Generating leads is the easy part. The hard part — the part that determines whether you build a pipeline or waste money — is what happens after the form is submitted.
A documented cadence beats ad-hoc calling.
When you have a written schedule of calls, emails and SMS, you do not rely on memory — and leads do not go cold.Why most agents lose leads.
One call is not a follow-up strategy — it is a coincidence check. The practical standard is: call within 24 hours, then stay on a cadence.
Three phases: response, qualification, nurture.
The system assumes you have a CRM and can set up automated emails and SMS. Phone calls are manual. Everything else should be automated.
Response — Day 0 to 14
Deliver the resource and establish contact. Call within 24 hours, then follow a 14-day cadence of calls, emails and SMS to reach the lead and start a conversation.
Qualification — Day 15 to 90
Understand intent, timing and next action. Move to a 21-day call rotation with weekly emails and ongoing listing alerts. If the lead engages, move them to a tailored cadence.
Permission-based nurture — After day 90
Continue useful updates while consent remains valid. Monthly calls, weekly emails and listing alerts. Review and prune regularly. Stop all commercial messages if the lead unsubscribes.
Compliance obligations.
Four steps, in this order.
Do not ask multiple questions at once. Let the lead engage at their own pace. Ask timing only after they are talking — not as the opening question.
Confirm they got the resource
Did they receive the list, the property details, the link? This is a service call, not a sales call.
Service, not salesAsk what caught their attention
If they have looked at the resource, what stood out? This tells you what they care about without asking them to commit.
Listen for intentAsk what they're trying to achieve
What are they looking for? What area? Let them tell you — do not recite their search history.
Listen, don't observeAsk timing once they engage
When are they hoping to move? This is the most important piece of information — but ask it only once they are talking.
Determines everything that followsHi [name], it's [your name] from [agency]. You recently requested the [list] — I just wanted to make sure you got that and see if you had any questions. Was there anything in particular that caught your attention? So I can point you in the right direction — what are you trying to achieve? And what's your timeline?
Match your cadence to their timeline.
When a lead's timeline shortens — they call you, reply to an email, or click through on a listing alert — move them up a tier immediately.
The listing alert advantage
Automated listing alerts are the highest-leverage tool in your CRM. When you set a lead up on alerts, they receive new properties matching their search criteria automatically.
What listing alerts do
- Deliver ongoing value without manual effort
- Generate intent signals — your CRM tracks clicks and views
- Create a natural reason to call about a specific property
- Keep the lead on your website instead of a portal
A spike in activity is your signal to call: "You recently viewed this property through our site. Would you like the details or inspection times?"
Track follow-up in your CRM
Your CRM is not just a contact database. It is your follow-up scoreboard. Track these fields for every lead:
Stop losing leads to slow follow-up.
Blockwise brings Meta and Google leads into one organised review queue, so no lead sits unseen in Ads Manager. The follow-up system works within any CRM, but having all your leads in a single view makes the cadence easier to run.
The practical details.
How many times should I call a lead before giving up?
Do not give up after a fixed number. Follow the 14-day response cadence (roughly 4–5 call attempts), then move to a 21-day rotation through the qualification phase (day 15 to 90), then to a longer nurture cadence after day 90. A lead who has not engaged in an extended period should be reviewed — if they have unsubscribed, stop all commercial messages.
Should I use SMS or email for automated follow-up?
Both, but only with consent. SMS has higher open rates but lower tolerance for frequency. Email allows longer content and listing alerts. Use SMS for short check-ins (no more than once per week) and email for property alerts, market updates and newsletters. Ensure every message includes a functional unsubscribe mechanism, and honour unsubscribe requests within five working days.
What if I do not have a CRM?
Get one. Most brokerages provide a free CRM. If your brokerage does not, Follow Up Boss, Lofty and Real Geeks all offer affordable plans. Without a CRM, you cannot run a systematic follow-up cadence.
Should I hire an ISA to handle calls?
If your lead volume exceeds what you can call personally within 24 hours, an ISA is the next step. The system works whether the caller is you or a trained ISA. The key is that someone calls within 24 hours and stays on the cadence.
Does this work for both Facebook and Google leads?
Yes. The cadence is platform-agnostic. Google leads tend to be higher-intent, so they may engage faster. Facebook leads tend to be earlier in the process, so the nurture phase may run longer. The system handles both.
What are my compliance obligations for SMS and email follow-up?
Australian commercial email and SMS rules require consent, accurate sender identification and a functional unsubscribe mechanism. Unsubscribe requests must be honoured within five working days. Only send commercial messages to people who have consented or who fall within the limited exceptions in the Spam Act. See the ACMA guidance on avoiding spam and the OAIC direct marketing guidance.