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Whether you’re a new real estate agent or an established REALTOR®, generating leads is paramount to your success. This article delves into proven, quality real estate lead generation ideas that don’t require cold calls.  What Is Lead Generation in Real Estate?Real estate leads are potential clients that have need of your services. Therefore, lead generation in real estate is the process of attracting these prospects in order to convert them into customers who will rent, buy or sell land or property through you. What Are the Types of Leads in Real Estate?There are numerous ways to get leads for your real estate business as a new or established agent. These include the following:
 How Do I Determine the Quality of Leads?Another important factor to consider with real estate lead generation is the quality of those leads. After all, you want to invest the most effort into qualified leads — those that are most likely to result in conversions. A qualified lead consists of individuals who have done the following:
In addition, you can also use what is called BANT methodology to help further prioritize the real estate leads you generate. This sales qualification method is designed to save you time. It consists of four things to consider in order to help you shorten your sales cycle:
Once this information is determined, outline a system to score your leads in order from most qualified to the least.  What Do You Do with Unqualified Leads?At the end of the day, most real estate agents find that the majority of the leads they generate aren’t qualified. Meaning they aren’t yet ready to buy or sell a home. However, that doesn’t mean you should disregard them. Nurturing your leads with regular contact results in an average of 20% more sales opportunities. While 80% of your leads will close after being contacted approximately five times. Not only that but taking the time to grow those relationships also results in 47% higher sales purchases. Ask if you can opt these potential clients into your email list. Then contact them digitally once per month. You should also call these prospects at least once per quarter to follow up and see if their needs have changed. Additionally, we also recommend that you follow up with either a personalized greeting card or marketing magnet each quarter. (Be sure to check out our real estate marketing plan for product tips.)  Real Estate Lead Generation IdeasMost of us aren’t a fan of making cold calls to generate leads. While cold calling can assist you in finding potential clients, it does take a thicker skin. So, how do real estate agents get leads without making cold calls? To assist with all the ways you can find fresh prospects for your business, we’ve compiled an extensive list on how to get real estate leads without cold calling. Whether you’re looking for new ways to generate online leads or find new prospects without spending any money, we have the tools to help you achieve your sales goals. Following we’ll explore ideas to help you reach more qualified leads than ever.  How Can I Get Real Estate Leads Online?There are lots of innovative ways to get real estate leads online. Some of these lead generation ideas are free and cost you nothing but time. While others may involve a nominal fee. The key here is to choose the methods that work for your budget and provide a high return on your investment. If you’re a new real estate agent, you may want to try several strategies at once until you find the solutions that work best for you. Here are some of our top online lead generation ideas to help you find new prospects both online and on social media. Run Facebook ads.Rather than running ads that direct consumers to a listing or your website, try running lead generation ads. These ads require visitors to fill out a form so you can capture their information prior to sending them to a landing page designed with additional information. When creating these ads, make sure you utilize captivating visual content in addition to your message. Include a visually engaging image or video. Also be sure to limit your form to no more than five fields for best results.  Join Facebook groups.Local groups on Facebook are an effective way to increase your online presence as well as your reach on this popular social platform. While real estate agents use Facebook groups to get leads on new listings, they’re also a great way to garner community support from like-minded professionals, discover top tips and best practices, network, share engaging content ideas, and just get advice. The most important part of these groups, however, is the relationships you build through participation. As an agent, you can use your expertise and knowledge to educate those in your community as well as help plan events that keep your services at the forefront of people’s minds. Examples of the types Facebooks groups that are useful for REALTORS® for generating leads online include:
To find groups to join, simply type your city name into the search bar on Facebook, then click on Groups. From there, you should request to join as many local groups as you can find in your area. Ideally you want to find a way to integrate your services into each group. Therefore, not every group will be the right fit. Once you’ve joined relevant groups, here are ways you can use them to get real estate leads on Facebook:
 Generate real estate leads using LinkedIn.Like Facebook, LinkedIn is also great for exposure. Designed for businesses as a professional networking platform, they also have groups that can be used for successful lead generation. In addition, this platform also provides a space to showcase your expertise and is a great place to contact people with a high net worth, especially when paying for a business or premium account. Basically, a digital version of a cold call, LinkedIn provides a way to generate leads in real estate on a professional level, rather than through a personal relationship. Moreover, LinkedIn also introduced LinkedIn Audio in 2022. This live audio room, which is comparable to the social audio app Clubhouse, allows you to host live audio events. With video also being added, this opens up many new opportunities to connect with your audience. Here’s how to get leads in real estate using LinkedIn:
 Start a real estate podcast.Share your expertise and show off your skills with a podcast! While this method of promotion does require more extensive planning, it’s a great way to not only reach interested parties but to also show clients they can trust you to get the job done. When planning out your podcast material, be sure to include a call-to-call action at the beginning of the podcast as well as the middle and the end. You should also promote your podcast on your website as well as across your social media channels. Write guest posts.Sharing your home buying tips, market insights, or other professional real estate information as a guest writer on a blog with some authority is another viable way to get real estate leads. Be sure to provide information that your target audience will find valuable as well as taking SEO into account. You’ll also want to include a bio at the end of your article along with backlinks to your website, social media links, and a strong call-to-action.  Use video and drone footage.Real estate video marketing is incredibly effective at increasing the number of leads you get from your listings. Industry studies indicate that 73% of homeowners are more likely to list with an agent who uses video to sell their properties. While 70% of buyers watch video tours prior to choosing an agent. Additionally, agents who use video for their real estate marketing find that real estate video attracts 30% more views than static listings. This translates roughly into 403% more inquiries on the listed property. Further, 86% of home buyers research neighborhoods through real estate videography prior to deciding where they want to move. This makes drone footage even more valuable as it provides a quick look at the overall area. Drone footage also results in 3.5x more leads than other types of videography used to sell real estate. You can learn more about using videos to promote your business as well as find tips for making real estate videos here. And don’t be afraid to try new social media networks. Share your video shorts (1-minute or less in length) as reels on Instagram as well as TikTok to branch out and expand your reach with younger generations. Share real estate tips.Sharing tips for buying or selling a home or other related real estate information on social media is another great way to generate leads. We recommend sharing your tips in a weekly video to help create a personal connection between you and your audience. Further, when planning out social media posts to share online, be sure to use static images that are unique and inviting. Viewers assign value to pretty and eye-catching photographs. Therefore, keep them warm yet professional. If using headshots, take care that they accurately reflect your brand. The key is to build trust with your audience. Don’t be afraid to play off your strengths. Why not highlight your local expertise with the best places to dine out. Or share your daily experiences to show your personality. Need other ways to get real estate leads on social media? Be sure to check out our real estate social media post ideas.  How to Get Real Estate Leads for FreeIf you’re looking for additional ways to get real estate leads for free, here are ideas to assist you with the process. Video testimonials.Short form videos and clips are huge right now and great for engagement. Rather than sharing a static image with a testimonial, ask past clients to give a video testimonial that you can record on your phone. Then share the video across your social media platforms as well as on the testimonial or real estate bio page on your website. Not only will this increase interest, but it also helps to put a face to a name and goes a long way toward building trust. Ask for referrals.Customers who are referred to you from past clients have an overall 16% higher lifetime value than those who weren’t referred. Therefore, asking for referrals from the people you’ve done business with in the past is a great way to build confidence in your abilities as a real estate professional. While not everyone is comfortable making a referral, industry studies show that 83% of clients are willing to do so. In addition, 21% of REALTORS® get 50% of their business using this free lead generation method.  Include a call-to-action.Include a strong call-to-action (CTA) n both your website and blog. You’re likely already paying for hosting. Why not improve the return on your investment? Having a CTA on your sites encourages prospects to make contact and supply their information so you can follow up. Make sure that all your top pages include a call to action. This could be an email sign up or a request for more information. You can also create a lead magnet or landing page in which you provide information on a topic relevant to your target audience upon sign up or an email submission. Target sellers.90% of sellers also want to buy another home. Therefore, targeting motivated sellers is an effective way to generate two deals from a single prospect when you need additional leads. Search FSBO (for sale by buyer) listings.You can use resources such as Zillow, Craiglist and local newspapers or websites to find free leads for real estate by searching FSBO listings. Also be sure to keep an eye out for FSBO homes when you are out and about in the neighborhoods you service. We recommend that you have a script ready for contacting prospects with additional scripts for follow-up based on the responses you get. If you aren’t sure how to get started, this post has several script ideas you can utilize when getting your feet wet.  More Ways to Grow Your Real Estate BusinessIn addition to free and online lead generation, there are also other ways to find new customers to grow your real estate business. Mail out promotional postcards.Sending out custom marketing postcards to your prospecting or farming areas with a handwritten message is a great way to reach new people. Using self-mailers as well as direct mail marketing services is a convenient and affordable way to generate new leads and reconnect with past clients.  Engage in circle prospecting to generate real estate leads.Similar to prospecting through direct mail, real estate circle prospecting also involves targeting an audience located within a specific geographic area. In this instance, however, you make cold calls to the individuals in the neighborhood to inquire whether they are planning to move or know of someone looking to do so. While this seller-focused lead generation method does require making calls to unknown individuals, it can be incredibly effective when done properly. We recommend you create a reliable script when getting started. In the end, you’ll be amazed by the rapport you’re able to build with clients while at the same time strengthening your brand. Even if you don’t convert leads right away, what you are doing is planting the seeds for their business in the future. So don’t forget to follow up with interested parties, even if it’s automated through text, a phone call or email. Sponsor an event.Event sponsorships are a great way to show your involvement as well as your investment in the community. It can also help improve your real estate branding. When choosing a charity or event to sponsor, be sure that you’re able to measure the impressions the sponsorship will yield so you can best gauge the return on your investment. You should also choose a brand that maintains a positive image in the community it represents. Event marketing is a great way to get off the internet and do what you do best -- engage with people! So, don’t forget to get involved and show up. Have a clear objective and don’t forget to collect contact information.  Host an open house.An open house is a great way to find parties who are ready to buy! Liven up your event with a fun theme, favor bags with your contact information, and a giveaway. Don’t forget to promote your event on social media and other relevant spaces. Also be sure to use balloons and pointers in the days leading up to, as well as the day of, your open house to bring in additional foot traffic. You can find more ideas on how to generate real estate leads at an open house here. Try text marketing.Automated text marketing for REALTORS® is a simple yet effective way to reach prospects to share new listings or other relevant information. Text messaging provides an additional channel to reach clients and leads so you stay connected and build relationships that convert. Research indicates that 80% of professionals now use texts as part of their business. And they use it because it works! 90% of all texts garner a response within 30 minutes or less. They also have a higher open rate than email — by around 134%. Moreover, 62% of home buyers prefer to have their property information sent via this method of communication. Real estate professionals use text marketing to make communications efficient and effective. It’s great for:
If you’d like to use text marketing to get real estate leads, here’s how to get started:
To assist with your goal of generating leads, you’ll want to ensure that your texts are short and provide information of value to your target audience. Also, include a strong call-to-action and perhaps offers an incentive to reply, much like a lead magnet on a website. Join your local Chamber of Commerce.While there is a small yearly fee to join this association, it does come with benefits. The goal of this network is to help with exposure for your business so that you can find new prospects to grow your business and increase revenue. Historically, your local Chamber of Commerce helps business professionals make new business contacts, brings credibility to your business or services, increases your visibility in the community, provides networking opportunities, and helps you find customer referrals. In addition to helping you generate real estate leads, it also gives you a voice in your local government.  Form local partnerships.Partner with a local business to find new prospects. Whether it’s a local wine or gift shop, a florist or a coffee shop, you can each provide referrals to one another thereby expanding your realm of influence. For example, if you give wine and a custom wine box for closing gifts, you may partner with a local winery that you regularly use when purchasing real estate closing gifts. In turn, the winery agrees to refer your services and may also offer you a discount. We recommend that you provide your business partners with point-of-purchase marketing materials such as tear off calendars or other magnets for marketing. Ideas for local business partners include the following:
Knock on doors.Old fashioned canvassing is another way to get real estate leads. Not only will you meet the people in your community farming areas, but you’ll also have the chance to let your personality shine and expand on your skills. Even if someone isn’t looking to buy or sell their home right now, there’s a good chance they know someone who does. Just say, thank you.Thank your referral sources with a handwritten card and gift. Referral thank you notes are a great resource for real estate agents. They offer a personal way to reconnect and thank clients for their support. By utilizing a greeting card service for business, it’s easier than ever to gain customer loyalty and generate fresh, new leads for your real estate business.  Give REALTOR® pop-by gifts.Pop-by gifts are another wonderful way to introduce yourself to new prospects or reconnect with leads who may previously have been unqualified. If you need pop-by ideas for real estate, then be sure to check out our line of promotional pizza cutters, personalized fridge magnets, real estate calendar magnets and custom magnetic bottle openers. We hope you found these ideas on how to get leads in real estate useful. For more helpful ideas and advice, be sure to also explore our other real estate marketing strategies here. Or discover additional tips and techniques via our 12-month real estate marketing plan.
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