If there is a phone number, I call.  Introduce myself, break the ice and start asking questions.  See how it goes.

Ron, you're back! I do an immediate response by email. The lead tells me (if they filled out the form) how they want me to respond - email or telephone or just looking. If they give me a telephone number, I check it with www.anywho.com to see if it belongs to the name they gave me. I call the next day and ask if they received my email and if there was anything I could help with in their home search. I don't use a script but have practiced in the past with the "sweat hog tapes". right now I am in a slump. No real buyers are asking questions. The one web site gets over 7000 hits a month - I suspect that is because my email address has been stolen. So, if you ever get an email from www.Ask4Greg.com DON'T OPEN IT!!!! I never send out mail from that account.

Same thing, if there is a phone number I call. I am new in the business and so far I have 3 buyers ( closed transactions) from registration form and 2 under contract, so it does work. I guess that's pretty good 4 out of 50 registration forms that I have. Remember it is really a number's game.  I really don't follow any script. I introduce myself and ask questions and of course set up AN APPOINTMENT to my office.

About 10% of the time there is a message with the registration telling me what they are looking for.  Then I email them back and tell them I will call them if its OK with them.  Some reply that they want a call but most want to continue by email.  So I send them property info by email.  Eventually we talk by phone and meet in person.  These are the serious ones that result in sales.  

The other 90% of the time its just a email address and phone number with no message.  I email back and if I get no reply in 24 hours I phone.  Very seldom do these turn into a sale.  If they were serious they would have included a message like the 10% do.

I'm in the immeadiate call camp if there is a number.  This has worked reasonably well for me.  No set script.  I basically follow Yalda's method - call and introduce, ask if I can help, etc.  I have two clients I'm working with now, and sending listings to another prospect that is not quite ready to purchase.  No closed transaction yet.  I just started this about a month ago.  My first internet client was all set to make an offer on the first outing, even has her loan pre-approved, but then got cold feet - still waiting to get a final decision.

I call if they leave a message with registration, otherwise I just email. Some do remain with emails and I have a couple good prospects that I have called. No script when I call, scripts are for telemarketers, more interested in what they have to say and helping them with their needs, I'm not a salesman, my job is to facilitate clients real estate needs, a sale is just the end result.

If they leave me a message to call them or e-mail me asking to call them, I call. Otherwise, I stick to e-mails at least for awhile.

Ron,

I tend to think it's over-thinking.  Think about the customer behavior (or your own for that fact), when you provide your name and phone number on a website are you surprised that someone would call you or email you?  How do you feel if you aren't called?  So I always call.  

When it comes to the internet it really is no different than anything else.  If someone signed a sign-in sheet in your office or at an open-house, they would not be surprised to get a call.  When someone visits a website and there is a registration page, they will either fill it out or just go away.  If they fill it out, I don't think anyone would be surprised they get a call.  

I also think the money on the table analogy is perfect in making that decision as well.  

I send them an e-mail introducing myself and see how I can help. Then I call them the next day. I like them to get to know me from my e-mail and then they feel like they know me when I call the next day and just ask a few questions asking what they want and don't mention me at all.

Ron,

Damn if you do and damn if you don't.   I respond to every lead I receive no matter where those internet lead comes from.  

I have been a member of P2A since near its US presence in 2003.  I have had only two serious leads turned successful from it: a buyer and one seller both in 2005.  Otherwise, I have had only very few hits that panned out to no responses back from the inquirers.   Frankly, P2A is a very good, aggressive and avant-garde real estate agents site for it offers the latest trends but, I feel that the names (P2A and P2H) are not memorable, quick or catchy unlike H2O (formula for water).  I only use P2A to host my domain which impresses and satisfies my customers who expect me to have a unique presence on the internet.

Most of my internet success is from Realtor.com (RC).  RC surely best identifies real estate  to customers and quickly became an international brand name synonymous to our industry as Dell is to PC, Coke is to soda pop, Kleenex is to tissues and AOL is to "You've got mail".  With RC, out of many contacts I get per year, at least two buyers will go to closing which more than pays for its cost.  The rest, however, are duds.  People give out bogus names and phone numbers.  I email all  back to acknowledge receiving their inquiry but 98% of them will not respond back.

For other leads, I go by gut feelings.  Since the DNC I can't explain why but sometimes I check the expired MLS listings or call a FSBO, check the DNC registry and even if they are on it I am compelled to call anyway and bull crap my way through.   I have had limited success with that but while doing it, somehow, it rushes my adrenalin flow to ecstasy like having eaten the forbidden fruit.  

In the hundreds of phone cold calls I have made since the DNC, only once a woman confronted me that I was violating the DNC Privacy Act.  I apologized and weaseled around using the excuse that "I thought the law applied only to cold callers soliciting to sell a specific product but since you had a listing with a member of our MLS, it was OK to follow up."  That diffused her charge and we became instant friends.  

I eventually did get her listing which is still on the market today because, like all the other hopeful dreamers, she has a less than average condo priced a tad above comps.

Readers: this is not a formula that is proven to work every time.  I got lucky that once but I am not sure if it will work again next time I stumble onto someone who can out bull crap me.

John

Everyone's experience is different.  I have never gotten a sale out of Realtor.com, but I have gotten 14 sales from my P2 sites.  I am currently working with 4 more from my P2 sites and I just gave 3 referrals from my P2 sites.  They have been very good.  That's why I pay for 2 Professional sites.  They work.

Mark,

You are right, "everyone's experience is different".  

The truth of the matter is that over the years I have built a great referral system and along with local advertising I get sometimes more that I can handle.   The internet leads a  gravy and I don't fret  whether I get tons of leads from it or not.  As I mentioned before, I am on it because my clients expect their professional agents to have some web presence so they can brag to their friends or relatives to see their VT on my site (or something like that).

Lately, I have been posting on Craig's List and I have had a few responses from it leading to one potential buyer I am still working with.

John

John I am glad you had success with Realtor.com.  Back in 2003 I was with them and had purchased all they had to offer. I got zip from them and joined point2. I almost had to sue them to get them to stop billing me after I quit them. Since year two with Point2 I have averaged a 50 to 1 return on my investment and I pay premium rates. That stat is for the dollars invested in Point2. I spend additional marketing dollars on my web promotion that brings that return down but it has never been below 20-1. My partner is with Realtor.com and he has yet to close a deal from them. This beats any printed ads I have ever done and all other form of marketing I have done. If I worked harder I could get those numbers up even further. Work your Point2 site and see if you don’t see some results.

If there's a phone number from the area, I call - I don't even bother to check to see if it belongs to someone or not.  I also email them, AND put them on the drip email system.

I find that a friendly hello, thanks for visiting the site, I see that you requested such-and-such report, and go from there.  

Or, if they put in a home search request, I ask about the home they're looking for, and so on.  

Many times, I get a "just looking," which is fine.  I've had some of those come back later because I get emailing them.  A few times, they were hot and ready to trot!  Just closed two deasl that way.

So, the system works! And to make it work, you have to work the system you have before you.

I email then call the next day. Some have called me before I can call them. I have several I'm working with now from P2. Realtor.com has never been good to me, I email and call the leads and NONE have ever worked out..

P2 leads (IMO) are better but I'm glad someone is having success with Realtor.com.