If you happen to be a real estate agent reading this, I am more than willing to bet you are always on the hunt for more real estate leads. On the other side of the spectrum, if you are an agent finding yourself with more leads than you can handle, I am going to assume you already are practicing the tips we are about to share below.
I'm sure you've seen many different articles or had other people telling you what the best ways to generate leads are. And at times you may think "Well that won't work for me/ my area because..." or "I just don't have the funds to do what they are doing because...".
And I am here to tell you I hear you. A lot of advice, at a surface level, can seem overwhelming or unachievable. Our goal in this article is to change your perception of what can be achieved and provide actionable and simple steps to lead you to your own success.
Below we have laid out the top tips for you, whether you a brand new agent reading this, or an agent who may be stuck in somewhat of a lead rut. As long are you play these steps full-out and see each one to completion, you will see improvements in your lead generation and therefore business.
Build Your Website
The digital revolution has been here for some time. To be considered reputable these days, your business should be easily searchable online. If potential leads try to find you online and are met with no relevant results, it can turn away a mass amount of potential business. A lot which you may not even realize.
Keep in mind, your website design will say a lot about you and maybe the first impression for some. So, don't hesitate to hire a professional web designer/developer to build your site for you to ensure you and your business is displayed how you want. Try using companies such as fiverr.com and upwork.com to hire freelances to help build your site.
Make sure that your website is user-friendly. You don't want people getting lost in your pages. This way the people who are interested in your business can get in touch with you seamlessly with a couple of clicks. You don't want leads leaving your page due to frustration and heading over to your competitors.
Moreover, there should be a clear call to action (CTA) for both buyers and sellers. Visitors should know what numbers to call, forms to fill, or email addresses to send a message to without having to do a lot of digging. They should be able to access this information with one or two clicks.
Develop a Niche
Lead generation is effective when your potential clients see their problems solved by your business. They watch your ad and see themselves approving and enjoying your solutions.
What are some of the possible niches that could attract real estate leads and that work within your realm? Are you selling premium houses and lots for retirees who need peace and quiet? Or, do you work primarily in your neighborhood, or the area you grew up in? It is also possible that you want to target buyer leads that are young, fun, and practical.
Ask yourself some clarifying questions to really get clear on what you want to target. This answer will differ slightly from agent to agent, so don't be afraid to be unique.
Keep Networking
The best lead generation strategy is shaking someone's hand. Connect with people. Be friendly, without being pretentious. Find a scene that you are comfortable with and can contribute to, and more likely, you will find like-minded people there.
This is most likely why you joined the real estate industry in the first place! You find yourself forming meaningful relationships and enjoy the personal connection that comes with real estate. Being an agent means guiding people step by step through one of the biggest decisions of their life.
If you are an agent who works in the area you live in, you have a serious leg-up as an agent. Going out to local restaurants, attending community events, and talking walk around the neighborhood can absolutely be a form of lead generation. With more connections, you will be able to build your book of contacts more naturally.
Use LinkedIn and other Social Media Networks
Social media is the #1 lead generation tool today. Everyone is on some form of social media. It is the best way to get in front of a lot of people with minimal time and budget.
Remember, social media accounts are completely free. All it takes is signing up and creating an account. The main platforms you are going to want to have accounts on are Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Youtube.
Facebook and Instagram are great for staying connected with your sphere and potential clients. E.g.: posting information about a listing or open-house.
LinkedIn is great for making more professional connections. People who join LinkedIn are more likely to be serious about leads than those who are on Facebook. There, your professional experience is also included in the form of your resume. Potential leads can check out just how much you know about real estate.
Youtube is great to use to post videos about real estate. E.g. a walkthrough of a home or neighborhood updates. You can then share the link to your video on the social media sites above.
When it comes to postings keep in mind the 60/30/10 rule. The 60/30/10 rule states that 60% of the posts you create should be engaging content that gets people reacting, commenting, and sharing, 30% should be shared content, and 10% should be promoting your products & services, sales, events, etc.
Advertise
A more straightforward way of becoming the top-of-mind agent and getting real estate leads is to advertise. Get the word out. Make sure the people you are looking to target are familiar with your name, face, and brand.
This will make any interaction moving forward much more fruitful. Potential clients, especially ones who do not know you, will need to see you and your brand repeatedly for you to stick in their minds.
There are multiple ways to advertise. Whether it's cold calling, pouring business cards everywhere, send gift-cards in the mail, or partnering with local businesses. Find which way works for YOU and your area.
What is going to resonate with your audience the most? What does my target audience find valuable? Can I provide that to them? What can I do to entice you to do business with me?
Think hard about these questions and remember trial and error are okay.
Another key tip is to localize the ad so that only those who may want or need to know more about your product will get to see it. Targeting only those that may potentially buy or sell from you is an efficient way of getting about it.
If you don't have a list of people you can target tools like Offrs.com can be a solution. Offrs provides predictive seller leads for your desired zip code. This product is helpful so agents can consistently target the people who are most likely to sell their homes within the next 6-12 months.
This saves the agent time and money because they are not marketing to the 95% of people who aren't going to sell their year, they are targeting the 5% who are. Click here to learn more about how you can get predictive real estate leads today.
When in doubt, the two most effective forms of real estate marketing I've seen work time and time again, when done consistently (12+ months), are postcards and online ads (e.g. Facebook and Google).
Summary
Make sure you are present online, be engaged with your target area, and market consistently. So, what do you think about these tips we've outlined above? What is one thing you could improve on?
If you are already using some of these tips, which one has worked the best for you and why? Do you have other lead generation strategies that you think should be mentioned here?
