Fast Phone Hacks: 3 Ways to Respond to Leads and Clients in 30 Seconds or Less

You've heard the stats — responsiveness is the #2 most important skill and quality that clients care about when hiring a real estate agent, and most (over 60%) of buyers won't interview more than one agent before signing a contract. It stands to reason that if you are the first to respond to an inbound lead, you're more likely to win their business! Below are three brand-new phone hacks you can use to ensure that no matter what, you always respond within minutes.

1. Search Google within any app

When was the last time you had to leave a text to look up an appointment time, an address or the spelling of a client's name? Moving between apps can take up precious time, but Google has developed technology that can help you respond faster without requiring any app navigation.

Apple users can download the GBoard Keyboard, which adds Google search to your keyboard, allowing you to get everything from directions to addresses to GIFs on the fly.

Here's how GBoard works:

Android users can take advantage of Now On Tap, a relatively hidden feature available to anyone using the "Marshmallow" or "M" operating system. This quick video explains how Now On Tap works:

2. Create text shortcuts on your phone

If you have an iPhone, quickly type "OMW" into your text and then hit the spacebar. Apple has a default shortcut in place that auto-corrects "OMW" to "On my way!" on all iPhones.

Think about how much time you could save if you created text shortcuts for any phrase or paragraph you type more than once per week. You could create shortcuts for tedious logistics and contact details, such as:

• em= your email address
• emlo = email for your favorite loan officer
• offc = The address or directions to your office

But don't just stop there! Consider adding text shortcuts that produce full paragraph responses to inbound leads or common questions. Examples include:

• hvr = your response to someone looking to know the value of their home
• wbld = your response to a brand-new web lead

Not sure how to set up a text shortcut? Check out this tutorial that shows steps for both Apple and Android users.

3. Consider using automation for lead response

Text shortcuts can be perfect if you're short on time, but what if you're truly unavailable? When you have to be present, you can take advantage of automated lead response tools like FiveStreet. FiveStreet leverages pre-programmed responses so you can send a response and "claim" the lead so they don't move on to another agent.

Lead masters Tristan Ahumada and Kevin Markarian use these automated responses every day:

"Hi! Thanks for reaching out to me. Would you like to schedule a time to discuss this property and perhaps others like it? Kevin Markarian, Marker Real Estate"

"Thanks for reaching out about a home for sale through realtor.com. Do you have time for a quick call now?"

Ready? Go!

In the next generation of tech, we'll likely have bots who can interpret leads and create responses on your behalf. Until then, leveraging keyboard and text shortcuts and auto-responders will keep you at the top of your game — and top of mind among interested leads and clients.

To view the original article, visit the Tech Savvy Agent blog.