How often do you follow up?

[FairwayandIsle]

I wanted to get sort of a gage ... How often do you email people that send an email inquiry?

I have had several people email me about specific properties so I answer the questions that they ask. Hearing nothing in response I will send a quick note on the lines of ... Just wanted to make sure you got the information is there anything more you need.

Normally I don't hear anything back from that email. Can I put these people on some sort of an email campaign because they sent an initial inquiry?

[RESteve]

My ideal method of following up would be at least once every 3 days via email. I don't know why 3 days resonates with me; sort of a gut number.

So a user signs up (registers) and gets listings sent to their email. If that user has not received an email from the site automatically by 3 days time, then I send a personal email to talk about their criteria and see if I can help.

This is how I'd like to approach this - but not something I've tested.

PS. I normally don't hear back from an email I send out thanking the person for registering either.

[Lewi]

What a great question, I also stuggle on occasion with this same issue. Generally I respond a couple times over a week or two and then stop if I haven't recieved a response. Occasionally I try again a month or so later depending on their original questions.

I'm sure some are more aggresive and would love to know if that works?

[Micheal Pannell Realtor]

Follow up Follow up Follow up till they buy or die.

[FairwayandIsle]

I just wanted to be consience of that fine line between letting them know I am there and being considered spam.

[FairwayandIsle]

Follow up Follow up Follow up till they buy or die.

Funny ... but I see what you are saying ...

[Lewi]

Micheal: Do you find yourself going to alot of funerals?

[judyo]

This is my weak spot and I'm trying to fix it. Most of my leads are not even in the area I work (I'm in a huge MLS). Anyone that signs up for my IDX search (registration is required to view details), gets an immediate "thank-you" e-mail.

I then send a follow-up letter 3 days later to see if they need help and to get them back to my site. I send another e-mail 6 days later and one more after that. Again, they're just to follow-up, see if they're ready to look at homes and giving them links back to the site.

I was going to create more follow-up e-mails but based on what I've been reading lately, I don't want to send too much. So I think I'll just keep sending them links to my monthly newsletter once a month after the follow-up e-mails I currently have in place. I've had a few opt-outs once they got the newsletter e-mail but that's to be expected.

But another thing I noticed was that people were e-mailing me back explaining that they just started looking and aren't ready yet. They were almost apologizing and one guy answered every follow-up e-mail and offered to refer anyone to me that he knows about. It was almost like he thought I was desperate and he needed to help me! I don't want to come across that way so I'm still trying to figure out the best way to do this.

Of course, we're supposed to call, but I do not require a phone # and don't usually get one. Even if it was required, I'm sure most would be phony.

[RESteve]

I would be willing to bet that a killer IDX could convert 10x more leads than any systematized follow up email would.

Maybe our focus on the emails we send should rather be focused on improving the user experience consumers have on our sites?

Having a killer search for properties, I'd think, would keep them coming back and refer your site to others if they really saw value in it.

I'm not saying follow up emails aren't important, however. I haven't really perfected that science just yet. None the less, I do think that when a user hasn't come back to your site that means something.

a) They aren't looking any more (not likely?)

b) They didn't like your search.

c) Nothing on your site caused them to remember and come back.

I'm sure there are more scenarios but maybe more focus should be put on the user experience than the details (email content, frequency, etc.) of a follow up system.

[judyo]

While I agree your site and search must be compelling, many prospects are 6 months or more away from actually purchasing. If you don't snare them at some point, even if you have a great site, they might forget and move on to another since they're just window shopping at the moment.

I think a good, but not spammy, contact follow-up system is part of the mix. You need to get them to realize you're a real, live agent, not just a website or idx. You need to let them know you're a local agent, especially in a large area like my mls covers.