I know, I know… We all know how important it is to follow up with prospects, but just how many people actually follow up? Not many…
So, are you one of the few who actually follow up? If so, congratulations! You’re on your way to success!
Back in July, I started sending out postcards for real estate that offered a free home sellers’ guide. People started responding saying they wanted a copy. I got their contact info and sent them the home sellers’ guide (via PDF or mail, which ever they preferred).
I then put all their information on a 5 x 8 index card along with the date of contact and notes (I’m old school, paper and pen won’t get deleted off the hard drive).
Then, I would follow up every week, then about every two weeks the longer time went on. Well, it took one prospect until March of this year to finally say they would like us to come out to take a look at their house and list it. It took eight months to pick up this prospect as a client!!!!
Eight months of following up and taking notes on my 5 x 8 index card to finally get this one listing. What do you think would have happened if I never followed up? They probably would have listed their house with some ding bat of an agent, but not on my watch!
So, what’s the key here? The key is to ALWAYS follow up with your prospects. It doesn’t take much time (Do you have 2 minutes?), doesn’t take expensive software to keep track and remind you to follow up (5 x 8 index cards work wonders and you actually get to use a real pen or pencil… you know… those things that have ink and lead in them…), and you WILL turn prospects into clients if you just follow up.
The goal is to be in your prospects mind when they decide to take action and act on whatever you’re offering.
So, what’s your excuse for not following up? Laziness? Don’t have the right “software?” Don’t really know what to say?
Leave a comment below or send me a message to discuss.
Now go take action!
Hi David!
I saw your response to the blog post Darcy of GKIC did. And wanted to stop by and have a look.
You make an extremely valid point about how easy it is for an opt in email subscriber to simply delete our PDF’s or audio pod casts etc.
But as you also, so astutely point out.
Strategic follow up of any kind, as you demonstrated, is far less expensive (and far) more profitable than having to constantly spend a fortune trying to create that all important first time lead, before eventually converting them into that first time buyer or client!
For the cost of some post cards, you got a chance at a listing! And possibly eventually a sale & referrals etc!
All because unlike your competitors, you’re savvy enough to know and understand the value of strategically following up!Great job!
Thanks for reinforcing the proven fundamentals!
Hi Mark!
Thanks for stopping by and be sure to stick around. I love visitors!
Following up is sooooo important. By the looks of your site (Very nicely designed by the way), I’ll take a guess you have a good follow up system!
One of the forums I frequent someone posted about sending out 500 postcards and not getting one response. I asked if they did any follow up… The answer… No. NO!! Amazing. He was better off not sending anything out and saving his money.
What is it the greats say… It sometimes takes 7 or more times before someone buys.
So, how are you doing with your biz?
Keep on Rockin’, Mark!
David Hunter
It took me years to learn this and I am just not starting to apply it more consistently. I guess I am “cheating” though as I am using a CRM. After about 2 weeks with a CRM, I have no idea how I did business without it.
Great story about you continuing to follow up and getting a listing 9 month later. Email autoresponders and CRMs are great tools for this, although I am using my CRM more as it is more personal (one-to-one emails).
Great post, just wish I read it a few years back. Was it that Dan Kennedy guy that said, “the fortune is in the follow up”.
Maybe he knows what he is talking about 🙂
(Yes, I see you’re in his mastermind)
Thanks, Adam! Maybe someday I’ll switch to a CRM… but I love using the old fashioned index card and a pen. Just like with books, I love holding and being able to read a physical book. Every time I’ve downloaded a PDF book on my computer or iPad I can never finish it. :-\
Not sure if that was Dan’s saying or not. The more quotes I read the more they all start to blend in. ha
Are you a member of GKIC, too?!
Ha! Does Dan know what he’s talking about… you make me laugh!! haha
Rock on!