Maximizing lead conversions is essential for every real estate investor looking to grow a sustainable business. Yet, many fail to understand how to properly track and optimize their marketing efforts. Christina Krause, a seasoned real estate investor and lead generation expert, shared key insights into using data and analytics to streamline marketing campaigns and close more deals. Here’s how you can implement her strategies to boost your business.
Lead Generation Is the Core of Real Estate Success
In real estate, everything begins and ends with lead generation. However, it’s not just about generating leads—it’s about converting them efficiently. Christina stressed that the most successful investors don’t rely on guesswork. Instead, they focus on learning from the mistakes and successes of others while harnessing the power of data to make informed decisions.
An interesting point she made: following someone else’s strategy blindly is like wearing another person’s tailored suit. It may not fit right because your market, business, and circumstances are unique. To win, you need to tailor your approach based on your own data.
Christina Krause: A Career Built on Data-Driven Success
Christina isn’t just a marketer—she’s a veteran real estate investor with over two decades of experience. Since 1999, she has actively been involved in managing rentals, flipping properties, wholesaling, and even complex multifamily projects. At her business’s peak, she owned nearly 300 rental doors and managed hundreds more for clients. She has the scars and wins to prove her expertise, including a humbling failure early in her career during an apartment/condo conversion project.
Her company, Postal Impact, specializes in using data and analytics to refine lead generation campaigns for real estate investors. Unlike traditional marketing firms, Postal Impact operates with a hands-on, results-driven approach. They don’t just help clients find leads—they ensure those leads are monitored, nurtured, and converted into deals.
Stop Asking the Wrong Questions
Christina shared a common trap many investors fall into. They ask, “What’s working right now?” or “What’s the best lead type?” While these questions might seem useful, they’re inherently flawed. Why? Because the correct answer depends on your market, business model, and goals.
Instead, she encourages investors to ask better questions. For example:
- What type of lead performs best in my market?
- How can I use data to identify trends in my campaigns?
- What adjustments will yield the highest return on investment (ROI)?
Great marketing isn’t about chasing what worked for others. It’s about uncovering hidden opportunities in your own data and acting on them.
Letters vs. Postcards: What the Data Says
One of the most eye-opening examples Christina shared was the comparison between letters and postcards in direct mail campaigns. On the surface, postcards might seem like the more efficient choice—they’re cheaper and simpler to produce. But data tells a more nuanced story:
- A letter may cost 3-4x more than a postcard, but it often leads to significantly higher appointment booking and deal closing rates.
- In one of their campaigns, letters converted three times more appointments and closed more deals than postcards, even though the upfront response rates for letters weren’t much higher.
This example demonstrates why tracking the entire sales pipeline—not just response rates—is essential. The cost-per-deal and overall profitability metrics revealed that letters were a far better choice for certain segments of leads. Without this level of tracking, those insights would’ve been missed.
Retargeting Leads: The Secret to Long-Term Success
Another critical takeaway was the importance of retargeting leads. Christina explained that some leads will never respond to a postcard—no matter how many times you send it. However, those same individuals might respond to a letter, phone call, or even a knock on their door. That’s why diversifying touchpoints and retargeting leads through multiple methods is crucial.
She also highlighted a common misconception: retargeting isn’t about spamming potential leads. It’s about identifying which groups respond best to certain methods and maximizing those efforts.
Missed Opportunities on the Front End
Data shows that 30-35% of incoming calls to real estate investors are abandoned or missed entirely. That’s a massive chunk of potential leads slipping through the cracks.
Here’s why this happens:
- Calls are missed because there’s no system in place to catch them.
- Leads hang up before they’re connected.
- Teams aren’t prioritizing callbacks for missed calls.
The solution? Implement a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system that logs incoming calls and creates a lead for every missed or abandoned contact. Tools like CallRail can even automatically record calls and trigger follow-up tasks so no lead gets forgotten.
Case Study: Turning Missed Calls Into Profit
Christina shared an example of a client who went back through 145 abandoned calls in their system. Within 24 hours, they identified two deals worth approximately $40,000 in profit. Simply prioritizing lost leads and missed opportunities can radically impact your revenue.
Follow-Up Systems: Where Deals Are Won
If you aren’t following up with leads after the first contact, you’re leaving money on the table. Research shows:
- Calling a lead three times is 68% more effective than calling once.
- Calling six times increases success by 94%.
- Most deals (up to 80%) close well after the initial contact.
Yet, only a small percentage of real estate investors have structured follow-up systems in place.
Christina recommends assigning a lead manager whose sole responsibility is to nurture and audit leads through the sales funnel. This person would ensure customized, human-focused follow-ups occur for each lead to optimize conversion rates.
Example: Reviving Old Leads
Another notable example involved a client who tasked their lead manager with revisiting old, “dead” leads. Within weeks, they closed deals worth six figures. Just because a lead didn’t convert initially doesn’t mean they can’t now—especially with the right follow-up touchpoints and tailored messaging.
Using Data to Customize Your Strategy
One of Christina’s core recommendations is to stop relying on anecdotal stories or flashy success posts on social media. Instead, take the time to track and study your own numbers. Metrics like response rate, net lead rate, appointment booking rate, and cost-per-deal give you clarity about what’s working and what needs improvement.
Overcoming the “Rock Star Moment” Mentality
Many investors chase “rock star” moments—high-response campaigns or big wins—and use them as benchmarks for future performance. But sustained success doesn’t come from isolated wins. It comes from consistent effort, routine tracking, and making small, data-driven improvements. As Christina put it: “Life isn’t an NBA Final.”
Your Action Plan to Maximize Lead Conversions
To recap, here are the steps Christina outlined for tightening your marketing and increasing lead conversions:
- Implement a CRM: Organize and track your leads systematically.
- Track Key Metrics: Focus on net lead rate, appointments, and deals closed—not just response rates.
- Call Missed Leads Back Immediately: Don’t waste money driving calls only to miss them.
- Hire a Lead Manager: Assign someone to fully audit and nurture your leads.
- Revive Old Leads: Call leads you’ve neglected and watch opportunities arise.
- Retarget Strategically: Use data to identify which methods (letters, postcards, calls) work best for specific groups.
- Outsource and Automate: Free up your time by assigning complex tracking tasks to experts or automation tools.
Conclusion
Maximizing conversions isn’t about working harder—it’s about working smarter. By using data to make informed decisions, investors can avoid wasting time, money, and energy on ineffective strategies. Start asking better questions, track your numbers consistently, and make adjustments based on what the data reveals about your market. Success comes from understanding your business inside and out—and letting the numbers guide the way.
