Plan the first week after you buy a seller lead as a short list of dated next actions, not a cadence you run regardless of what the seller says. Write down which channels you are permitted to use, how the seller prefers to be reached, what you are trying to learn next, and the date of the next attempt. Then change the plan the moment the seller tells you something.
This page is a planning worksheet. It is not a mandatory contact schedule, and no number of calls or texts here is a proven best practice. The right rhythm depends on what the seller asked for and what the rules allow.
Day-seven target
Every lead bought this week ends the week with one of: a next step with a date, a recorded “not interested” or stop request, or a note that planned attempts did not reach the seller. Have open:
- The lead record and your first-call notes, if a call has happened.
- The purchase date and the provider’s bad-lead deadline, written next to each other.
- Your calendar for the week, with blocked time for calls.
- The lead-test log, so outcomes go in the same place as costs.
Two clocks start at purchase
Two clocks start when you buy. The first is the seller’s: their situation and their attention move on. The second is the provider’s credit window. On DrivenSellers, the stated policy is: 5 days from purchase to report an exclusive lead as not as described; an approved request credits the price back to the wallet. If a lead is not as described, you usually find out on the first contacts, so plan those contacts to happen well inside the window.
Five steps for the week
1. Record permitted channels and preferences
For each lead, fill in four fields before planning any attempt:
- Channels you are permitted to use given your consent records and DNC checks.
- Seller’s stated preference, if you have one. If you do not yet, the first call should ask.
- Times to avoid, as the seller stated them.
- Stop request: yes or no, with the date. If yes, the plan ends here.
2. Write the next action, not the next touch
“Call again” is a touch. “Ask whether the brother on title agrees to a walk-through” is an action. Every planned attempt should name the question you are trying to answer or the step you are trying to agree.
3. Plan attempts, then let the seller override them
Write a planned day and channel for each attempt. When the seller gives you a date (“call me Friday after five”), replace the plan with their date. When they give you a channel (“text is easier”), use it if your consent records support it.
4. Log every attempt and its result
Record date, channel, result (reached, no answer, message left, wrong number, asked to stop) and the next action. A wrong number or a seller who says they never asked to sell is information for a possible credit request. Note it the same day.
5. Close the week with a status
On day seven, mark each lead as one of: next step agreed, open, attempting, not interested, stop requested, or possible not-as-described (with the deadline). Move the rest of the work to the weekly pipeline review.
One lead’s week, filled in (illustrative)
| Day | Planned action | Channel (permitted?) | What happened | Next action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 (purchase day) | First call: confirm identity, check card, learn timing | Phone, manually dialed (DNC checked) | No answer; voicemail left with name and reason | Try again day 2, different time of day |
| 2 | Second call attempt | Phone | Reached. Seller confirms ownership; timeline now “after the holidays” | Seller prefers text for scheduling; consent confirmed. Ask about a walk-through date |
| 3 | Propose two walk-through times | Text (seller asked for it) | Seller replies: needs to check with sister on title | Wait for seller; do not chase before day 5 |
| 4 | No contact planned | - | - | - |
| 5 | Check in on sister’s answer | Text | Sister agrees; walk-through set for day 9 | Prepare comps before day 9 |
| 6 | Pull comps and title search request | Internal | Comps pulled; title ordered | Confirm walk-through day 8 |
| 7 | Week-end status | - | Next step agreed (walk-through, day 9) | Carry to weekly review |
Look at days 3 to 5: the seller set the pace, and the plan waited.
Columns for your sheet
Copy these columns into your own sheet or use the printable resource below:
| Field | What to write |
|---|---|
| Lead reference | Your own code, never the seller’s name in shared or analytics tools |
| Purchase date and credit deadline | Both dates, side by side |
| Permitted channels | Based on your DNC checks and consent records |
| Seller preference | Channel and times, in their words |
| Stop requested | Yes/no and date |
| Planned action and date | The question or step, not just “call” |
| Attempt result | Reached / no answer / message / wrong number / stop |
| Unanswered qualification question | The gap you still need to close |
| Agreed next step | Action and date the seller agreed to |
| Responsible person | Who makes the next contact |
Day-seven check
- Every lead has permitted channels recorded before the first attempt.
- Every stop request is recorded and honored the same day.
- Every planned attempt names a question or a step.
- Seller-given dates replace planned dates.
- Possible not-as-described issues are noted with the deadline.
- Each lead has a status on day seven.
Five follow-up habits that lose sellers
- Running a fixed cadence over the seller. If they said “Friday,” a Wednesday call is a reason to stop answering.
- Texting without the consent your channel needs. Check before you plan the text, not after.
- Leaving the credit question too late. If the first contacts reveal a wrong number or a seller who never inquired, act inside the window.
- “No answer” as a status. It is an attempt result. The status is “open, attempting” with a next date.
- Planning more leads than your calendar holds. The plan is only real if the time is blocked.
Sheets that go with this plan
Log attempts and outcomes in the lead-test log so follow-up results sit beside costs. Print the follow-up checklist to keep one lead’s plan on a single sheet, and take the wording for each voicemail, text or email from the follow-up message templates.
Where the record lives
Follow-up is your work, whatever the source. DrivenSellers states: Bought leads land in MyCRM, with stages from New to Closed, follow-up dates and CSV export. That covers stages and dates; no third-party CRM integration is documented, so if you work in another CRM, plan on exporting. Described from DrivenSellers’ public materials, not demonstrated here.