Real estate agents wanting to grow their businesses need steady sales leads. A solid prospecting strategy should focus on establishing the first step of your relationship with a lead, whether inviting them to an open house or dropping by an FSBO listing.
1. Phone
Using real estate prospecting tools is one of the most important aspects of any successful sales professional’s job. However, it can also be one of the most tasking and time-consuming. Real estate agents must set aside a dedicated amount of time each day for prospecting and make it a part of their routine.
This way, it’ll become second nature, and they can generate more leads faster and easier. Another effective strategy is to contact your past clients and ask for referrals. Direct mail can also be a great tool to generate more leads. It involves sending physical materials to your prospects, such as postcards, brochures, coupons, and even just a simple letter.
In this way, you can keep your brand on top of their mind and attract new customers to your business. However, when using this method, you should always follow it up with a call or a visit.
2. Personal Referrals
Many real estate agents rely on referrals to generate new business. This can be an excellent way to bring in clients because it allows the agent to focus on building a relationship with prospects. However, it is essential to use a systematic approach when generating referrals, which involves establishing a system and rewarding influential clients.
Finding ways to stand out from the competition and get your name out there is essential when looking for new real estate leads. This can be accomplished through social media campaigns, leveraging local events, and door-knocking. However, these activities can be time-consuming and require a lot of work.
Lead generation software is more effective and efficient for generating real estate leads. This type of software can be used to scour FSBO and expired listings for the contact information of potential homeowners. Once a lead is identified, it can be cold-called to demonstrate that your agency can sell its home quickly and at a higher profit margin than if it sold it.
3. Email
To convert leads, real estate agents need to follow up effectively. This includes contacting FSBO listings, networking, chasing open house leads, and asking for referrals. The right real estate CRM platform can help you efficiently manage and even automate these tasks.
Keeping a record of your interactions with prospects allows you to make them feel special. If you met a prospective client at an open house or community event, follow up with a postcard or email congratulating them on their purchase or mentioning something personal they told you about themselves. This will help set you apart from other realtors and keep your name in mind.
Another great prospecting idea is to reach out to FSBO and expired listings. Send them a mailing highlighting your expertise and overcoming objections they may have had when their listing initially failed to sell. You can also use a power dialer to contact these leads and get them on the phone quickly. A streamlined system that allows you to automate your follow-ups is the best way to nurture your leads and convert them into paying clients.
4. Social Media
While personal referrals from friends and family should always be a top priority, it’s also worth reaching out to your social media contacts, especially those you met at real estate open houses or community events. Providing them with a free resource relevant to their situation, such as a property value calculator, maybe the incentive they need to contact you for help.
Another great way to reach out to your social media followers is through sponsored ads, which allow you to target potential clients with highly-defined demographics. This can be especially useful to target people new to the area.
Direct mail is another excellent option for generating leads, and while it might seem outdated, many of today’s consumers still well-received a physical print piece. This could include postcards, pamphlets, or plain old letters. You can streamline this process and automate follow-ups with a real estate CRM platform. This lets you record every interaction with your prospects and provides context for future client interactions.
5. Landing Pages
Potential leads often slip through the cracks because real estate agents don’t follow up promptly or get distracted by other projects. Using landing pages helps prevent this by capturing contact information and providing valuable insights into each lead.
A landing page is a specific web page (different than your website’s homepage) that encourages visitors to take a particular action, such as filling out a form to receive a free home valuation or signing up for your email newsletter. The content and design of a real estate landing page should target the type of clients you want to attract (e.g., home buyers, sellers, or homeowners).
