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Tuesday, November 19, 2024

lead generation

    Each year, the folks at realtrends.com release their annual real estate website rankings. Those rankings, regardless of the company compiling them, are always a fun read.

    Realtrend’s criteria for getting a spot on their list include websites with the “best design.” In fact, they’re looking for “show-stopping websites.”

    These are not always the best-designed websites to increase organic SEO or capture leads.

    Nope. 

    It’s not just the prettiness factor that proves a real estate website “… has what it takes.” We beg to differ. The “best” real estate websites actually work for their agent-owners. 

    They do this by ranking in organic searches, helping to convert leads, educating visitors about the buying and selling process, and informing them about the area and its attractions. 

    The Quotecard Series is shown above. To learn more, Click Here.

    And they do it while not annoying the visitor, making them search for the information they need, by loading at lightning-fast speeds and more.

    There’s an old Duke Ellington-composed song that says it all: “It Don’t Mean a Thing (If It Ain’t Got That Swing).”

    The best real estate websites are not only pretty, but they’ve also “got that swing”

    A real estate website that has “that swing”:

    • Features responsive design (don’t yawn–we’ll explain, in plain English)
    • Is attractive in its simplicity
    • Converts visitors, or leads, into prospects
    • Attracts organic search engine traffic
    • Is user-focused 

    Let’s take a look at each aspect in more detail. Then, use this information when having your real estate website built.

    Responsive design

    This is one of those phrases that makes eyes glaze over. 

    What it refers to is a website that adapts its “… content based on the browser space available. This allows consistency between what a site shows on a desktop and what it shows on a handheld device,” according to Mads Soegaard at interaction-design.org.

    Why is this important? Responsive websites load quicker on mobile devices. And, since 76% of homebuyers use a mobile device when searching for homes and agents, responsiveness is critical.

    Attractive in its simplicity

    Think “clean” when it comes to a real estate agent’s website layout. Don’t let anything detract from your branding, from your CTAs, and from the user’s experience (fluff won’t be read anyway). 

    Leave a lot of white space, use short sentences and paragraphs, and take advantage of bulleted and numbered lists.

    “… make your website — especially your homepage — simple and clean with easy-to-navigate buttons and tabs,” suggests the pros at quicksprout.com.

    Simplicity is key, they say because sites “… with simple designs have higher conversion rates.”

    Check back soon for part 2 where we’ll show you how to build a website that attracts organic search engine traffic, ensures higher conversion rates, and the extra “goodies” it should offer real estate agents.

    When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

    1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazin

    Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct, response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts and engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you. Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here

    2. The Free 6-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Planner

    The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 6-Month Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

    3. The Free Online Real Estate Business Plan

    The Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for the year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closings, and so on are needed to reach your financial goals.   – Click Here

    4. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

    Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

      If it feels like the whole Artificial Intelligence (AI) thing is taking off without you, you’re not alone.

      “Nobody is asking whether AI is moving fast enough, and …, it’s certainly not behind the times,” suggests Jon Arnold, Principal of J Arnold & Associates. 

      He goes on to say “If anything, the times are now trying to catch up with AI, as its recent evolution has happened faster than our ability to adapt.” (emphasis is mine)

      But adapt, we must, especially if we hope to attract clients via our websites.

      Google Search is incorporating AI Generative Search. 

      Let’s look at the Google Search changes and how real estate agents can adapt.

      AI Generative Search

      Google’s new search not only looks different but it will act differently as well. 

      The folks at Google say that the new search “… uses generative AI to give you more information and context to your searches.”

      What is Generative AI? “Generative AI focuses on creating new and original content, chat responses, designs, synthetic data or even deepfakes,” according to George Lawton, a London journalist who has studied the topic.

      For the general public, Generative AI search differs from a normal Google search in that it won’t give the user a list of links.

      Instead, Search Generative Experience (or SGE, Google’s name for the service) “… uses AI to answer your questions right on the Google Search webpage,” says Imad Kahn at cnet.com.

      “After entering a query in Google Search, a green or blue box will expand with a novel answer generated by Google’s large language model, like the one powering OpenAI’s ChatGPT,” he concludes.

      The Local Market Stats Series is shown above. To learn more, Click Here.

      What Does the Average Real Estate Agent Need to Know?

      One of the biggest impacts that SGE will have on agents is in regard to SEO for their websites. 

      While still in development, early users of Google’s SGE claim that it may obliterate SEO efforts by reducing “… visibility for organic search results.” (yoast.com) 

      How? By placing the “…. AI-generated overviews at the top of search results, users may find the need to click significantly reduced..”

      Agents who depend on their websites to generate a significant number of leads will need to make appearing in the “…AI-generated snapshot” their priority.

      Parthi Loganathan, CEO of Letterdrop and formerly with Google Search’s product management team suggests that we “… focus on providing new and valuable information, improve readability, and encourage others to cover your product.”

      He goes on to claim that “Opinionated content with a clear perspective is becoming more important as AI-generated answers answer simple questions with factual answers.”

      Again, SGE is still in development but it’s only a matter of time until it becomes the norm when using Google’s search engine. 

      Do the research to understand exactly how your content can be included in that soon-to-be coveted AI-generated snapshot box at the top of the search results.

      We’ll keep you posted as to SGE’s progress.

      When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

      1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazin

      Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct, response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts and engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you. Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here

      2. The Free 6-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Planner

      The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 6-Month Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

      3. The Free Online Real Estate Business Plan

      The Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for the year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closings, and so on are needed to reach your financial goals.   – Click Here

      4. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

      This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

      Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

        Do you ever wonder why they don’t call you a “lead generator” instead of a real estate agent? After all, generating leads consumes a huge portion of the typical agent’s work week.

        If you’re new to the business, getting leads is a make-or-break proposition. Either you generate solid leads, or you go out of business.

        Yes, this is not the best time to hunt down real estate consumers. The media is doing a good job of scaring them away from the market. But there are buyers out there.

        We asked several agents we know what they’re doing right now that is inexpensive, and they graciously allowed us to share their answers.

        1. Tweet 

        Although we don’t recommend Twitter for marketing your real estate business, we thought diehard Tweet fans might enjoy this tip.

        Anytime you have a free couple of minutes, hop on Twitter and type “moving to [name of the city]” in the search box. You can use variations of the search term as well. Try these:

        • Buy a house in [name of city or name of the neighborhood]
        • Best neighborhood in [name of city] to buy a house
        • Real estate agent in [name of market]

        These were off the top of our heads, and you’ll no doubt come up with more.

        This tip, by the way, comes from Bernice Ross at Inman.com.

        2. Content works if done right

        According to statistics at Placester.com, more than three-quarters of homebuyers who use the internet when house hunting say that they prefer reading articles over being blasted by ads or self-promotion when visiting an agent’s website.

        “Any old message or clever tagline isn’t going to pique their interest – what they crave now is useful, interesting content,” cautions Seth Price at Placester.com.

        Content marketing won’t give instant results, but when it starts working, you’ll wonder why you didn’t start long before.

        By the way, a brilliant way to increase your site’s visitors is by posting and sharing content about local businesses on social media. Be sure to send a copy to the business so they can share the free advertising with their readers.

        3. Use others’ listings

        No listings of your own? Ask your colleagues if you can share their listings on your blog and social media. Facebook is an especially good platform for sharing listings, as long as you don’t do it too often.

        Stick to listings taken within your brokerage, and talk it over with the listing agent first.

        Bonus tip: Spread the truth about what’s happening in the market. Nobody knows better than you that the market isn’t as bad as the media makes it out to be. People are looking at homes, this is an excellent sign that real estate is alive and kickin’!

        When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

        1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

        Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct, response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts and engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you. Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here

        2. The Free 6-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

        The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 6-Month Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

        3. The Free Interactive 6-Month Real Estate Business Review

        The Free Interactive 6-Month Real Estate Business Review allows you to enter your business goals for the remainder of the year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closings, and so on are needed to reach your goals.   – Click Here

        4. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

        This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

        Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

          Artificial intelligence, or AI, has been the hot topic of news coverage lately. It seems like we can’t get away from it.

          While some experts provide scary future scenarios, others are hailing AI as akin to a wonder drug.

          Data analysis and insights 

          The truth is, right now, AI can provide significant benefits to real estate agents. Here are some ways in which it can enhance your work.

          AI can analyze vast amounts of real estate data, including property listings, sales data, market trends, and demographics. 

          This helps agents make informed decisions, such as determining the right pricing strategy, identifying profitable investment opportunities, and understanding market demand.

          Lead generation and management 

          AI-powered tools can automate lead generation by analyzing online user behavior, social media data, and other sources to identify potential buyers and sellers. 

          AI can also assist in lead management by categorizing and prioritizing leads based on their likelihood of conversion, allowing agents to focus their efforts on the most promising leads.

          Property recommendations

          AI algorithms can analyze buyers’ preferences, budgets, and other factors to provide personalized property recommendations. This saves time for real estate agents by narrowing down the options and presenting clients with properties that best match their requirements.

          Virtual property tours

          AI technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) enable brilliant immersive virtual property tours. Real estate agents can provide clients with more realistic virtual walkthroughs of properties, allowing them to explore and evaluate properties remotely. This saves time for both agents and clients by minimizing unnecessary in-person tours.

          Natural language processing and chatbots

          AI-powered chatbots can handle basic customer inquiries, provide property information, and schedule appointments. Natural language processing enables these chatbots to understand and respond to user queries effectively. 

          This automation will free up a lot of time, allowing you to focus on more complex tasks and personal interactions.

          Market predictions 

          Here’s where it gets super exciting.

          AI algorithms can analyze historical data and market trends to predict future real estate market conditions. Real estate agents can leverage these insights to anticipate changes, make proactive decisions, and develop effective marketing strategies.

          AI is poised to be a valuable tool to augment the real estate agent’s skills and efficiency, ultimately enhancing the overall client experience.

          PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

          1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

          Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts and engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you. Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here

          2. The Free 6-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

          The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 6-Month Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

          3. The Free Interactive 6-Month Real Estate Business Review

          The Free Interactive 6-Month Real Estate Business Review allows you to enter your business goals for the remainder of the year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.   – Click Here

          4. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

          This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

          Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

            The lead-generating capabilities of a real estate website are limited regardless of how expensive it is to build.

            Taking this capability to the next level requires strategic input from you.

            Personalization is the final step, and it’s the one that will become the foundation for your ability to generate leads through your website.

            Read on to learn the fundamentals of this step and create a lead-generating powerhouse of a website.

            1. Testimonials 

            Visitors to your real estate website are searching for their ideal real estate agent. We all know this, but too many agents address this need by posting self-serving, overly-salesy content.

            Nothing will impress these visitors more than hearing what other people think about you and your services. This is why the best real estate agent websites display (above the fold on the home page) a brilliant quote from a former client.

            That one line with quotation marks around it is far more convincing than anything you can say about your business.

            This testimonial, by the way, isn’t meant to replace a testimonial page on your site. In fact, using one on each page of your site is a brilliant idea, along with a dedicated page for them.

            2. Lead magnets

            There’s nothing like a compelling and irresistible lead magnet to get website visitors to provide their contact information. 

            So, what makes a lead magnet compelling and irresistible? 

            • The promise of receiving something of value is what makes a lead magnet irresistible. A free CMA isn’t a lead magnet, nor is a subscription to your newsletter.
            • Instead, consider offering the free direct response report, “Should I Buy Now or Wait For Home Prices to Fall.” It’s available here.
            • It can be easily received through an instant download.  

            Example: Carol has been wanting to sell her home and downsize for a while but is really concerned about being able to find a new home once hers is sold.

            She searches online to learn more on this topic and comes across a blog article written on the subject with a lead magnet offering a free report titled, “What If I sell My Home and Can’t Find One to Buy.”

            Carol gladly fills out the online form with her email in exchange for something she considers quite valuable.

            3. Offer up brilliant content

            From the perfect agent bio to your blog and neighborhood/community pages, quality content is an important aspect of SEO on your lead-generating real estate website.

            Sadly, there are some amazingly skimpy community pages on agent websites. Many don’t have neighborhood descriptions at all.

            Then some are absolutely brilliant. For example, check out the envy-inducing pages at LongandFoster.com. Click on any of the communities to see how no corners were cut in this company’s descriptions.

            Make these three tweaks to your real estate website and watch your lead-generating take off!

            PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

            1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

            Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts combined with engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you.

            Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here


            2. The Free 12-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

            The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

            3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

            The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks all of these boxes but is also a business-building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

            4. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

            The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.  – Click Here

            5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

            This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

            Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

            6. The Take a Listing Today Podcast

            Watch the ProspectsPLUS!, Take a Listing Today Podcast for actionable content to help you get more listings. – Click Here

              It’s been one heck of a ride, right? An amazing decade or so of a hot, hot, hot sellers’ market. 

              Imagine the relatively new real estate agent who joined the ranks during this period. The only market they know had homes selling within a week, bidding wars, multiple offers, and staggeringly high prices (and, thus, commission checks).

              Buyers’ agents during this period were, to say the least, stressed out. Clients were repeatedly disappointed with refused offers, having to compete against other, often deep-pocketed, buyers and those whose housing budget was so stretched to the max that they dreaded the results of each Fed meeting.

              How will those new agents, and listings agents in general, adapt to the “new normal” that’s about to smack us upside the head?

              The First Time Buyer Series is shown above. Click Here to see more.

              It’s survivable, and you can still thrive

              Since back in the day, listing agents have known that any real estate market has two sides, and the sellers’ side of a switch to a buyers’ market is tough to navigate.

              Being shoved out of the driver’s seat into riding shotgun is frustrating, so these sellers are hard to convert.

              They’re not going to go easy into that goodnight of lower home prices when just a month or two ago, their neighbor’s home sold for $50,000 more than your CMA’s suggested list price.

              Agents may find it challenging to deal with buyers who now have the luxury of being able to nit-pick over price and terms. They’ll relentlessly compare desirable homes to the 5 others nearby that are for sale, knowing that time, for once, is on their side.

              It’s all in how you manage expectations

              Flex your relationship-building muscles because instilling trust with clients and potential clients is critical in the early stages of a market shift.

              Earning their trust through being candid, honest, and up-front can help you manage their expectations and lead them to make better decisions.

              You can do this.

              PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

              1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

              Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts combined with engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you.

              Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here


              2. The Free 12-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

              The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do and when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

              3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

              The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks all of these boxes but is also a business-building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

              4. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

              The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.  – Click Here

              5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

              This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

              Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

              6. The Take a Listing Today Podcast

              Watch the ProspectsPLUS!, Take a Listing Today Podcast for actionable content to help you get more listings. – Click Here

                How many more hours will you sit in front of the phone, trying to gin up the motivation to pick it up and dial for dollars?

                Is there anything more boring? Is there anything more stressful?

                If cold calling is a mega lead generator for you, by all means, have at it. But, believe it or not, there are tens of thousands of agents who are sick of it (yes, we made up that number).

                For these agents, we offer alternatives. No, they’re not unique or even new. But we’ve met plenty of agents who’ve used at least one of these strategies with great success.

                1. ‘Til divorce do us part

                “Every 42 seconds, there is one divorce in America,” according to statistics gathered by Wilkinson and Finkbeiner, a San Diego, CA law firm.

                We must warn you that working with divorcing couples isn’t for the timid agent. It is, however, quite profitable for those agents who pride themselves on their ability to remain impartial and have tons of patience.

                Once you’re up and running with it, you’ll likely find that lead generation is positively zippy compared to cold calling.

                Since “Almost 50 percent of all marriages in the United States will end in divorce or separation” (Wilkinson and Finkbeiner), you’ll have a steady stream of business. 

                Aside from the aforementioned impartiality and patience, divorce real estate agents must be consummate communicators, have endless patience, and exhibit utmost tact. Add to that someone who thrives on working under pressure, and you have the perfect person to work with clients in a deeply acrimonious relationship.

                How to find these folks? 

                • Get in touch with local divorce attorneys and solicit referrals
                • Buy a list through Rebogateway
                • Run Google or Social Media ads

                Get more tips from watching these videos at YouTube.com:

                2. Market to landlords

                Sure, landlords are making bank right now, but there will always be some who just want out from under the burden of being a landlord.

                Like other lead gen techniques, marketing to landlords takes persistence and consistency to work.

                Market Dominator is shown above; click here to learn more.

                Again, direct mail is the most efficient way to build your pool of landlord leads. A current market report and/or CMA would be welcome and appreciated. Follow-up touches can include Just Listed/Just Sold homes near the rental and quarterly market updates.

                 3. Start a farm

                Farming is an amazing way for people to become familiar with you and to build brand recognition.  

                Sure, you can create a real estate farm and cold-call homeowners, but the beauty of this lead gen technique is that you don’t have to. There are plenty of ways to keep in touch with the homeowners in your farm area that don’t involve using a phone.

                Direct mail is the ideal vehicle, and you’ll find a variety of products (from Get More Listings postcards to a Market Dominator newsletter (sent through EDDM) to Homes & Life Magazines and more, right here at ProspectsPlus.com.

                Check out this blog post to learn much more about farming in general and circle prospecting in particular.

                None of these real estate lead gen strategies will make you an overnight sensation. But choose one or two and vow to give it your all—to be consistent and persistent — for the rest of the year, and you may just find you’ll never need to make another cold call.

                PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

                1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

                Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine with rich, full-color content and a sharp, professional aesthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts combined with engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you.

                Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here


                2. The Free 12-Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

                The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments include niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

                3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

                The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks all of these boxes but is also a business-building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

                4. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

                The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.  – Click Here

                5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

                This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

                Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

                6. The Take a Listing Today Podcast

                Watch the ProspectsPLUS!, Take a Listing Today Podcast for actionable content to help you get more listings. – Click Here

                  Ready to Look at a New Path to Listings?

                  If you’re interested in casting a wider net with your listing generating methods, you may want to consider hanging out at nextdoor.com, if you aren’t already.

                  What is Nextdoor?

                  Nextdoor.com is a neighborhood forum with homeowners comprising 75% of the members. Furthermore, at least 25% of the conversations on Nextdoor involve real estate topics.

                  One must be a resident of a specific neighborhood or own a second home there, to join.

                  From there, the platform works like most other social networking sites, with a few important distinctions.

                  How can agents generate real estate listings on Nextdoor?

                  Ok, you won’t become a listing-generating superstar overnight on this platform. The emphasis here is on building relationships and trust is key.

                  There are rules about how businesses can and can’t advertise and the most important one to remember is that promoting your business is prohibited in the news feed. UNLESS it is in response to a post asking for an agent recommendation.

                  Lucky you, however, because recommendation requests make up the bulk of Nextdoor posts in the news feed.

                  The NEW Get More Referrals Series is shown above. See more, HERE.

                  Four ways to generate listing leads on Nextdoor include:

                  1. Creating a free business page.
                  2. Post about open houses in the Events section.
                  3. Join groups. Don’t just stick to the obvious real estate-related groups, join some that match your interests. Post and respond often so that neighbors can get to know you.
                  4. Create your own group. In my neighborhood a local handyman started a group he calls “Ask your Handyman for Home Repair Tips.”
                  What not to do

                  Whenever someone posts about possibly buying or selling a home, agents naturally jump into the thread. It’s embarrassing, really, because they all pretty much have the same spiel.

                  One agent in my neighborhood, however, chimed in with her response to a post from a tenant in the area. The tenant wanted to know if she could negotiate with her property management firm for a lower rent increase.

                  The agent responded that, by law, the landlord cannot increase the rent over a certain percentage.

                  “. . . if you would like to talk to me about making a plan for buying a house that’s why I am an expert in then you don’t have to deal with these landlords anymore.”

                  There are several things glaringly wrong here. First, our city doesn’t have rent control. If this agent is such an “expert,” as she claims, why doesn’t she know this?

                  Then, there is the fact that her entire response is one huge, ugly sentence and there is a sad grammar problem toward the end.

                  Get More Listings II Series is shown above. See more HERE.

                  Before you respond to a post, read the responses from other agents. Make yours as different from theirs and as engaging as possible. Then, ensure that your advice is accurate. Finally, proof your post before publishing.

                  Nextdoor may not be for everyone, but if you currently farm your own neighborhood it just might be the place for you.

                  PLUS: When you have time…below are some free tools to help support your success.


                  1. The Free 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

                  The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

                  2. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

                  The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks all of these boxes, but it is a business building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

                  3. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

                  The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.  – Click Here

                  4. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

                  This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

                  Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

                  5. The Take a Listing Today Podcast

                  The Take a Listing Today Podcast

                  Watch the ProspectsPLUS!, Take a Listing Today Podcast for actionable content to help you get more listings. – Click Here

                  Please reach out to our support team at 866.405.3638 with questions or if there is anything we can do to help you in your success.

                  We’re here to support you.

                  Your ProspectsPLUS! Team

                    Has cold calling officially become a thing of the past? There are more than a few agents out there and several well-known real estate coaches that would say NO.

                    I would say minimally, it might not be the most efficient option. Unless you consider spending 7.5 hours to make 209 phone calls to get one appointment efficient.

                    Generating real estate leads on social media, if done right, is not only efficient but pleasant as well. 

                    Facebook can be a goldmine for new real estate agents.

                    Why Facebook?

                    The platform’s demographics are one of the most compelling reasons to use Facebook for real estate lead generation. The largest age group among Facebook users is 35 to 54 (right in line with the average real estate consumer). Next, nearly 75 percent of users earn more than $75,000.

                    Finally, a study of CRM data from various companies across the planet finds that while the highest lead conversion rates come from referrals, the second-highest can be attributed to leads generated on social media.

                    If you understand the power of Facebook when it comes to real estate lead generation but haven’t quite figured out how to tap it, consider starting with Facebook groups.

                    A Memorial Day Super Sale is going on right now! Get 10% off on ALL postcards.

                    Use promo code: MEMORIAL10 (excluding postage, data, tax, and EDDM. Offer expires 6/4/22).

                    To get started saving, Click Here.

                    Join some groups

                    Start by finding some groups that Facebook thinks you might like. You can do that by going here and then clicking on “Discover.”

                    Naturally, if you post frequently to Facebook, the algorithm is going to assume you are interested in real estate so be prepared for lots of real estate-agent-related groups among the suggestions.

                    There’s nothing wrong with joining these groups but to generate real estate leads, however, go where consumers hang out.

                    You’ll find a “Categories” list on the left side of the page. And, since “all real estate is local,” the best category for a real estate agent to peruse is “Local.” 

                    Here you’ll find some interesting groups. Mine includes one for a popular neighborhood in my city (with 31,000 members). As an agent, I would join that one. But there are tons of others to join as well.

                    Choose groups with interests that you can blog about because that’s one of the ways in which you’ll be using these groups to generate real estate leads. 

                    Don’t be “that annoying real estate agent”

                    When interacting in your Facebook groups, keep your focus on the “social” aspect of social media. You’re not there to sell yourself or your business but to build relationships and get your name in front of people.

                    Don’t just use the groups to share your blog posts; interact with other group members.

                    And, keep in mind that some groups have rules, so learn them and abide by them.

                    It’s also important to keep in mind that interacting in groups is not about getting a flood of leads right now. Like most lead gen strategies, you’re building future business.

                    PLUS: When you have time…below are some marketing tools to help support your success.

                    1. Put Your Real Estate Business a Step Above with Your Own Branded Magazine

                    Homes & Life Magazine is a customizable magazine, with rich, full-color content, and a sharp, professional esthetic. It includes compelling, direct response-driven articles written by real estate industry experts, combined with engaging lifestyle content. Send out Homes & Life Magazine in Just Minutes – No Minimums Required. Or we’ll ship it to you.

                    Homes & Life Magazine is the ultimate “Coffee Table Lingerer”! …and, it costs less than sending a greeting card! – Click Here


                    2. The Free 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

                    The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, niche Markets, geographic farming, sphere of influence, and past clients. – Click Here

                    3. The BusinessBase, SOI building system

                    The most effective thing you can do to build a real estate business is to become more visible, more likable, and remembered more often. The BusinessBASE™ not only checks all of these boxes, but it is a business building machine. In two easy steps, you can begin to build a robust sphere of influence that will provide you a lifetime of repeat business and referrals. – Click Here

                    4. The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan

                    The Free Interactive Real Estate Business Plan allows you to enter your business goals for this year and get a breakdown of how many prospects, listings, closing, and so on are needed to reach your goals.  – Click Here

                    5. The Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

                    This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

                    Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

                    6. The Take a Listing Today Podcast

                    Watch the ProspectsPLUS!, Take a Listing Today Podcast for actionable content to help you get more listings. – Click Here

                      Goals. We all have them, some of us have more than others. Reaching them is the true challenge in any business.

                      ChicagoAgentMagazine.com recently published the results of a survey of agents asking about their lead generation goals through the end of 2020.

                      One of the questions asked was how much money they plan to spend on marketing this year. Nearly half of the agent respondents said they will spend between $0 and $150 a month. Sadly, of these agents, 23% will spend between $0 and $75 a month.

                      Naturally, the cheapest lead generation and marketing methods were the most popular. For instance, 65% of respondents plan on “making better use of social media.”

                      Then, 62% will be organizing their CRM to become more efficient in their marketing. Third on the list was “spending more time with family and friends.”

                      Hey, if you spend only $75 a month marketing your business, you’ll have loads of time to spend with family and friends.

                      Increase that amount just a smidge, however, and you may just need to pencil-in that “time with family and friends.” And, that’s a good thing, at least for your bank account.

                      Get More Listings Series Postcard
                      Americans, by and large, are staying home a lot more.

                      Some states are “pulling back on re-openings,” according to Paul Davidson at USAToday.com.

                      There is a bright spot for real estate agents. Millions of people are spending lots of time at home, and direct mail has become one of the best means of communicating with them.

                      Choose a neighborhood

                      Yup, it’s time to start focusing on farming, if you haven’t already. Well, farming with a twist, circle prospecting to be precise.

                      Circle prospecting is an amazing way to get your name and branding in front of consumers without violating safety protocols.

                      With this type of prospecting you aren’t obviously fishing for leads, but spreading some news – homes in the neighborhood (or nearby) that have been listed for sale, are under contract, have sold or are being held open.

                      You’re offering something of value.

                      The first step in the process is to choose the area in which you’ll prospect. If you currently have a listing, or someone in your brokerage does (let’s hope so!), choose that neighborhood and, perhaps, those adjacent to it. Then, create a targeted mailing list.

                      Get More Listings Series Postcard
                      There’s more than one way to circle prospect

                      Some agents are actually comfortable and successful with door-knocking around listings.

                      More agents, however, are more comfortable with direct mail. And, with social distancing mandates in place, this method of circle prospecting is the most responsible.

                      The bonus is that, right now, direct mail is the method most likely to meet with success, and for a number of reasons:

                      1. Many agents have cut their marketing budgets, while some have stopped spending on marketing. With the pool of competition all but drained in this regard, your chances of success increase exponentially.

                      2. Those agents who are still marketing are gravitating to free marketing, such as promoting themselves to their friends, family and followers on social media. Others are going heavy on email marketing. Again, this lessens the mail arriving at consumers’ homes, heightening the chance that your mailed pieces will get the eyes on them.

                      3. “Checking the mail” is something most of us can do without exposing ourselves to the virus. It also gives us something to do while we’re stuck at home. For instance, how many catalogs have you leafed through that you would’ve otherwise thrown away?

                      4. Then, there are the facts about the effectiveness of direct mail:

                      • 92% of consumers say they prefer direct mail over digital when making shopping decisions
                      • 70% of them prefer USPS-delivered mail, according to William Boynton at Postalytics.com, citing a report from the National Association of Advertisers (ANA).
                      • Nearly 15% of millennials surveyed feel that print messages are more trustworthy than those that are digitally delivered, according to a report from the USPS.
                      What’s next?

                      Now that you have your list and your strategy (prospecting around listings, solds or open houses), it’s time to round up the resources you’ll need to kick off and maintain your circle prospecting campaigns.

                      Naturally, we recommend checking out the brilliant array of targeted postcards offered here. From Get More Listings postcards to the Mega-sized, Market Dominator (with 100% impression rate) you’ll find what you need to get your campaign going and keep it going.

                      Get More Listings Series Postcard
                      Send the More Inventory postcard from the Get More Listings Series to an area where you want more listings.

                      Need help targeting a specific niche of buyers or sellers? Use our Demographic Search Tool to create the ideal list (it’s easy). Or call our support team for assistance at 866.405.3638!

                      PLUS: When you have time…here are some helpful resources we’ve made available to support your success.

                      1. Become a Neighborhood Brand

                      Become branded in a specific neighborhood with a 12X15 marketing piece sent automatically each month to an exclusive carrier route. Watch this video to learn more or Click Here.

                      2. The Free Real Estate Mailing List Guide

                      This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Real-Estate-Mailing-List-Guide2-3-D-999x1024.jpg

                      The Real Estate Mailing List Guide outlines the top tools for generating targeted prospecting lists including Baby Boomers, Empty Nesters, Investors, Lifestyle Interests, High-Income Renters, Move-Up Markets, and more. The Guide also defines done-for-you marketing campaigns to match these markets. –Click Here

                      3. The Free 12 Month Done-For-You Strategic Marketing Plan

                      This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is 2020-Planner-3D-999x1024.jpg

                      The Real Estate Marketing Planner is a powerful 12-Month-Guide that strategically defines what marketing to do when. Four key market segments are included, Niche Marketing, Get More Listings, Geographic Farming, and Sphere of Influence. –Click Here

                      4. The Free One-Page Real Estate Business Plan

                      This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Business-Plan-3D-Book-New1-270x300.png

                      Treat your business like a business it is vital to long-term success in this industry. Some agents may put together elaborate business plans, yet there’s something powerful about keeping it simple. Check out our one page Online Real Estate Business Plan.  – Click Here

                      5. Become a Listing Legend Free eBook 

                      This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is Become-A-Listing-Legend-3D-Book-White-274x300.jpg

                      Ready to take a vertical leap in your real estate career? If you’re looking for inspiration…and the tools and methods to dominate a market and go to the top in real estate…you’ll find them in this free book. – Click Here

                      6. The Free Online ROI Calculator

                      This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is ROI-calculator-b-233x300.jpg

                      Consistency and automation are the keys to success. Discover how effective direct mail marketing can dramatically increase your bottom line. Enter your statistics in our Free online ROI Calculator and click the ‘CALCULATE MY ROI’ button to see your results instantly! –Click Here

                      7. The Free Real Estate Marketing Guide “CRUSH IT” 

                      This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is CRUSH-IT-Guide-3-d-298x300.jpg

                      The “Crush It” Guide includes easy steps to launching an effective direct mail marketing campaign, how to create a targeted prospect list, the perfect way to layout marketing materials for success, seven opportunities available to target in your area right now. –Click Here

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