| Acquiring leads is the single most important and | | | | services. Or give them the URL of your website or |
| difficult aspect of the real estate business. Without a | | | | article page and then let them decide if they want to |
| lead, there is no client, so all realtors dedicate a | | | | get in touch. |
| significant amount of time to collecting contact | | | | Direct mail |
| information and establishing relationships with potential | | | | Direct mail is also know as mass mailing and involves |
| prospects. | | | | sending your sales letter or brochure to a targeted |
| There are many ways to generate leads, all of them | | | | mailing list. It's usually pretty efficient in getting your |
| with their respective advantages and disadvantages. | | | | name out there, though it can cost quite a lot, since |
| Whether traditional or modern, it's well worth your | | | | the best response rate is around 1%. |
| time and effort to try each one until you find the | | | | The key is to make your letter stand out against all |
| best combination that is expense-effective, | | | | the other junk mail your targets receive. Be sure to |
| time-saving and successful. | | | | write your sales letter with the client in mind. Instead |
| This articles aims to discuss the most common | | | | of detailing your great skills, try to address their |
| methods, the decision ultimately belonging to you. | | | | concerns and give them a possible solution. This will |
| For the sake of organization, we have split lead | | | | give them the reason to contact you, which is your |
| generation methods into two large groups: traditional | | | | primary goal. |
| methods (printing materials, phone and mail | | | | Take great care of the appearance of the envelope |
| advertising, networking and others) and modern | | | | and the contents. They need to look as professional |
| methods, that take advantage of the continuous | | | | and as official as possible. You need to create a |
| growth of the importance of internet for home | | | | serious, trustworthy image. |
| buyers and sellers. | | | | You can always try postcards instead of letters. One |
| Traditional methods | | | | of the most important advantages of this method is |
| Use your friends | | | | the direct impact. Your targets will see the attractive |
| If your friends don't trust you enough to do business | | | | design immediately. Use creative and compelling copy |
| with you, then who will? So talk to them about their | | | | on the back and include testimonials if you have the |
| real estate plans, get their contact information and | | | | space. The text, combined with the appropriate |
| ask for referrals and testimonials. Your friends have | | | | visuals will increase the possibility of your postcard |
| other friends and family as well, so this circle will keep | | | | being read. |
| expanding with a domino-like effect. You might even | | | | Don't forget to ask your recipients to take action. It's |
| get 100 names or so, at the very least and they will | | | | a detail many forget. Ask them to contact you or to |
| come with a trust factor already in place. | | | | visit your website. |
| The disadvantage? There are many people that | | | | Direct mail can be also used to keep in touch with |
| believe in keeping business and personal life separate, | | | | your prospects and the neighborhood you are |
| so they might refuse dealing with you professionally | | | | farming. Remember, constancy is tantamount in |
| for various reasons. However, you can still ask them | | | | building and keeping trust. Also, you need to contact |
| for information and feed-back, even help if the | | | | your target as many as eight times before they will |
| situation occurs. | | | | consider doing business with you. |
| Face-to-Face contact | | | | Business cards |
| This classic method involves basically going around | | | | Your business cards, often overlooked, can be a |
| the neighborhood and knocking on doors. Stay for a | | | | very effective means of collecting leads. Beside your |
| short chat, let the people know you and in the same | | | | contact information, you can also include on the back: |
| time, you will get to know them. Don't use the | | | | pitch phrases, your website's URL, a call to action, a |
| aggressive approach ("Hello, do you want to sell/buy | | | | freebie offer and many more. |
| a house? Then come to me, the greatest realtor on | | | | Try to make your card stand out. That way, you will |
| this side of the Atlantic."). You're not a door-to-door | | | | ensure it does not end up in the trash. |
| salesman. Farming a community is a long-time | | | | Modern methods |
| process. | | | | These modern methods have appeared with the |
| So start slow, explain that you wish to become the | | | | advance of internet. More and more homebuyers and |
| trusted neighborhood realtor. Ask for information, let | | | | sellers use the web to acquire information. |
| them tell about their experience with other realtors, | | | | Direct marketing (email) |
| their plans for the future. The idea is to introduce | | | | Email marketing is very similar to classical direct |
| yourself first and foremost. Then ask if they wouldn't | | | | marketing, except instead of paper you use |
| be interested in getting a monthly newsletter or | | | | electronic text. The greatest difference? It's FREE. |
| printed material with useful information of general | | | | And you can change the design and content as often |
| interest or specific information about buying or selling. | | | | as you like. |
| If they say yes, then your effort paid off. Take their | | | | Email can also be used with a feed-back form. It's |
| contact information (email, phone number) and | | | | much likelier to have your targets whip up a quick |
| continue to keep in touch, coming back to chat | | | | email with a couple of questions than write a letter, |
| every two months or so and regularly sending them | | | | or even give a call. |
| the promised leaflets or emails. | | | | You can use it to offer a free gift such as an |
| Disadvantage? It's time consuming most of all. | | | | e-book, or free courses or a chance to subscribe to |
| Networking | | | | your newsletter. |
| First of all, what is networking? Networking is the | | | | Newsletters |
| process of finding out about potential clients from | | | | The newsletter is an excellent way to get and keep |
| friends, business contacts, co-workers, acquaintances, | | | | good leads. Since your recipients need to subscribe |
| and fellow members in professional and civic | | | | first, they will be already interested in your and your |
| organizations. Sounds simple enough. But where do | | | | services, for the future at least. |
| you go to practice your networking skills? | | | | But put together a real newsletter. That means to |
| Well, there are various opportunities from family | | | | include quality, informative articles, not self-promotion. |
| gatherings, to business cocktails, to seminars, | | | | Your recipients don't like to be cheated. When they |
| conventions or presentations. The important factor is | | | | sign for a newsletter, they will expect a newsletter, |
| to determine whether you will find possible leads at | | | | not a sales letter. |
| these events. For example, you are sure to find | | | | Don't worry if you've never written an article in your |
| people interested in getting in touch with a realtors at | | | | life. It's easier than you might think. Draw from your |
| a neighborhood barbecue or an open house but less | | | | experience and you'll be sure to obtain a good result. |
| so at a medical congress. | | | | You can also take articles from free-for-reprint |
| Be sure to bring plenty of business cards and | | | | resources. |
| brochures. | | | | Website |
| And remember, networking is about planting seeds. | | | | Having a website will ensure you have a 24 hour |
| Do not expect to find the next big deal, instead | | | | connection with your prospects. Include information |
| nurture a possibility of a collaboration at some point in | | | | about yourself, showcase your listings, put up |
| time. | | | | testimonials and of course, lots of quality information |
| Cold calling | | | | with your special insider's tips. |
| Cold calling involves basically plowing through a list of | | | | Don't forget to add a subscription box for your |
| phone numbers and hoping that the people that don't | | | | newsletter. |
| slam the receiver right away might be willing to meet | | | | No matter which methods you will end up using, |
| with you. It's not a method we recommend. It might | | | | remember these three important aspects: |
| have been efficient in the past, but today's | | | | 1. Even if it's ultimately about you, always develop an |
| consumers have no wish to waste their time listening | | | | approach that is about them. In other words, your |
| to someone blabbering advertising text on the phone. | | | | targets do not care how great you are, they only |
| This is especially true where real estate is concerned. | | | | want to know what's in it for them. |
| Who wants to entrust their home over the phone? | | | | 2. Your primary goal is to acquire contact information |
| Still, there might be some benefit to it, if you | | | | (name, address, phone number, email address) and |
| carefully choose your target. So, if you decide to do | | | | the permission to use them. That way, you will |
| it, we recommend you treat it like a real | | | | ensure your leads are actually valuable, being people |
| conversation. Instead of reciting memorized scripts, | | | | genuinely interested in doing business with you. |
| recognize that there's a person at the other end of | | | | 3. Always follow up. The results of an one-time |
| the line and talk to them normally. Sell yourself and | | | | campaign of any kind are very low and the impact |
| try to get an appointment that way, don't sell your | | | | decreases exponentially. |