Realtors need to continuously develop their leads in order to maintain a healthy business. Interest rates and weather can have an effect on the number of clients, but there will always be market changes that can impact business.
The best way to generate leads is to be prepared for the unpredictable nature of the real estate market. You need to have a fresh arsenal of lead-gathering tactics to be ahead of the curve. Here are some ideas to get you started:
How to Get Leads in Real Estate
- Build partnerships.
- Throw a housewarming party
- Become a restaurant regular.
- Send a handwritten note.
- Leverage the internet to advertise.
- Advertise through more traditional media.
- Build your own website.
- Develop a niche.
- Use ‘Coming Soon’ signs.
- Head to an open house.
- Generate leads on LinkedIn.
- Organize educational events.
- Don’t neglect leads.
- Target ‘For Sale by Owner’ listings.
- Reach out to expired listings.
1. Build partnerships.
Create relationships with other businesses in your area to help each other out. Here are a few industries where real estate agents can form productive partnerships:
- Insurance companies – Homeowners insurance is a must, but some homebuyers are also looking to turn their new property into rentals, flip-homes, or businesses. Having the right insurance is key.
- Personal bankers – A home is the largest financial investment many of us will ever make. Having a personal banker to run numbers by can be a huge help for buyers.
- Commercial lenders – Loan officers are an integral part of the home buying process, but most buyers don’t have one in their back pocket.
- Bakeries – Whether you’re sending pies to former clients to keep your real estate firm top of mind or ordering treats to make your open house extra sweet, connecting with a bakery is never a bad idea for a real estate agent — or anyone, for that matter.
- Landscapers – There’s an old adage in cooking that says, “The eye eats first.” A similar principle applies to real estate. Landscaping is often the first impression potential buyers have of a home. Encourage your sellers to have their homes professionally landscaped to set them apart from the crowd.
- Cleaning services – No buyer wants to enter a home that looks a little grimy around the edges. Partner with cleaning services to offer discounted house cleanings to your clients.
- Staging experts – Very few of us have HGTV-worthy show homes, but an aspirational home is a home that sells. Build partnerships with local stagers to get your clients’ houses under contract faster.
- Title companies – A less glamorous but no less important partnership is the one you’ll have with local title companies. Have a few go-to companies to recommend to your clients.
It is beneficial for all parties involved to develop relationships with businesses that have customers that align with their goals and preferences. Everyone involved will benefit more if everyone contributes their fair share.
2. Throw a housewarming party
If a client who is well-connected just moved into a new home, you could offer to cater their housewarming party, pay for an open bar, pay for the appetizers, or deck the place out with gorgeous flowers. Making sure to stop by and mingle can be very useful when using this method.
This is an ideal location to encounter potential customers who are at a similar stage in life and may be influenced by the fact that you assisted their friends in purchasing a home.
Did they invite the new neighbors over for a party? Now would be a good time to ask them if they are considering selling the house. Usually when a house in the neighborhood is sold, it generates fresh homeowner interest, and a party can turn cold leads into hot ones.
3. Become a restaurant regular.
If you’re meeting with clients to discuss terms at a restaurant or coffee shop, try to consistent schedule these meetings at the same place.
If you frequent a certain restaurant, you will become well-liked by the waitstaff, be able to get the best tables, and give the impression of being popular and well-connected. You may even get to know the other regulars, making you the ideal person for them to reach out to when they are ready to make a purchase.
4. Send a handwritten note.
Pick up a pen and paper, and write a thank-you note to a past or present client. Thank them for choosing you as their realtor and remind them that you are available to answer questions or suggest a reliable moving company.
A handwritten note is a great way to express your appreciation, and it will make you stand out from the sea of unread emails in your clients’ inboxes. If you’re feeling confident, give them a call a few days later and ask for a referral.
5. Leverage the internet to advertise.
Paid online advertising is a smart investment for realtors. In 2020, 97% of home buyers searched for homes online, according to the National Association of Realtors.
Here are some of the better ways to market yourself as a real estate agent:
- Run Facebook ads
- Run LinkedIn ads
- Answer real estate questions on Quora
- Run Google ads
- Blog for local or national real estate websites
Here’s what an effective Facebook ad might look like.
6. Advertise through more traditional media.
Although newer forms of marketing may be more popular, sometimes the best way to attract new clients is through older methods such as billboards and print ads. These can be excellent resources to grab prospective clients’ attention and keep your services top-of-mind when they’re looking for their next real estate agent. Don’t be reluctant to get creative with your advertising — a little humor or eye-popping visuals can help you stand out.
7. Build your own website.
It is important to create your own web presence in addition to the one your brokerage will give you. This allows you to build a personal brand, showcase your specialties, and share reviews from satisfied clients. It also ensures you have a cohesive presence in the local market — even if you switch brokerages.
Make sure you don’t forget to optimize your site so that potential customers can find you easily. Write blog posts that tackle common questions or problems that your customers might have. Create helpful how-to videos and share them with your email list.
8. Develop a niche.
If you have a specialty in a certain area, such as a neighborhood, historic homes, or apartments, then you should focus your marketing efforts on that area. This will help you develop a reputation as the go-to realtor for that type of client, which will make it easier to sell homes and apartments.
Here are a few common real estate niches:
- Historic homes
- Mid-century modern homes
- Luxury homes
- Neighborhoods
- Student rentals
- School district
- City or town
- First-time homebuyers
- Condominiums or apartments
- Distressed properties
- Senior homes
- Vacation homes
- Land
- Commercial real estate
- Industrial real estate
- Property rights
- For Sale By Owner (FSBO) properties
You don’t need to be an expert right away. Find a niche that interests you and learn as much as you can about it. For example, if you want to help seniors find retirement homes, learn about their needs, research local senior centers and senior-friendly neighborhoods, and work with financial planners who understand the unique home buying requirements of seniors in your area.
9. Use “Coming Soon” signs.
“Coming Soon” and “Sold” signs are a great way to show potential buyers that you are selling a property and that you are an experienced real estate agent. “Coming Soon” signs let people know that a property will be available soon, which builds excitement before it even hits the market.
“Sold” signs can help you get leads from buyers who did not manage to buy a property they were interested in. These buyers will want to make sure they do not miss out again, and you can help them.
10. Head to an open house.
If you’re not attending open houses in order to find new leads, you’re missing out on a great opportunity. Many buyers (or soon-to-be buyers) visit open houses without an agent. This is the perfect time to introduce yourself and offer your assistance in navigating the market.
A tip for those considering this option: Avoid being too forceful or aggressive. Self-promotion at someone else’s open house is generally frowned upon.
11. Generate leads on LinkedIn.
Join groups on LinkedIn that your target audience is active in. For example, if you’re trying to reach real estate investors, join a group for local real estate investors. Or, if you’re trying to reach first-time homebuyers, join a group for first-time homebuyers. Get involved in the conversation before making a professional pitch.
If you have established a good relationship with someone, follow up with them if they seem interested, and offer to have a conversation to answer any questions they have.
A tip for those posting in real estate investment groups: share a blog article about upcoming neighborhoods in your city. If someone in a first-time homebuyers group asks a question about interest rates, answer it knowledgeably in the comments.
12. Organize educational events.
By offering educational events in your community on topics such as buying their first home, what the market is currently like, or what to look for in a rental property, you will be able to build your personal brand while also generating new business.
If you want to increase your lead potential, try partnering with local businesses to host home buying seminars over lunch, or co-hosting events with mortgage lenders.
13. Don’t neglect leads.
Hot leads can go cold quickly, so it’s important to keep in touch with prospects even after they’ve backed out of a sale. Try sending them postcards talking about market conditions, keeping them on your email list, and leaving voicemails reminding them that you’re still interested in helping them find a home.
Jeff Hoffman, a sales pro, has some great tips for salespeople who are trying to revive deals that have come to a standstill. His number one piece of advice is not to repeat your close. “If the prospect gave you a soft yes – and then nothing – or a firm no, never follow up with the same close. Your next request should be different.”
It’s a great opportunity to learn about the process and get some of your questions answered.” Would you be interested in joining a seminar for first-time homebuyers?
This is an easier close that will make your prospect feel more comfortable and less pressured.
14. Target “For Sale by Owner” listings.
The National Association of Realtors reports that only 3% of homes listed as FSBO actually sell within the desired timeframe, and only 18% of those sellers report getting the price they wanted. You can find these listings on Craigslist or other real estate sites, and offer to help the sellers get a better price for their homes.
If you are thinking about selling your house, working with a real estate agent is beneficial. Here are some reasons why: – real estate agents are familiar with the market and can help you price your home correctly – real estate agents will help you market your home and find the right buyers – real estate agents will handle all the paperwork involved in selling a home If you are interested in learning more about working with a real estate agent, please let me know. I would be happy to share more information with you.
15. Reach out to expired listings.
To get a list of expired listings from the MLS, search for homes that have been on the market for a long time. These sellers may be frustrated with their realtor, discouraged that their home hasn’t sold, and under a lot of stress.
Start the conversation by saying that you understand why they are frustrated and that you would do things differently to sell their home quickly.
5 Reasons Your Leads Aren’t Calling You Back, and How to Fix Them
1.You Waited Too Long to Follow up
The main reason your potential customers are not returning your calls is because you are waiting too long to contact them.
The study found that after half an hour, the odds of reaching a lead decreases more than 100 times.
It makes perfect sense when you think about it.
If you do, it’s not the best use of time. If someone calls you at 2:00, they likely have some free time after that to talk with you. However, after that point, anything could happen. It’s not always possible to answer calls when you’re busy, like when you’re with a client. If you do answer, it’s not the best use of your time.
How to Get Them to Call You Back
It is important to get back to your potential clients as soon as you can. You may want to tell your buyer clients that you may have to pick up your phone while you are showing them houses.
If you have a good relationship with them, they will not mind at all and will actually want you to get the new client.
2. Boomers & Millenials Don’t Realize That iPhones Can Also Make Phone Calls…
If you’re over 40, you may need to make some adjustments when working with millennials.
First and foremost, millennials grew up with text messaging. For a lot of them, a phone call is reserved for dire emergencies, and even then they might just send an emoji instead of calling you:
How to Get Them to Call You Back
I’m not sure how to tell you this, but you may as well give up unless you are calling them to tell them their car is on fire.
You should be sending a follow-up email or text after your calls.
3. You Told an FSBO That You Had Clients That Wanted to See Their Home…
The time has come to be honest. How many times have you left a voicemail for a FSBO telling them about all of the great clients you have for their listing?
A For Sale By Owner, or FSBO, is a home that is being sold without the help of a real estate agent.
Some people choose to sell their homes without the help of a real estate agent to avoid paying the agent’s commission.
How to Get Them to Call You Back
What they will almost certainly never do is hire you to represent their listing.
The agent who told the company why hiring them could save the company money, time, and stress will receive the honor.
4. You Didn’t Mention How You Got Their Number…
It’s not easy to make a cold call, and people usually don’t like getting them. If you’re going to make a cold call, don’t mention how you got the person’s contact information. That could be a big problem.
Even if you followed up with them after they reached out to you, they might not remember who you are. A random call from a random Realtor is often instantly deleted by most people.
How to Get Them to Call You Back
“We met at the party last night.” Just tell them straight out how you got their number. For example, “We met at the party last night.”
Hi, I’m Jessica from XYZ Realty. I’m just following up on your online inquiry for 1234 Broadway.
But if you get ahold of their information, what are you going to do with it? Although the leads you obtain from a lead service may not be happy that their information is public, what are you going to do with it once you have it?
There’s not much you can do about the situation, but you can be sure that you’re not the only one who is having this issue so it’s best to be honest about it.
5. You Didn’t Leave a Voicemail…
The chances of you randomly picking a number that would leave a creepy half-second of silence on their voicemail are slim to none.
Since almost everyone screens their calls these days, that means if you don’t leave a voicemail, they won’t call you back.
How to Get Them to Call You Back
Call them and leave a voicemail saying who you are, how you got their number, and what you can do for them.
Some leads will require a follow-up message, while others will not.
I would recommend not leaving voicemails for FSBO or expired listing leads. These leads are likely to receive a lot of calls, and unless you have a great voicemail script, it is unlikely they will call you back.
Now over to You
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This means that our clients only get appointments and live-transfers that are with clients who are interested, so that they don’t waste money and time on low-quality leads. This results in more successful sales and higher conversion rates.
If you’re tired of the stress that comes with manual prospecting and following up, you can get a sales calendar that’s filled automatically and systemized.
