Like most agents, I get very excited when I get a lead from my agent Web site. But what do you do when you try to contact the lead and get no response? In my case, I use an IDX product that requires registration once the visitor decides to mark listings as favorites. Since a password is sent to the visitor via the email address entered, I have a high degree of certainty that the email address is valid. Once the visitor is registered on my site, I can monitor the searching activity of the prospect.
So, here I am watching this particular prospect log into my Web site several times a day. I can see all of the properties marked as favorite, want to see, etc. I started to make contact using a friendly, easy going approach. I simply sent a message saying “Welcome to my site." or "Hope you are enjoying searching for properties here.” After a day or two with no response, I called the phone number provided by the prospect, but again, no response!
Now I start getting suspicious. The phone number seemed to be valid, but after several tries, there was still no response. Then it occurred to me that this person may be already working with another agent. If the prospect was working with another agent, then I had to decide how to approach this. My IDX technology gave me several options: 1. Delete the contact; 2. Change the contacts password, preventing them from seeing their saved searches. 3. Change the property information view so the contact can only see the street name.
However, before doing anything drastic, I made one more attempt to make contact with a direct e-mail explaining that I had left messages but had yet to get a response. I asked point blank if she was working with another agent and framed the question this way: “I need to know if you are working with another agent. If you are, I do not want to violate the Code of Ethics by providing you information from my Web site. If I don’t hear from you within 24 hours, I will assume you are working with another agent.”
This straightforward approach worked! I received an email from the contact with an apology for not responding, and an explanation that she didn’t know what to do because she was working with another agent, but was not happy. She already had a contract on a short sale but it was going nowhere. She said she wanted to work with me but had to wait another week or so to see about the short sale. I e-mailed her saying that when she is no longer working with the other agent, then we can talk. It’s wise to not be offended just because a person doesn’t respond. Who knows if this person will reconnect, but at least I made a good impression by being understanding and communicating directly.
NOTE: RMLS offers several options for IDX web sites. Please contact either the help desk or data exports for more information.
Brett Woolley, REALTOR®, MBA, ABR, has worked in the real estate and MLS information industry since the early 90’s where he was instrumental in bringing programs such as WyldFyre software to the market. A licensed and practicing REALTOR® with Boulter Properties in Phoenix, AZ, Brett enjoys sharing ‘war stories’ and helping agents and brokers solve real estate problems.
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