SimplifyREI loves the deep integration between smrtPhone and their custom CRM built on Podio 

SimplifyREI was built on the idea that sometimes simplicity is key. At its core, SimplifyREI is a CRM that helps investors and wholesalers streamline their communications when talking to prospects and leads. They needed a simple yet robust communication platform to complement their CRM, and smrtPhone was an obvious choice. 

SimplifyREI is built on Podio, which offers complex data management, but through a streamlined, easy-to-use interface. They understand that not everyone is a tech whiz, but real estate investors need their technology to work. Pairing with smrtPhone provided a major boost in call volume, effortless organization and an increase in their lead-to-deal pipeline. 

Slimming Down Time to Deal 

A lot of real estate investors start small: a one-person enterprise with spreadsheets, manual dialing and a personal cell phone. Maybe that works for a while, but as any REI professional knows, those leads quickly get unmanageable. It’s easy to lose track of who you’re speaking to, letting deals slip through the cracks.

Getting a good CRM and phone system is often the next logical step in growing an REI business. SimplifyREI recognized that a lot of people needed an easy-to-use CRM, tailored to real estate professionals. 

Geoff Salfi, owner of SimplifyREI, shares his experience with doing things manually. “When a lead came in, investors were tracking it in an Excel sheet, or some other outdated database. Then they’re going to manually input that phone number into a non-business phone number to call them, which is slower, and opening them up to compliance issues and personal information being let out.” 

Geoff and his team leaned on smrtPhone and their custom-built CRM to slim down their time-to-deal while keeping compliant, and staying organized as lead and client volume grew. 

The Crucial First 10 Minutes 

When communicating with homeowners, the first 5-to-10 minutes a lead comes in is usually all you have. An interested lead – especially someone who contacts you first – is itchy to start the process of selling their home. If you don’t respond quickly, they’ve moved on to the next.

SimplifyREI depends on smrtPhone to guarantee immediate reception of incoming calls. When a prospect or lead gets pushed into the system from an external marketing campaign – whether from texting, email, or dialing campaign – everything is tracked and immediately visible to agents. “It’s really easy to say alright, a new lead came in. I need to make contact with them, usually within the first five minutes.” 

Without a system that allows you to get in front of leads as quickly as possible, you’re missing out to your competitors. Speed-to-lead advantage is king in the REI business, and SimplifyREI is dedicated to helping their clients obtain it. 

 

Texting Automation to Maximize Contact 

For SimplifyREI, one of the most important aspects of decreasing time to deal is setting up follow-up sequences for texts. Instead of Agents needing to remember to send out texts to leads in different parts of the sale cycle, follow-up campaigns can be automatically assigned. The campaigns are created in the CRM, and sent via smrtPhone’s SMS API. 

Each text campaign is customizable to fit the needs of a business, and the goal is to be fresh of mind for any type of lead – cold or hot. 

SimplifyREI has some typical campaigns, such as those “Interested” (for interested leads) and “Follow-up” for those who need, well, follow up! But one of their more creative use-cases are “ghost campaigns.” Salfi explains that after seven attempts, if an agent can’t make contact, the lead enters a ghost campaign, which triggers smrtPhone to send customized, pre-made texts at 30, 45, and 90 days. 

After an agent is done with a call, they can select how many attempts were made from a drop down menu, which changes the follow-up message that is sent. ‘Attempt to call five’ generates a different message than ‘Attempt to call six.’ Even though the texts are pre-made for efficiency, agents can also go in and customize or personalize the message. 

Striking that balance between speed and personalization can make the difference in landing a deal or losing out to someone else. Without smrtPhone, these customizable, automated follow-up sequences wouldn’t be possible – and they’re a total game changer for SimplifyREI. 

Landing Deals While Walking the Dog 

We are all busy, but business doesn’t have to wait. Even doing chores can be an opportunity to hit some leads, or react to a new lead that just came in. Sometimes slimming down the lead-to-deal cycle is as simple as fitting in calls whenever you can. 

The point isn’t to always be working, it’s about deciding when and where you conduct business. If you can add a couple of outbound calls in the car or at the grocery store, why not? A dedicated mobile app that allows access to contacts and numbers eliminates the need to use a personal phone number, even while using a personal mobile. 

Get the best of both worlds when choosing a phone system – don’t lose all the Contacts, CRM integration and communication history you get from the desktop just because you’re on-the-go at a property or doing personal chores. Bottom line? Make sure you have a Mobile App (and don’t overpay – smrtPhone’s Mobile App is free!). 

Affiliate Opportunities 

Once it became clear that SimplifyREI was boosting sales and landing more leads with smrtPhone and smrtDialer, they began sharing their discovery with colleagues and clients. A partnership with smrtPhone was a way for clients to enhance their already popular CRM, since smrtPhone allowed for click-to-call straight from the CRM, as well as free, thorough reporting and a Mobile App they loved. 

SimplifyREI were a natural fit for smrtPhone’s Affiliate Program, which offers lifetime commission to vetted partners who want to share the product with others.

Click here to learn more about the Affiliate Program!

And as we always say at smrtPhone, if your phone system isn’t deeply integrated with your CRM… what are you even doing? Happy Phoning! 🙂