Make your phone ring more often

“Hi – I’m not sure if you remember me. ” Don’t you love those calls?

I had a message last weekend to call someone whose name sounded familiar but I couldn’t quite remember why.  Curiosity got the best of me and I did a reverse search on the phone number. Detective work is a part of our job. When I saw the address it jogged my memory that I’d done an evaluation on the property awhile back.

I quickly returned the call and was thrilled to hear the following sentence.  “Hi, I’m not sure if you remember me, but you did an evaluation for me two years ago and I’m ready to list now”.

Two years ago?  Had it really been two years?  I must admit I never followed up with this lady as there was no motivation on her part at the time to move.  She was just “curious” about the value of her home.

Am I grateful that she thought to call me when she became motivated to sell? Absolutely.  I fell down on the job by not following up.  But perhaps she is the type who doesn’t want to be hounded?  I’m not sure but I do know this could have gone the other way. I could have seen her listing come on with another Brokerage and boo hoo’d because I wasn’t the “chosen one.”

When I went over to get the listing signed she said she was impressed from our first meeting and that’s why she called me back. I lucked out but I really should have added her to my data base immediately after our first meeting. I should have been following up on a regular basis.  This was a wakeup call.  From now on, I plan to keep in touch  after every evaluation I do.

But I have to tell you that it is music to your ears when someone actually says  “I’m not sure if you remember me”.  Very rarely do I ever forget someone who I’ve had the opportunity to do a property evaluation for.

I think most of us can hold up the guilty card when it comes to not following up on a consistent basis. Follow up and make your phone ring more often.

Jennifer Kotulak, YPN Committee Member and OREA YPN Guest Blogger