Following one of NAR's conferences, an Inman article was released highlighting the top takeaways. Lead nurturing happened to be one of the topics (and a favorite of mine). We are so proud of our customers as they continually nurture their home buyer and seller leads and grow their business. Let’s look at how and why you should quickly nurture your real estate leads and stay in touch with past clients.

We want our buyer and seller leads to have a great experience with their real estate agent. You may be the only agent they talk to, so it’s essential to make an excellent first impression and meet their needs. According to Inman, in 2020, most buyers (73%) and sellers (82%) interviewed only one real estate agent; if that’s you, congratulations!  Let's dive right in and look at lead nurturing tips and how to get more referrals.

Lead Followup

There are two crucial steps to take after receiving a real estate lead:

1) Respond immediately

2) Set up a face-to-face meeting, whether they plan to buy or sell right away or in the future.  

We have shared numerous blog articles about the need to quickly follow up with lead alerts because we know it results in sales funnel growth. Contact the lead right away, when they’re warm and engaged. The longer you wait to contact a real estate lead, the less likely the lead will respond to your inquiries.

When you meet with a lead face-to-face, you increase the chance of making a strong personal connection. When the home buyer or seller feels comfortable around you and trusts you, the higher the likelihood of converting them into a client. During a face-to-face meeting, focus on how you make them feel when you sit down with them. You’ll win over the lead with these steps:

• Make them feel welcome the instant they walk into your office by offering a warm greeting. A beverage and snacks make for a great first impression too!  
• Smile and nod as you listen to their story. Lean in to express your interest.
• Listen intently before responding to their questions.  
• Make it more about their needs vs. selling yourself.

Past Client Followup

Beyond bonding with new leads, you can also work to generate repeat business from previous clients. Keep past clients engaged and they will bring you more business through referrals and repeat sales.

You want to be top-of-mind with these past clients and that means staying in touch over the years. According to NAR’s Profile of Homebuyers and Sellers report, “90% of buyers would use their agent again or recommend their agent to others”.  Staying in touch with past clients is an effective way to garner repeat business without much effort or expense.

 90% of home buyers would use their agent again or recommend their agent to others.

- NAR’s Profile of Homebuyers and Sellers Report

An example of staying in touch with former homebuyers, who might be ready to sell, is to offer to meet face-to-face to share a new property valuation.  They will be thrilled to learn of high home values in their neighborhood, fewer days on market, faster closing times, or whatever factors pack the most punch in your market. Consider HomeDisclosure.com for stats on school rates, natural disaster risk, comparable home sales, and more. A new home valuation and update-to-date neighborhood stats can be valuable tools when it comes to making an impression on future home sellers. 

Consider the following options to stay in touch with past clients throughout the year:

• Call them on their birthday or anniversary
• Send a holiday card with a grocery gift certificate 
• Invite them to a customer appreciation picnic  
• Invite them to bring their dog to a gathering at a local dog park

73% of home sellers said they would definitely recommend their agent for future services.

- 2021 NAR Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends

Stay in touch with future home sellers by automatically alerting them when a property, similar to theirs, goes on the market, goes under contract, or sells.  This advice, from Jimmy Burgess of Berkshire HomeServices Beach Properties of Florida in NW Florida, is a great opportunity to engage potential home sellers who will recognize you as the expert and the only one they trust to sell their house.

Conclusion

Quickly responding to new real estate leads and nurturing previous clients helps you grow your real estate business. Go out of your way to make sure your first meeting with your potential home buyer or seller is face-to-face. Creating a personal bond over the phone or through email and text is much more challenging. Be a good listener, nurture, follow up regularly, and you may find yourself doing less work but making more sales. When you’re top-of-mind, you’re on top as a real estate agent!

Become the top real estate agent in lead nurturing with tips from our extensive guide: