There is nothing worse than dropping a lead only to find that shortly thereafter that lead bought or sold a property with another agent. That smack upside the head tells you that it’s time to invest in a system.

It’s all about lead management. It doesn’t do you any good to generate new leads if you aren’t following up on the leads you already have. Cultivating these leads takes time, and staying in touch is a critical aspect of this cultivation.

Consider this: Most homebuyers spend one day choosing an agent and typically choose the agent that is close-at-hand. A good software system that allows you to be in touch with former clients and prospects on a consistent basis ensures that you are the agent that is closest at hand.

Getting leads, following up with those leads, and turning them into listings and sales requires organization. The best way to get organized is to spend the money on a solid system and then take the time to set it up. Once you’ve done that, if you’ve purchased the right system, you can forget it. Set it and forget it – who doesn’t like the sound of that?

Think about riding a bike. A bicycle is a tool that makes getting from one place to another faster and easier than walking. You get on, push the pedals and away you go. Underlying your actions, though, a whole host of mechanical stuff is going on that you don’t even have to think about. The gears, chain, pedals and brakes are all separate elements that work together to produce the desired outcome: you getting somewhere quickly and easily.

The same can be said for automated real estate marketing software. The right one – one that integrates your customer relationship management (CRM) system with your marketing plan – allows you to follow up with leads just by pushing the pedals. You’ll have no more dropped or lost leads – they’ll remain in the system until they “list or die.”

Best of all, once you decide to take control and stop allowing your business to run you, you’ll be rewarded with the knowledge of a full pipeline of cultivated leads and more free time.

Pennsylvania agent Erika Ramus says it’s not enough to determine that you need real estate marketing software; you also need to commit yourself to using it. If the software you choose is too cumbersome, you may just decide to opt out, so set yourself up for success by investigating the various products available and choosing the one that offers the features you want.

For instance, Florida agent Lilo Clacher prefers software that offers stunning templates, while fellow Floridian Katrina Madewell appreciates a robust back-end lead management system.

With all the technology at a real estate professional’s fingertips there is simply no excuse for keeping your leads on a spreadsheet or (gasp!) in a binder, shoved into a drawer until you have a few minutes to make a follow-up call or two. “The fortune is in the follow-up,” and the follow-up depends on a rock solid system.