What would real estate be without leads? A lot harder!
Without leads, real estate agents would have less business, plain and simple, and the one truth you can count on is that lead generation in the real estate industry is continuously evolving. What worked ten years ago for real estate agents might not be nearly as effective today.
Whether you are a new real estate agent needing a boost in leads, or you are merely looking for more business, these strategies will help generate those leads you need.
Types of leads
Before we jump into the strategies, it’s important to note that there are two types of leads: paid and earned.
Paid leads are done through websites such as Zillow or Realtor so that you can contact leads when they show interest in a property.
Many realtors utilize paid leads, and it’s not a bad strategy to use in combination with earned leads. With paid leads, you have to be on the ball at all times, ready to respond to any lead that comes in. Additionally, you must have the budget for it.
Earned leads, on the other hand, are much more valuable than paid leads. Earned leads may not cost you money at all, but they do require time and effort. Leads come from two places: Inside your sphere of influence and outside your sphere of influence.
Sphere of influence
Your sphere of influence comes from your relationships. Your family, friends, peers, and acquaintances are all included in this bucket. As a real estate agent, it’s essential to use your connections to your advantage. The first step to making an effort within your sphere of influence is to make sure you have contact information for all these individuals, especially email addresses.
Email Marketing
Chances are, those within your sphere of influence know that you are a real estate agent. Does this mean that whenever it comes time for them to sell their home, they will think of you? Probably not. Even your friends and family need a constant reminder. Which is why it’s a good idea to start a weekly or monthly email newsletter. Not only is this a reminder, but it’s an excellent way to keep those who are closest to you up to date! Email campaigns are a superb vehicle for your sphere of influence to share your message with others.
Social Media
Whether you choose to have a weekly newsletter or not, it is essential to stay up to date with social media. Social media is great for many things, but in the real estate industry, it’s a vital tool to help you build strong relationships that can ultimately generate leads. For instance, when someone is thinking about selling their property, and they are not quite sure where to start, they can follow your advice as they prepare to commit to selling. After seeing several of your real estate related posts, they will reach out to you, and then you have new lead generated from your sphere of influence.
Non-Sphere of influence
You can be the biggest social butterfly in your social circle, but if you are looking to be successful (by continuously generating leads), you should always work on expanding your sphere. You can grow your non-sphere in several ways:
- Networking
- Blogging
- Open houses
- Cold calling
Networking
If you have been in the real estate industry for more than a minute, you already know that you are working 24/7. If you are seeking new leads, you should be going to every social event in your community that you can. These kinds of events can be fundraisers, casual social events, or professional networking events.
By attending networking events, you are building your network and meeting new people to add to your database. Try to gather contact information for each person you meet (including emails), so you can add them to your newsletters. Ultimately, the goal is to build strong relationships and build awareness about your business in your community. That way, whenever anyone in the area needs a realtor, they know whom to call.
Blogging
You don’t need to be a professional writer to have a blog. The secret is to write just how you would talk to a client. As long as you are writing about a topic you are passionate and knowledgable about, your blogs will be highly valuable to other readers.
When it comes to topics to write about, write about anything relative to your field! Whether its real estate or things that are happening in your community. For blogs to be successful, you need to blog consistently (once a week.)
The purpose of a blog is to share your expertise with people so that they consider you a knowledgeable real estate agent that they can trust. And of course, ask readers to share your blog on social media! That will only maximize your audience!
Open Houses
Attending open houses are a traditional way to meet potential buyers. Of course, you always prioritize your own open houses but in your free time, head over to other open houses to meet potential buyers. During the open house, be sure to get buyers’ contact information and follow up with them as soon as possible! Things change fast in the real estate, and reaching out to clients right away compared to three days later can be the determining factor in whether or not you gain a lead.
Cold Calling
Maybe you have tried cold calling in the past and found that it wasn’t one of your top skills. Perhaps you question the value of cold calling and are not sure about how it will benefit your real estate business. We are here to tell you that cold calling can generate many of the leads you are seeking.
Cold calling isn’t for everyone, which is why Call Motivated Sellers is here to take on your cold calling efforts while you focus on other strategies to generate leads and close deals. At Call Motivated Sellers, we will help find you qualified leads and bring them right to your doorstep so that all you have to do is do what you do best: close the deal.
We will also hold onto all the contact information for everyone we come in contact with so that in the future, you have leads to follow up. Cold Calling has been an effective way to generate leads for years and it remains an effective strategy that you need to find new leads.
Are you ready to take your business to the next level? Contact our team at Call Motivated Sellers to get started!