Listen to an average Property Management Business Development Manager (BDM) making follow-up calls on a Thursday afternoon:
“Hi David, it’s Sarah from ABC Real Estate. Just calling to see if you received the rental appraisal package I emailed across on Tuesday. Just wanted to check in and see if you had any questions, or if you’ve made a decision on who you’re appointing yet. Give me a call back when you get a chance!”
David doesn’t call back.
And why would he?
The message gives him no new information, offers no fresh insight and gives him no compelling reason to take the next step. Instead, it puts the responsibility back on him to decide what happens next.
Two weeks later, the BDM notices a competitor’s “For Lease” board outside David’s investment property.
The immediate reaction? The competitor must have discounted their fees, or the owner was never serious in the first place.
Perhaps. But before blaming the competition or the client, there’s a more important question to ask:
Did we actually do enough to win the business?
Let’s look at where the process breaks down.
One of the biggest leaks in rent roll growth isn’t necessarily lead generation. Agencies invest heavily in digital marketing, local sponsorships and sales-to-PM referral systems to generate appraisal opportunities.
But generating an opportunity is only the beginning.
The real leak often happens after the appraisal, when the follow-up lacks structure, purpose and value.
Too many BDMs have a process for sending the proposal, followed by a few calls and emails when they remember to follow up.
That’s not a strategy. That’s hoping the client will make the decision you want them to make.
Hope is not a conversion strategy.
If your BDM’s post-appraisal process consists of emailing a generic PDF and leaving a couple of polite voicemails asking whether the owner has “any questions”, you’re leaving valuable growth opportunities to chance.
Why “Checking In” Kills Your Conversion
An investor doesn’t appoint a property management agency simply because the BDM is polite or persistent.
They appoint an agency because they believe the team can protect their asset, manage risk, deliver a quality service and help them achieve a strong financial outcome.
Every interaction either strengthens that confidence or leaves it unchanged.
When a BDM calls a prospective landlord with the words “Just checking in,” three things can go wrong:
1. It Positions You as Someone Chasing the Business, Not Someone Worth Choosing:
“Just checking in” can sound like: “I sent you a proposal, and now I want to know whether you’re going to give me your business.”
The focus shifts from the owner’s needs to the BDM’s need for an answer.
Instead of demonstrating why the agency is the right choice, the BDM comes across as someone chasing a decision. The conversation becomes transactional when it should be building confidence.
2. It Adds No New Value to the Relationship:
Every phone call, email or message is an opportunity to demonstrate your understanding of the local rental market and the realities of managing an investment property.
If the client finishes the interaction knowing no more than they did before, what have you actually contributed?
Being persistent is not the same as being valuable. The goal isn’t to make more contact. It’s to make every contact count.
3. It Gives Away Control of the Next Step:
When you finish with “Call me when you’re ready,” you’ve left the entire next move to the client.
Investors are busy. They have competing priorities, other agencies to compare and decisions they can easily put off until another day.
Without an agreed next step, even a genuine opportunity can lose momentum and eventually disappear.
Strong BDMs don’t leave progress to chance. They create clear next steps, agree on timeframes and give clients a good reason to keep moving.
The objective isn’t to chase harder. It’s to lead the conversation better.
The Three Shifts to a High-Conversion Follow-Up System
1. Agree on the Next Step Before You Leave the Kitchen Table:
Average BDMs finish an appraisal with:
“I’ll email the proposal through tonight and follow you up in a couple of days.”
It sounds reasonable, but it leaves the next conversation open-ended.
High-performing BDMs establish the next step while they’re still sitting with the owner. They explain what they’ll prepare, what the owner needs to consider and when they’ll reconnect to review it together.
The Dialogue:
“David, I’ll have your rental analysis, risk review and leasing strategy completed by 4:00 PM tomorrow. I know you’re reviewing your options, and that’s exactly why I want to make sure you’ve got the information you need to make the right decision.
Let’s lock in ten minutes on Thursday to walk through the numbers, discuss the compliance requirements relevant to your property and answer any questions. Does 11:15 AM work, or would 2:30 PM suit you better?”
You’ve now moved from an uncertain follow-up to an agreed advisory conversation.
The owner knows what to expect, the BDM has a clear next step, and both parties have a reason to keep the conversation moving.
2. Replace Follow-Ups with “Value Injections”:
Every touchpoint should give the owner a reason to engage.
That means bringing something useful to the conversation: a recent leasing result, a relevant tenant-demand insight, a potential risk worth understanding or a recommendation specific to their property.
Don’t contact someone simply because it’s been three days since your last email. Contact them because you’ve got something worth sharing.
Touchpoint A (The Proof Metric):
“David, we leased 12 Railway Street yesterday after just 48 hours on the market at $40 per week above the previous tenancy. We also had six qualified applications from tenants who missed out, including people looking for a three-bedroom property like yours.
I thought you’d find that useful as we look at the best strategy for positioning your property in the current market. It may give us an opportunity to move quickly if the timing is right for you.”
That’s a conversation built around evidence and opportunity, rather than another request for an update on the owner’s decision.
Always make sure the figures and tenant-demand claims are accurate, current and relevant to the property.
Touchpoint B (The Compliance and Risk Shield):
“David, I’ve been reviewing how we help our owners manage potential compliance and maintenance risks, particularly around routine inspections and documenting property condition.
I’ve attached a short checklist outlining some of the key things we look for during our inspections. I thought it might be useful as you compare management options, because the way an agency manages these details can make a real difference over time.”
Now you’re demonstrating how your team operates and why your systems matter.
You’re helping the owner evaluate the quality of the service, rather than simply asking them to choose your agency.
3. Use Personalised Video to Create a Human Connection:
In a world full of generic emails and corporate brochures, a short, personalised video can help you stand out.
After presenting your appraisal, record a 60-second video using your smartphone or a desktop recording tool such as Loom. Refer to the owner’s specific property, explain your recommendation and reinforce the next step.
The Script:
“Hi David, Sarah here. I’ve just finalised my rental recommendation for your property.
As you can see, these three recent leasing comparables give us a useful indication of where your property could sit in the current market. Based on the features and condition of your home, I believe $750 per week is a sensible starting point to attract the right tenants while remaining competitive.
I’ve included the supporting information in your strategy document. Have a look when you get a chance, and we’ll walk through the recommendation together on Thursday at 11:15 AM.”
The video makes the interaction more personal. It gives the owner a clearer understanding of your thinking and helps demonstrate that your recommendation is based on their property, not a generic template.
And remember, the video isn’t the strategy itself. It’s another way to deliver value and reinforce the conversation you’ve already agreed to have.
The Operational Standard
Talent might open the door, but disciplined follow-up is what helps turn an appraisal opportunity into a management.
A prospective management shouldn’t be treated as a casual lead that can be abandoned after forty-eight hours of silence.
Think about the commercial value of a single management agreement. Over the life of that relationship, it can generate recurring management fees, additional service revenue and potentially future sales business.
Now multiply that across the rent roll.
Every lost opportunity matters. And every opportunity left sitting in the CRM without a clear next step is a potential leak in your growth strategy.
As a leader, you need to know what’s happening after the appraisal. What follow-up has occurred? What value has been delivered? What’s preventing the owner from making a decision? And when is the next conversation scheduled?
Build a structured follow-up rhythm. Coach your BDMs to lead with insight rather than chase for answers. Make sure every opportunity has a clear next step, an agreed timeframe and a reason for the owner to keep engaging.
Stop relying on “just checking in” and start building a follow-up process that demonstrates the value of your agency at every stage.
Because the goal isn’t simply to win more appraisals. It’s to convert more of the right opportunities into long-term management relationships.
Here’s a question for you:
If you audited the last twenty lost or stalled appraisal files in your property management department, how many were lost because of superior competitor skill—and how many were simply abandoned due to lazy follow-up?
