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Writer's pictureJeff Glover

The Best Lead Follow Up System for Real Estate Agents: The Folder System


The folder system - lead follow up for real estate agents

I've been sharing my surprisingly simple, technology-free, lead follow up system for a few years to real estate agents in SalesRocket. It is virtually free and you likely already have the tools to start implementing today!


The Best Lead Follow Up System For Real Estate Agents


I call this lead follow up system “the folder system” and I have yet to discover a more effective and efficient system, even with all the fancy CRMs our team uses. The folder system is the best lead follow up system for real estate agents today because it follows the "if you generate you don't have to tolerate” mantra, requiring you to throw away bad or unmotivated leads, versus keeping them in your CRM to call time and time again. When you waste time calling unmotivated leads, you miss out on the hottest, ready-now leads.


Here’s how the folder system for lead follow up works:


You have three manilla folders, labeled with the following:


  1. 0-7

  2. 7-30

  3. Appointments


The numbers on the folders represent the likelihood that the prospect is going to meet with an agent to discuss selling or to look at homes within that time frame. Those are the days. For instance, if you believe, based on your convo that someone is hot-to-trot to meet or make a move in the next few days, they go in the “0-7” folder. If they're a few weeks out, they go into the “7-30” folder and of course if they are appointments set they go in the “Appointments” folder.


These folders go EVERYWHERE with me. When I get home, they're on my counter next to my keys and wallet. When I'm in my car, they’re on my passenger seat. When I'm in the office, they’re next to my laptop.


The “0-7” Folder Lead Follow Up Plan


I go through the “0-7” folder between 2-4 times a day. That doesn't mean I am reaching out that many times, it just means I am making sure I didn't forget anyone. I reach out to the hottest leads up to five times if I've had a conversation with them before I toss them into a drip campaign in the CRM.


The “7-30” Folder Lead Follow Up Plan


I go through the “7-30” folder once every couple of days because the urgency is not as high with this group but I still like to make sure no lead falls through the cracks. My goal is to move these leads into the “Appointment” folder or the trash (after a drip campaign is set), because if I hang onto too many leads for too long, the bad leads will cloud the good leads and the good leads will get lost or forgotten.


It's this level of focus and attention to these leads that drives up my conversion rate. Most agents treat every lead the same, which results in a lower conversion rate - fewer leads turn into appointments. By bringing these three folders with me everywhere I go, no lead falls through the cracks and I control the frequency with which I reach out. There's no such thing as "out of sight, out of mind" with this system.


The “Appointments” Folder Lead Follow Up Plan


I touch every lead in the “Appointment” folder 6 times from the time the appointment is set until the time I go out to meet the potential client. This increases my appointment set to appointment held ratio as well as my gone on to taken ratio.


Here are those touches:


  1. Text immediately after the call thanking them for the opportunity to go to work for them.

  2. Email later that day with a video from me of what's going to happen on the appointment

  3. Pre-Appt package sent out (we'll be sharing our newest package at the gloveru.com/retreat)

  4. Pre-Qual Call prior to the appointment.

  5. Morning of the appointment text them letting them know I'm looking forward to meeting with them today.

  6. 60 min out call letting them know I'm just under an hour away


I'm going into detail on these six touches during the Adapt & Thrive Tour and will be doing the same at this year's Retreat in Traverse City.

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