How to Convert Online Leads - The Secret

brilliant talks convertion online leads the secret Oct 04, 2022

Let’s talk about online lead conversion, specifically leads from Google PPC, Adwords, SEO, or Facebook leads. We’ve touched on online leads in several previous sessions of Brilliant Talks, but today, I want to focus on the process that we go through, from the inception of the online lead, up to nurturing or closing, or somewhere along those lines.

This is the flowchart of our process for online leads coming in from Google or Facebook. 

I will go through the process step-by-step and answer some of the frequently asked questions I get.

 

Questionnaire

When a lead clicks on a Google or Facebook ad that redirects them to any of our landing pages, we have them answer a questionnaire. This helps us get a better picture of what the lead wants, and where they are more or less in the real estate buying or selling journey.

Here is some of the information we ask for in that questionnaire:

  • When do they plan to buy?
  • How often do they want to receive property listings from us?
  • Are they going to pay in cash or loan?
  • Do they have a specific view they want for their home?
  • Are they ready to view listings?
  • Do they want to talk to a home search consultant?
  • Do they plan to sell [their current home] before buying?
  • How many bedrooms and bathrooms are they looking for in a home?
  • What size home are they searching for?

This is just some of the information, and I usually pay attention to the first two questions: The first one helps me see how ready this lead is to buy/sell, and the second tells me how often I should follow up so that they won’t find it annoying or spam-y.

The more questions they answer, the better the quality of the leads.

 

CRM

The leads’ answers to the questionnaires are linked to my CRM, and they are automatically retargeted for real estate ads.

We use Chime and Follow Up Boss, but there are a lot of CRMs available out there. I also got asked which one between the two that we use and recommend is better. The answer is: it depends. But, if you don’t have a website, Chime does offer both a website and a CRM. If you already have your own website, you might find that redundant. You can use Follow Up Boss instead, and link your website to their CRM.

 

Calling online leads

Ideally, you should call the lead within three minutes of them going through your CRM because their interest levels are highest while they are still on your website. 

Imagine going to a store in the mall. If someone comes to you and assists you while your hand is up and you are actually looking, chances are you’re going to buy. But once you step out of the store and you get a text or call later on, you are no longer as interested as when you were in there.

What most of us miss is that similar principles apply to online leads.

Another thing that most agents miss is, when the lead doesn’t answer on the first or second call, sending them a text and an email saying “Hey, I called you earlier. Sorry I missed you…” They skip this part thinking it doesn’t work, but let me tell you, texts and emails do. Particularly emails. Based on experience, some of our million-dollar closings are from entrepreneurs, and they are leads that check their emails frequently.

So, don’t skip the text and emails, especially the nudge text 20-40 minutes. Sometimes, people are in the middle of something when they see your ad. The nudge text increases your chances of catching them when they are available.

When you text your online leads, avoid asking yes or no questions. Instead, ask questions like “You came in looking for a condo in Malibu. Are you looking for a beach view or one further up the mountain?” Give them choices that will prompt them to tell you what it is they are looking for in a home.

Because the main goal of your first call with a lead is to get as much information as possible about what type of home they want. This way, you can set up and streamline your home search, and you ensure that you are not spamming them with properties they wouldn’t like.

The goal is to not be mistaken as a robot if you do send them a text or email. If they respond to you with “Stop,” it means your messaging needs improvement. However, you can still save the conversation by lightheartedly letting them know that you are a human, not a robot, and that you understand the confusion because you’ve received tons of spam texts and emails too.

Lastly, once you do get them on a call, remember that your tone matters. Plus, the most important part is to pay attention to what they are saying. Don’t approach the conversation to get to a close, use it as an opportunity to build relationships. Watch the replay of this Brilliant Talks coaching session to see a role-play of a sample call with an online lead.

 

Automation

When it comes to automating follow-up and nurturing, some people think “Isn’t that overkill?” It isn’t. Sometimes we get busy. By automating part of the process, we save ourselves time and effort. It allows us to show some clients' homes in person while making sure that we are touching our database. Let’s utilize the tech available to us to simplify our lives and help us focus on higher-leverage tasks.

 

Final thoughts…

We won’t get a close on our first call. Not even on the second, third, or fourth interaction. However, we are building relationships by giving value to each conversation. It sends the message that we pay attention to what they are saying, and we are catering to their needs at their own pace. They are the ones in control, we are just there to assist in their real estate journey.

You can’t force a person to buy something if they don’t want to. Your online leads might be a ways away from being ready. They could be waiting for better interest rates. They might not even be sure yet where or what they are looking for in a home.

If your lead isn’t ready to buy yet, that’s okay. Focus on building meaningful relationships with them through the nurturing and follow-up process.

Your job is to give them what they want by using the expertise you have: Finding properties that suit their needs and requirements.