9 Free Ways to Generate Real Estate Leads
The number one stress real estate agents and brokers have is generating new leads. Especially when you are new in the business or on a strict budget. Buying leads through ads or agencies are always options, but the cost can often outweigh the benefits. So what exactly are your budget friendly choices? I am here to assure you there are more solutions out there than cold calls and door knocking. Below are 9 solid ways to generate leads, on and offline. FOR FREE.
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CAREER DAYS
Seek out the local schools in town and offer to speak at their career day or job fair. If you can manage creating a fun presentation about real estate for kids, this is a huge opportunity to capitalize on. Teachers, parents and other adults will more than likely be present, and if you bring “swag,” AKA, pens, sticky notes, keychains, etc, your branding could fall into the hands of someone on the search. If not, your efforts could at the very least lead you to a referral.
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HAND WRITTEN NOTES AND POSTCARDS
Authentic personalization goes a long way. This does require the cost of stationary and postage, but that expense is minuscule in comparison with the alternative. If people are on the search for a good real estate agent, it is clear they want guidance on the home buying/selling process from an actual person. A simple, ”thank you,” note for referrals and potential clients can set you apart from your competitors. It shows you care and are willing to go the extra mile to meet your clients needs.
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BACKLINKS
Simply put, backlinking is the act of placing links to your website throughout the interwebs. Whether this is done by you, or someone else (for example, featuring you in a blog), it can provide huge SEO benefits as well as higher traffic to your page. Make a LinkedIn account and link your website, reply on blogs and link your website, register on Yelp and link your website. You get the idea…Link your website! The possibilities are nearly endless. Whatever you do though, make sure you are not spamming a comment section with links and no relevant content. This is only one of many ways to boost your SEO that you should know about.
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DIVORCE ATTORNEYS
At first thought, this might seem like strange advice but it is actually cited in numerous places as a great way to get leads and referrals. Think about it, when there is a divorce, there is a 99% chance of a future move. Connect and network with local divorce attorneys and let them do the work for you. Give them your business cards or brochures and be ready to help someone start their new life.
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LIFE INSURANCE AGENTS/PERSONAL BANKERS/FINANCIAL PLANNERS
Just like divorce attorneys, these professionals are trusted with a great deal of personal information about finances and long term plans. It would be wise to also connect and network with anyone in this realm. Once the relationship is established, go ahead and ask if they would mind referring clients to you. Consider returning the favor and exchange a number of business cards so that your partner can quickly refer clients to you, while you do the same.
LUKE’S TIP:
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NAME TAGS
It should already be standard practice for you to wear a name tag/name plate at professional networking events, and if it is not, make it one! Additionally, wear a name tag out and about. Work errands, meeting clients, and community events are just a few examples. Wearing your name tag in public is a super simple way to get your name and business recognized. It may not bring in an immediate boom, but it does absolutely no harm and takes approximately no effort. The rewards of this practice will be slow, but incredibly worthwhile.
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GUEST LECTURE
Similar to speaking at career days for little ones, reach out to the, “big kids,” too! Get in contact with your local university or community college and see if there are any organization meetings you can speak at or professors you can work with. Not only will you be doing your community an act of service, but you will also be networking with young people that will more than likely begin their home search soon. With just an hour of your time, you will have boosted your reputation in your community and locked in many referrals and (future) leads.
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DEVELOP A NICHE
A great way to set yourself apart in the real estate world is to develop a niche and embrace it to its full extent. This will look different for each person based on interests, location and target market, but it is an extremely beneficial way to get like-minded leads to flock to you. After you have developed your niche, tailor your website, social media pages and blog around it. Maybe you want to specialize in lake houses, Millennials, or industrial style lofts. Whatever it is, find it and own it.
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ONLINE COMMUNITY PAGES
It cannot be said enough- INTERACT! It is absolutely essential for you to interact with your leads and community. This can take many forms, but an incredibly easy and versatile form is through online community pages/forums. This might be on Facebook, Reddit, the community website, LinkedIn or any other platforms. What to do here? Simply, interact with people. Offer your advice, opinions and expertise. Make sure your leads know that you are the neighborhood expert and no one knows it better than you. Be a trusted member of society both in reality and virtually.
Generating leads can either be a dreaded, hated, and expensive task, or it can be an excuse to get out there and connect with new people by doing new things. These are not your only options, but certainly options that are easily attainable, even for the newest agent on the tightest budget.
If you are interested in furthering your leads even more, chat with Realtyna about our Organic Listings and CRM today!
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