What is a lead? It appears that there might be a bit of a disconnect between what a lead is, and what real estate agents think a lead is. So today we will break down that wall and discuss the realities of what an online real estate lead really is.
FALSE! If they are not ready to buy/sell in the next 30 days, then they simply need more time before making any major decisions. Dismissing a lead that isn't ready to transact in the next month is a missed opportunity for additional income. 6 months later when the lead is ready to buy a new home, they are likely to do it with another agent because you found no urgency in their request.
This is also a common myth about online leads. Leads will fill out lead capture forms as long as they want to learn more information. There is a human behind that name and email. They want to learn more, but are not ready to speak with a real estate agent yet. Similar to dating apps, you don't skip straight from the app to a date. You must exchange messages first, then build up rapport to trade phone numbers. Let them continue browsing your website, send them emails, and they will raise their hand when they are ready.
Again, not true. Sure, you can't attribute leads you know to services you are paying for to help you generate leads. However, a friend or family member can still be a lead. In fact, this group of people is the best community to cultivate for more leads and referrals! They are more likely to refer you to people outside of your network, so don't skip out on those relationships!
There is a number of real estate agents that will disqualify leads if they fall outside of 30 days or don't have a phone number. Don't be that agent. While this is indeed a numbers game, you should also remember that real estate is a social business. This is also a business that thrives off people who know how to build relationships. You can get in this business if you know how to nurture people who are not ready to buy now...because at the end of the day, everybody will be interested in buying or selling real estate.