Lead Nurture Basics for Real Estate Agents

Is your real estate business set up for longterm success or do you hop from transaction to transaction, seeking clients who are ready to buy or sell immediately? Buyers and sellers who are ready to act now are great, but they're just the bottom of a well thought-out lead funnel. Many of the leads you'll receive may be three months, six months, or even a year or two away from transacting. But if you plan to still be in real estate when their time comes, those leads are still incredibly valuable.

What Is Lead Nurturing?

Buying or selling a home is a big deal, and most people want to do some research and find out what a transaction entails before they get serious. As the first professional they talk to, you're in a great position to close the sale—if you're willing to work within their timeframe.

Lead nurturing is the process of creating and maintaining relationships with your leads. If you stay in touch with those who aren't able to transact just yet and help them get ready, you'll be the natural choice when they are ready to buy or sell a home.

Use a CRM!

Knowing what your leads are looking for can determine how impactful your nurturing efforts are. For example, something as basic as whether an individual is a first-time buyer or not will determine what information they will want to receive from you. However, because some leads need weeks or months before they're ready to work with you, it can be easy to lose track of who wanted what, any personal details you learned about that person, and any past conversations you had. Make sure you keep track of these details in a CRM. If you don't already have a CRM, create a free Homes.com account here.

One Size Doesn't Fit All

Many top-of-the-funnel leads may still be saving for a down payment, building their credit score, working on renovations, or waiting for an upcoming life event such as a birth, wedding, or promotion. Having a different plan in place for each type of lead can help you ensure you're sending high quality, relevant content to each person you hope to work with, which will, in turn, reinforce your value in their minds.

How to Stay in Touch

There are lots of ways to stay in touch with leads who aren't ready to buy or sell just yet. Make sure your strategy uses a mix of automated and personal touch points to build a relationship and stay top of mind. Drip email campaigns are a great way to send messages catered around a specific problem, theme, or question. A monthly newsletter is another great reason to show up in your leads' inbox.

Send your leads a friend request on social media and comment on one of their posts every so often. You can also invite them to any real estate classes, live videos, and open houses you host. Remember to invite them to ask you any questions they have about buying or selling and slide in your own questions about their timeline and what they're looking for, as appropriate.

To view the original article, visit the Homes.com blog.