Do you have a Rental Beast lead on your phone? Good news–you’re almost ready to go apartment hunting! However, contacting a lead for the first time can be daunting, even for seasoned agents. In the one-on-one coaching that I offer, I get a lot of questions from agents who don’t feel sure what process they should follow after a lead reaches out. How can you respond appropriately, quickly, and get their business? Here’s a great, easy-to-follow six-step guide to contacting a lead.
Send your client a text letting them know that you got their inquiry and that you will be calling them at a certain time. Setting up a call right from the first interaction might seem a little premature, but it’s wise to stay active and ready. Make sure you’re the one to set a time. This way, you stay proactive and get to control that part of your interaction not the lead.
Sample Text: Hi, (client name). I wanted to reach about because I saw you were interested in the unit at (Unit Street Name). I’m going to call you at 6pm today so we can talk about this unit, and you real estate goals in general.
Cover all your bases and send them a follow up e-mail along with a text. For a client who doesn’t check their phone often, they’ll appreciate seeing something in their inbox.
Keep your word! If you say that you’ll call at 6pm, make sure to call at 6pm. If your client responds enthusiastically or doesn’t reply to your text, call them at the specified time and be ready to ask your lead qualification question, convert your value, and questions about their wishlist.
Maybe the timing was the problem, so try another time. If you’ve tried to set up a call in the afternoon, try setting up one in the mid-morning, or midday.
Sample Text: “Hi, (client name), sorry I missed you. I’ll reach out tomorrow at (a different time) to connect about your real estate search.”
Make sure to contact your client again (and, again; you should be contacting your client three times in total) Repeating your process might be uncomfortable, but don’t miss this crucial step! Many leads are lost because they are not contacted a second or third time. Like you, your leads are busy people who might miss texts and emails, or be away from their phone. Always follow back up with your lead and let them know you are ready to help them with all their housing needs.
Only go through this process three times. If your client doesn’t want to talk to you, then you need to move on.
If your potential client replies back that they are working with another agent or that they don’t need your help looking for an apartment right now, it’s time to move onto something else. You only have so much time in the day, so don’t waste your energy chasing after a lead who’s dedicated to not being responsive.
The most important step in this guide to contacting a lead is to ask the important questions. If your lead is available to chat and wants to rent an apartment, that’s great! But, before the two of you move farther in a professional relationship, make sure that the client will be able to rent by going through your lead intake screening process.
Exactly what questions you ask might vary. However, here’s 3 absolutely essential lead qualification questions you should ask:
Related: How Do You Ask for a Credit Score? Tackling 3 Difficult Client Qualification Questions
If they give unsatisfactory answers to these three questions (Unsatisfactory counts as: Yes, I am working with another real estate agents, I’m not going to be moving for a while, and my credit score will not let me move into a new apartment, respectively), then you might need to (politely) turn away their business. Explain to them that you cannot work with them right now, but would be happy to put them on your email list. After these three questions, you can go onto to getting a wish-list from your client and start finding them properties that match their requirements.
Make Sure to Convey Your Value
Of course, sometimes the client will have to pay a broker fee (other times, this will be paid by the landlord). Let them know that there’s a possibility that they will have to pay a broker fee for your services. In the very next sentence, let them know that working with a real estate professional like you is worth their fee. After all, with access to Rental Beast and your local MLS, and your legal
Related: What To Say To A New Lead, How to Say It
Getting Rejected is OK
Chances are, if a lead went through the trouble of filling out a contact form, they are serious interested in renting some apartment. However, maybe they’re not really looking to rent right now. Or, maybe they’re bothered by your calls and texts and ask you not to contact them again. Getting rejected is OK (even beneficial! A quick ‘no’ ensures that you don’t spend more time than you need to chasing a client who’s not interested.) Brush it off and get ready to respond to another lead!
Follow this guide to contacting new leads and get accustomed to working with rental clients!
Ready to start Rental Beast University and start learning more from our experienced coaches? Ready to start receiving leads in the areas you’re interested in and sharing no co-broke attached listings to mine your current sphere of influence? Get started with Rental Beast and start growing your book of business and building your pipeline of first time homebuyers.
To learn more about the Rental Beast platform or to request a no-obligation demo visit Rental Beast for Real Estate Agents.
