Hi {{first_name | there}},

Mortgage rates fell below 6% last week for the first time since September 2022.

That matters.

Not because it solves the affordability crisis. It doesn't. Buyers are still stretched. Home prices are still high. But it shifts the psychology.

When rates start with a 5, buyers who were sitting out start looking again. The "I'll wait until rates drop" crowd suddenly thinks this might be as good as it gets.

Spring buying season just got more competitive.

Here's what that means for you.

The builders who win the next 90 days aren't the ones waiting for the phone to ring. They're the ones who already built the system to capture leads when demand picks up.

Remember what I wrote about IBS last week? The most packed sessions weren't about products. They were about operations. Efficiency. Systems that work when you're busy.

Let me dig into one part of that: the lead follow-up problem.

Most builders lose 60-70% of inquiries because they don't have a follow-up system.

Someone fills out your contact form. You respond once. Maybe twice. They go quiet. You move on.

Here's what's actually happening.

That lead is talking to 3-5 other builders. Whoever stays in front of them without being pushy wins the job. Not the cheapest. Not the best. The one who makes it easiest to say yes.

The system that works:

When someone inquires, you respond immediately. Not tomorrow. Within 2 hours. Even if it's just "Got your message, here's what happens next."

Then you follow up 7 times over 120 days.

Most builders quit after email 2. That's why they lose.

Here's what the sequence looks like:

Day 1: First response (qualify them, set consultation)  
Day 3: Check-in (provide value, not sales pitch)  
Day 7: Social proof (share similar project, testimonial)  
Day 14: Education (answer common objection)  
Day 30: Project example (before/after from recent job)  
Day 60: Gentle nudge ("Still planning your project?")  
Day 90: Soft close ("When you're ready, here's how we start")  
Day 120: Final check-in (breakup email)

Most leads don't convert until touch 4-6.

You need the system before you need it. Because when rates drop and demand picks up, you won't have time to build it.

The builders who close 3-5 jobs this spring while everyone else is scrambling? They built the follow-up system in February and March.

Rates below 6% won't last forever. Build the system now.

Timothy Dahl
Founder, Builder Playbook
LinkedIn

P.S. This is one piece. The complete system includes Google 3-Pack optimization, referral engine, and social content strategy. I covered all of it at IBS. Builders are implementing it right now while their competition waits for the phone to ring.

I’m happy to chat anytime about your strategy and help you setup for success this year. Just reply to this email and we can get started.