Sonsie Conroy's (Coldwell Banker Premier Real Estate, San Luis Obispo, CA) message spoke to me today. And I'm going to pass her post and message onto my "team" at Chicago Bancorp. And then all the agents I work with.
Then I'm digging in my car. My office. My home office ... everywhere, for every scrap of paper I have numbers, info, messages, etc. on. THOSE scraps represent people I gave up on, but maybe should not have. I'm going to contact them all to see what has developed in their lives. See if I can help.
I always preach to my clients that "things change". The housing market certainly has. Interest Rates have tremendously. Maybe circumstances, options, and opportunities have changed for some of these old rumpled papers too. I owe it to these people to find out.
For potential homebuyers reading this ... keep the message about changing options in mind. Keep checking to see what your personal options and possibilities are. See if they have changed ...
For me as a professional, I'm going to find out MY possibilities and take my own preaching to heart.
Thanks again, Sonsie ...
Gene
Last week, my office had a two-day "prospecting school," during which we spent some intensive time contacting past clients, our COI/SOI, households around our just-listed or just-sold properties, and people whom we considered to be "dead leads."
In preparation for this event, I gathered up a pile of paper scraps, napkins, business cards with names and phone numbers scribbled on them, old sign-in sheets from open houses, and every other half-forgotten old lead, some going back to 2008! Needless to say, I had little expectation of a positive result should I be able to get in touch, but I decided it was worth a try.
I created a short script to look at while I made my calls, outlining local market stats (prices still falling, albeit slowly; interest rates below 4% and holding steady; and signs that the market in several nearby towns is beginning to turn into a sellers' market once again). I jotted notes next to the names I had collected, and looked up phone numbers where possible. I ended up with 20 useable names and numbers, with enough information about each lead to get a conversation started.
I was able to connect with 12 people on Friday--8 of whom were happy to hear from me, eager to find out more about the local market, and ready to start seriously looking for a home or investment property. I spent the weekend looking up properties to tour, emailing answers to marketing and financing questions, and otherwise following up with these people. I'm confident that most, if not all, will be buying from me within the next few months.
There's really no such thing as a dead lead unless your prospect tells you not to contact him or her. Otherwise, keep trying (at reasonable intervals, not so often as to be a pest). For a very small investment of time and energy, I'm reaping a substantial reward.
Sonsie Conroy
CA Lic. No. 01839596
Coldwell Banker Premier Real Estate
San Luis Obispo, CA
Cell: 805-235-2351
Email: sconroy@slonet.org
Website: www.sloliferealestate.com
Gene Mundt, Sr. Vice President
Personal NMLS #216987
The Federal Savings Bank
1823 Centre Point Circle, Naperville, IL 60563
Now on Skype! 630-219-1316
