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Although there are more resources than ever before to help you know when to contact prospects and which ones are the most interested in buying from you, follow-up is still a struggle for many apartment companies.
To try to hit on a few best practices, we asked #AptChat participants to share their tips, tricks and tools for responding to leads and closing the leads they’re getting. We also discussed what tools are missing at the moment, as well as exceptional follow-up techniques outside the multifamily industry.
These are the highlights. (Click on the links to jump straight to a specific question.)
- Q1: What is your typical follow-up process for a new lead? What channels do you use to follow up? How soon, and how often?
- Q1a: What metrics do you have in place to measure your follow-up? Response time? Number of touchpoints? Closing rate?
- Q2: What tools are you using to manage your follow-up and track results? Do you have a system for prioritizing leads?
- Q3: Are you automating any of your follow-up? How do you make sure you’re following up with as many prospects as possible?
- Q4: Where are you seeing your team’s biggest struggles with follow-up? What still needs to be improved? What tools are missing?
- Q5: Have you seen any follow-up techniques from other industries that multifamily should borrow? Any non-industry tools to know?
- Q6: What’s next for your follow-up process? What are you working to improve this year? What did we miss in today’s discussion?
What is your typical follow-up process for a new lead? What channels do you use to follow up? How soon, and how often?
I expect 1st contact w/i a few hours of their initial contact, 2nd w/i two days, 3rd w/i 10 days, etc. as necessary. #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) January 19, 2016
Basically: Follow up w/ someone as they prefer until they tell me to shut up and leave them alone! #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) January 19, 2016
.@AptChat We use the channels used by the lead. If its social, then we reply using this channel. Timing is based on the channel. #aptchat
— -ortiz~ (@ortizwastaken) January 19, 2016
We’re also toying with the idea of providing a prospect specific piece of content as part of our follow-up process. #aptchat
— -ortiz~ (@ortizwastaken) January 19, 2016
@AptChat I try to get leads answered ASAP, especially on WE, but I know some Leasing people wait 24 hrs bc they don’t check
— Mindy Sharp (@MsMin) January 19, 2016
A1: My old company’s lead tracking tool presented properties with a schedule of 24 hours, 1 week, and 2 weeks after initial contact #AptChat
— RokitNow (@RokitNowInc) January 19, 2016
I think follow up is still following traditional models: phone/email/written thank you notes. #aptchat
— Kristi Fickert (@Marketing_Mommy) January 19, 2016
Q1: If the inquiry came via social, expectations are usually higher on response time. Usually within the hour. #aptchat
— Jackie Koehler (@jackiekoehler) January 19, 2016
What metrics do you have in place to measure your follow-up? Response time? Number of touchpoints? Closing rate?
That is a great question! Differing opinions here but I like within 15 minutes to respond and keep texting, calling, emailing @AptChat
— Mindy Sharp (@MsMin) January 19, 2016
As far of tracking, follow ups are scheduled after one is completed in our PMS. It’s a matter of staying on top of checking. DAILY. #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) January 19, 2016
@JoleneSopalski Can you explain what you mean by that? #AptChat
— Apartment Chat (@AptChat) January 19, 2016
@AptChat at @JMGRealty we have a blue binder for our gc placed by the month they want to move.Followup r setup via outlook cal. #AptChat
— Jolene Sopalski (@JoleneSopalski) January 19, 2016
What tools are you using to manage your follow-up and track results? Do you have a system for prioritizing leads?
A2: Leads need to go to a database, tracked by lead source. Consumers want fast response, 24 hrs max response time. On demand world #AptChat
— Kevin Ekmark (@KevinEkmark) January 19, 2016
@AptChat A2: We use our software system hot, warm or cold to determine how often to follow up. Plus I set up calendar reminders.#AptChat
— Jolene Sopalski (@JoleneSopalski) January 19, 2016
Are you automating any of your follow-up? How do you make sure you’re following up with as many prospects as possible?
A3: YES. Initial response is automated with a “tell us more” ask essentially. It’s performing EXTREMELY well. #aptchat
— Ryan Cox (@ryanleecox) January 19, 2016
A3: If you have an email system setup, use it. If you don’t, set one up. Immediately. #everyoneallowedonthattrain #aptchat
— Ryan Cox (@ryanleecox) January 19, 2016
Hadn’t thought of Outlook scheduling! We have PMS queue checked daily. “Automation” for me is a set of personalized email templates #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) January 19, 2016
@AptChat If done right, automation can be a life saver. Stressing “If done right.” #aptchat
— -ortiz~ (@ortizwastaken) January 19, 2016
Where are you seeing your team’s biggest struggles with follow-up? What still needs to be improved? What tools are missing?
A4: Folks need to be willing to do them, and recognize their value. It’s easy to assume, “They’ll call me if they’re interested.” #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) January 19, 2016
@leftnwrite08 We can spend less on ads if we close more of the leads we already have, right? Affects all the other numbers. #AptChat
— Mike at 30 Lines (@30lines) January 19, 2016
@30lines @leftnwrite08 On one of my former haunts, we almost eliminated paid ILS sources with just our website alone & Twitter/FB. #aptchat
— Mindy Sharp (@MsMin) January 19, 2016
A4: Processes, processes, processes. Give them executable processes, and they excel. Don’t? #fallthroughthecracksitdoes #aptchat
— Ryan Cox (@ryanleecox) January 19, 2016
A4. I’d love it if the PMS software dashboard could distinguish which CTA the prospect clicked on the website. #Aptchat
— Holli Beckman (@Apartmentalist) January 19, 2016
Have you seen any follow-up techniques from other industries that multifamily should borrow? Any non-industry tools to know?
A5: detailed summaries being a big one, IMO. What they looked at, pictures (of them in it), details specific to their needs. #aptchat
— Ryan Cox (@ryanleecox) January 19, 2016
@AptChat I did find this tool to be quite interesting and a potential contender https://t.co/edh44sMpIo #aptchat
— -ortiz~ (@ortizwastaken) January 19, 2016
@AptChat It’s integration with gmail for biz, has a ton of built-in tools, and low-cost options make it very appealing. #aptchat
— -ortiz~ (@ortizwastaken) January 19, 2016
A5: As a texting vendor, I’d love to see properties follow-up via text if the prospect opted-in to receive texts #AptChat
— RokitNow (@RokitNowInc) January 19, 2016
@RokitNowInc But know when to quit sending those texts to people/opt out of the loop on their side. #AptChat
— Mindy Sharp (@MsMin) January 19, 2016
@MsMin @RokitNowInc I love the idea of text-notifications…but anytime we dip our toes with feedback, email wins. (in landslide) #aptchat
— Ryan Cox (@ryanleecox) January 19, 2016
What’s next for your follow-up process? What are you working to improve this year? What did we miss in today’s discussion?
A6: I might be beating a dead horse here, but e-mail. I would invest heavily in e-mail. And re-targeting. #aptchat
— Ryan Cox (@ryanleecox) January 19, 2016
#Truthpaste @ryanleecox! Email drip campaigns continue to bring the warm customers back to the site until they convert! #aptchat
— Holli Beckman (@Apartmentalist) January 19, 2016
I think an interesting way to “follow-up” by staying “in-front” of prospectsr is videos via social media. Example to follow. #aptchat
— Ryan Cox (@ryanleecox) January 19, 2016
What @Apartmentalist & her W3 team does w/ ‘hard hat tour’ weekly is pretty darn brilliant. I’d venture guess prospects watch. #aptchat
— Ryan Cox (@ryanleecox) January 19, 2016
A6: I want to see “Follow Up Calendars” become a thing. i.e. Share local events, not just rehash amenities. #aptchat
— Khara (@leftnwrite08) January 19, 2016
If you think we overlooked something, feel free to add your two cents in the comments below!
Our next #AptChat will be Tuesday, January 26, 2016 at 12 pm Eastern. In the meantime, be sure to sign up for #AptChat updates to get these recaps and more delivered straight to your inbox!