Best Time for Lead Follow Up *phone calls*

[CLTMichael]

What time is the best time to call the internet leads who give you a phone number?

[papaul1621]

I try to call them right away after they sign up.

[michaeltaber]

I think as soon as possible and leave a message or try in the afternoon after people get off work, that seems to be a good time.

[RESteve]

I call right away (hopefully catch them on the site). If I can't reach them, leave a voicemail. Call again the next day in the afternoon. Then again for a week, but the third attempt on don't leave a voicemail.

All the while they're in a drip campaign designed to get their time frame, and phone number.

The moment I reach them by phone they're off the drip campaign. If I don't reach them by phone, the drip asks for a valid phone anyway since by the time I actually ask (2nd drip in), I've be unsuccessful at reaching them on the number they provided.

[Toby Lane]

I usually call as soon as I can. If I don't reach them, I don't leave a message. Eventually, they wonder who is calling.

[Mitch]

We call after the first hour as our system has to do it's thing prior to our call. We call up to 4 times and if we don't get hold of them or they don't call back they go into system geared toward having them contact us. We always leave messages each time we call.

[CLTMichael]

Great posts guys, really interesting how each person handles this.

[Ryocheck]

I agree, as soon as possible. Sometimes they are still searching and you can help them while they look. Most people are friendly or they won't give you their number in the first place.

[RyanRE]

The time is now.

[DMG]

The good thing is that there is no wrong answer - I have found that just like anything in life it all depends on the person, who the lead is as a person, their age, their motivation, where they are when you call them back etc.

Most of the time the quicker the better but I have also found that calling too soon may backfire in the sense that people sometimes feel "Hey I just signed up on this form / site and got what I was looking for so why is this sales-person calling and hounding me already". I have found that with some people calling a day or 2 later is even better because now they had a short window to let things soak in, think more about their needs and they may have more questions after a night or two sleeping on it and may be more receptive to the call at that time.

All in all we try to call any 800# or web leads back within 20 minutes if we are not in an appointment and within an hour or so if we are. If it goes past this timeline I say within 24 - 48 hours for any 800# calls and general IDX sign up's. If we are talking a direct "I want to sell or buy a home" lead then those take the front seat and we call them almost immediately every time even if it's a simple e-mail or text letting them know we got their message and will call them shortly.