3 Ways to Get that Phone to Ring

As the saying goes, "You have to spend money to make money." And that's true. You have to invest in your business if you want it to grow. But that investment doesn't have to start off big. There are several ways to generate real estate leads without spending a fortune. Read on for three ways to bring in more leads.

Host a seminar or webinar.

Buyers and sellers don't know much about real estate transactions--at least at first. Hosting an info session for buyers or sellers can help get them on the fast track to a transaction, and since you've already got their attention, you can use the opportunity to convert some of your audience into clients. Be sure to take down the names, emails, and phone numbers of everyone who attends your seminar so you can follow up afterwards. Come ready with plenty of great tips and some branded resources to make it easy for them to get back in touch with you.

Inviting other experts to come and speak at your seminar is a good way to build credibility and connections. A mortgage partner could share info about qualifying for a loan or about different loan options. A builder can discuss the benefits of purchasing a new home. A home inspector can share tips on what buyers should look for to determine a home's condition or what sellers should fix to get a better price for their home. This gives each expert a chance to gain more business and eliminates unanswered questions that may have been preventing your guests from transacting.

Another option is to see if any builders or mortgage lenders are already holding seminars and offer to come and speak at their seminar.

Offer fresh, local content.

Investing in quality programs like Homes.com's SEO Fuel to build your presence in local search results is a great way to drive business to your website, but there are things you can do on your own to show up higher in searches as well. One of the best options is to create plenty of fresh, local content for your website. Local content is a great way to work important keywords onto your website naturally.

Once you have visitors on your local content pages, you need to turn them into leads. Try offering free eBooks, checklists, or flyers related to your local content, or ask them to subscribe to your newsletter for updates from your area. Be sure to use landing pages!

If you don't already have a newsletter, Homes.com creates a free monthly newsletter for real estate agents. Just remember to add a landing page link and a call to action to identify which recipients are ready to transact.

Create landing pages.

When you direct traffic you generated through social media, advertising, or other marketing efforts directly to a lead capture page on your website, there's a good chance they'll click over to a different page without filling out your form. Even if they do eventually fill out a form, you have no idea where they came from since anyone can get to the form. This usually means you have to use a very broad, one-size-fits-all approach and just hope they click on the right "buyer" or "seller" options and eventually get in touch with you.

Landing pages are simplified web pages that make it easier to keep page visitors focused on your lead capture form. By themselves, landing pages won't do much good, but when you send traffic from other marketing and advertising efforts there, you can significantly improve your lead capture rate and gain valuable insight into what your visitors want. Try directing your traffic to landing pages specifically designed for each of your target audiences so you can address the specific needs that drove them to click on your link. For example, if you set up a Facebook ad offering homeowners advice on pricing their home, send those who click on your ad to a seller-oriented landing page where they can schedule an appointment with you.

To view the original article, visit the Homes.com blog.