Your phone. The lifeblood of your business. But yet when it rings, it’s so easy to ignore. You may think, “oh, they will leave a message if it is important.” (They won’t.) Or, “I don’t know that number.” But guess what? We market ourselves in order to generate these calls from phone numbers we don’t know. That is the point of marketing.

Putting things into perspective, agents spend a lot of time and money marketing themselves to generate new buyer leads via the phone or email. So here are some ways to take advantage of those opportunities when they come to you. With this simple 5-step plan, you can begin converting more buyer leads with your smart phone right away.

1. Answer your phone. As simple as it sounds, it will make a huge difference in your business if you start going out of your way to answer the phone every time it’s possible. Again, we market ourselves to generate phone calls from prospective buyers, so if you don’t answer, they’ll have no problem moving on to the next REALTOR^® they see online. Buyers are more likely to work with the first agent they connect with.
2. Open the dialogue with “what was it about this home that caught your attention?” This question is a great opener and goes beyond the typical “what address” or “do you have an MLS number.” It also creates a consumer-centric moment of truth that will get them to share their immediate wants and needs during their home search, initiating a swift connection and a sense of understanding for you.
3. Close them on a buyer consultation. According to NAR’s 2015 Profile of Buyers and Sellers, the number one thing that buyers are looking for is to be walked through the process of purchasing a home. So many times agents can get carried away with closings, approvals, and the purchase process, without ever really getting to know the client or what they are looking for. A consultation will allow you to explain this process face-to-face, instantly helping to build a working relationship. This time also allows you to explain the process so they know how you will be working together and what you will be doing to represent them.
4. Use your phone to dial out too. When you generate an Internet lead, call the person immediately. A phone call will help you build a relationship and close on a meeting immediately. When you get caught up in emailing back and forth it can delay the entire process.
5. Use video to follow up on missed calls immediately. If you cannot answer the phone, have a pre-recorded video that you can send to the number that just tried reaching you. Put the phone/video on selfie mode to create this message: “Hello, this is (your name) with (your company). I am sorry I couldn’t answer your call but I am currently working with another client. Your call is important to me and I will be returning all calls by (enter a time).” The video should be no longer than 30 seconds. This video will create an immediate relationship, differentiate you from competitors (no one else is doing this), and buy you time to call them back without them feeling the need to reach out to another REALTOR^®.