A Cheap Way T Get Your Phone Answered

A Cheap Way T Get Your Phone Answered

Real Estate Coach · Highland, IN · Member since 2009 · 151 posts · 77 votes

It’s not easy trying to manage all of the expenses that are come with starting up in the real estate business. You have education, training,hotels, travel, business cards, marketing campaigns, websites, and now an answering services.

It can be a bit overwhelming. I get it.

This is a cheap way, not 100% reliable, and not 24hrs a day... but it is cheap.

Get a cheap, monthly pay as you go phone #, they are about 30 bucks near me, unlimited minutes.

Skype has a phone number system for 60 bucks per year, you wont get a physical phone. You will want to forward your number to what ever number you want ( Your assistant). It is all internet based. There maybe some echoing and or delays... but it is cheap.

Run an ad on Craigslist.com that says...

I need someone to answer and pre-screen my calls. These calls are coming in as a result of direct marketing efforts to owners of real estate that are in unique situations (foreclosure,divorce, bankruptcy, probate, etc).

Your job will be to answer the call, and ask them a series of questions that will be provided to you by me. I will pay you $1.00 per call for each pre-screening form that you turn in to me (that is completed) , and $.50 for each call /message that is turned in (or partially complete).

This can be done from your home, but I do need someone who can take calls on the “fly†- and maintain a professional sound to the caller (no TV, dogs, or other noises in the background). I will forward my own number to you so that you can take the calls. I will pay you once per week on Fridays - either via PayPal or check (your choice).

Reply to my ad if interested. I will call you to do a a phone interview and a “test runâ€.

Cheap and effective... but not 100% effective like patlive or another service.

Tony Severino

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  • Real Estate Investor · OH · Member since 2008 · 4k+ posts · 1k+ votes
    17y


    Wow! I'm glad that I didn't have all those expenses when I started out. To be honest, I did have some education expense (I bought the Carleton Sheets course on the advice of a friend who is a real estate multi-millionaire). That was about $350 as I recall. I didn't have any travel expense, unless you consider driving into town a travel expense. No "training" expense either, unless you consider maintaining my bicycle to be a "training" expense. No hotel expenses either - my wife lets me sleep in the house. Now, I did spend a few pennies on paper and ink for business cards that I made on my computer. Marketing campaign? Only if you call putting a 3 line ad in the newspaper classified ad section a "campaign". Website - NOPE! Answering service? Again - no (I can answer a phone myself for free). Nobody will do a better job answering your phone than you!

    Instead of spending all that money when you're trying to get started, I suggest doing as much as you can yourself and keeping your expenses as low as possible. It's also important to decide what REALLY needs to be done and what is simply fluff.

    Mike
  • Will BarnardPro Member
    Moderator
    Developer · Santa Clarita, CA · Member since 2008 · 15k+ posts · 10k+ votes
    17y

    There are some who will argue that outsourcing specific tasks can better improve your bottom line, not hinder it MIke. While I do agree that some things are best left doen by yourself, there are several tasks that can be outsourced. Although there may be a hard cost to that, it can make you more efficeint and less stressed.

  • Justin PiercePro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Woodbridge, VA · Member since 2008 · 543 posts · 121 votes
    17y

    Aren't there actual services for this stuff. I don't know about having someone off of craigslist answering my calls. This is the first impression a prospective seller will get of my company.

    As far as call forwarding, I already have that with my business line service. You just have to buy a phone that is capable.

    I could use something like this though.

  • Real Estate Investor · Baltimore, MD · Member since 2008 · 1k+ posts · 268 votes
    17y

    or one can pay $39 for 100 answered phone calls (http://www.cas-america.com)

  • Justin PiercePro Member
    Rental Property Investor · Woodbridge, VA · Member since 2008 · 543 posts · 121 votes
    17y

    Thanks George, I'll try that out.

  • Wholesaler · Dallas, TX · Member since 2008 · 14 posts · 0 votes
    17y

    When I started I contracted patlive to answer all my calls. I did not think it was worth the investment, especially because my monthly bill was starting to eat into my pocket.

    I have also used another answering service.

    Don't forget I had not closed even 1 deal. Today I use a local virtual assistant i got from Craigslist (just as suggested above).

    Even though this is the first impression your seller gets of your company, it's nothing more than just that - pre-screening.

    No answering service will do it any different. In any case when they start asking too many questions, they will be given your number or forwarded to a number of your choice.

    In my world, effective and cheap works best.

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