A lead comes in at 9:40 on a Tuesday night. Someone named Dana asked about a three-bedroom on Maple Street. You see it on your phone at a kid's soccer practice, tell yourself you'll answer in the morning, and by Wednesday lunch you've sent a nice reply to a person who has already heard from two other agents.
That's the shape of most portal leads. The person was browsing, got curious about one house, and tapped a button. They usually did the same thing on a few other listings, and often a few other agents answered. Some of them are months from buying. A few are ready now. You can't tell which from the inquiry alone, so the follow-up has to work for both: quick and personal at the start, patient after that. A good first message mentions the house they asked about, asks one easy question, and doesn't try to book a showing in the first sentence.
Most agents get the first reply out and then it gets quiet. The second touch needs a decision about channel and wording, and the third needs a reminder to exist. The lead who wasn't ready in week one is the one who answers a text in week seven, if anyone is still in touch. Getting that long middle right is most of the work. This page covers what a good Zillow follow-up looks like, where it usually breaks, and how a Keystone sequence handles the long middle so you only deal with the replies.
A portal inquiry rarely goes to one agent. Your first message has to sound like a person who read the question, not a template that could answer anyone, because the person is comparing replies side by side.
Most follow-up dies after the first email and a voicemail. The people who weren't ready this month go cold, not because they lost interest, but because nobody checked back at a sensible pace.
You get a name, a phone number and a house. You don't know their budget, timeline or whether they're working with someone. The early messages need to ask one easy question instead of pitching.
Ten new inquiries across three weeks means ten different 'where am I with this person' answers. Without a daily list, the loud leads get attention and the quiet ones slip.
Export your leads from wherever you collect them, drop the spreadsheet into Keystone, and the columns match themselves. Pick a buyer sequence, and every lead gets a series of steps already written: a quick text, an email, a call prompt with talking points, and slower check-ins after that. Each draft has the person's name and details filled in.
What you see each morning is the Today list. It shows who to text, email or call, with the message ready. Edit it or send it as is. Text from your own cell or use a Keystone Number that logs both sides of the conversation, and late texts wait until morning because of quiet hours. For email, connect Gmail or Outlook and Keystone sends as you.
The moment someone replies, their sequence stops and the reply moves to the top of your list, so you never send a scripted check-in to someone who already answered. The handwritten card at the end of the sample sequence, like any printed letter, waits for your approval first. You see the exact piece and its cost before anything prints or ships. Keystone isn't a lead source or a full CRM. It's the follow-up layer for the leads you already have.
Suggested sequence: New Buyer Lead Nurture
7 steps over 45 days. Each one lands on your Today list as a draft you can edit or send.
Hi Dana, it's Scott. Saw you asked about the place on Maple. Are you just looking, or are you starting to plan a move?...
Hi Dana, thanks for asking about Maple. Here's what I know about the house and two others in the same area worth a look....
Ask what drew them to the house, whether they've seen others, and if they're already working with an agent. Offer to set up showings....
Hi Dana, based on the Maple Street inquiry I pulled a short list of similar homes. Tell me which ones you'd want to see....
Hi Dana, checking in. Still looking in the Maple area, or did you find something? Happy to help either way....
Hi Dana, one thing that makes offers go smoother is knowing your number before you find the house. Want an intro to a lender?...
Dana, no pressure at all. If your plans change, I'm easy to reach. Here when you're ready. Scott...
+ more steps in the full sequence
Start on the Free plan. Every message comes drafted for you.