Second Phone Number for Heavy Listers: "Buyer Agent Hotline"

Agents who list 10+ homes per year become increasingly inundated with inbound calls and text messages from buyer agents. These questions are important, but are not urgent. Most can be easily answered, but the sporadic nature of the communication causes inefficiencies and disruption to the listing agent. (Listing agents begin dreading their phone ringing.) By adding a second phone number that is dedicated to listings and buyer agents, you can take control of these messages and bring some sanity back to your work life.

Here is how you do it!

1. Set Up a Secondary Number - "Buyer Agent Hotline"

• Obtain a second phone number through services like Google Voice or Sideline. This number will be listed on all relevant platforms where buyer agents look up listings (e.g., MLS, Clubhouse, Austin Luxury Network).
  • Important: Immediately change your number with ABOR to this phone number. This is the desired result:

2. Listing Requirements

• Complete Listings: Ensure all listing details are thoroughly filled out, especially frequently asked questions (e.g., property features, showing instructions, offer instructions).
• Clear Instructions: Make showing instructions clear and easily accessible. Outline any special offer instructions directly in the listing.
• Complete Docs Online: Make sure that all important documents are easy to find on the listing - seller's disclosure, survey, etc...

3. Managing Inbound Calls

• Voicemail-Only Policy: Set the secondary number to direct all calls to voicemail.
• Text Capability: Enable text message reception for additional contact flexibility.
• Voicemail Message Tips: Craft a message asking agents to leave their email address for a faster response and mention that all messages will be addressed twice daily.

4. Organizing Messages

• Both Google Voice and Sideline offer voicemail-to-email and text-to-email notifications. This feature allows the listing agent or an assistant to organize messages efficiently and respond in batches once or twice per day.
• Email Organization: Set up filters to collect incoming inquiries from the secondary number for easy management.

5. Batch Message Responses & Delegate

• Batch messages and responses 2x per day to efficiently manage communication.
• Delegate message responses to an assistant and ask for any (and only) important calls to be sent immediately to you.

6. Benefits of This Strategy

• Reduced Phone Distractions: Frees the listing agent's primary phone line from frequent inquiries.
• Increased Efficiency: Allows batching of responses for faster handling of inquiries, often by an assistant.
• Improved Service Quality: Ensures buyer agents receive answers to straightforward questions quickly while allowing the listing agent to prioritize serious inquiries, especially those involving offers.