Looking to buy a property out-of-area, I researched local agents and came up with a short list of three. I was ready to go — all I needed was for an agent to answer their phone. It should have been simple. Unfortunately, agents No. 1 and No. 2 not only did not answer, but they never responded to my voice message.
Call No. 3 hit gold. Not for me but for them. Once that transaction was completed, we did six more deals with them. Additionally, since I was not licensed in that market, I referred a significant number of other clients to them in the years that followed.
One answered phone call turned out to be the gift that kept on giving.
Not all calls end like that. Trouble is, you never know until you answer. I’m tired of agents not answering their phones, and quite frankly, it is the epitome of unprofessionalism. If I am able to connect, I will sometimes query, “I called earlier but you didn’t answer — is everything OK?” A frequent response is, “I didn’t know who was calling.” How do you respond to that?
It could have been opportunity calling, but because they chose not to answer, they will never know. The simple fact is that potential new clients are not going to be in your database or already in your phone contacts. The fact that you do not recognize the person calling is … duh.
Many callers no longer leave voice messages. If you don’t answer, they move on. Adding to the irony here is the fact that many agents do not have their voice mailbox set up correctly, if at all, and frequently fail to either listen to or delete messages that pile up until the box is full.
There are many things in this business you cannot control: the market, interest rates, a client’s willingness to sign a contract … but there is one thing you have absolute control over. Answer your phone.
Your phone is the gateway to business
Here are some recommendations to enhance your phone capabilities:
1. Set up your voice mailbox
There will be times you cannot answer, so make the most of that missed opportunity. If your voice mail is not set up, callers hear, “You have reached [your number].” Instead of the default, craft a short message that provides an incentive for someone to leave a message. If you just leave the default, the caller is not even sure if they have reached you.
2. Craft a meaningful message
Keep the message short and truthful. Avoid classics such as, “Thanks for calling. I’m currently with another client but will call back when I’m able.” That message is nothing short of ridiculous and a feeble attempt to convey that you have business you most likely do not. No one is fooled, and it is a turn-off.
Another is, “I’m either on the other line or away from my desk.” To which I respond, “What other line?” or “Do you want me to believe you are sitting in an office and I called your landline?” Who does that?
Instead, acknowledge the facts:
This is [your name] with [your company]. Thank you for calling. I’m truly sorry I can’t answer your call this minute. Please leave a number and a message, and I WILL call you back as quickly as possible. Thank you.
No explanation is needed. You could not answer but want to connect as quickly as possible.
Smile when you are recording your message, and keep it as short as possible. Record your message in a quiet place, not while driving or during some other activity.
3. Respond to missed calls as quickly as possible
I occasionally hear voice messages that state, “Please leave a message and I will call you back within two business days.” In a business measured in seconds, two days is an eternity, and many will simply move on.
If someone leaves a message, listen and then respond as quickly as possible. If they do not leave a message, call them back anyway. The few seconds it takes to respond could result in a windfall.
Occasionally, messages do not show up right away. Some iPhone users complain that messages sometimes show up a day later. To counteract this, if no message is immediately available, simply call as quickly as possible. If you get their voicemail, leave a message, and then text a quick response such as, “This is [name]. I saw you called. Returning your call.”
4. Forward your calls
If you are in a meeting that will take a bit of time or are away (such as on vacation), forward your calls to someone who can answer and engage with the caller. Better yet, they might actually be able to provide the information the caller is looking for.
5. Set up caller ID on your phone
To ensure people know who is calling, enable Caller ID on your device. For directions, type “How can I make sure my phone number and name for my [type of phone] shows up when calling” into Google or ChatGPT to get instructions for your particular phone.
To make sure your phone is set up correctly, you should enable Caller ID on your device, configure it with your carrier, register with listing services, and ensure you are in the CNAM database. Fail to do this, and your number may be identified as SPAM or UNKNOWN, both of which are detrimental to your business.
If you are calling through a CRM with a different phone number, ensure that number is also set up correctly, so your name shows up when you call. I use Brivity as my CRM and, when calling my sphere, I use the built-in dialer. I frequently hear people say, “I didn’t recognize the number, but saw your name, so I decided to answer.”
Your phone is the most important tool at your disposal; use it wisely and reap the rewards.
In June, Inman goes deep on real estate teams: what it takes to join one, how to build a team worth joining, and yes, when it’s time to leave. During Teams Month, we’ll be drawing on the best team leaders in the country to bring you the insights, frameworks and hard-won lessons that don’t usually make it into the highlight reel.
Carl Medford is the CEO of The Medford Team.
