One of the reasons most agents struggle so much in the real estate industry is the lack of marketing skills. To be successful, you must make it your duty to learn as much as you can about real estate marketing. Getting real estate listings can be hard if you don’t have the right formula to follow.
Just handing out a few business cards here and there will not do it. If you want to stay full time in this and have a chance to make millions in this industry, then you stumble upon a gold mine for real estate agents.
I’ve seen hundreds of agents take on second jobs to make ends because of the lack of commission checks coming in. Some even quit after a few months because they were taught how to close those deals, but not how to gain those leads and listing.
The content below will be all you need to start gaining leads and listing today without having to break the bank. Heck, most of everything below will cost you nothing but your time to implement — no need for me to keep rambling.
Let’s Get To It
Real estate agents must all start from the bottom if not mentored or supported by veteran agents. This can be a terrifying world coming into the real estate industry without hot leads. You look around to see everyone’s phone around you are ringing, and appointments are being held in your present.
You start to think about how in the world will I be able to compete and grow my listing just like Greg in the other office, which seems like he has more leads than properties to sell.
What you need to do from day one is decide who am I targeting? What type of real estate marketing ideas can I come up with that will allow me to go after all sorts of markets? Here are a few potential listing categories you might want to seek out…
- FSBO “Duh”
- Landlords
- Probates
- Foreclosures
- Expired Listing
- etc….
Now it’s all about going after one of those markets and dominating it by becoming the must-see agent to contact.
Referring Leads
Newbie agents or season agents all can benefit from referring leads. Tons of agents come across points that just don’t fit their profile. For example…if an agent in your office only deals with FSBO, then when someone approaches them about a foreclosure lead, this becomes a problem they can’t solve.
The angle you must take is to become the reference to guy or girl. You see, I remember I talked about you becoming the expert in a specific category. Once you let the world know all you deal with are Foreclosures, then guess who they are going to call when a lead comes across their desk such as that.
Finally, an underused marketing tactic that several agents don’t take advantage of in the past agents leads. Most of you don’t realize that when an agent leaves a real estate company, they usually go all their leads behind.
What I’ve found when most agents leave, they don’t go to another real estate company. Now some of them do pursue other companies thinking the grass will be greener on the other side. Not knowing that the reason they’re not successful as an agent is because of the lack of marketing to produce leads.
By saying that, they do leave the leads they have behind, so ask for permission to obtain them. Never know there may be dozens of points you can follow-up on by using the fantastic real estate marketing techniques listed in this epic-wow blog post.
Divorce Court
You, as a real estate agent, must start to think outside the box for listings. You have to go far and beyond to get listing other agents aren’t going after. One of the hidden gems is the divorce system that is into play every day among us.
You see, the studies show that divorce rates are high from the ages of 18 to 30. Why? for one, people are still young and trying to live this thing called life. Next is that people fall in love faster, so they’re quick to get marry and start a family.
What comes along after this is the buying of a home. Since the divorce rate is so high for this age group, usually within the first 2 to 5 years, people are seeking a divorce — judges often suggesting the divorcing couple to sell off their properties and split the gain.
What Does This Mean?
This means there are over 200k to around 500k divorces in place every year with the couple who are highly motivated to sell off their properties. To a seasoned agent, this ring in an unlimited supply of listings for their business.
The object here is to find a solution on how to get in contact with those going through a divorce. Let me share a few of them.
- Facebook/Google AdWords
- Newspapers
First, you will need to get a section on your website that you blog about selling your house in a divorce and set up a landing page that will include a simple lead magnet you can give away. This leads magnet can be a video, PDF, online guide, or a checklist.
Once you get this on your website, then you can turn to places like Facebook and target those who are married, separated, or engaged. The key here is to get your brand in front of them, then allow them to take action by opt-in to get your lead magnet. So if you don’t have a website as a real estate agent for marketing, networking, and listing properties, then please don’t waste time get one today.
Seeking Probates and Inherited Property
Sometimes to get a good listing, then you must do a lot of work on acquiring a lead. Other gems that a good percentage of agents don’t go after are the probates and inherited properties. These do take a little effort to get in front of because you need actually to do some work upfront.
The key to all this is to start searching your public records. These records are mostly free to view if you visit your local courthouse. If going in is not a good option due to time or ect..then using the courthouse, online searches may be your best route.
Now sometimes, you may have to pay a fee to use the online system. But regardless, the online record system will have all the info you need to find inherited properties and more. From experience, I will be the first one to tell you that it does become addictive, seeing tons of valuable leads on the website.
Butter Up FSBO
FSBO’s we call them are all over your local market. There is not one corner you can turn and not see at least one house FSBO. You will see a sign go up in the yard in January, then comes July the property is still for sale. Why?
Properties that are being sold in this fashion have different outcomes. Many signs go up, and the property is gone in no time. It’s those other ones who you see on the market for months, and it just itches you to knock on the door to see why it hasn’t sold.
You as an agency business is to get a listing, and even to be able to get FSBO’s also to look your way even when they’re trying to sell the property themselves is to think creatively. The question is, how can I get on the radar of these people without seeming pushy, disrespectful, or intruding.
Hint: Offer Free Help
What you do is create a simple pamphlet where it talks about… How to sell your house in 60 days or less.
This guide will include tons of info just for them to sell their property on their own for top dollar. You can only talk about staging the house to putting together open houses that attract buyers. But what makes this even better is that at the end of the pamphlet, you can include a BIO of you.
Light Bulb Moment: Now, you introduce yourself to them without asking to list their property. Now the power of creative marketing, you will likely be the first person they think about if that property doesn’t sell, and listing it is their last option.
Distressed Properties
We all know what distressed properties are and the situations behind those properties. Some are abandon or just measly not well-taking care of. If I’m looking for a more natural listing that I can get, then seeking out distressed properties is a way to go.
Finding them is as simple as riding around your city once a month to compile a list of addresses. Next, you should use public records to find the owners to see if they are looking to list the property for sale. Next, you have the property in your listing what do you do now?
I say this because distressed properties don’t usually sell like traditional properties because of the state of the situation. The key is to have people on your team who are investors that you can unload that property once listed. You can do dozens of these if you have the right marketing system in place to keep the leads coming in.
Before moving forward, I put together an easy to read simple infographic that highlights a few items. These are just four of the thirteen strategies I’ve got listed in this guide.
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<p style=”text-align: center;”><a href=”http://www.colemanmg.com/30k/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/How-to-get-real-estate-listings-Antonio-infograph.png” target=”_blank”><img class=”aligncenter wp-image-1575 size-full” src=”http://www.colemanmg.com/30k/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/How-to-get-real-estate-listings-Antonio-infograph.png” alt=”How to get real estate listings Antonio infograph” width=”800″ height=”2000″ /></a></p>
Check the Public Records
I mention a little about courthouse public records in an earlier section above. To stress it out a little more is that the public records will become your best friend. In the early 2000s, I use to go out and look for distressed properties all day long until I had about 50 of them.
From there, I would visit the courthouse to start my investigation process. Once I had the owner’s info, I would get my mailing out, and then cross my fingers. In today’s market, you can use the online public records to do all this from the comforts of your home.
Being consist is the key because once people around the court understand what you do and why you want to change out with them all day long, then is when you will start getting referrals. Once people know you’re the top agent in town, then your name will begin to fly.
Expired Listing
Who said being a real estate agent is all about putting together buyers and seller contracts. Who will ever know that you had to go out and find leads? No one told you that it was a business inside a business which something you have to work at.
Expired listings are gold nuggets that can be added to your portfolio. You will need to skim through the expired listings to see why some property did not sell. You will need to see it was overpriced, or whatever situation it is, then you will need to get that listing. Do a simple MLS search to see what you find and make contact.
The Happy Holiday Approach
One great technique for contacting expired listing property owners is through a creative approach I call “THHP” The Happy Holiday Approach.
There are several holidays we all celebrate throughout the year. Use those as introduction ways of getting in front of expired listings. A simple “Happy 4th of July” postcard to an expired listing on top of a call of action on the card will increase leads.
Simple happy holidays on the front of it went a few words about you on the back as being your local community #1 real estate agent. Nothing more, nothing less is needed for them to notice you.
Ask for Old Realtors Listings
If you want to know how to get listing right off the back as a beginner agent, then think about this. Go to your broker and ask for the list of previous agents who have left for someone or another. Ask to see their old files, and you just may come across a gem or two.
No, you won’t find dozens of them because that’s too good to be true. What you will find is the contact information you will be able to follow-up on.
Garage Sale Monster
Go out and skim the local papers for garage sales. Sometimes this is the first sign people are looking to move. Getting the property listed with an agent was something that would come alone down the road. Garage sales are unlimited in the bigger cities, mostly held on the weekends.
The key is once a month goes out and seems like you buying something and spark a conversation with the owners. From here, you will see if they’re moving or just trying to get rid of junk.
Expert Opinions
Being the so-called expert in some field of choice can drastically grow your business. I can’t tell you how much business I got in the real estate listings market of being the so-called “Real Estate Marketing Guy.”
Creating tons of content online to build my online presence has given me a platform to dominate my online market. You, as an agent, need to take that same approach to your business. If your ultimate goal is to become the leading agent in your local market, then you must be found online.
By having a real estate website, you can start to target all the locations in your market. Here is what I mean…
You can target any.
- City
- Neighborhood
- Community
- Subdivision
- Zip Code
- etc.
The object is to create content around those locations, so when people are searching for help selling their properties, then guess who they will find, yep you guessed it…YOUPreviewing Unlimited Listings
Ask and receive 50 Leads
One creative method of getting leads, and not only getting leads but have a chance to get all these leads in one day. The system is easy to do, and once you read this, you will be asking yourself why didn’t you come up with this.
Here go…the trick is to have already a home buyer who is looking to buy today. Next, you need to seek out at least ten listings online that you can schedule to be shown to your clients. Now you can make these active listing, or you can find some expired listing. The goal to have some listing you can show your client within a 2 to 3 hrs span.
What you will need to do is show the client the listing that’s on your list of properties. While given the client about 10mins to view the property for themselves, this will give you time to put your lead generation into action.
You will need to go to the five properties across the street and then the 2 to the right and left of the listing property. The goal is to knock on the door and ask the homeowners about any other features that are for sale in the neighborhood.
Then ask them what you’re looking to sell the property across the street, and wondering do they know anyone who will be interested. If they do, then write down that lead info, if not, then ask them on whether they ever plan on moving and if so, when and where.
Here’s the Kicker
At this point, you have their attention, and the only thing you have to do know is giving them something of value where you can capture them as a lead. Now you can ask for their info and write it down, but the issue is that you don’t want to take up too much of their time with that. Remember, your client is still looking at the listing, so you don’t have much time to spare. Your goal is to make this conversation no more than 1min long.
Just ask for their name and number, then proceed with a handshake and inform them that you will contact them tomorrow to share with the property value, moving strategies, and more.
Your goal for that day is to talk to at least 80 to 100 homeowners. Maybe your best numbers will be around 50 people who are more reasonable if you schedule these showing after five because most people will be home from work.
Now you can take the next day calling those 50 leads and evaluate their situation by just listing to them. Some may be looking to move, but a number of them may not be, but regardless of what you will be able to help all of them.
This is the reason why I preach to people that having a real estate website is the best real estate marketing tool ever. Now you can have content on there for those who are looking to… buy today, move to purchase or tomorrow, looking to…
- buy today
- move tomorrow
- looking to sell FSBO
- Need help staging their property
- How to work with realtors
- and more…
You would have them like a lead, and most importantly, you will be able to provide the help they need to move forward. A powerful form of marketing if you ask me.
Free meetup/Workshops
People love that word FREE, no matter if it’s a hot dog or some discount a store is having to get you to come in. You, as an agent, need to start thinking outside of the box when capturing leads.
You see, one of the most underused aspects of getting more listing leads to a free workshop formula. This when you invite people to a free meetup or workshop and begin the process of educating. Now I haven’t talked about it much here on my blog, but on other platforms, I stress the word “educating.”
What you need to do is think about those FSBO, expired listing, etc… Think about how many fo those are out there on the market in your local market. The goal is to get as many as these people into one setting and start educating them on pain of their situation.
Those FSBOs who are struggling to sell their properties educate them on the following…
- Staging the property the smart way
- Having open houses
- Smart pricing
- Working with local agents, “wink wink.”
You will add other elements fo those who have the expired listing, and those who are just in the process of putting their properties on the market.
I’m pretty sure you did not catch the last of the list above about working with local agents. The genius mind that was given to me works in mysterious ways. Knowing the power of the word “FREE,” I understand people don’t want to be sold out.
For this reason, I would educate them on all their pain to give them options. The object will be to induce me to them and then offer the many ways a realtor like myself can provide an endless amount of marketing and exposure for their properties.
Heck, I’ve done this many times for my local marketing company is to hold these free workshops. When done right, you can walk away with at least 20 to 30 solid leads if you can get 100 people to show up.
The Open House Hand Shake
If I’m a new agent, one of the things I will be doing at least every other weekend is putting on open houses. Why? The leads will show up already in the mood to buy, but in a fair world, most are just looking and what they might be able to afford in the future.
So the key is to capitalize on every person who comes through the door.I’m going to show you a hidden secret of mines that works like a charm if you implement it in this way.
First, set up a table at the entrance of the property where you will hand off information on the property and a short small booklet guide. Your guide will be titled…How to Buy a House in Your DREAM Neighborhood.
Just give them enough of a tease in the booklet to force them over to your website to opt-in to read the entire guide all for free. This is why I stress to my clients is that if you don’t have a real estate website, then it will be hard to dominate your local market.
So at the end of the day, you will be able to get tons of leads just by shaking a few hands at the open house. Rentals Are Gold Mines
Renters Are Gold Mines
Targeting renters could be a vast gold mine for leads to build your business. People who are renters are also looking to be homeowners also. Even though we are looking for creative ways to gain a listing, we are also looking to work with those who want to homeowners.
One easy way to get these potential buyers is to put a simple ad in the paper to read as such…
Stop Renting
Become a Homeowner Today
Good or Bad Credit
Free Info @
123-456-7890
www.yourwebsiet.com
This simple ad can be run in your local newspaper, real estate magazine, or even be posted on Craigslist. Plus, you also see that I include my phone and website, which is where I post all my free stuff. Doing this will lead to endless amounts of buyer leads. I will create a guide here soon that will show you how to put this in overdrive, where you will be turning down leads.
Driving For Dollars
The driving for dollars method worked today as good as it worked 30 years ago. Sometimes you have to get out and drive neighborhoods. I still remember driving around years ago looking for properties that were abandon or FSBO.
You see, I was at that time investing, so besides advertising in the local papers, I was driving for dollars. To be a “Local Dominate Agent,” and yea, this is a phrase I came up with personally. To become an agent that won’t let anything get past you, then you must adapt to driving your targeted market.
What you have to do is choose the location you want to do most of your business in, and then go out and put your feet to the pavement. Now, this it’s something you have to do every day or every week. I say going out in the market at least once no more than twice a month is just fine.
“The Local Dominate Agent Roadmap”
I’m not going to get into the making contact side of driving for dollars because I will cover them in more details later in my “Driving for Dollars Lead Machine Series” Today, I want to cover the magnitude stage you can be on if you approach this form of marketing aggressively.
You should think about the following…
- Type of Neighborhoods
- Gated not Gated
- Single-Family
- Mul-Ti Family
- Price Range
Once you understand which road you want to follow, then all you have to do is put the plan into action. This is not only a drive for leads but also promotes yourself through those locations. If possible, you can make a deal with a resident owner about putting one of your signs in their yard. Guess what? As people drive into the community, they will see that the resident of that property endorse you.
You can also walk the neighborhood and leave educational pamphlets as door hangers. It can be information on growing a healthier greener grass or such. Just make it something free and informative where you will be able to promote yourself at the end.
There are tons of more secret techniques I have, but as of now, this will help get the engine started.
Real Estate Agents are Friends
Sometimes the best form of leads is right underneath our noses, and we will ignore it by walking past it day after day. What I’m referring to is the handshake of the other local real estate listings agents. Yes, if you can shake enough hands and understand the role you have in this industry, then you will see unlimited leads coming your way.
Meaning you have some agents that online deal with commercial real estate listings. Some may even deal with only land listing, but overall if you can find enough friends who are in the industry that works in other categories, then you may be in business.
What I’m saying is that a lot of agents come across the lead that would make a good listing, but it’s just not their cup of tea. So what you have to do is become that bridge to acquire those leads from them, by you offering leads to them that you’re not interested in.
In real estate we call this a Win-Win-Situation…plus I love this survey the NRA on agents
Piggy Back off Local Businesses
To be able to dominate your local real estate market, then you must network with the local businesses. You see, I can talk about this subject all day every day, which is the reason why I would be the creating and epic-wow guide on this subject later.
For now, I want you to realize if you can get enough local; business to highlight you, and you can do the same then with how your leads can grow. Let me give you one creative marketing genius tip you can implement that will put your name in front of thousands of people each month.
I left this one for last because of Its one of my most creative ways of getting leads, which turn into listings. Ok, the goal is to do what they call cross-promotion. This nothing more then you promote me, then I will encourage you just that simple.
Go to as many local businesses and ask them that you will like to promote their brand on your website and the back of your business cards. Exchange for you to leave your cards on the front counter of their stores/restaurants.
Those who understand the power of marketing will jump at this opportunity and say YES. Now you have your cards on the counter of 20 local businesses that average, let’s say 100 people a day coming through their doors.
If you are good at doing math, then that comes out to around 2k people per day, and about 60k people per month are glancing over to see your card. Heck, I don’t care; only 1,000 people pick up that cards each month. I’m in the business of getting leads, and how many of those will turn into the listing, then the sky is the limit.
Remember this…
When you start the journey of marketing your business to gain leads and listings, you will need to be creative. Those who have a creative mind and will willing to go the extra mile to get in front of those potential real estate listing then those are the ones who dominate.
The marketing tactic I listed above is some of my most guarded secrets that will put you light years ahead of the local competition. Heck with you, this only the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the overall marketing strategies in my magic bag.
For those of you who are still on the fence about this form of marketing to capture real estate listing, then I need to share something with for a second. A few years ago, I started continually writing about real estate listings marketing on the #1 real estate website in the world. Yes, BiggerPockets.
If you Google “Antonio BiggerPockets,” you will find what is listed below in this screenshot. First, you will find my profile, which lists all of my real estate listings marketing writing for them, and then you will see some of my top posts.
The first piece of content I put on the website was titled “The Ultimate Guide to Real Estate Marketing: 10 Tools to Generate Unlimited Leads” This blog post was read by thousands, and commented on over 92 times. So my reputation as a real estate listing marketing guy has, and will continue to grow massively here online. My goal is to give you the tools, but now you must be ready to take action. Just
But Wait…
I’m always in the given mood, so I want to provide you with a free sample of my 30k leads in 30day’s books, which incredibly impressive. Finally, I want to give you my free 52-week real estate marketing newsletter course that is 100% free of charge. Yep, I Said Free of Charge!!!!!
You will receive a free newsletter every Monday to your inbox, walking you through the steps of dominating your real estate listings market one creative strategy at a time. This is Epic
Thank You
You have read over 4500 words of gold packed information that you can use to help grow your real estate listings business. I will like to thank you, and if you found this content worth sharing, then go ahead and click on the share buttons at the top of the page.
If you have a website and will like to link to it, then, by all means, go ahead and post it as a recommended piece of content. No matter what, thank you once again, and feel free to spread the word about this page to others.
Antonio Coleman “Signing Off”