"If you can get Internet leads to respond, you can start the relationship," states Michael Maher -- a Kansas City realtor.

But how do you do that when, as Michael states, "They want to be private, confidential. A person starts filling out a form, they are extremely leery, because they don't know where their information is going."

"If you look at a trust meter, where a 10 is where someone would trust you with their child, and a zero is where they don't trust you at all, an Internet consumer is at a -2."

Ouch. How is a realtor to overcome this gulf of trust?

"Their radar is up. They are just looking for information. So we have to approach them differently," intones Michael. "When you are browsing the Internet, how do you want to be treated?"

People don't want to let you know who they are until they are ready.

First, make sure you respond to leads extremely quickly. You have about 30 minutes, to an hour and a half, after they come to your site and register, to respond. You have to get something into their hands, an email. How do you do that?

"You have an 80 percent chance of converting these leads during this time. And you are probably saying to yourself, 'Wow, I am really busy, how am I to do that?'"

"Well, there are four things in life you can leverage: people, systems, technology and money. Which of those four will allow you to respond within the first hour?"

Michael uses an 'auto-responder' email system, in other words, technology.

"The Internet consumer doesn't know if there is a person behind the site. All they see is this gadgetry. You have to show them there is a real person behind the site. That's what the auto-responder does."

But! If a lead gives you a phone number, call them!

"Please – call them. Just pick up the phone!" encourages Michael. "Just dial the number. That's the whole point of your website. That's the whole point of your emails. To get them on the phone. If you can get them on the phone, you can get them into your office."

"I know that sounds like common sense, but way too often agents just let it go on auto-pilot with the auto-responder."

Michael relays a story about how he called a lead back immediately, and they were still on his website as he spoke to them, "There is no better lead in America than that right there -- except maybe a referral."

How did he handle the call? He told the lead he would send them 10-12 listings like the one they were looking at. This started the rapport, and from that he got them into his office, had the buyer's consultation, and went from there.

If you can't call right away, because you are on the road, call as soon as you can. If it is not till 4 p.m., call them then. Don't wait.

"I'll call them at 4, and leave a message. If I don't hear back, I would call them again at 6 p.m. Call until you get a hold of them. Say something like, 'You wanted some information from my site. I am way too busy to hound you, but I'm not too busy to give you great, professional service.'"

That way they know you aren't going to hound them, you just want to help them. Beautiful.

Published: February 7, 2008

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Lawrence Schoeffler is Vice President of Dominion Homes Web Services and founder of NUMBER1EXPERT. Dominion Homes Web Services includes Advanced Access, Agent Advantage by Homes.com, and Best Image Marketing, and is a division of Dominion Enterprises. Advanced Access is the industry leader in agent websites. More agents invest in an Advanced Access website than any other. Agent Advantage is the official agent website service of Homes.com, one of the most popular real estate portals in America. NUMBER1EXPERT by Best Image offers America's Top Performing Web Sites, with traffic and leads unequalled in the industry, sold exclusively to Top Selling Agents. Email Lawrence at .