Let’s pretend you get a new lead this afternoon. How long does it take you to pick up the phone and call them?

A few hours? A day or so? Maybe a few days? Do you simply send an email and wait until they call you? The correct answer for winning lead response in real estate is: within 5 minutes! Here are six reasons to pick up the phone within 5 minutes if you’re in real estate sales.

1. You have a better shot at actually speaking with your new lead. In fact, the odds of contacting a new lead if called after 30 minutes vs 5 minutes drops 100 times. Check out this report done by Kellogg and MIT at leadresponsemanagment.com. Yes, this applies to real estate as well. Get on the phone as fast as you can, you’re shot at building some early rapport is dependent on it!

2. Your property is top of mind to your lead at precisely the moment they request information. If you reach out and introduce yourself to them immediately, they will know who you are and where you’re calling from and will likely have questions for you already queued up.

3. It’s impressive! How many real estate agents or Sales Directors reach out that proactively? Not many. Build credibility with your audience fast and there’s a better chance that they will read your follow up emails and answer future phone calls.

4. Your competitor is likely not doing it. There is a good chance that your new lead has also requested info from your competitors, or is at least in the process of doing so. Want a competitive advantage? Be the first one to respond.

5. If you are calling from your cell phone, it’s even more impressive. You read that right. Make sure you are mobile ready and don’t be afraid to call from anywhere. In fact, it will be more impactful if your new lead hears your kids playing in the background. This means you put forth the extra effort because you are passionate about your business and your product. Extra effort wins! (More on this in a future article). If you are at your desk stand up and call from somewhere with some noise. You are busy and you don’t have time to just sit around at your desk and wait for leads to come in.

6. Interest can fade quickly, and life can get in the way. If you can establish a connection with your lead before her next board meeting or before her kid gets an ear infection then you have a better chance at shortening your sales cycle. In real estate the sales cycle can be long, especially if it is second home opportunity where there needs to be a preview visit made first. The faster you book the preview visit the faster you can get your sale.

Don’t take my word for it, take Dr. James Oldroyd, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and the 15,000 leads they studied over a three year period. The bottom line is this: be proactive, confident and do your best to connect with someone quickly and you’ll be more successful.