Lead Generation for Real Estate: 5 Proven Tips
Get the leads you need to succeed in the competitive world of real estate
With the ever-changing real estate industry, it is imperative for agents to stay ahead of the game. No matter how much experience you may have or even if you are brand new to this business, sitting idle and waiting for business will not get you far. In order to be successful in this competitive industry, one must be proactive and consistent with their efforts. While agents are primarily concerned with assisting buyers and sellers with important transactions, they are still business people. Lead generation activities and strategies should always be on our minds.
Successful agents continually promote themselves and their services to existing clients, friends, family, and colleagues. You already have a relationship with those contacts, so they’re low-hanging fruit. Agents with good sales funnels have a constant flow of potential clients. You should aim to fill your funnel with a new buyer or seller prospect every time you close a deal. To generate new leads, follow these 5 keys.
Make sure you provide high-quality service, are honest, and act with integrity
A successful real estate agent will tell you that they generate most of their new business from referrals. The goal of every new agent is to achieve this. In terms of generating new business, it is the most cost-effective and easiest method. What is your method for obtaining referrals? Be good at what you do. Provide the best service possible. It doesn’t matter how difficult the situation is, always be honest, ethical, and upfront. Whenever you hear bad news, you should deliver it as soon as possible. Please let your clients know if you are unavailable and that you will get back to them as soon as possible. Particularly in stressful situations, nobody enjoys waiting around or wondering when they will hear back from you. Clients should never be avoided. Keep in mind that the customer is always at the center of everything you do. Whatever the situation, keep your sanity and remain calm. The referrals will come if you take care of your customers and give good service.
Regularly send out an email newsletter
You are more likely to be remembered when a friend, relative, or colleague needs assistance the more your clients and sphere of influence see your name. You should consider what kind of content you want to include in your email newsletter if it is going to be forwarded (to a potential client). In addition to being valuable and local, it should also be informative. It’s important that you share information about your town, your neighborhood, and your expertise with your clients. At least four articles should be included in each newsletter sent every four to six weeks. Make it a recurring event on your calendar. Consistency can be achieved by using templates each time. A new listing can be showcased in one article. Your personal story can be about overcoming a challenge you or your client have recently faced. It can be a feature about homeownership or household tips, or it can be a feature that highlights recent statistics. Save articles you find helpful on the Web or Facebook for the next newsletter as you search. Be careful not to boast or provide information the reader will not be able to use. Despite how tempting it may be, if you miss the tone even just once, your newsletter is unlikely to be opened.
Make sure you follow up on every email and call
Prospective buyers (and sellers) are constantly emailing you and calling when you have a listing. A person who contacts an agent must have some knowledge of the real estate market. Whether it’s three weeks from now or three years from now, you should consider them a potential client. You can also ask probing questions about the buyer’s situation or what they are seeking in addition to answering specific questions about your listing. Communicating via email or on the phone with a potential client should be engaging. The more value you can provide them in three sentences or three minutes, the better off they will be. Follow up with your client regarding sale information once escrow closes, and ask if they would like to receive regular market updates. A lead that doesn’t result in a sale right away is usually seen as not being a great lead by most agents. Take a long-term view. The sale of a house could happen in 12 months through an email or a quick call.
Get the most out of each open house
A three-hour window on Sunday is the best place to find qualified leads. Although there are occasionally “looky-loos,” few people spend their precious weekends attending open houses. Make people feel welcome by engaging them. However, you must not attack them like a piranha. It is important to be aware that some people are reluctant to engage with an agent because they fear being eaten by a piranha. Be friendly to everyone who enters and avoid pushing them away right away. Tell them you are there to answer any questions they have and hand them the property flyer. Try not to push someone to engage if you sense they aren’t interested. In any case, try to uncover, in a brief moment, who they are and what they are doing there by asking some open-ended questions. Be prepared to discuss market data and know nearby comps. Your chance to prove your value and build trust is brief (likely 15-30 seconds). Don’t require people to sign in, but always have a sign-up sheet nearby for them to fill out. Once the open house is over, follow up as soon as possible, while real estate is still fresh in their minds.
Utilize social media to generate leads
Facebook has become a part of everyone’s daily routine these days. Sharing content is so easy, like posting a photo or commenting quickly. You can instantly reach hundreds of followers, friends, and potential clients by sharing real estate listings or blog posts on a platform like Facebook. Don’t post anything you wouldn’t want people to see. Posting too much will make your posts less credible. It is best to choose quality over quantity or less is more in this case. Content that is local, valuable, and good will be appreciated by people and shared with their friends. Ask your friends and family for referrals. Don’t forget to thank people immediately for referring your business by providing a reward. The final step is to respond to any comments as soon as possible.
Three or four regular ways are always available for real estate agents to generate leads. See what works for you by experimenting with different approaches. Do you love writing but aren’t great at open houses? A newsletter is definitely a good idea. Would you rather interact with people rather than use social media or blogging? Customer service and follow-up should be closely monitored. In real estate, lead generation cannot be standardized. Make sure you follow your own comfort zone but remember that the ultimate goal is to receive regular referrals from family, friends, colleagues, and most importantly, former clients.