The property sector can be a challenge to break into. Even the most experienced and talented professionals fail to get results because they don't have smart real estate lead generation techniques.
Lead generation for estate agents can often feel like you're facing an uphill run if you don’t know how to do it. The good news is with the right strategies in place, you can turn your estate agency business around for fantastic results.
However, the challenge of generating real estate leads is getting quality ones that aren't going to waste your time or money. That's why we've put together this guide: to help you understand how to generate high-quality leads and how best to get them interested in working with you.
In this blog, our estate agents’ digital marketing specialists share 6 proven lead generation tactics for estate agents—that will help you generate leads not once but over and over again.
Read on…
#1 Network
There’s simply no getting around it: If you want to be a successful estate agent, you need to network. How do you network for real estate lead generation?
There are tons of ways to network with local homeowners and potential customers.
The key to networking right is connecting with the prospects you meet. While it can be tempting to just throw business cards at everyone and hope they remember you, that won't convert to business. Instead, be friendly and in the know– take a few minutes each day to chat with friends and family, and be an active member of local charities and events.
Why not send helpful emails with local market insights, lifestyle tips, etc., to connect with the local families? Make a friendly phone call to potential home movers in your area for a personal touch and a piece of quick advice.
Your real estate website is your online business card. Make sure it looks fantastic on the outside and fastest on the inside. Discover website features that work as powerful lead generation tools for estate agents.
Get involved in local community efforts and charities to give back to the community. Show up and make a splash. There's no better way to market your estate agency services than getting along with the local community and sharing knowledge, resources, and advice
#2 Referrals
Asking for referrals is a great way to get new clients. You're missing out on countless potential leads if you're not asking for them. Referrals not only save you time and energy but also make it easier to build trust with your prospect.
Ask for referrals and feedback when you complete service with a client. And don't forget to send a personal thank you message when someone refers you to a new client. To get referrals, keep it simple. Just ask, and be genuine. If you do a good job, your clients will be glad to help you out in whatever way they can. You could also offer something special as a token of your appreciation to your client for referrals, a gift hamper, or a value added free service for their next property transaction (incentivise them to return for more!).
#3 Process
Have you ever wondered why some estate agents sell more while others struggle? It's because they have a solid real estate lead generation process.
To start a strategy, think about what you want to accomplish with your sales. What are your goals? What are your USPs (Unique selling points)? Who are the people who need what you're selling?
Next up is defining objectives for each part of the process—when should I position my estate agency brand online? How can I reach my audience? How do I generate new and high quality real estate leads? The more specific these objectives are, the better.
Once you've answered those questions, start by creating a customer profile—a description of who they are, what they need, and where they can be found. Once you know this information, it'll be easier for you to figure out how best to reach them (via social media content, paid ads, emails or phone calls?.
Finally, once everything is in place (and maybe even before), evaluate how effective each step has been so far at reaching those goals and improving the process for greater results.
#4 Local Presence
The first thing people do when they're looking for a new home or a local service is search on Google.
So why not be among the first listings they see? Read about why it’s key for estate agents to be on page 1 of Google.
Creating a GMB (Google My Business) profile is one of the best solutions for estate agents' lead generation, particularly when combined with solid local SEO. A GMB that’s regularly updated with your services and offers can attract tons of local business via organic traffic, and it could end up being a vital new pipeline of leads if you use it right. Learn more about how Google Business Profile can help in lead generation for estate agents here.
#5 Social Media
You've heard it before, and you'll hear it again: social media is an incredible tool to market your estate agency business.
As digital marketing experts in property sector, in this day and age, we know it's no longer about getting your message out. Generating real estate leads is about getting quality messages out to the right people. The power of social media for real estate lead generation lies in your ability to share content on the ideal platform and one that engages with your audience. For example, try creating exciting tips and guides, the latest property listings, and trendy market updates that resonate with potential customers and make your posts sharable. Even leverage Google ads to get better results in addition to email drip campaigns, newsletters and organic posts.
In addition, you could engage with people's posts with helpful information or point them to a home that could be of interest -- without a sales-y pitch!
#6 Videos
Videos offer many benefits when branding, selling or letting homes—and beyond. Creating fabulous videos is an excellent way to show off the features of a home way better than photographs. It also allows you to offer quick one-minute videos that showcase your expertise and authority in the property biz. This goes a long way for your estate agency’s brand story as well as lead generation.
Plus, you can use these videos as social media reels content or on your website, upload them on Youtube, and even during face-to-face meetings to answer client questions.
Examples of video content
- Places to visit in the area
- Featured property
- Brand video
- Explainer video
- Tips
The types of video content are quite endless, why not check out our videos for inspiration or get in touch with us to create videos for your estate agency?
Need more leads?
So there you have it: the ultimate guide to real estate lead generation. With the right strategies in place, you can turn your estate agency business around for fantastic results.
Don't worry if you're still feeling overwhelmed—we've got you covered.
Speak with us to learn how to get your estate agency business to the next level.