Convert 5x more real estate leads by sending these simple texts
STOP CALLING YOUR LEADS! I know, shocking, right? But hear me out…
If you’re still calling your leads when they come in, stop it. That’s right, stop calling your leads first thing; you should text them first instead.
Ask if it’s a good time to talk, or if they prefer to text. THEN after that text, you should call if you don’t get a response within a few minutes.
This isn’t just Dustin Brohm saying this; Verse, the top real estate lead response service, has found this to be the case. They have responded to MILLIONS of leads for many thousands of agents. They used to call first, but then when they looked at the lead response data of what was converting better, they switched to texting first, and calling as a follow-up to the text.
*See which real estate CRM we recommended at the end of the article
A Whole New World
Look, it’s 2020. Can we be honest about who we are now? We live in a very different world than we did in 2010, 2014, or even 2017. Society is changing at lightning speed, as is our desire (hell, expectation!) that all things be “on demand.” WE want control. Amazon Prime, podcasts, and Netflix have trained us well.
Texting has become the preferred means of communication now because it gives control to the one receiving the text. They can look at it and respond to it at their convenience. Phone calls, on the other hand, are completely unexpected, they interrupt, and let’s be honest, they’re annoying as hell!
Those Damn Sales Calls are Out of Control!
Not to mention that seemingly 9/10 of those unexpected phone calls are spammy telemarketing bullshit from the “Business Funding Center” or Peggy from Siberia telling you they can “improve your Google Business Listing.”
So if that’s how you feel about phone calls, don’t you think everyone else feels the same way? Of course they do. So stop calling. It’s time to adjust baed on reality today… and start texting your leads.
So then what should you text?
The following are nine different text messages that I’ve found to work very well for real estate agents. The goal here is to GET A RESPONSE. Get the lead to interact with you, answer a question, and start engaging in a conversation… or in this case, a “textversation.”
There are text scripts for brand new leads that just came in two minutes ago, texts for current prospects, and texts to re-connect with those “cold leads” from 8 months ago that you let fall through the cracks.
But first, some rules of thumb
Rules of Thumb
Use their name (if you know it) and introduce yourself as well. Not only does the introduction keep you compliant, but also prevents you from being a frickin’ creep! LOL We’ve all had those creepy random messages that just say “Hey, how are you?”… Uhh, terrible, you weirdo. Don’t be that psychopath that sends the real estate equivalent of “Hey”
Example: Hey [NAME], are you still looking for a home to buy in Salt Lake? -Dustin Brohm w/ eXp Realty
KEEP. IT. SHORT. Ask a question, ideally no more than one or two questions at a time. Asking a question greatly increases the chance that they’ll respond!
Keep it casual. Don’t be afraid to use a smiley 🙂 or an emoji or two. Casual = good. Stiff and robotic = bad.
If they don’t respond within 10 min or so, send a “Let me Know” reminder text. More on this at the end of the list below…
Text Message Scripts
Brand New Leads
Hey [FIRST NAME], you were looking for homes in [CITY/NEIGHBORHOOD]. Are you only looking in [CITY], or are you open to looking in other areas nearby?
How’s it going, [FIRST NAME]? Thanks for searching for homes on our website, [WEBSITE NAME]. Are you looking for a home, or a townhouse or condo?
PROPERTY SPECIFIC INQUIRY: Hey [FIRST NAME]. Thanks for reaching out about [PROPERTY]. I have some time [CHOOSE DATE & TIME] to swing by and show you the house. Will that work for you, or is another time better?
Prospects you’re working on
[FIRST NAME], I just came across 3 homes that fit what you’re looking for. Would you like to go take a look at them on _____?”
Hey there [FIRST NAME], we are just about to list a couple new homes on the MLS that may fit what you’re looking for. Do you have time tomorrow or Wednesday to go take a look before they hit the MLS? **stay compliant w/ your State or MLS rules
Hey [FIRST NAME], I’m just working on this home value report for you. Real quick, have you made any updates or improvements to the home since you bought it?
Old/Cold Leads
Hey [NAME], are you still looking for a home to buy in [CITY/NEIGHBORHOOD]? -[YOUR NAME] w/ [BROKERAGE or BRAND]
Hey there [NAME], do you still need to sell your house? I have a buyer looking for a home in that same area.
Follow Up Reminder Text
“Let me know”: If they don’t respond within 10 min or so, send a quick “Let me know” reminder text. As I’m sure you can relate, sometimes we’re just busy and don’t respond because we get side-tracked or distracted (squirrel!!), even though we fully intended to respond. Texting “let me know” gently reminds them to respond.
Written by Dustin Brohm, Host of the Massive Agent Podcast
Automating these texts
You can absolutely add some of these text scripts to your real estate CRM as part of a drip campaign. Most real estate CRM’s that I’ve seen have the ability to send texts within drip campaigns.
To be blunt, if your CRM doesn’t, then it’s time to find a new CRM! they’re so behind the curve, it’s embarrassing.
We’ve used most of the top-ranked real estate CRM’s out there. There are some great ones out there, so don’t feel like there’s only one that will work for you.
The CRM we recommend most, however, is Wise Agent. I personally use Wise Agent for my real estate CRM. Wise Agent has all the features you need (like texting!), easier to learn and navigate than most, is affordable at less than $30/mo, and they even have a direct integration w/ Facebook to import your FB Leads. After leaving LionDesk earlier this year, I’m a big fan of how much easier Wise Agent is to learn.