agent can never predict where a strong prospect will come from. The more places the toll free number is displayed, the more leads will be generated.
While the call pickup number is a valuable business tool, a business must ensure that it conveys a personal feel. Using computer-generated recordings at the capture line or giving the information in a forced and disjointed way is wrong. The recording on the call pickup system must be done by a real person with real enthusiasm for the house being sold. A listless effort at call capture recording will lead to a similar response from a potential client, which will be passed on to a more dynamic real estate team. Studies show that there is an increase in conversions when a potential customer calls and listens to a recording at a property and then connects with the same person when they are ready to talk to someone. Real estate is a personal business and when the agent makes the recordings himself, he adds a personal touch to the call pickup line.
