08/28/2020
Heat Up Cold Leads And Turn Them Into Appointments
How To Convert Cold Buyer Leads:
Here’s the cold, hard truth about online leads. They can be hard to convert. You might jump to the conclusion that the leads are bad. However, it is extremely likely that the problem isn’t the leads. The problem just might be the way that the leads are handled. When you think about it, these people likely don’t know you. They haven’t talked to you, they reached you by seeing your impressive Facebook ad. It would be easy to throw them into your funnel and see what happens. But that isn’t how these leads are going to be converted or how you’re going to maximize your ROI.
Just like in a relationship, you can’t forget to do the small things that you did to win over clients in the beginning. Because you already have their contact information from your lead form, it could be so easy to skip this step. There are several ways to heat up these leads and turn them into appointments and eventually paying clients. It is also important to know why we should be doing this. Let’s dive in!
The Psychology Behind It
In social psychology, there is something called the stereotype content model. Its studies have shown that people form first impressions of others based on two factors: warmth and competence. According to this study, we subconsciously answer two questions every time we meet someone:
Can I trust this person?
Can I respect this person?
When it comes to converting your online leads, you’ll want to focus on warmth first, competence second. Meaning, earn their trust first, then show them what you can do for them and how you can help their home buying or selling process. So, how do you instill more warmth into your follow-up?
Ways To Warm Up Those Cold Leads
Being a warm person can actually help with cold leads. We are going over five different ways you can warm up your lead follow-up process.
Send video emails. Imagine that your prospect opens up an email from you. They don’t find a paragraph of text or a copied and pasted sales pitch, they see your face and hear your voice. Send a personal video introducing yourself, some fun facts about you, and then how you’ve been able to help others with their real estate needs in the area. This can be an automated drip campaign but the video will help these leads get to know you. Email service BombBomb reported that those who started using videos in their emails had an 81% increase in replies, an 87% increase in clicks and a 60% increase in converting leads. Definitely worth a shot!
Switch your focus. This sounds broad but try to focus on the person, not the transaction. This is important in your initial contact, whether by a service like Ellie, a call from yourself, or someone on your sales team. Focus on getting to know the lead and their lifestyle before diving into what kind of home they’re looking for.
Write conversationally. Have you ever included a spelling error in your AI’s scripts? Sounds crazy, right? Using short, conversational sentences can help people feel like they’re talking to a real person. Write in the way that you talk. If you say things like “sorta” or “wowzers” in everyday conversation, feel free to say it to your leads.
Show empathy. You’ve likely been in this person’s shoes before. Buying or selling your home can feel exciting, overwhelming, nerve-wracking, discouraging, exhilarating. Acknowledge those feelings in your initial conversations. Saying things like “I know all of this information can be overwhelming” or “What an exciting time for you and your husband!” shows them that you care about how they’re feeling. In turn, they’ll trust and respect you.
Share your story. In a brief way, share your story. Talk about who you are and how you got there. Did you grow up in the area they’re home shopping in? Let them know. Do you also have a golden retriever? Tell them! Make that connection. This helps them relate to you on a personal level and immediately helps with that first question: Can I trust this person?
Add Some Warmth. The success of your lead gen strategy and your digital marketing efforts depends on how well you follow up. There are many components to your follow-up strategy: Your response time, the tools and services you take advantage of, and how you make people feel when you do contact them. When crafting your email drips, text sequences, and lead follow-up, make a conscious effort to try to be warm before trying to be smart.
