Lead Generation FAIL: 75% of Online Leads Get Ignored

I read an article in Realtor Magazine that talked about how 75% of online leads are ignored!  I shuddered inside.  That's my lifeblood right there--I market and bring in leads for Peak.  (For the whole article, click here).

My reaction to this statistic can  best be expressed as a mathematical expression:

Frustration + Shock = Blame

Shockingly, I'm not a terribly good or understanding person at these moments.  I think about how frustrating it can be to work so hard to get leads to flow in and it mingles with the utter shock that a lead would be ignored and I resolve to blame the Call Center until things get better.  Yeah, did I mention that my formula does this?

Somehow, losing my temper and yelling at people doesn't do a whole lot to make this bounce back.  I figured that out a while ago, but it doesn't stop me from WANTING to do that.  Instead, I came up with a plan.

WARNING!  This sort of program leads to EXPLOSIVE growth!

The secret to doing better is:

1. Create a plan 
2. Create a quality assurance program to make sure people are following the plan 
3. Create an incentive program to make following the plan make sense
4. Make your incentives trackable, understandable, and trustworthy

1. So, here's our plan:

I check the follow up program daily or more depending on how busy I am.  As people have gotten used to the follow up program, I've had to review it less--but never less than daily.

2. & 3. Quality Assurance Program and Incentives go together. We offer an appt setting bonus at two different rates--outgoing call and incoming call.  Frankly, it's much easier to set an appt when the lead comes in on the phone.  Pretty much every rep will do it.  It's much harder to get the nerve up to call someone who submitted a lead or inquiry through the website, so I pay higher rates.  

The Quality Assurance part of this comes as a natural part of the Appt Setting bonus.  In order to receive the bonus, the appt must be set on the calendar, entered correctly, and the pre appt materials must be sent out.  If these criteria are not met, I do not pay the bonus for that appointment.  It's called a chargeback.  

4. Trackable, Understandable, and Trustworthy.  The Follow Up program has a place for the caller's initials and the initials of who set the appt.  At any point, reps can look up how many appts they have set and if they are outgoing or incoming.  I award bonuses monthly, so it's easy to see the bonus on their check and know where it comes from.  Also, I always email a rep when I create a chargeback, so we both have written, date-stamped records of what bonuses are charged back.