The first task is to follow up with your potential leads automatically! Once a visitor to your site enters information into your "opt-in" form or completes your Seller Property Information form, the first thing you MUST do is follow up with them.
Using auto-responding is an immense help here.
First, understand that if you are getting the lead, then someone completed your Seller Property Information form.
This was probably because they wanted to get your "ethical bribe," aka, your free report or something like that.
Most likely it was not so they could get a phone call from another investor who wants to "buy their house and take their equity" right? Sellers are seeking solutions to problems or challenges they are having.
10 Smooth Steps to Easy Real Estate Buying The smoothest transactions usually follow the following 10 steps.
1.
Your targeted marketing message captures the interest...
2.
A targeted seller who likes your message...
3.
Visits your targeted website to determine if they like you enough...
4.
Complete the seller property information short form ...
5.
Comes to you for review...
6.
Automated follow up programs begin building a relationship...
7.
Qualify the opportunity as one YOU are interested in...
8.
Your personal letter or phone call is well received...
9.
You can begin negotiating with a person who "knows, likes and trusts you" now because of the auto-responder messages and personal follow- up you provided.
10.
Which makes the job of negotiating a great deal for both of you, a whole lot easier to close and profit from.
  I recommend using online auto-responders to answer the majority of leads you get due to sheer volume.
However, it is also smart to use traditional "snail mail" for leads that closely match your target property.
  If you catch an especially hot lead that fit your target properties then I recommend sending a Federal Express.
If your lead responds to numerous "We Buy Houses" signs, you want to be the one they remember.
  When you are evaluating your leads you need to remember that your goal is to make money.
The first thing to look for is location.
If the property is not in an area you want to invest in then go no further.
You need to focus on the markets that will make you the most money.
Do your homework and find the areas where prices are appreciating not depreciating.
For instance, I'm not investing in Detroit right now.
Nothing personal, but I see my money growing better, faster, more surely, and sooner in other markets.
For now, investments in Detroit are not on my list of priority opportunities.
However, Detroit may be exactly what you are looking for.
Once you find a lead in an area you are looking to invest in, you can begin evaluating to determine if the lead is profitable.
How do you tell? I used to use a simple formula.
I later created special spreadsheets for myself that do the thinking and analyzing for me.
Simple Formula to Evaluate Leads ARV (After Repaired Value, or what the property is worth) -Your fee or expected profits -Repairs (half again or double your estimates if you are smart) -Holding Costs (like marketing, payments, insurance, utilities, etc.
) -Closing Costs (as the seller use 2% or 3% here, to be safe) -Commissions (none, if you're not using an agent, but what if?) -Contingencies (an "oh, crap!" number for "What Ifs") - = Offer (your MAO (Maximum Allowable Offer) Hopefully this helps out!