Qualified leads are the bread and butter of closing deals in the real estate industry, but finding actual qualified leads can be tricky, and considered by some to be an art. According to MarketingSherpa, 61 percent of B2B marketers send all leads directly to the sales team, however, only 27 percent of these leads are actually qualified leads. This often wastes the time of the agent, as they can spend countless hours following up with leads and moving them through the sales pipeline only for the lead to abandon ship or not be ready to make a sale.
So how do you ensure that the leads you’re following up with are ready are truly qualified leads and avoid the headache? The answer may be through interactive content. Not only can you generate qualified leads, but your content can assess whether or not you should be following up with them or nurturing them further.
What is Interactive Content?
Interactive content is any type of content, including videos, calculators, infographics, and whitepapers that encourage leads and subscribers to actively engage instead of reading it and discarding it.
Interactive experiences have slowly grown in popularity in recent years, signaling a natural evolution in web pages and even email marketing efforts. Gone are the days where marketing trends leaned more toward a passive approach. Nowadays, trends have shown that marketing should instead be participatory. It results in better engagement with leads and increases familiarity and trust, and it’s proven to be an impactful way to get them to invest in your services.
What makes interactive content the ideal choice for real estate agents is rich content such as the above-mentioned infographics, videos, and other responsive content, which can easily be shared on social media and shared with friends. These benefits agents because it boosts your credibility and establishes them as a resource.
Interactive Content Examples
There are many forms of interactive content that you can use to generate qualified leads and continue nurturing those in your sales pipeline. The trick is to use your imagination to craft different takes that apply to your agency. A few favorite methods include:
Assessments
The top way to gauge whether or not your lead falls into the qualified lead category or the lead category is through an assessment. The shorter and more straightforward your assessment is, the greater the chances they’ll actually follow through and answer everything you need them to. You don’t want to make it a chore to get more information, but you do want to make sure you’re able to provide them with the best experience possible, whether they’re ready to buy now, or you’re grooming them to do business with later.
Trivia
Who can resist the urge to show off and prove to others that they’re knowledgeable? The answer is not many. Incorporating trivia into the marketing emails that go out to your leads is an excellent way to test their knowledge about the sales process and even learn about what they’re looking for. The questions you ask can range from simple, rapport building inquiries, to more serious ones like a multiple-choice question asking if they know a few traits of someone who is ready to buy. If their answers align with what you’re looking for, you can offer them an incentive and give them a call.
Polls/Surveys
Polls and surveys are perhaps the most common interactive content tactic used in marketing. People love being asked for their opinion and businesses love gaining insight into what their leads like, want, and need. In real estate, you can use polls and surveys to find out where they are in their buying or selling journey and determine if they’re qualified lead ready. They can also be used to gather feedback about the content you provide in your email marketing and on your website. To further keep your leads engaged, allow them to be able to share their thoughts without ever leaving the page.
Brackets
Whether or not you’re a sports fan, you’re familiar with brackets. They add a bit of healthy competition to whatever it’s being applied to. Brackets can even be used for choosing favorite tv shows and naming which candy bar reigns supreme. In real estate, brackets can be used in the same fashion, except for things like voting on which properties are most appealing or which locations are ideal for each level and kind of buyer. The sky’s the limit on how you can entice your leads to interact with your content.
When to Use Interactive Content
The best part about interactive content is that it can be used at any stage in the buyer’s journey. It isn’t just reserved for trying to attract new leads to add to your pipeline. Of course, different content can be more engaging and impactful depending on where your lead is in the pipeline. An example of what interactive content to use in each buying/selling stage is:
Top stage/Awareness stage: Quizzes, assessments, and videos that educate your lead on your services, the details of the sales process, and what their buyer/seller checklist should look like are a great way to gauge where your lead’s head is at and if they’re qualified lead ready. And if not, they’ve moved one step closer.
Middle stage/Consideration stage: Calculators and assessments that can answer frequently asked questions and reassure your lead that they’re making the right decision. If they still have questions, you can include a call to action with clever verbiage like, “rescue me!” on it, so that they can click it and call you directly or schedule a call if you’re unavailable.
Late stage/Decision stage: Product pickers, interactive white papers, and calculators are typically reserved for the final stages of the buyer/seller pipeline or for those who are ready to buy. This type of interactive content keeps them engaged and less likely to get cold feet or skip crucial final steps.
Call Motivated Sellers: Helping You Generate Qualified Leads
Perfecting your methods for generating serious leads is a game of trial and error. But you don’t have to do it alone. Using interactive content in your sales and engagement pipelines and enlisting the services of Call Motivated Sellers can take the headache out of the vetting process. Our team of cold calling experts can further vet your list of leads as well as provide guidance.
Interested in learning more about our services and working with our team? Contact us today!