Using AI for Lead Engagement in Real Estate with Lead Engage

Once the stuff of sci-fi movies, artificial intelligence (AI) has made its way into the mainstream. In fact, AI made headlines when a Google employee believed the AI bot they’d been developing was now a sentient being with consciousness. While that may be an extreme example of AI as part of our cultural zeitgeist, more and more businesses are finding useful, practical ways to incorporate it into their operations. AI can take on many forms, from large-scale data parsing and analysis to simpler chat-bot style customer service applications. Specifically in the residential real estate industry, Realtors are leveraging AI to handle initial lead conversations.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) in real estate has evolved from a theoretical concept into a game-changing tool that enables real estate teams to work smarter, not harder. One standout example is Lead Engage—an AI-driven virtual assistant that transforms lead management. By leveraging Lead Engage, real estate teams can improve lead response times, nurture client relationships and optimize their workflows.

Whether you’re targeting new leads or re-engaging dormant ones, the right AI tool can support your efforts across the entire sales cycle, becoming an invaluable part of your business strategy.

Texting Builds Connections

Text communication consistently outperforms other methods in terms of response rates, making it a powerful channel for lead engagement. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), 93% of Realtors prefer texting their clients due to its ease and efficiency. Texting is quick and easy. Real estate leads (and Realtors themselves) can control their time with texting; a text doesn’t have the immediacy of a phone call. And, a lead can retain some measure of anonymity through text. For busy Realtors, texting can be a huge time-saver and helps avoid the reticence of making dozens of calls a day. 

Why does texting work so well?

• It’s accessible—most American adults own a smartphone.
• It’s efficient—texting eliminates the back-and-forth of phone calls while giving leads time to respond at their convenience.
• It respects privacy—clients can remain somewhat anonymous while still interacting with you.

Pairing the convenience and response rates of texting with an AI assistant that can carry on text conversations to engage and qualify leads can significantly improve response rates (64% on average, according to data from Structurely) and increase appointments set – all without additional work from you. Explore the potential of real estate text message marketing to enhance your lead conversion and streamline your communication process.

With Lead Engage, you can maximize the benefits of texting. This AI-powered tool initiates personalized two-way text conversations, qualifying leads in real-time and creating stronger engagement. Data shows that using tools like Lead Engage can improve response rates, leading to higher conversion rates and more appointments set.

Scott Selverian, Director of Industry Relations at Sierra Interactive and licensed team leader, explains its impact best, saying, “Most Realtors aren’t calling those dormant leads. How do you engage them without taking any more of your time? AI is the unseen assistant that tees up conversations so Realtors can be out there selling houses.”

Use AI Across the Lead Lifecycle

Realtors can leverage an AI assistant not only for initial contact with new leads, but also for re-engaging older leads that have gone cold. That’s an important consideration for a sales cycle with home buyers and sellers that can take months, if not years. An AI assistant is an easy way to engage the dormant leads you already have in your database, even over a long period of time. In navigating an uncertain market, an AI assistant is a wise investment to mine your existing database for transaction-ready leads you’ve already spent money on. Likewise for new leads, response speed is a critical factor, and an AI assistant helps you respond first, no matter where you are or what you’re doing, before they go to your competitor.

Why It Matters

• Re-engage Dormant Leads

Leads in your CRM from previous campaigns might still be valuable, even if they’ve gone cold. Data shows that 50-60% of sales occur after the fifth follow-up attempt. Utilizing AI ensures you don’t miss those opportunities while freeing up your team’s time to focus on warmer leads.

• Capture & Convert New Leads Faster

Response time is everything in real estate. Leads are often quick to move to a competitor if their inquiries aren’t answered promptly. Lead Engage ensures your team responds immediately, regardless of what time a lead reaches out.

“This is a way to move leads through the first part of the funnel for you, without you lifting a finger,” says Selverian.

 AI doesn’t just streamline initial outreach; it’s built to work across the entire lead lifecycle. With Lead Engage, you can keep leads engaged for months—even up to 12 months—no matter where they are in the sales funnel.

Seamlessly Integrate Into Your Existing Tech Stack

An AI assistant adds additional value to what you’re already doing. For small real estate teams, it can act as a very cost-effective virtual inside sales agent. The average salesperson sets 1 appointment for every 209 calls, so for larger teams with ISAs in place, an AI assistant can support your ISAs, teeing up warm leads and increasing their productivity and effectiveness.

For teams with sophisticated lead follow-up systems in place that include action plans, triggers, tags and the like, an AI assistant still has a place in the ecosystem. Action plans are designed to get leads to engage and identify who is ready for a conversation with an agent, but even the most effective action plan can’t have a conversation with a lead in real-time. That’s where an AI assistant comes in. You won’t lose out on a hand-raiser simply because you weren’t available to chat.

One of the greatest strengths of Lead Engage is how easily it complements existing workflows and tools. With built-in integrations to the Sierra CRM, Lead Engage uses data already in your system to engage leads intelligently.

Key Features of Lead Engage:

• Lead Qualification: Tees up leads by assessing readiness, location, budgets and contingencies.
• 24/7 Efficiency: Nurtures leads day or night, ensuring no opportunity slips through the cracks.
• Real-Time Communication: Acts as a cost-effective virtual ISA, supporting existing agents or ISA teams with warm, qualified leads.
• Streamlined Notifications: Alerts agents to high-intent leads ready for follow-up, maximizing productivity.

For teams that already rely on action plans, tags and triggers, Lead Engage provides an additional layer of efficiency by actively conversing with leads while the rest of your systems focus on outreach and task management.

“Even if you are working with a partner already, this will support what you’re already doing. It’s meant to augment and enhance the lead follow-up systems you have in place,” noted Selverian.

Focus on What You Do Best

At its core, the residential real estate industry is about relationships. While prospecting and lead qualification is part of the deal, it’s typically not what Realtors want to spend their time on. AI is an investment that gives you time back that you can spend with your clients helping them find or sell their home. Lead Engage gives you the freedom to focus on those efforts while automating the tedious but necessary tasks of lead qualification and nurturing.

While there’s significant ROI on a Realtor’s time, one or two deals more per year can cover the cost (and then some) of implementing an AI assistant as well. According to data from Structurely, an AI assistant can help set up to 7 times more appointments than the average ISA, making it a highly cost-effective avenue to generate more deals and increase GCI. Lead Engage pays for itself with just one or two additional deals.

“As Tom Ferry says, it’s sweat equity or check equity,” said Selverian. “Either you’re putting in the work or you’re investing in something else to do it for you. Realtors don’t want to deal with technology. They want to spend time with people. AI is technology that enables them to NOT spend time with technology.”

Benefits of Lead Engage at a Glance

• Streamline Lead Qualification

Automatically sorts and qualifies leads without manual effort.

• 24/7 Real-Time Communication

Engage leads anytime, increasing response rates.

• Cost-Efficient Support

A cost-effective solution to manage high-potential leads without increasing headcount.

• Re-engage Cold Leads

Brings dormant leads back into the pipeline, uncovering missed opportunities.

• Maximize Productivity

Keeps agents focused on high-value tasks while automating repetitive processes.

Elevate Your Lead Engagement With Lead Engage

If your team is ready to work smarter, not harder, it’s time to explore what Lead Engage can do for your lead management strategy. From nurturing new leads to mining untapped opportunities in your CRM, this AI-driven tool guarantees you’ll never lose a lead due to slow response times or neglect.