In Part 1, we established the importance of capturing and nurturing leads before the release of a coming soon community. But, we can’t stop there! What happens once the release date is announced and quickly approaching?

Let’s walk through steps 5-8 in our VIP lead management process. As we have been staying in front of all potential future homeowners every month with the latest and greatest, it’s an easy transition to discuss the opportunity for presale and preview appointments. Setting expectations and having proactive communication is the key to successfully implementing this process. So, it's time to communicate to your leads that you are releasing VIP appointment opportunities! But, just like everything else we do, there is a process. 

* About two weeks prior to opening up appointments to the public, you’ll want to start setting appointments for your VIPs first. Remember, you’ve got your leads segmented out as VIP-priority, VIP-responded, and VIP-no response. Start with your VIP-Priority leads because by now you have been able to qualify them based on your new community info - starting prices, product, timing and they are likely your highest converting prospects, so they get first dibs on the best appointment days/times. Give them 24 hours to reply or call to schedule a time with you before you release them to your next group of VIP leads. 

* Send that same email to your VIP-responded leads. These are leads you know are real people and have real interest, but you don’t know what they’re looking for. These leads will take a bit more time in the scheduling process. Give them 24 hours to reply or call to schedule a time. 

* You guessed it, the next day you’re sending the same email to your VIP-no response leads. We don’t know if they’re interested at all! Get creative, and use the email techniques that you know. Be sure that your subject lines are engaging and level up with the addition of a video email, etc. 

* Next, we hit the phones! We are going to use the same strategy as we did with the email cadence, spacing them out 24 hours. We now have a reason to call, so be sure you prepare with a script or dialogue for what’s next for these leads. This is to double back on your email to get more appointments set with those who have been non-responsive. **Pro-tip, layer in texting in addition to your call. If you’re doing all this hard work, be sure you are covering all your bases! 

* Once we have exhausted all of these efforts, there will still be non-responsive leads and that is okay! What is not okay is forgetting about them after the launch. Maybe these prospects have decided this community isn’t the best fit for them. That doesn't mean they are no longer a future viable lead for another community! Being nurturers is one (of many) superpowers online sales have! We have the long-term view. So, be sure to lump anyone who has not moved forward into your standard monthly long-term, one-to-one-looking mass mailers (in addition to the content sent from marketing). 

Whew, was that fun or what? Next step, put it into practice with your next coming-soon community! Good luck!