Is there a way to follow up after that first sales pitch without seeming like a stalker?
Agents who do it well treat buyers like fans, said Meredith Oliver, an Internet sales and marketing consultant.
She said 42 percent of sites agents do not follow up with prospects after the first contact. Oliver spoke at the NEFBA Sales and Marketing Council’s February breakfast.
That’s because today’s educated savvy homebuyers push them away. They think they know it all and don’t want to be “sold” on products.
To create a fan, flip the follow-up message so it’s all about them instead of about you, Oliver said.
• Share an idea or an insight. If the buyer liked the grand staircase, include a link to more staircase designs by the builder in a follow-up email.
• Solve a problem. Refer them to a trade partner who can help with a challenge they face.
• Ask a question. One-way communication is not a conversation. Ask something that will engage them.