Let’s face it, no matter what industry you may be involved with, we are all looking for a competitive advantage. That one thing that will give us the edge over our competitors. And when it comes to the cut throat world of real estate, there may never be a more truthful sentiment among agents.
Whether you are managing listings for apartments, multi-million dollar homes, commercial spaces or everything in-between, there is always another agent around the corner ready to steal your listing and close that sale.
With more than 123,000 agents worldwide, there is no surprise that REMAX was ranked as one of the top 10 global franchises and called “the fastest growing franchise brand” by entrepreneur.com.
Nobody can argue REMAX’s achievements in such a fierce market but their ability to replicate their successfully model both nationally and around the world is truly remarkable.
While there are many tactics being deployed by REMAX agents in order to edge out the competition, none may be more savvy than their clever use of Virtual Phone Numbers to increase online and offline leads.
But first, what exactly is a virtual phone number?
A virtual phone number, also known as DID or access number, is a telephone number that is not directly associated to a telephone line. These numbers are often programmed to forward incoming calls to one of the pre-set telephone numbers chosen by the client; either Landline, Mobile or VoIP.
Virtual phone numbers can be registered with a local or toll free area code and can be customized to provide the perfect vanity number.
So how are Remax agents using virtual numbers?
It’s actually quite ingenious… First, REMAX agents register an account with Talkroute and select their first phone number (more numbers can be added after registration). Once their number has been activated, they choose one of two methods. Both seem to be equally as effective and it really comes down to personal preference for which method you may want to try;
Method #1: Unique Phone Numbers for each property
Agents register a virtual phone number for each of their property listings, they will then place this number within their online listing details and offline marketing materials (e.g. “for sale” sign). When a potential client dials the number, they are greeted by a unique recorded message providing them with details on the property (pricing, private showing, open house details, etc). Once the message concludes, callers can be routed to a live person’s cellular phone or landline, voicemail or to another destination all together.
Advantages of this method:
Disadvantages of this method:
Method #2: Extension codes for each property
Like the first method, agents still register a virtual phone number but the number will be the same for all properties. Instead, callers will enter a unique 3 or 4 digit extension code that will provide details for the property they are inquiring about. Then the caller may be routed to a live person’s cellular phone or landline, voicemail or to another destination.
Advantages of this method:
Disadvantages of this method:
The bottomline is that both methods work quite well. Regardless of which method you choose to implement, you will likely see an increase in the number of leads you receive for each of your listings.
More than just a phone number
Whether you use Talkroute or another virtual phone service, it’s important to make sure the phone numbers you are registering are supported by the necessary features. Here is a brief summary of what is included with Talkroute and why it’s important for real estate agents:
1. Customizable Greetings
Talkroute provides agents with the ability to customize every audio message within their phone system. You may add your own welcome greetings, on hold music, announcement messages, and voicemail greetings to your account.
Why is this important?
Custom greetings give you the ability to provide your callers with information on the property that they are inquiring about. For example, let’s say a potential buyer is driving around the neighborhood and sees a “For Sale” sign in front of a home they are interested in. The buyer would simply dial the virtual phone number shown on the sign and be greeted with information on the property. This is a great way to let buyers know about open house dates, private showing information, and even listing price.
2. Call Forwarding & Routing
With Talkroute, you can route calls to any phone. Whether you are in the office, at home, or on the go – you can take calls anywhere. Talkroute also gives you the ability to ring multiple phones at once, in a specific sequence and even add custom schedules for when your phones are available to receive calls.
Why is this important?
Most of your callers will get the listing information they need from the custom greeting they listen to at the beginning of the call. However, most motivated buyers want to speak to the listing agent immediately about the property they are interested in. By giving callers the option to remain on the line and be connected with you or someone else on your team, means that you won’t run the risk of missing a hot lead. What’s even better is that you can set your call routing to ring your phones at different times. This helps ensure leads never end up in your voicemail if certain team members are unavailable or a buyer contacts you after hours.
3. Extension Codes
Talkroute’s extension feature provides agents with the ability to create an unlimited number of extension codes. These are direct dial 3 or 4 digit codes that will direct callers to a specific extension. Once the code has been entered, the caller can listen to a custom greeting, be routed to your phones and/or sent to voicemail.
Why is this important?
Instead of assigning a phone number to each property, extensions allow you to have one primary number for all of your properties. This way when a caller dials the extension code for the property they are interested in, they are directed to an extension that plays a custom greeting and routes them to a specific phone(s).
These are just a few of the features that Talkroute includes with your virtual phone number. You can find a complete list of all of our features here.
Should I being using virtual phone numbers?
The short answer is: yes, and just about all real estate agents agree. Whether you are managing a single listing or hundreds, you need to provide your buyers with a quick and easy way to get listing details and connect with a live team member. We talked earlier about why REMAX continues to crush it and their clever use of virtual phone numbers is just one of the ways they stay one step ahead of the competition.
Are you a real estate agent but haven’t yet registered your Talkroute account? Sign up today and begin your free trial!
Have questions? Give us a call at 1-800-747-2140 or email us at sales@talkroute.com
Stephanie
Stephanie is the Marketing Director at Talkroute and has been featured in Forbes, Inc, and Entrepreneur as a leading authority on business and telecommunications.
Stephanie is also the chief editor and contributing author for the Talkroute blog helping more than 100k entrepreneurs to start, run, and grow their businesses.