ID-100241952Writing a hold message for a realty office can be a bit of a challenge. There aren’t many businesses that specialize in both sides of a transaction, especially such a large scale financial agreement that affects the lives of multiple people and families. So what’s the most important thing to think about when writing your hold message?

The person who will be listening to it!

What questions are your callers asking?

When people call a realty office, they’re looking to buy or sell a home. They need expert knowledge about home prices, neighborhoods and schools, mortgage rates, and commissions. They might also be interested in tips and suggestions on how to prep a home for sale, or things to look for when searching for a new home.

Any advice and guidance is fantastic in your hold message, especially if you work with a lot of first-time homebuyers. Direct them to online or in-person resources to learn more about the process. Refer them to brokers or mortgage companies you’ve worked with, and don’t be afraid to go into specifics. First-time homebuyers might do some research on their own, but they’ll likely have LOTS of questions about the process.

Quick tip: Whenever a first-time homebuyer asks you a question, write it down. These are perfect topics for your on-hold messages (and other marketing materials too!)

What type of information can you share that would be useful to most callers?

Buyers probably don’t want to hear about homes that are not available, or those too far outside their price range. If you are not updating your hold message frequently, you won’t want to give too much information about specific properties.

On the other hand, if you DO update frequently you could use your on hold messages to briefly “feature” some of your listings and encourage callers to ask for details or to visit your website for more information.

If you offer access to the MLS, let your clients know so they can do a little online research. They also may be interested in signing up for email or text alerts when homes are listed within their specifications, if available.

 

How do you want to portray your business?

Your callers are seeking expertise and the experience that they don’t have. They want to work with a business that’s both professional and approachable, and they want to know they’re in good hands. You can share information like how long you’ve been in the industry, your specialties, and continuing education. Tell them what you love about the area and how you get involved in your community, to show callers you love where you are and what you do.

 

Now that we’ve given some examples, here’s a short Realty Office On-Hold topic list:

  • Experience and affiliations
  • Specialties (REO, short-sales, commercial, investment properties)
  • Bios of your real estate agents
  • Community, neighborhood, school info
  • Tips for selling a home
  • What to look for when buying a home
  • Feature properties
  • Direct to your website for MLS access
  • First-time homebuyer information
  • Q&A

If you have any questions or would like more information about Spectrio’s Phone On-Hold solution, contact us! We’d love to speak with you about your marketing challenges.

(Image courtesy of digitalart / FreeDigitalPhotos.net)