Are you missing out on the buyer and renter leads that are right in front of you?
Leads, leads, leads. Real estate investors, agents, and even regular homeowners are on the constant hunt for more leads. So where do they come from? How do you get more of them?
No real estate listing, home for sale, or investment opportunity is going to turn into money and actual profit without leads to rent or sell that property to. The more leads that sellers and landlords can stack up; the faster they can move their inventory, the more they can get for it, and often the better that they can serve those around them. There are lots of fancy, creative, and complex advertising methods to put into play to generate more of these real estate leads. Many of them are very valuable, and perhaps even necessary to put into play for the long run. However, those that are available for free, and right on your doorstep, shouldn’t be overlooked. If you don’t scoop them up, they will go to the competition, and they might not serve them as well as you can. So what are some of the leads sources you might be overlooking?
Organizations & Groups
What organizations, groups, and activities are you engaged with? Are you serving them? No matter where you live, you probably have chambers of commerce, nonprofits, investor groups, churches, fitness groups, real estate networking events, and more. All of these are packed with people that need housing, investment opportunities, and people to refer to. Do they not only know you are in real estate, but that you have great properties for rent and sale right now? If you attend good networking events, other attendees ought to be specifically looking for opportunities to refer you business in hopes they’ll get some referrals back. Help them with that. Just being in real estate is too vague. They know plenty of people ‘in real estate’. That, in itself, doesn’t help to connect the dots.
Business Partners
Your vendors and partners are an incredible source of leads, if you work them. These are people that should already know, like, and trust you. By referring you their leads, they can increase their own business too, or at least help those they care about. Again, they may know you are in real estate, but do they know you are selling or renting specific properties? This applies to inspectors, appraisers, mortgage loan officers, contractors, cleaners, and more. You should not simply notify them of the specifics, but do it in a way that is easy for them to share. An email or flyer can be simple for them to pass on to those they know in need immediately.
Your Extended Team and Their Contacts
Most real estate professionals and companies totally drop the ball in this area. Even as an independent real estate investor or Realtor, you probably have a small army of outsourced assistance. Are you tapping that? Don’t expect them to know or act by themselves. This is like a restaurant not allowing its chefs to taste their own food.
Every one of your outsourced staff members knows at least one person that moved in the last year. They probably know dozens, perhaps hundreds. Did you get all of that business? If not, it went to your competitors. That was free leads and money you just gave away to help your competitors beat you! Next time, create a message and send it to your entire contact list. Please tell everyone you know about it.
Where You Shop
The places you shop are an incredible lead source. First, there is the need for local business owners to house their staff. If their staff can’t find an affordable apartment or home, they are not going to have their head in the game at work, and might even have to go work somewhere else. Offering your services with this level of detail can really help them. If your staff knows, they can tell customers they chat with about it too. They are in front of customers looking for real estate all day long. A $250 tip for sending you leads could far surpass their whole week’s paycheck! There are places like Starbucks and Panera which have local message boards that you can stick your brochures on, for free.
Social Media
If you are in the real estate business, you are probably already pushing out blog posts, updates, and ads via social media marketing. However, that often neglects the easiest to win business. Most individuals will now probably have at least 250 Facebook friends, 100 Twitter followers, a dozen Google+ contacts, and 500+ LinkedIn contacts. Have you been posting and direct messaging them with your properties for sale and rent? Need more leads? Ask, and be specific!
