As the internet has gained momentum for an effective tool for those looking for real estate it has also presented challenges for real estate professionals.  The ease of the internet has allowed traditional home buyers to start searching months before they are actually “ready” to purchase a property.  In this group of buyers that are diligently searching for real estate help are another group of buyers who are ready to take action today if….we just ask them the right questions.

The common misperception is that buyers looking on the internet for real estate help are just “looking”.  The reality is that many of them are looking to purchase, they just don’t know the process so they keep looking until someone speaks up and informs them of the process of buying real estate.  This doesn’t mean you have to consult with them for 45 minutes on the phone, it just means you need them to see the value in taking time to meet with you so you can help them to see how they can make a purchase.

Here are three simple steps to focus on when you are making calls from those who have made requests on your website or blog for more information about real estate in your area.

1. Response time – People researching on the internet expect for results to happen quickly so it is important to meet that need.  Set a goal of a response time of less than 7 minutes and you will surely be able to speak to them while they are still on your website.  This may sound extreme, however, when you block time to return calls promptly you will get more appointments and prevent them from getting to that next real estate agents’ website.

2. Ask questions – In order to get an appointment in less than 3 minutes it is important to ask questions.  Avoid questions that concern the number of bedrooms or bathrooms, otherwise they won’t see the value in meeting with you.  Keep your questions short and in that only provide them the opportunity to answer in a “Yes/No” format.  The more thought provoking and short your questions are, the easier it will be to lead them to agree to meet with you.

3. Avoid the word “Appointment” – No one likes going to an appointment so avoid the word entirely.  When you say “let’s meet for a buyer appointment” someone thinks of such pleasant experiences as going to the Dentist or their accountant for tax time, nothing thrilling.  Avoid the word appointment and simply offer them the opportunity to meet with you so you can “learn more about their goals”.  This small change in word choice will have people agreeing to meet with you consistently!

Whether you call them buyer scripts, buyer objections, or just asking questions, focus on keeping your conversations short to get more appointments from those that request information from your websites and blog.  With short conversations buyers have a reason to meet with you and will be excited to discover more about the home buying process when they come to your office.

By James Bridges of Online Real Estate Success

As one of the co-founders of BuyerScripts.com and Online Real Estate Success he has developed extensive real estate training materials and a library of buyer scripts to enable real estate agents to convert leads to appointments in less than 3 minutes.  Online Real Estate Success offers real estate marketing and coaching programs for real estate professionals who want to succeed with online marketing.  Programs are balanced to cover everything from lead generation to converting those leads into appointments that lead to sales.