Step 1: Catch every lead in one place
Leads come in by phone, text, email, portals, and social messages. When they land in five places, the one you check least loses. Decide on one place where every new lead ends up, with the person's name, how to reach them, where they came from, and what they asked for. A lead that isn't written down there doesn't exist yet.
You do
- Deciding which sources count as leads, and where they all end up
Hand off
- Logging each new person with their source and first message
- Spotting the same person reaching out twice
Step 2: Answer the first message fast
The first reply decides whether the lead keeps talking to you or to the next agent they contacted. It doesn't need to be long. It needs to come soon, answer what they asked, and offer a time to talk. Write a short reply for your most common first messages (a listing question, a showing request, a "what's my home worth") so nothing waits for you to find the words.
You do
- The first call or meeting
Hand off
- A first reply, ready for you to review and send
- A note for every missed call: who called, what they wanted, and when to call back
Step 3: Qualify on the phone, not in writing
Timeline, financing, area, and must-haves are a conversation. People tell you more on the phone than in a form, and the call is where they decide to trust you. What you don't need to do is type it all up afterwards.
You do
- The qualifying conversation
Hand off
- Notes from the call on the person's record
- The next step, and when it's due
Step 4: Set the follow-up rhythm by stage
A buyer touring this weekend and a seller thinking about next spring need different follow-up. Give each stage its own rhythm, for example: daily until the first meeting, weekly while they are actively looking, and monthly while they wait. Every touch should carry something useful, such as a new listing, a price change, or an answer to a question they asked, not "just checking in".
You do
- Deciding which stage each person is in
- The calls when someone is ready to move
Hand off
- Reminders when a touch is due
- Draft check-ins with something useful in them
Step 5: Review once a week
Once a week, look at who went quiet, who moved stages, and who needs a call. This is the step that catches everyone the rest of the system missed. Keep it short, and end it with a list of calls to make.
You do
- The calls on the list
Hand off
- The list itself: who went quiet, who is due, and who hasn't heard from you
Where Reddy fits
Reddy takes over part of the hand-off column, from the chat you already use. It answers calls on your Reddy line and keeps a record of what was said, and it writes replies as drafts in your own mailbox, so you review and send them yourself.
The calls, the meetings, and the decisions stay with you.