Consistently filling your pipeline with leads has always been an important part of growing a successful real estate business, but it’s only half the battle. You could have all the leads in the world, but it won’t make a difference without the right follow-up plan in place based on today’s market. It’s like having a garden full of seeds but no water to nurture them into blooming plants. The real value lies in what you do after the leads come in. Converting leads to closings relies on your ability to effectively engage, follow up, and build relationships with these leads.

This comprehensive guide will help you:

• Master Your Follow-Up Plan: Learn how to implement a follow-up system that ensures no lead falls through the cracks.

• Qualify Leads Effectively: Understand how to prioritize leads based on their readiness and potential, so you can focus your efforts where they matter most.

• Build Trust and Rapport: Discover techniques to connect with leads on a personal level, fostering trust that paves the way for successful transactions.

• Leverage Technology: Utilize the latest tools and automation to streamline your processes and enhance your efficiency.

• Optimize Your Conversion Strategies: Gain insights into refining your approach based on data and performance metrics to continuously improve your results.

In today’s evolving real estate market, prompt and persistent follow-up is the cornerstone of converting online leads into real clients. By responding quickly, qualifying the lead to uncover their motivations and timeline, following up relentlessly, and leveraging technology to stay organized, you’ll build lasting relationships and close more deals.

You fill out contact forms to get more information on each property.

Your phone starts ringing. You don’t recognize the number and decide to ignore it. Seconds later, a text message pops up from an agent who just tried calling you about the home you're interested in. They express their eagerness to help answer your questions and provide more details.

You absolutely love what the home looks like in the listing photos and are excited to get immediate info before your busy day at work. You respond to the agent with a couple of questions about the home. They provide answers to your initial questions and are even able to give info on your other two favorites. You’re impressed and decide to set up a time to meet about the next steps.

While at work that afternoon, you see two more messages from the other agents you initially contacted. You already received the answers you were looking for that morning, so you block their numbers and move on with your day.

Are you the agent who makes contact, or the agent who gets ignored?

Why it Matters:

According to the National Association of Realtors, leads contacted within 5 minutes are 9 times more likely to result in meaningful conservations. Your chances of getting a response go down by 400% after the first 10 minutes.

Your Action Plan:

1. Immediate Call:

Action: As soon as a lead comes in, pick up the phone and make that first call.

Goal: Introduce yourself warmly, express enthusiasm, and briefly discuss how you can assist them.

Script Example:

"Hi [Lead's Name], this is [Your Name] from [Your Realty Company]. I noticed you were interested in [property type/location], and I’d love to help you find the perfect home. Do you have a few minutes to chat?"

2. Follow-Up Text and Email:

Action: If they don’t answer your call, send a friendly text message and a personalized email immediately after.

Goal: Ensure your lead receives your message through multiple channels, catering to their communication preferences.

Text Example:

"Hi [Lead's Name], this is [Your Name] from [Your Realty Company]. I just tried calling you about [property type/location]. When you have a moment, I'd love to discuss how I can assist you. Looking forward to connecting!"

Email Example: Subject: Excited to Help You Find Your New Home!

"Hi [Lead's Name],

Thank you for reaching out about [property type/location]. I’m thrilled to assist you in finding the perfect home that meets your needs and preferences. Let’s schedule a time to discuss your requirements in more detail.

Best regards,

[Your Name]
[Your Contact Information]"

3. Crush the First 10 Days:

Action: Use the “10 Days of Pain” method. This high-touch strategy includes making 17 touches (6 calls, 6 emails, 5 texts) within the first 10 days. You might be thinking about how awful that sounds, but it works.

Goal: Engage leads with multiple daily touches over 10 days utilizing a variety of contact methods. Some leads prefer phone calls, and some like texts. Uncover their preference by reaching out in different ways.

🚨 Pro-Tip 🚨 Send a video in a text or email (or both). It gives a personal touch and shows you’ll take the time to help with their specific needs. You can even make light of the fact you’re being persistent with all the calls/texts/emails to lighten the mood.

🎯 Mini-Challenge: Over the next 2 weeks, commit to responding to every single lead within 5 minutes and try out the “10 Days of Pain." Use a simple lead tracker or real estate CRM to track each contact attempt and outcome.

✅ Best Days to Make Contact:
You are around 45%-50% more likely to make contact with a lead on Wednesdays and Thursdays

✅ Best Time of Day:
You’re around 66% more likely to make contact if you reach out between 8am-10am and 120% more likely to make contact between 4pm-5pm.

✅ Number of Touches:
Most agents give up on leads after 1 or 2 unsuccessful attempts. You increase your chances of making contact by almost 90% by making at least 6 attempts.

What Does it Mean?
By following up with leads on Wednesdays and Thursdays in the morning or late afternoon, you are much more likely to successfully make contact.

If you’re not comfortable with the 10 Days of Pain, commit to a minimum of 6 touches within the first week.

It does NOT mean you should wait to follow up with new leads until these days/times! Always focus on improving your speed to lead, and time block during these peak days and times for additional follow-up.

🚨 Pro-Tip 🚨 Use a Lead Follow-Up Worksheet to plan your outreach.

Figure Out Their WHY:

You can’t help someone until you know why they need your help in the first place.

Fully understand their motivations for buying or selling. Are they a renter who wants to buy and start building equity? Are they an empty nester looking to downsize? Are they a growing family looking for more space?

Determine Their WHEN:

A lead’s timeline for buying or selling ultimately determines the next step in your follow-up strategy. You are essentially trying to see if they are “bottom of the funnel” leads ready to transact now, or “top of funnel” leads who will transact in the future.

If they are motivated and ready to go (bottom of the funnel), they are probably looking for frequent communication with information that moves them through the process. Talk to them about prequalification, set up property alerts, do a CMA, etc.

If they are planning to make a move in the next 3-12 months (or longer), they’re at the top of the funnel. They will likely want a little time and space without being pressured, and you’ll need to consistently provide long-term value to stay top-of-mind. Plans can change quickly, and you want to make sure they think of you when the time is right.

What to Say: There are countless methods and frameworks out there for structuring your conversations with leads. By learning (and sticking to) one that works with your style, you set yourself up for a scalable, repeatable lead qualification process that is proven and effective.

Take the “LPMAMA” framework for buyer lead qualification, for example. This method includes questions designed to uncover relevant information about your leads while allowing you to build rapport and learn how to effectively help them.

L – Location: You already know the favorite real estate cliche, “location, location, location.” You want to determine where the lead wants to live and why they want to live there, along with certain areas they do not want to live. It allows you to assess how familiar they are with the desired neighborhood(s), which provides you with opportunities to validate and educate.

P – Price: Buyer leads typically have a good idea of where they want to live, but many might not have realistic expectations about the costs of living there. Don’t just start asking potentially sensitive questions about their finances. You’re still a stranger to them and need to build trust. Instead, simply ask if they have a budget in mind and provide information on average prices in their desired neighborhood.

M – Motivation: This is perhaps one of the most important parts of the conversation, but it can also be one of the more complicated parts at the same time. Again, you’re still a stranger to them and they might not be ready to get too personal. Plus, not all motivations are positive. They might be going through a tough situation that requires them to move, so don’t assume they are excited. Start with open-ended questions like:

• How long have you been considering a move?

• Do you have a specific timeframe?

• What are the most important things to you in a new home?

These questions avoid being overbearing while giving them chances to naturally tell you the real reason behind the move.

A – Agent: Determine if they’re already working with an agent. You might be tempted to ask this right up front to make sure you aren’t wasting valuable time trying to convert a lead that’s already working with someone, but don’t make this the immediate focus of the conversation. Many buyers will say they are working with an agent simply because they feel it will take the pressure off the conversation when it might not even be true. Take the time to build trust first. This helps get their guard down so they’re more likely to give you honest answers. Ask about the lead’s previous experiences with agents, if any. This allows you to position yourself as the agent who can support them in the ways they want to be supported.

M – Mortgage: Like the “Price” step, you want to learn how prepared they are financially by asking if they’ve spoken with a lender. This provides an additional way to add value to the conversation by offering to send them a list of your trusted lenders. Not only can the lender help set realistic expectations on budget, but they can also help nurture the lead to help move them through the pipeline.

A – Appointment: The goal of your entire conversation should be to set an appointment, preferably in person. You want to provide a definitive next step. Summarize the conversation to reiterate the things that are most important to them:

“I’m hearing you say… Do I have everything correct? Great! Our next step is to set up an appointment where you can come to my office and set a concrete plan for how we will achieve your goals. We can even preview a couple of homes if you have time. Do Thursdays or Saturdays work best?”

This is also the most likely time in the conversation where they’ll bring up any objections, so be sure you’re prepared.

Every conversation will be different, so let the conversation flow naturally and come from a place of curiosity, empathy, and education.

🚨 Pro-Tip 🚨 When they finally answer your call, do NOT immediately ask for the lead by name! Stay away from, "Hi, is this Stephanie?" – They will almost always say no. Assume you’re talking to the right person and simply introduce yourself and tell them why you’re calling.

📣 Download this Lead Intake Form to write down the most important details during your conversation.

• If your lead is qualified and ready to go, you should be speaking to them at least once per week (minimum). They’re considered hot leads and are eager to move forward. They may still be submitting contact forms to other agents online when they see a home they love, so you need to be their go-to resource.

• If they are 30-90 days out, you should be touching in at least once per week, with a call at least every other week to support your texts and emails in between. They are still hot leads and timelines can quickly change.

• If a lead is 3-6 months out, they are warm leads. You should have them on a touch campaign including personal check-ins, valuable resources, educational content, tips, and market insights. Aim for 5 touches per month.

• If they are 6-12 months (or longer), set them up on a long-term nurture campaign. This should include a monthly call attempt with an additional email and text throughout the month. Send event invites, giveaways, market insights, newsletters, and other value-adds.

🚨 Pro-Tip 🚨 Use automation tools to stay on top of follow-ups while maintaining a personal touch. Use a CRM to help track lead status and remind you when it’s time to reach out, ensuring no lead falls through the cracks.

🎯 Mini-Challenge: Pick at least one lead in each timeline segment today and send a short, relevant piece of content, like a market snapshot or a neighborhood spotlight.

Follow-Up Best Practices:

• Be Consistent: Show up consistently in their inbox and phone log.

• Use Your CRM: Log notes, track motivations, and set automated reminders for strategic follow-ups.

• Automate Smartly: Leverage systems to handle repetitive follow-ups without losing the personal touch.

• Personalized Check-Ins: Tailor messages based on lead preferences and life changes.

• Ask for the Appointment: Every interaction should lead towards an in-person or virtual meeting to solidify commitment.

🚨 Pro-Tip 🚨 Follow-up doesn’t mean just checking in—offer value every time. Share market insights, send relevant listings, and remind them of opportunities in their desired area to keep them engaged.

🎯 Mini-Challenge: After every phone call over the next two weeks, ask for a face-to-face meeting. Track how many appointments you schedule and compare it to your usual rate. See if you can improve by 10%.

Converting online leads into real clients requires a commitment to strategy, consistency, and persistence. By implementing a structured follow-up system, prioritizing speed to lead, and leveraging technology, you can significantly improve your conversion rates. Success in real estate comes down to building trust, providing value, and showing up consistently.

Remember These Key Strategies:

1. Speed to Lead: Respond within 5 minutes to maximize conversion opportunities.

2. Follow Up Consistently: Persistence is key. Multiple touchpoints over time lead to success.

3. Use a CRM: Track interactions, set reminders, and stay organized.

4. Provide Value: Every touchpoint should offer relevant insights and assistance.

5. Ask for the Appointment: The ultimate goal is to meet with the lead and build a relationship.

Next Steps:

• Review your current follow-up strategy and identify areas for improvement.

• Implement the outlined lead nurturing timelines and track progress.

• Leverage automation tools to streamline communication.

• Commit to consistent follow-ups and refine your scripts over time.

By following these proven strategies, you will increase your lead conversion rates, build lasting client relationships, and establish yourself as a top-performing real estate agent in your market.

📣 Visit the Marketing Center to customize and download done-for-you marketing and lead generation collateral.