How To Avoid The Frustration Of Low Response Rates
Reaching out to potential referral partners can be challenging at times, especially when you receive low response rates. If this is something you have experienced, you’re well aware of how quickly it can begin to chip away at your motivation.
Truthfully speaking, many agents make reaching out to referrals harder than it needs to be. It can actually be quite simple, especially when using IdealEstate. However, for the highest chance to receive a response, there are some important points to keep in mind.
1. Canned Vs. Original Message
Canned messages can be quite convenient, but they can also be thought of as a double-edged sword. They do save time in the end, but they often aren’t personal enough to really grab someone’s attention.
Would you take the time to respond to a canned message? Probably not.
Original break the ice messages take more effort, but this is actually a good thing. It shows that you have a real interest in working with someone and it also shows that you’re willing to put in the effort needed to begin building a valuable relationship.
Canned messages should really just be used as a starting point. Think of them as a way to get the gears turning in your head. In other words, they are basically templates that require your own personal touch.
2. Research Before You Message
A harsh truth is that you only have a few seconds to grab a person’s attention. Once this window is closed, the chances of building a relationship rapidly begin to become smaller and smaller. It is highly important that you take the time to research the person you will be messaging before attempting to break the ice.
Ask yourself these questions:
How long have they been in the industry?
Where are they located?
What kind of licenses, designations, and credentials do they have?
What types of barriers might they be facing?
What do you have to offer that can help them and how can they help you?
These are all important things to consider when making an initial connection with someone. Being able to answer these questions will help you create a highly personalized message that will greatly increase your chance of receiving a response.
3. Keep Your Message Short And To The Point
This is where things can get a bit tricky. After all, you want to make sure you grab their attention, but you don’t want to overwhelm them at the same time.
Have you ever opened an email and instantly felt like you didn’t want to read it because it was too long?
The same thing can happen when trying to make connections. Remember, your referral partner is likely very busy and they haven’t even had the chance to get to know you yet. That’s why it’s crucial to be concise.
4. Typos Are Your Enemy!
Proper spelling and grammar are vital to a converting break the ice message. How seriously do you think a person will take you if your initial message is full of spelling mistakes and poor grammar? In all honesty, these mistakes will make you seem unprofessional, and to some people, just downright lazy.
Spelling and grammar might not be everyone’s strong points, but that’s okay. There are plenty of tools available that assist people with their writing. One that’s very effective, and free might I add, is Grammarly. This tool points out spelling errors as well as grammar mistakes. It also provides suggestions for more confident writing and even lets you know what the tone of your message sounds like.
Insider Tip: While in most cases it is best to avoid typos, there is one situation where they can be helpful. If you choose to use a canned message, intentionally adding in a small typo can make your message feel more personal since people often ensure canned messages do not contain any spelling or grammar errors.
5. Professional Or Casual?
Big question…
…Should you try to make your break the ice message sound professional or should you try to keep it more on the casual side?
The best answer is somewhere in the middle. I say this because of course you need to sound like a serious person who is interested in expanding their business while also helping someone else grow along the way.
However, at the same time, you need to sound approachable and leave the impression that you would be someone that’s enjoyable to work with.
How To Write The Perfect Break The Ice Message On IdealEstate
Using the tips above will get you off to a great start, but IdealEstate makes reaching out to referral partners with high-converting messages incredibly simple and convenient.
Here’s how…
1. Canned Messages To Get The Gears Turning
As mentioned before, personalized messages are crucial when it comes to receiving responses. The good news is that when you use our platform, you don’t have to start from scratch. IdealEstate provides a variety of canned messages that will get the creative juices flowing in your mind.
2. Research Made Simple
Trying to find information on a potential referral partner can be complicated, but not when you use IdealEstate. Our platform makes research simple and convenient. This is achieved by our profiles which include everything from a person’s bio to their licenses, designations, and everything between. You can find all of the information you need in one place.
3. Search Capabilities That Will Help You Find The Perfect Referral Partner
It can be frustrating to spend time writing the perfect outreach message only to find out that you were mistaken about a person’s location or professional title. IdealEstate’s search capabilities streamline finding the perfect referral partners which saves agents valuable time. Using the “Find Referrals” tool allows you to search for the perfect referral partner for your needs.
However, our Preferred subscription takes things one step further by offering automated referral partner matching. You don’t even have to waste any time hunting for your perfect partner. Our platform will do the hunting for you!
4. User-Friendly Messaging System
We also offer a user-friendly messaging system that further streamlines the process. When you search for your ideal referral partner and discover someone that catches your attention, simply click on the message button. It’s that simple! There’s even a field on the messaging form that allows you to put in your phone number for easy future communication.
5. The Difference Between Good And Bad Messages
If you’re still not sure exactly what a high-converting outreach message looks like, I think you’ll find the following examples of good and bad messages useful.
Good Example:
Hi [Name],
I see that you’re based in the Houston area. How has the market been there recently?
The market is still very active here in Austin.
Let’s connect for 5 mins in the next few days or so.
Bad Example:
Hi [Name],
I recently did a search on IdealEstate for referral partners that I can add to my network. Based on what I saw in your profile, I think you would be a wonderful match for my network. I believe that there is a lot I have to offer to help you grow your business, and the licenses and credentials I saw in your profile lead me to believe that you can help me as well. I look forward to growing together and I’ll be looking forward to your response.
Good Example:
Good morning!
I see that you specialize in condos and rentals.
How has the market been in Orlando?
It would be great to connect in the next few days.
Do you have 5 minutes on Thursday?
Bad Example:
I see that you viewed my listing on 123 Street, Dallas, TX. I would be happy to send you additional information if you are interested in this property or others like it.
Remember, you are just trying to break the ice and get them engaged. Asking an easy question like how has the market been in a specific area is an easy question that other agents can respond to quickly while also giving you more information based on how they answer.
Wrapping Up
When you add the tips you’ve learned here today to the convenience that IdealEstate’s platform offers, you end up with the recipe for success. If you’re still feeling a little overwhelmed or intimidated, consider writing a few practice messages to ideal referral partners you find on our site. You’ll quickly see that it’s not as hard as you might think it is.
We can’t wait to hear about all of the connections you begin forming!
As always, we’re always here to help and we would be happy to answer any questions you have.