You Don't Have a Lead Problem—You Have a Conversation Problem | LeadingLane Podcast | Ep 108

So, like, where my mind automatically went when you said paid per lead, because I think that's what people say, like, I have a lead issue. You don't really have a lead issue. You have a conversation issue, then you have a conversion issue, because you can't create a relationship. So if you're not willing to answer unknown calls now and then you turn around and you go, pay for lead. Let's be real.

Welcome to the Leading Lane Podcast for Real Estate Pros by Real Estate Pros, with your hosts, Ashley Frederick and Stephen Burch. If you're looking for an honest, authentic and raw perspective, you found it.

Welcome everyone, back to the Leading Lane Podcast. Today we're going to talk about an interesting topic and that would be spam calls, everybody's favorite, which we all get and we all deal with them differently. I'm guilty of probably not the best reaction, but I think interesting to talk through. But Stephen had a really good example of something that happened when he answered a spam call, much like when you answered WhatsApp message. So you seem to be doing things right way.

So I just think the big thing, you know, we talked about it before and when you're trying to go and find referrals to send clients to and getting either finding their contact information or even getting them to answer, and I think that's one of the biggest things I hear over and over about Realtors is that they never answer the damn phones. We talked about multiple different scenarios, the WhatsApp. Right. Like thinking that it's spam and that I actually responded back to them. And follow up on that. They had two other rentals in the area and now they're moving those rentals over to our property management division. So I got three transactions of answering a WhatsApp message and going to continue to work with them on additional investments. So this has just multiplied over and over again. And I'm thankful that I actually responded because I too am guilty of not always answering. But the most recent one was legit today and I was driving from the office to my house and to do the podcast. And I'm going to give you round numbers. They called it like 1026. Never spoken to the person.

That's not the most round number.

But okay, well, like, okay, 10. Don't hold me to it. Okay. But it says shut up. It said potential spam, all big on the top. And then now with the update, like, my phone almost silences it. So I happen to see that iPhone thing.

I tell you.

Yeah, I can't go to an Android, that's no way. But 1026, they call, right? And never met this person before. And I was like, okay. How? I talked him through everything, answered the questions, super nice guy, made the suggestion.

To you, answered the phone and like, what? What did they say?

Basically was like, hey, would you work with somebody that is either looking to buy or we don't know if we want to buy, we might want to rent. Of course I will help you. Like, it was that simple of an introduction, right? Like, I didn't. Wasn't walking into it, like a sales pitch, wasn't trying to. I just answer it. Like I answer the phone at any other time. And that was their opening to me. I'm here for it. So once we got off the phone, about 10 minutes later, I sent them the application to our preferred lender and about 20 minutes later, if that, he sent me a text stating that he already submitted the application. And I have a text message right now from the lender, let it be if they are approved or not, that doesn't matter, right? Like, I can help this person, I can find my rental, I can create the relationship. But if I did not go ahead and just enter that phone, then I would not have had this opportunity, I would not have met this person, this person wouldn't continue to have conversation and text me, right? So as spam calls are wildly frustrating and irritating and time consuming because we get so it's like hundreds a day, literally. It is so important because we are constantly having filters, even look at your spam folder. Right? Like in your email. Sometimes legit emails go to your spam folder.

Yeah.

Because they're trying this. The systems are trying to filter through for you. But if we only rely on that, never look at our spam folder or never take a chance on answering a spam phone call, how many different opportunities are we going to be missing? And the difference here is on spam email, typically the other person is going to reach out and say, hey, did you get this?

Right?

Blah, blah, blah, to where if I didn't answer somebody's phone and they're not going to call me back and say, hey, did you get this? Because the next time that they call back and more than likely will show potential stamp spam again. And I'm in the same freaking boat, so answer your TAM phone.

I always preface that though with I'm not going to answer my phone if I am with a client, right? So I'm always like, I was with the client, so I couldn't. So I always get frustrated. People Think you have to answer your phone24 stuff. And I'm like. Or if I'm. No, I swear to God that it's. I could, like, write it down. The amount of times that I go to the bathroom for 30 seconds and then my phone rings, like, while I'm in a. Like, seriously, like, no time before that. It had to be within that window.

And then how many times out of those do they then call the office because you didn't answer your phone?

Like a hundred. And I'll literally be like, I'm sorry, I was in the bathroom. Like, the, like, 1% of the day. You know, I think that it is. It is just because in real estate, I feel like real estate, slash, if you own your own business, slash, if your phone number is, like, out and about, like, for whatever reason, like, you just get it amplified. I know that Ben has the same thing, And I think 95% of Ben's are spam. He's pretty good at answering them. And then he normally hangs up on people. I used to struggle with hanging up on people because it is, like, rude in its own sense. Right, because you wouldn't do it. But in the same sense, like, you are spamming me. So that's probably one good thing, is just be like, nope, sorry, I can't hear you. And then just. Right. Frustrating for me is a lot of times I'll see a call, it'll say spam, and I'm on my computer and I'll type the number in, like on Google or whatever, and it'll say, like, a actual, like, local company. So I'll be like, oh. And then it is legitimate spam. And I'm like, how is it that they're getting, you know, like, being able to circle those calls? I find that.

But, you know, how much more would it be? Less or more time to go to Google to go type in the freaking entire phone number versus pressing one button on your phone that says answer and then another button on your phone that says decline or hang up. Like, goodbye.

I mean, true, but does yours. Does yours say verified at all?

Yes. Like, if it's like a green check mark or whatnot. Yeah, yeah, it does. And I mean, like, even those, like, sometimes are not really people, right? Like, it flips it the other way. It's not 100% accurate every single time. That that truly is going to be something. And, you know, like the kind of random. My dad has the same name as I, so we have a lot of people that will see my name or Google my name my dad's name and get my phone number because my phone number is everywhere and I'm basically the receptionist for my father. And having to hand that off, that is way more frustrating to me than getting a spam call and hanging up on them.

Yeah, I agree.

And that's a real person.

Okay, Stephen, I will full on attempt to answer them when I can and I will report back to you. Perfect.

And you know, like, I know it's about the opportunities, right? I think that's what we, in our last podcast we talked about, you know, we tried to come up with this big elaborate plan. We don't necessarily need to. The opportunities are there. And really if you are answering the phone, that means that you're sharpening your skill at your introduction. Right? Like you're, you're going to sound more confident instead of fumbling around because you never are on the phone. Like practice on them. You already know that you're going to reject them, so why don't you ask them? Great. You're looking to buy yourself real estate and start getting the rejection back. So you get through that one. Get through to your. What is it? Get through to a hundred nos before 100 no's to get to one. And so make it a challenge to get a hundred no's, not just focusing on the one.

Well, I think that it goes back to the easy button. So I think a lot of people, you know, are looking at like the pay per lead type of thing, which don't get me wrong, like there's a time and a place for that, you know, but I think sometimes you just need to reevaluate, like how are you actually spending your time and your resources? Are you taking care of your database where that's where the really good leads tend to come from? Or are you putting your focus on the fly by night type person that probably comes through that's talked to four other people as well.

So, like where my mind automatically went when you said paid per lead, because I think that's what people say, like, I have a lead issue. You don't really have a lead issue. You have a conversation issue, then you have a conversion issue because you can't create a relationship. So if you're not willing to answer unknown calls now and then you turn around and you go pay for lead. Let's be real. If you, yeah, those people are going to call, you are going to be unknown calls. I would love to be having my phone full of all qualified buyers and all qualified sellers, and I would have every single one of Their phone numbers in my phone. But that is not true, nor do you. Nobody has that. So it's complete full circle of, if you can't do it now, why waste your money and continue to not do it? Why just get into the habit now? Because you have plenty of spam calls coming in. Get used to it. Then you can invest your money into it.

I think it maybe comes back to like as simply as getting out of your own way.

That's it. Like we can make excuses for everything, I included, right? We all can do it. But when our phone numbers are listed absolutely freaking everywhere, we never know who's on the other end of that, that line. We have no idea. Take a chance.

I think I, I think I mentioned it and I think it's in the Raving Referrals book where it talked about. And maybe this is a. Because sometimes people are more visual than they are. But like they talked about. If you think about every one of your like, really good referrals, like if they, they had like a dollar sign coming out of like the back of their head, right? As like their referral. So maybe just think of that unknown potential spam phone call as a dollar figure coming through instead.

Yeah, I mean, I think the Sims is exactly what I was thinking of when like you were saying that the little bubble that is over with the cash inside of that above their head, like that person, I don't know them, but that's potential money that I can get from them. Play the game, have the conversation.

I think we've both talked about it. Like some of my best friends came from a real estate transaction, right? Those are people that, had I not picked up the phone or whatnot. Like, I, we wouldn't go on vacation together or we wouldn't go to dinner on a Friday night, you know, if you hadn't met them. So I do think it comes back to like, the world is in a heavy place. And I think, you know, there's a lot of people that are cautious of meeting strangers, right? Same thing. I mean, even in these spam phone calls that might be someone, like, guarantee I'm still going to turn around and I'm still going to forewarn them. I'm still going to Facebook them, right? And if I can't find anything, I'm going to go back to my suspiciousness, right? But there's a way to check those things.

But don't make the assumption up front, right? Because when you assume you make an ass out of you and me, right? The way that it's actually spelled out ass, you, me and you don't want to do that. Don't make an ass out of me or yourself.

Right?

It's a fun, simple stuff here, people. Get that. Back to the basics. So good chat and I'm excited to see where this goes. Hopefully I'm able to help this family and get into either purchasing a property or getting them into a rental. And either way I don't care because I'm making a connection and building a relationship because you don't know who they know that are coming here later on and refer me out. So all about the relationships.

Well, I would love if you're listening and you decide to answer a spam call and it turns out not to be a spam call, would love for you to let us know and let us know what transpired so that we can help turn some of that narrative around.

And if it's a spam call or an unknown call and you don't have them on your phone and it's a success, share the success with us. We want to hear this right? It's not going to be 100%. We're after the 100 no's, so let's get it. Rock and roll.

Sounds good.

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