7 Steps on How to Cold Call in Real Estate Effectively

Define Your Target Audience: Clearly identify the demographics and characteristics of your ideal clients. This focused approach allows you to tailor your message, significantly increasing the likelihood of engagement. Research shows that 57% of C-level and VP purchasers prefer phone communication, underscoring the importance of reaching decision-makers.

Develop a Script: Craft a versatile script that highlights key points for your conversations. Include an engaging introduction, compelling value propositions, and open-ended questions to foster dialogue. Effective cold contacts often involve extended monologues, averaging 53 seconds, which facilitates greater engagement with potential clients. With Intone's AI voice agents, you can create scripts that sound natural and adhere to your exact messaging, enhancing the overall interaction.

Gather Resources: Compile relevant market data, property listings, and insights that can provide value during your calls. Utilizing intent data helps identify potential clients actively researching real estate solutions, making your outreach timely and relevant. Remember, understanding how to cold call in real estate without intent data is inefficient, leading to wasted time and effort in reaching uninterested prospects. Intone's analytics dashboard allows you to monitor changes in key metrics, ensuring your outreach aligns with your goals.

Practice: Role-play your conversations with a colleague or mentor to refine your delivery and build confidence. As Jonathan Costet from Gong suggests, listening twice as much as you speak can enhance the quality of your conversations. Avoid common mistakes, such as calling without preparation, which can lead to irrelevant discussions and low conversion rates. With Intone's real-time feedback capabilities, you can continuously improve your approach based on performance insights.

Establish a Monitoring System: Utilize a CRM or spreadsheet to record your communications, results, and follow-up actions. Consistent follow-up is essential, as many deals are won after multiple touchpoints. In 2026, the typical phone approach lasts 82 seconds, so being efficient and strategic in your method is crucial. Intone's AI voice agents can help you scale your outreach efforts, allowing for high-volume dialing while maintaining the quality of interactions.

Evaluate Your Capacity: Assess how many contacts you can realistically make in a day, considering your schedule and other responsibilities. This foundational step ensures your goals are attainable.

Set Specific Targets: Rather than vague objectives like 'make more contacts,' aim for concrete numbers, such as 'make 20 connections per day.' Specificity drives focus and accountability.

Include Follow-Up Communications: Don’t forget to allocate time for follow-up communications with leads you’ve previously contacted. These interactions often yield better results and can significantly enhance your outreach.

Track Your Progress: Maintain a daily log to document the number of contacts made, appointments set, and any feedback received. This practice not only helps you stay organized but also allows for adjustments to your goals as needed.

Celebrate Small Wins: Recognize and celebrate when you meet your goals. This acknowledgment keeps you motivated and encourages continued effort.

Research Peak Hours: Studies reveal that late mornings (10 AM - 12 PM) and late afternoons (4 PM - 5 PM) are prime times for outreach. During these intervals, potential clients are more likely to be available and receptive. In fact, appropriately timed phone interactions can achieve connection rates up to 46% higher than poorly timed attempts.

Avoid Lunchtime: Steer clear of calling during lunch hours (12 PM - 1 PM). Many individuals are away from their phones, resulting in lower engagement rates. While some sectors may see success during this time, it’s generally wise to respect individual schedules.

Test Different Days: Experiment with various days of the week. Mid-week days, especially Wednesdays and Thursdays, often yield better results compared to Mondays and Fridays, which typically experience a dip in engagement as professionals transition into or out of the workweek. Notably, Mondays and Fridays usually have the lowest response rates, particularly on Friday afternoons.

Adjust for Time Zones: When reaching out to prospects across different time zones, be mindful of local times. Making calls during appropriate hours can significantly enhance your chances of connection.

Monitor Your Results: Keep track of your calling outcomes to identify patterns in success. In 2024, the typical outreach success rate was around 4.82%. Adjust your schedule based on when you achieve the best results, allowing for continuous improvement in your cold calling strategy.

Craft a Strong Opening Statement: Start with a concise introduction that includes your name, company, and a compelling reason for your communication. For instance, "Hi, this is John Doe from Intone. I noticed your property at 123 Main St. and wanted to share some insights on the current market trends that could benefit you."

Highlight Benefits: Quickly outline how your services can solve a problem or meet a need. Focus on benefits rather than features. As a sales expert notes, "Great openers do two things at once: Earn a pause, and make it personal."

Use Questions: Engage the potential client by asking open-ended questions that encourage them to share their needs or concerns. This demonstrates your genuine interest in their situation. Remember, the first five seconds of a conversation are critical for engaging the buyer.

Be Concise: Keep your introduction brief to maintain the potential client's attention. Aim for a 30-second pitch that clearly conveys your value; longer monologues can lead to disengagement. Statistics reveal that it takes an average of 8 attempts to contact a potential client, underscoring the importance of persistence.

Practice Your Delivery: Rehearse your opening statement to ensure it sounds natural and confident. Sales trainers emphasize that the initial five seconds of a conversation are vital for capturing the buyer's attention, so your delivery should be polished and impactful.

Personalize Your Approach: Using the individual's name and referencing specific details about their property or situation demonstrates that you’ve done your homework. Personalization significantly increases engagement; tailored outreach resonates more with potential clients. Recent data shows that personalization can enhance conversion rates, making it a vital strategy in your outreach.

Be Authentic: Let your personality shine through. Authenticity fosters trust and makes the dialogue feel real, which is essential for creating rapport with potential clients. As one communication expert noted, "Ultimately, the future belongs to sales professionals who seamlessly blend data-driven insights, targeted personalization, and genuine human connection into their strategies for how to cold call in real estate."

Use Humor Wisely: A light-hearted joke or comment can break the ice and make the call more enjoyable. However, ensure it’s appropriate for the context to maintain professionalism.

Listen Actively: Pay close attention to what the potential client says and respond thoughtfully. This shows that you value their input and are engaged in the conversation, enhancing the overall interaction.

Follow Up on Previous Conversations: If you’ve spoken to the potential client before, reference past discussions to show continuity and care. It requires an average of approximately eight attempts to schedule one qualified meeting, so persistence in follow-ups is essential for success.

Contact at Ideal Times: Studies suggest that the optimal moments to reach out to potential clients are between 11 a.m. and 12 p.m. and between 4:00 p.m. and 5:00 p.m. Coordinating your outreach with these periods can greatly enhance your connection rates.