Recent surveys of homebuyers reveal that the average time spent looking for a home is 12 weeks.  The question is, what is your program to stay in front of your prospect during this time?

According to research, 40 percent of leads will be closed through ongoing follow-up. Yet, many sales professionals I talk to have not yet established a lead nurturing program. Yes, they’re winging it. They make calls every so often and follow up with emails when they have the time. That’s not a system. It’s wishful thinking.

Meanwhile, others utilize an organized lead nurturing program to continually engage their prospects. This is a schedule of calls and emails, prepared messages, and a stash of useful articles and other information to pass along. Which approach do you think is more effective in closing the sale—haphazard contact or an organized system?

You might be thinking, “Oh no, another system to learn!” Well, it’s not that hard.

Here are some tips to execute a successful lead nurturing program:

• Media mash-up: Don’t rely on just one medium. Follow-up with your prospect using a variety of formats, like phone calls, targeted emails, and newsletters. Send them personal notes and forward useful information.
• Stay on target: The purpose of lead nurturing isn’t just to hammer away at a prospect. Keep your communication relevant, timely, and informative. It’s quality AND quantity that boosts the effectiveness.
• Timing is everything: Use the scheduling feature in your CRM to automate your communication. You can plan ahead and send out your electronic contact at pre-determined times and intervals.
• Serve it up in small doses: No one wants to sift through lengthy emails or long-winded phone messages. Give them nuggets of information, and invite them to come back for more.

Calling or emailing a prospect every once-in-a-while is not nurturing. If anything, you are doing the opposite and distancing yourself from a potential sale. Take the time now to set up processes that you can replicate and duplicate at will!