You’ve got clients!

But only if you respond to that e-mail inquiry quickly and with the right kind of information.

by Marty Kramer   When Joe Vitale began his search for a home on a couple acres in the Texas Hill Country, he fired off a half dozen e-mails requesting general information from agents. Which one did he end up working with? "The one who answered my e-mail the quickest," says the author of Spiritual Marketing and numerous other marketing books.

Many agents and brokers agree that a fast turnaround is essential if you want to transform an e-mail inquiry into a relationship with a buyer or seller. Rick Dittemore, a residential specialist with Keller Williams in the Houston area, feels 12 hours should be the upper limit for hitting your Reply button, but preferably sooner. "If a prospective buyer is actively looking at Web sites or ads, they are usually ready to get serious about locating a home. If you don’t contact them first, your chances of working with them drop dramatically."

Indeed, 79% of respondents to a TAR Inside Track poll said they answer e-mails from prospects in 12 hours or less, with 45% replying in three hours. Even these times may not be quick enough in some instances. Wally Bock, an author and columnist on business and the Internet, suggests customers do not base their expectations on comparisons among real estate Web sites but by their experiences with top commercial Web sites like Amazon.com and Land’s End. So an agent who gets back to a prospect after an hour or two may still be perceived as slow.

Not everyone in the business believes a response demands that kind of urgency. Laura Robertson of Keller Williams in Allen feels that one business day is sufficient. "Everyone is impressed with a quick response," she says, "but who wants an agent that is sitting at a desk? Clients want their agents out there physically in the marketplace."

Philippa Gamse, an electronic-business consultant and speaker who has worked with agents and REALTOR® associations, believes agents do themselves a disservice to treat e-mail differently from a phone message. "If someone is trying to contact you, they expect a response as quickly as possible," she says. "There’s a psychological factor associated with e-mail that people expect a fast response, since it’s delivered so quickly. Some agents have e-mail transferred to a pager or phone, so they are instantly notified when something comes in."

Replying to a prospect quickly only gets you half way to your goal. You must deliver the right message. Keep it brief and to the point, recommends Gary Seigel, Ph.D., a Realty Times columnist and principal of The Writing Institute. "I think the Internet inquirer, for the most part, is a thinker–detail-oriented, serious, and organized. I’d avoid getting too personal. I’d avoid tooting your horn."

Vitale agrees. "You should be non-pushy, offer to help, say you would be delighted to get more information from them by e-mail or by phone, at the prospect’s choosing. If you have listings that match what they are asking for, ask them to call or e-mail. Don’t insist on an appointment." He stresses that the tone of the e-mail should be friendly, inviting, and professional.

Photo © Digital Vision.

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