| As the owner of a foreclosure cleanup business, | | | | mid-day, or morning. The intake form will also |
| you should create a call intake form (or caller log) | | | | reveal whether most of your call activity is |
| for your business. This is a simple form that you | | | | happening at the end of the week or the |
| or your receptionist should use when they answer | | | | beginning of the week, mid-month or end of |
| your business phone. | | | | month, etc. |
| Invaluable Insight | | | | Phone Activity vs. Actual Jobs |
| The foreclosure cleanup call intake form may | | | | As your business grows, you will see which |
| seem like it's not necessary; but it is. The caller | | | | months you received the most phone activity |
| log can provide valuable insight about your | | | | versus actual jobs. Certain times of the month, |
| business, the estimates given out, trends in the | | | | you may be an "estimate machine," but when you |
| geographical location of business that ultimately | | | | compare your call sheet to the actual foreclosure |
| pans out, effectiveness of advertising and public | | | | cleaning estimates you will have given out (and |
| relations in certain seasons, and on and on. | | | | you compare them to the estimates that have |
| This one simple form can ultimately help you | | | | ultimately panned out), you'll notice a pattern that |
| manage and grow your foreclosure cleanup | | | | will guide your decision-making when it comes |
| business for years to come. | | | | choosing which estimates to actually handle. |
| How to Setup Your Caller Log Sheet | | | | For example, after a while you'll be able to |
| Create a call intake form for your business from | | | | forecast by saying with some certainty that in |
| the day you open your doors and put it to use | | | | this month we will receive so many calls, which will |
| immediately. Your caller log should include, at | | | | lend to approximately this many estimates, which |
| minimum, the following information: | | | | will lend to this percentage of closed contracts. |
| --Date of Call | | | | You'll be able to flip back through these intake |
| --Time of Day of Call | | | | sheets and see if your foreclosure cleanup calls |
| --Caller's Name | | | | spiked as a result of a certain advertisement you |
| --Caller's Company Name | | | | placed or a certain public relations piece that got |
| --Caller's Phone Number | | | | picked up. |
| --Location of Foreclosure Cleanup Job | | | | You'll be able to see where most of your calls are |
| --Scope of Job | | | | coming from, versus where most of the actual |
| --Job Deadline | | | | subject properties you're working on are located. |
| --When Caller is Available to Meet for Estimate | | | | How Did They Hear About You? |
| --How Caller Heard About Your Company | | | | The line near the bottom of the call intake sheet |
| --Permission to Add Caller to Marketing Database | | | | is my favorite: How did you hear about us? It will |
| --Comments | | | | guide you in placing ads, canceling ads, spending |
| How the Foreclosure Cleanup Caller Intake Form | | | | more dollars in certain areas, etc. You may not |
| Can Help Grow Your Business | | | | get through all of the questions on your call log |
| This one little form will do the following: | | | | with a caller, but do everything in your power to |
| It will allow you to capture basic information from | | | | get that one question answered: "How'd you hear |
| the potential client in a formalized manner. | | | | about us?" |
| The caller log will provide you with a phone | | | | Create Your Form and Use It from Day One |
| answering script (for you or whomever you hire | | | | So if you don't have a call intake sheet, or caller |
| to answer your phones) so you're not stumbling | | | | log, create one, or copy the one outlined above |
| when you start to get calls. Your company will | | | | and use it in your business. No matter who you |
| sound more professional and poised when the calls | | | | hire as your receptionist (can be family, friends, |
| start coming in. | | | | formal or informal administrative help), call in and |
| The caller log will ensure you get all the necessary | | | | test them to see if they are asking the questions |
| details from the potential client so you are better | | | | on the form. (Some calls may not lend to a full |
| equipped to give them an estimate when you get | | | | intake, but most will.) |
| to the foreclosure cleaning job site. You won't | | | | Priceless Tool |
| have to keep calling the client back to ask | | | | This one little seemingly unimportant form, the |
| questions about items they want included in the | | | | foreclosure cleanup business caller log, can provide |
| estimate. | | | | valuable trend information that can ultimately help |
| Call Patterns that Will Guide Your Decision-making | | | | you grow your foreclosure cleanup business |
| As the weeks pass, you'll see a pattern in the | | | | successfully for years to come. |
| times you receive calls. You'll notice whether most | | | | Good luck with your business! |
| of the calls are coming in the early evening, | | | | |