How to Turn Online Leads into Commissions in 3 Easy Steps

"I've already spoken to someone, thanks." *click*

That's exactly how you DON'T want your first conversation with a new lead to go. And it doesn't have to if you have a system in place for attracting, following up, and nurturing home shoppers.

No system? No problem. Today, we'll show you the "three Rs" that one successful agent uses to convert online leads into sales.

Ready? Let's go!

1. Repetition

For Lynne Gewant, a Realtor based in Boynton Beach, Fla., the trick to attracting new clients is in repeatedly exposing them to her brand.

The problem? "There are so many agents out there," Gewant says. "People don't necessarily know who they should use and trust." Gewant uses realtor.com®'s Local Expert program to reinforce her brand with home shoppers. The program allows her to run targeted digital ads on realtor.com®. Those ads will then display on Facebook to the same consumers that saw them on realtor.com®.

How does this help? According to Gewant, "When they see me and they recognize me over and over again, they're going to have more security in contacting me, knowing that I am not somebody who just got their license. When they contact me they usually say, 'I've seen you all over the place, you must know what you're doing.'"

Gewant says she receives 50-75 leads per month from realtor.com®. Because her market is a destination for vacation properties and second homes, buyers come from everywhere, not just locally. realtor.com®'s nationwide brand recognition is an important factor in helping her attract clients from across the country.

"I think, in all candor, people tend to go to realtor.com® prior to any of the other sources because they believe they will be speaking with a REALTOR®—as well as the brand recognition."

2. Responsiveness

We can't emphasize this enough: agents need to respond to new leads as soon as possible—or risk another agent beating them to the punch.

For Gewant, a quick response is key to converting leads into clients. "As soon as the lead comes in I am on it. It's the old adage, "Being early is on time, being on time is late and being late is 'I've already spoken to someone.'"

Gewant believes that technology is driving today's demand for a fast reply. "It's instant gratification and if you're not doing it immediately, then you're losing it." But once Gewant get in touch with a lead, it's old-fashioned interpersonal skills that help seal the deal.

"When we connect, I ask them what specifically they are looking for and LISTEN," she says. "I make sure I find out what their me frame is and that they are a qualified buyer. I then explain to them that I am, in fact, a broker not just a sales associate. I'm also a REALTOR® and I have four additional certifications. This shows that I continue to educate myself and that I have been a full-time REALTOR® for 20 years."

3. Reaching Out

Once you've connected with a lead, what do you do to retain the relationship so they don't move on to the next agent?

Gewant recommends following a disciplined campaign of reaching out to leads at scheduled intervals. How often you reach out depends on if they're a hot prospect or a longer term nurture, and Gewant says she has many different segmentations for her leads.

"Once every other month, I'll go through and just shoot everybody an email, just basically saying, 'You may not have heard from me but I'm still looking. Have any of your parameters changed?' I will keep doing that until somebody says enough," she says. "It's just continuing to put your face in front of them or your name in front of them until somebody says, "Yeah, actually I'm going to be in Florida next week, please schedule something," or 'I've decided that I'm not going to purchase.'"

Gewant says that she'll continue emailing, calling, and texting until someone either moves forward or moves along.

"Persistence is the name of the game," she says. "I have just converted leads that I have been nurturing for three years."

To learn more about building your business with realtor.com® Local Expert, click here.