How to follow up with motivated sellers without losing the thread
Most deals are not lost on the first call. They are lost in the week after it, when nobody follows up.
Most leads that go quiet never actually say no. They just never hear from you a second time. A thread that ends after one text, or a call that ends with "I'll get back to you", is where deals leak.
None of that is a lead problem. It is a follow-up problem, and it is the cheapest one to fix.
Keep the first text short
The first text decides whether there is a second one. Sellers answer short, plain texts far more often than long ones. A paragraph from a stranger reads like a pitch, and a one-liner with no context reads like spam. Aim for one or two sentences.
A good first text fits on one screen without scrolling. It says who you are, which property, and asks one easy question:
Hi, it's Adam. I'm a local buyer reaching out about the house on Maple. Would you consider an offer on it?
Save the explanation for when they answer.
Plan three touches, not one
One text and silence is not a no. Sellers are at work, driving, or deciding whether you are worth answering. A thread that dies after one message usually died because nobody sent a second.
Plan three touches before you let a thread go quiet, spaced over a week or so:
- The first text. Short, as above.
- A follow-up two or three days later. Different from the first, still short. Give them an easy out: "If now is not the right time, just let me know and I'll stop texting."
- A last touch about a week after that. Close the loop politely. Some sellers answer this one precisely because it sounds like the last.
If they ask you to stop, stop, and record it so nobody on the team texts them again.
Answer fast when they reply
The same desk answered seller texts in 8 minutes on median. Speed is not a gimmick here. A seller who replies is thinking about the house right now. An answer the next morning catches them thinking about something else.
If you cannot call back right away, a short text that says when you will ("I'm on another call, I'll ring you at 3, does that work?") holds the moment.
End every call with a date
Text follow-up gets you the call. What happens at the end of the call decides whether there is another one.
"I'll get back to you" is not a next step. "I'll run the numbers tonight and call you Thursday at 4. Does that work?" is. Say the day and the time, read it back, and write it on the lead the moment you hang up.
A call that ends without a date drifts. A week later the seller has moved on, or someone else has called first.
Write down what they told you
A follow-up only works if you remember why they were selling. Before you move to the next call, write on the lead:
- the reason they gave, in their words
- the date they named, or the deadline behind it
- who else decides
- what you promised and when
Then the next call opens with their situation ("You mentioned the taxes are due in March, has anything changed?") instead of "just checking in". The first sounds like someone who listened. The second sounds like every other caller.
A simple weekly check
Once a week, look at your hot leads and ask one question of each: when is the next touch, and is it on the calendar? Any lead without a date is a lead you are about to lose quietly.
For the words to use on the call itself, see the follow-up script and the text message scripts. For the questions to ask before you ever get to price, read seller motivation questions. OfferDesk keeps the reason, the promised date and every text on the lead, and opens each morning on the follow-ups that are due. Get your free desk.