Before we get started, let’s just be very clear. Cold calling for real estate leads is not legal in the UAE, can result in a fine of AED 50,000 and is not even an efficient way of finding clients. It is very much a needle in the haystack strategy and illegal!
However, warm calling is a whole different ball game and can be quite successful when done correctly.
What is warm calling and how is it different from cold calling?
Cold Calling: Randomly calling people off a dodgy contact list and asking, “do you want to buy or sell a property?”
Why doesn’t this work? It is like looking for a needle in a haystack and it is incredibly irritating for the person on the other end.
Warm Calling: Calling someone who has expressed an interest in more information through a website, a social media post, or someone with whom you have had contact in the past.
Why it may work?: They have already expressed (at least a tiny bit of) interest in working with you.
Why it may not work?: You don’t have a technique, a script or sound confident and compelling.
With warm leads, you should have some sort of information stored in your CRM such as: which property they were looking at, what development they are interested in, where they may want to live after their tenancy contract is up, etc.
You are also able to provide some sort of value to warm leads: an offer to show more properties, an offer to share last sold transaction data, a market update, information on completion of a project, etc.
Now that we know the difference between warm and cold leads, let’s take a look at how to connect effectively with this bucket of potential clients.
Segment your leads
There are ways multiple ways to do this but ideally, you want to separate Hot Leads (“I am looking to buy a property“) from Warm Leads (filled out a form online to get more information about an off-plan project).
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You could also segment your warm leads by phone leads, email leads, online form leads, etc. The main idea is to bucket similar leads together.
Have a Call Script
Note scripts are fantastic for knowing what you will say. They should never sound like a script.
Every movie you have ever watched is scripted, it just doesn’t sound like it. Here are some pointers:
- Immediately introduce yourself
- Remind them how you have met or how they submitted interest
- Tell them the reason you are calling
Example: Calling back a missed phone call (technically this is a warm lead)
“Hello, my name is Sarah with (agency name). I missed a call from this number. Were you calling for a property for sale or for rent, tell me how can I help?”.
Example: Calling a lead who submitted a form to get more information on an up-and-coming off-plan project. The lead’s name is Oscar.
Hello Oscar, my name is Sarah and the reason I am calling is you requested a call back regarding information on the upcoming Emaar launch. Tell me how exactly can I help you?
A few things to note here:
- Call the client by their name (not sir, not miss but their name). It really does help build rapport.
- Immediately introduce yourself
- Get to the point of the call (we caution asking if it is a good time because the reflex response is no).
- Ask exactly how you can help.
Remember, the goal of this type of call is an appointment or to gather information. Not to really sell a house. You are just making initial contact so that you can meet in person or provide them with something of value. Don’t forget to add details of this call to your CRM.
Block out time each day/week for warm calls
This is probably the most important step here. Block out time on your calendar and work that hour with a focus and a goal in mind such as securing 4 appointments.
When you are calling, this is your only focus. Turn off email alerts, shut down unnecessary tabs on your computer and block out all distractions. Time blocking is highly productive and a great way of building a successful work habit.
Celebrate your Successes with Warm Leads
Always celebrate your success. Yay, you did it! You got your 4 appointments! Reward yourself with a coffee break or a 5-minute social media break. And then move on to your next task, which should be client appointments.
Discover more ways to excel in your real estate career with our series of resources on our Content Corner on the Agent Portal. You can also attend our interactive in-house workshops at Bayut Academy, where we help equip real estate agents with skills that can guarantee success!