Low Inventory Got You Down? 5 Tips for Finding More Homes for Sale
It's not news that housing inventory is low, but anyone who's been working as a real estate agent during the past couple of years can attest that it's more difficult than ever to find homes for sale! Listing agents are struggling to find homeowners interested in moving and selling their home, and buyer's agents have the challenge of finding a house for their buying clients, one that meets their needs and is within their budget. We've created an ebook in partnership with several companies whose bread-and-butter is helping agents find listings. You can download and read it here — and in the meantime, here are five more proven ways for you to try to find more listings as a real estate agent. 1. FSBO and expired listings This is a tried-and-true method for finding listings, and that's because it works! The red-hot seller's market that many areas were experiencing during the coronavirus pandemic and during recovery have now largely vanished, but there are a lot of would-be sellers who didn't get the message and who might be trying to offload their house without the help of an agent. A list of FSBO sales or expired listings can truly be real estate gold because you already know that the people who own that house are interested in selling it; you just need to understand what the barrier is (or was) to concluding that transaction. 2. Build relationships with builders New construction is an important part of inventory in many markets, and it's the only way to make a listing appear out of thin air, more or less! Builders want to focus on what they do best, which is build houses, not negotiate with a buyer. If there are developers or construction magnates in your area who aren't already working with a brokerage or a specific agent, maybe that could be you! 3. Find the landlords Making passive income by renting out a home can sound like a dream come true — but real estate professionals know that being a landlord can also be more of a nightmare scenario for some people. Who owns a home that they're currently renting out in the market where you operate? How long have they owned that home? Do they struggle to find quality tenants? Are they reaching retirement age or another life milestone that might cause them to reconsider their investments, both time-wise and money-wise, and make some different allocations? The landlords are going to want to sell that house someday, and if you know who they are and have been chatting with them about the pain points surrounding rentals in the area, then you might be the first agent to know about that listing. 4. Familiarize yourself with foreclosures Due to forbearance programs connected to the coronavirus pandemic, foreclosures have been mostly down nationally, meaning there haven't been as many in the past couple of years as we typically see. But now that the forbearance is ending and those programs are not available anymore, it's possible that we could be seeing more foreclosure activity in the near future. These homes can represent an opportunity in at least two different ways. First, you can reach out to homeowners who are facing foreclosure and offer to help them sell the house to pay off the mortgage. If that doesn't work out, then you can always try to represent the property on behalf of the bank if it doesn't sell at auction after it's been foreclosed. The bank doesn't want to keep the house; it wants to sell it to a buyer. Some agents specialize in REO (real estate-owned) listings and work directly with the banks to help represent and close transactions around those properties. 5. Knock on some doors With email and social media both prevalent ways of reaching out to prospective buyers and sellers, door-knocking has largely fallen out of favor. And that's a bit of a shame, because not every possible buyer or seller is active on social media, and one of the best ways to find listings is to learn who in the neighborhood might want to sell but feels like they can't for one reason or another. And how do you find those listings? Simple: You travel from door to door to introduce yourself to the occupants, ask if they own or rent, and then pose a few questions to them about their current situation and how happy they are. If it seems like they're dealing with a problem that you could help solve as either a listing agent or a buyer's agent, then you might have found yourself a new client! Low home inventory is a challenge for everyone in real estate. Buyers want more options for their ultimate purchase decision; sellers might be leery of leaving a house where they're comfortable because they're unsure they can find something comparable at a decent price. To generate more inventory for your own listings and for your buyers, sometimes thinking outside the box is the best approach. Want more outside-the-box ways to find homes for sale? Download our ebook today.

Why Absentee Owners May Be a Gold Mine for Seller Leads in Today's Market
During this month's Tips & Tricks Tuesday series, we've been discussing how to find more homes to list. One major obstacle in this quest is finding willing sellers -- few homeowners are willing to give up their existing low mortgage rate to enter into today's high-priced market. But there's one group of homeowners who may be the exception to this: absentee owners. Properties with absentee owners are likely to be rentals, second homes, or vacation homes. Because the property isn't their primary home, they don't need to worry about buying a replacement home at a high price or interest rate. And owners of these homes may be willing to list to capitalize on today's high property values, or to rid themselves of extra property taxes or the hassle of being a landlord. So what's the best way to pursue these potential sellers? In the video above, Brandon Mulrenin offers strategies for turning these leads into clients. Watch the video to learn: How to get an absentee owner list Tips and methods for reaching out to absentee owners How to use social media, email marketing, and direct response mail to target this niche Why an "acquisition focus" is a potent messaging strategy And more! Related Reading Get More Listings: Pursue Absentee Owners How to Build your Neighborhood Database From Scratch 8 Proven Prospecting Methods to Build Your Real Estate Business

8 campaign ideas for finding more listings
Welcome back to our "Tips and Tricks Tuesday" series, which highlights articles around a monthly theme. August's theme is "Finding more homes for sale." Read on for tips and tricks for finding business even in challenging market: This is the bottom line: Realtors are always looking for more homes to sell. It doesn't matter what industry forecasters predict for the housing market, how much interest and mortgage rates have risen or fallen, whether home sales are up or down, or how the paradigms of the industry are shifting. The core of the real estate industry is home sales. So how do industry professionals find more homes to sell? The key is smart prospecting, and one tool can help you in this endeavor — your MLS's property data tool. Let's look at an example: CRS Data's MLS Tax Suite offers prospecting maps, demographic tools and property reports, and real estate professionals can find a wealth of information about residential properties they may want to prospect. The technology available allows Realtors to become not just familiar with certain neighborhoods or certain geographical areas, but to become experts. And what homebuyer wouldn't want an expert helping them make one of the most important decisions of their lives? You can use your MLS's property data tool to identify prospects, create mailing lists and even print out mailing labels for marketing campaigns. (Check out this link to see how easy CRS Data makes it to build a prospecting list of homeowners who may be looking to sell.) Need campaign ideas? We've got you covered! Here are eight marketing campaign ideas for drumming up new business: 1. Rising home values campaign - Record-high home prices go hand-in-hand with record-low housing inventory. Nudge reluctant sellers off the fence by reminding them how much profit they can make off their home if they sell now. Send out mailers that list how much home prices have risen in the area you're targeting. Be sure to include a call-to-action to contact you for a free home valuation, or to visit a dedicated landing page for a free online valuation (e.g., What's your home worth? Find out here!). 2. Sold listing campaign - After you sell a home, send out a mailer to homes nearby that shows what the home sold for. In today's market, that's usually a big number, so make that information prominent. If the home sold over the asking price or very quickly, mention that. You want your prospects to associate you with a potentially lucrative opportunity to sell their home. As with the above idea, include your contact information and a call-to-action. Your goal here is to capture potential seller leads. 3. New listing campaign - One thing you can count on with homeowners — they're curious about other homes in their neighborhood. What do they look like? How much are they worth compared to my home? Tap into this curiosity by sending a postcard or flier that announces your new listing and all its details: price, bed/bath, square footage, school district, etc. This campaign's goal is to build awareness of you as the go-to Realtor for selling homes in the area. 4. Expired listings campaign - If there's one thing expired listings have going for them, it's this: they want to sell their home. Something went wrong with their last attempt at a sale — the price was too high, repairs were needed, or maybe their previous agent wasn't suited to the task. Whatever the case, these owners are prime targets for prospecting. Send them or physically drop off a packet touting your experience and successes to encourage them to list their home with you. 5. Likely mover campaign - How long do residents in your area stay in their homes? If you know this piece of information, you can use it to target owners who have been in their home for around that amount of time — and statistically may be likely to move soon. A postcard or other mailer from you may help nudge them into listing. Just be sure to use your public records tool to remove active "for sale" homes from your list, as they obviously don't need your services — and you don't need to waste your marketing budget. 6. Renters/new buyers campaign - Do you enjoy working with first-time buyers? Consider targeting renters in affluent neighborhoods. Finding them in your property data system is a little less straightforward than finding current homeowners, however. Fortunately, your property data platform's "owner type" filter can help. For example, in CRS Data's MLS Tax Suite, you can filter results by absentee owner, out-of-state owner, in-state owner, and owner-occupied properties. All options except owner-occupied can help you target properties with renters. Tip: Target renters in more prosperous areas or near major area employers, as these prospects are more likely to be interested in and capable of buying. 7. Open house campaign - As with the first campaign, the open house campaign is a brand-building venture. (You can also send these campaigns to your broader geographic farm.) When neighbors do show up to your open house, don't dismiss them as curious looky-loos. They may be more than just nosy; they may be thinking of selling their own home and are curious to see how their home stacks up. This is a great opportunity to get their contact information so that you can send them a quick home valuation or comparative market analysis. You can email this to them, or even offer to deliver it in person if they seem especially likely to list! 8. Geographic farming campaign - Is there a high number of homes for sale in a specific area you serve? Put their MLS photos on a single postcard, along with their price and bed/bath count, and send it to homeowners in the neighborhood or to those who may want to move there. Even if not all the listings on the postcard are yours, you can use them to bait potential buyers into calling you for a tour. For area homeowners, you can invite them to contact you to see how their home's value compares. For more information about CRS Data, visit their website. Not a CRS Data user? Contact your public records provider or MLS help desk for assistance. You can also explore more public records solutions in our Product Directory.

Looking for Better Leads? Remine Pro Could Be Your Best Solution
Welcome back to our "Tips and Tricks Tuesday" series, which highlights articles around a monthly theme. August's theme is "Finding more homes for sale." Did you know that Remine Pro (which might be available for free in your market through your MLS!) can help you customize filters to find your niche — the buyer and seller clients you're trying to reach? Learn more about Remine Pro's tools and how to use this powerful resource: For agents looking to enhance their prospecting strategies and maintain a steady stream of leads, Remine Pro is an ideal solution. By providing the ability to personalize the way filters are applied, Remine Pro offers greater chances to pinpoint prospects in your area, making it an essential tool for maximizing lead generation in a changing market. One of the many benefits of using Remine Pro is that it provides you with easy-to-access data at your fingertips through your MLS membership. With Remine Pro's search tools, you can easily pinpoint high-quality buyer and listing leads, helping maximize your prospecting efforts. Tap into data that helps you win more business When you are looking to find buyer leads, Remine Pro offers several search filters that can help you engage renters and establish yourself as an area expert. For example, by using Remine Pro's Absentee filter, you can target properties that are not owner-occupied, which are most likely being used as rentals. By focusing on the current residents of these properties, you increase your chances of gaining potential buyers. Absentee Filter Remine Pro makes it easy to narrow your search by selecting a ZIP code, a specific neighborhood, or a building type. You can also pinpoint your desired area on the map and utilize the Carts feature to send mailers to renters you have identified through this workflow. These features make your prospecting efforts even more effective, allowing you to reach potential buyers with ease. Mailers with Remine Pinpoint opportunities on the map and activate listing leads If you are interested in finding listing leads, Remine Pro offers valuable filters to help you refine your seller search. By using the Ownership Time and Mortgage filters, you can infer which owners might be looking to sell. The Ownership Time filter shows you properties on the selected area of the map based on the length of time the current owner has owned the property, making it a useful tool for finding potential new clients interested in listing their property. Ownership Time Filter Remine Pro also offers two filters associated with a mortgage, the Mortgage Age and Mortgage Rate filters. These filters can help you narrow down your search even further by gathering information about the current interest rate of the active mortgage associated with the property. Mortgage Age Filter Mortgage Rate Filter Additionally, you can use the Off-Market filter to filter out properties that are not currently on the market or recently closed. This, combined with the Ownership Time and Sell Score filters, can help predict how likely a property is to list within the next 6 to 12 months. Off Market Filter Activate your trusted source for prospecting, Remine Pro Remine Pro is a powerful tool that can help you optimize your prospecting workflow and keep leads in your pipeline built specifically for agents like you, making it the best resource for finding leads and enhancing your toolkit. So why wait? Find out if Remine Pro is available through an MLS in your market by visiting info.remine.com/contact-us and start taking advantage of these lead-generating tools today!

Lead Gen Meets Next Gen with RealtyCandy's New AI-powered Home Valuation Widget
Welcome to a new month of our "Tips and Tricks Tuesday" series, which highlights articles around a theme. August's theme is "Finding more homes for sale." Read on for tips and tricks for finding business in a challenging market: RealtyCandy may have just broken the record in developing the easiest lead gen tool for real estate agents and brokers. For over a decade, the company has been providing unique website apps, templates, widgets, and first-to-market integrations to thousands of real estate agents nationwide. In a recent press release, they announced a partnership with Plunk, an AI-powered property analytics platform, to provide agents and brokers with access to a lead gen widget that produces both real-time home valuation and local market insights, including sale vs. list price, median list price, median days on market, price per square foot, inventory, and days of inventory. This first-of-its-kind lead gen widget is available on HomeValuation.ai and the price points are quite reasonable considering the leads would be generated instantly, without having to take a client outside of the agent's website. The average cost for agent lead gen tools on popular real estate portals like Zillow can range from $20 to $60 per lead. Through the HomeValuation.ai widget, an agent can access up to 100 valuation leads for $59 and keep clients engaged within their own website. In a departure from most other valuation widgets, when a potential client enters their address into a HomeValuation.ai widget, the data address is immediately captured. This has proven to be particularly valuable when paired with a QR code and used as a rider at open houses or on yard arm signs. The agent instantly knows who in the neighborhood is checking their value and can follow up. Beyond the price point per lead and the end-user experience, the easy integration is what truly sets this lead gen tool apart. "I've been a real estate agent for 20 years and have never come across a lead gen tool this simple. It took me five minutes to sign up for a plan and paste one line of code into my website," said Darren Winston, an early adopter of the widget and a luxury agent at Sotheby's International Realty. "Having an AI-based home valuation tool has been an effective way for me to bring past clients and new homeowners to my website." And because it's only one line of code, there's no new tech stack to add or additional costs for a development team to deploy this new tool. "Real estate agents and brokers have been presented with a growing number of technology solutions to help streamline and grow their businesses—but some require complicated integrations," remarked James Call, Founder and CEO of RealtyCandy, in the press release. "So, we built an elegant and simple home valuation lead gen widget, leveraging Plunk's AI-powered home ticker and local market metrics." RealtyCandy has created a demo of how to use RealtyCandy's lead gen widget here. Kurt Kreager has over 40 years of experience in buying, selling, and managing real estate for buyers, sellers, and investors. He is currently a Managing Broker with Coldwell Banker Danforth and a lead advisor on real estate services at Plunk.

Unlocking Success: How to Create a Referral-Driven Real Estate Business
As a real estate agent, having a robust referral network is an essential requirement that cannot be overlooked or compromised. According to NAR's 2022 Home Buyers and Sellers Generational Trends Report, referrals remain the primary method by which most buyers found their real estate agent. Establishing and sustaining a referral network guarantees a steady stream of clients. However, constructing such a network requires deliberate efforts in staying connected with past clients, actively engaging in community involvement, and employing other effective strategies. Create a Referral Website Consider creating a dedicated website with a memorable and user-friendly URL for generating referrals. You can leverage your free .realtor™ web address with its free lead-generating website for this purpose. Provide detailed information about your market, making it distinct and memorable. Include noteworthy details that set you apart and leave a lasting impression on visitors. PRO TIP: Tell your clients exactly who you are and what you do with a free website and email address ending in .realtor™. Position yourself as a leader with your own custom .realtor™ web address like http://www.dealcloserdoug.realtor — which includes a lead-generating website. LEARN MORE Build Strong, Authentic Relationships According to Nikki Beauchamp, Senior Global Real Estate Advisor and Licensed Associate Real Estate Broker at Engel & Völkers New York City: I think of three Rs (relationships, referrals, revenue), and you can't get to the second and third R without the first. Building strong relationships with other real estate professionals worldwide is key. Actively engage with real estate agents, brokers, and industry professionals in different countries and regions. Attend international real estate conferences, join global networking groups, leverage technology and participate in online communities to connect with like-minded professionals. Use technology to showcase and highlight your local market knowledge and your network (don't sleep on LinkedIn and other social networking platforms). Building trust and rapport with these individuals will lead to valuable referrals in the future — the same as is the case with our clients and customers. Barbara Betts, broker, CEO, and keynote speaker, agrees that: Relationships are the foundation for any business to be successful. The key is understanding the know, like, and trust factor. You've probably heard a sales trainer at one point in your career say something like, "If someone knows you and likes you, they will trust you." I fundamentally believe that is wrong. Just because someone knows you and likes you does not mean they will automatically trust you. Trust is something you have to earn. In the real estate world, I build trust in three ways: Building relationships, deepening relationships, nurturing relationships, and then giving those relationships a reason to trust me by applying a system! That's the key, you can't just sit back and "wish" for referrals; you have to work at it, you have to have a system, and you have to leverage it. At the end of the day, you have to SHOW UP in your people's lives as more than a real estate agent, show them you care about them, whether they ever buy or sell, apply a system to get them to trust you by providing value, and THEN you can ask for business, and what you ask for, you will receive, but only and only if a relationship was there from the beginning. Use Referral Business Cards Craft a distinct set of cards exclusively designed for networking with fellow agents and brokers. Incorporate essential information about your identity, along with a visual or textual representation highlighting your expertise in the market area. Additionally, include a nod to your experience and ensure that your contact details are easily accessible for seamless communication. Leverage the REALTOR® brand on those business cards! NAR offers every REALTOR® a free .realtor™ web address, website, and forwarding email address. According to Harrison Beacher, REALTOR® and 30 Under 30 recipient, "In a world where differentiation is more important than ever, leveraging the powerful REALTOR® brand as a part of your website and email domain is a great way to stand out from the pack. We leverage .realtor™ with our referral partners around the country who recognize and acknowledge the power of the REALTOR® brand." Create Referral Buckets Maura Neill, REALTOR® with RE/MAX Around Atlanta and a highly in-demand speaker/educator, suggests that you: Think referral buckets: you should have a variety of buckets of different types of referral sources and communicate with them differently. Your interactions with your current and past clients — staying top of mind, being a valuable resource, continuing to nurture those "agent for life" relationships — will be different from your interactions with your colleagues and peers, different from your interactions with your family, close friends, and sphere. Being intentional about the way you engage with each bucket is critical — your current clients may want to know about your open houses; your peers across the country likely won't. Your family and close friends should get more personal holiday updates; your past clients may call for something a little less personal, but still want to hear from you. Most importantly, make sure that your communication and engagement feel authentic to you, and to who you are, and help every bucket of possible referrals get to know you better. It's the acknowledgment that it may take a little more work and a little more planning, but in the end, it's worth it for the quality of the relationships that you build. And referrals just don't come without relationships. Harness the Power of Social Media According to the NAR 2022 Technology Survey, social media ranked as the top tech tool for generating high-quality leads. Rebecca Donatelli, REALTOR® with Elite Sotheby's International Realty, 30 Under 30 Recipient, and best-selling author: Most agents think to just connect locally — think big picture. So many people are relocating for jobs, family, etc. Be that person agents reach out to! The key to social media lies in being actively engaged and consistent. Here are a few tips to help you achieve precisely that: Regularly connect with past clients through direct messages and ensure you engage with their content consistently. By appearing in their notifications repeatedly, you stay on their radar. Extend a warm welcome to new followers with a simple message such as, "Thank you for joining my real estate community here on Instagram! I hope you find my tips and ideas helpful!" Keep it concise, and genuine, and avoid a sales pitch. Post content that is valuable to your audience and avoid self-promotion. Provide community and neighborhood information. Be a resource, not a marketing machine. Dedicate at least 10 minutes every day to engage with your followers' content. If you want them to interact with you, you must reciprocate by engaging with their posts as well. Maintain a consistent posting schedule, even if it's only two days a week. Consistency is key to staying top of mind, which in turn drives more referrals and attracts potential clients. When it comes to building a referral network, Sarita Dua summarizes everything really well. She says: 1) Have a goal — a number of referrals to give. Givers gain. 2) Communicate with referral partners often. 3) Come from contribution. 4) Reward the behavior, not the result. For example, thank someone when you receive a referral, not when it closes. Regardless of the outcome, you want to be appreciative that they thought of you. 5) Take referrals seriously. Someone's name and reputation is on that referral when they thought of you. Don't let them or the prospect down. Sarita is the Principal Broker and Team Operator at The askSarita Team powered by PLACE, Keller Williams Sunset Corridor. Written by the get.realtor Team and the National Association of REALTORS®. Leverage the power of the REALTOR® brand to build respect for your referral marketing content. If you'd like to learn how to claim your free web address, lead-generating website, and forwarding email address, go to get.realtor.

[Podcast] Farming as a Realtor with Christine Regan
Christine Regan is a Realtor for Keller Williams. She's a former hairstylist and makeup artist for music videos and commercials and is in the top 10% in an office of over 350 agents. In this episode of Real Talk with Realtors, learn how to farm as a Realtor, work effectively with your business partner, make yourself visible, create trust through direct mail, and whether to renovate as a homeowner. This episode covers everything from marketing to innovation in the real estate industry. Here's a small sample of what you will hear in this episode: Is it intimidating to make your first real estate transaction? What systems have worked for Christine? Why don't homeowners interview many Realtors? How do you pick a real estate farm? What percent of Christine's business is in her farm? How do Christine and Meghan work effectively together? When should you look for a real estate partner? Real talk...not Real talk: Farming Connect with Christine at MeghanAndChristine.com. Check out the episode and show notes for much more detail. Listen on: Spotify Apple Podcasts Google Podcasts Visit the episode homepage for show notes and more detail.

Why You Should Slide into the DMs of Your Real Estate Leads
Sliding into someone's DMs isn't just for amorous suitors on social media — it's also a great strategy to employ with real estate leads. And it's as simple as sparking a conversation with interesting posts on social media. Did someone comment on your post about the local real estate market? Reply briefly to them and then take it to their direct messages to get more in-depth. That's the simplified version, anyway. In the video above, real estate leaders Katie Day and Ken Pozek get more in-depth with Jason Pantana about how they use this strategy in their business. Watch it to learn the specific ins-and-outs of successfully winning leads via direct message on social media. This video explores: The content that sparks conversations Calls-to-action that work best The importance of social media avatars Identifying leads in your DMs Managing your direct messages And more!

How to Find the Best Client Matches for Your Agent Business
There are a surprising number of moving parts that come together to create the perfect agent — client match and, hopefully, a long-term relationship that spans the years to come. Whether it's organic or with lead gen software, finding quality leads who are ready to buy or sell is key to your agent business. But afterward, it's your selling style as an agent that comes into play — as well as the buying style of your lead-turned-client. And of course, these factors can vary over time. Below, we'll explore the specifics of figuring out your style as an agent and applying it to your brand, figuring out the buying/selling style of your clients, and merging both factors to achieve a perfect balance in your business. Your agent style Before we get into the types of ideal clients that are out there, it's important to have a firm grasp on your own selling style as an agent. That way, you can define your brand and attract like-minded clients accordingly. This is made of two parts: what you want, and what you offer. What you want Consider your agent goals. Take timelines, for example. Do you want to work as quickly as possible? Is your working style more laidback and client-led, or do you lean more toward taking the reins? If you're a new agent, this can take some time to figure out. What you offer In addition to what you want, what can you offer? No matter what, emphasizing the quality of your services is key to making sure your clients are confident that you can help them find what they're looking for, with as little stress as possible. Providing a high quality of service — in terms of timely responses and clear, simple transaction processes — will help immensely in defining your brand and business. Overall, knowing what you want in a client helps to set up a solid foundation for strong agent-client relationships, moving forward. Your ideal client's style Working with people means working with a variety of styles, and real estate is no different. A client's buying/selling style depends on their personality, of course, as well as their interests and goals based on two things: the current life stage they're in, and the investment they're looking to make. Life stages Buyers and sellers come from a wide range of stages in life. This could be based on where they're at in terms of career, which ranges from young professionals to retirees and everyone in between. It could also be based on family: young couples, new families, established families, empty nesters — and again, those in between. Each group of clients will have a different set of priorities and timeline expectations. Exploring and understanding those expectations will make for a smooth transaction and connection. Investment goals In any life stage, clients seek different kinds of investments when buying new properties. They might be looking to rent out their property as a landlord or looking for a short- or long-term rental. They might relocate regularly for work or other reasons or be ready to keep the property for a longer span of time. This might be their second home, to be bought as an investment in the market. It could even be a luxury home — a higher-end investment. As an agent, this is the main factor you can use to pinpoint the types of clients and properties you want to work with. A perfect match Overall, finding the best match between an agent and a client, especially when you start out or if you're rebranding your business, is made up of a balance between what you want as an agent and what your clients want as their end goal. Make sure your brand aligns with these things and then convey it through your website, ads, and showing materials, and you'll attract like-minded leads that foster reliable relationships in no time. To view the original article, visit the Lone Wolf blog.

What to Know When Buying Real Estate Leads
When it comes to real estate, finding and nurturing leads is key. That's why lead generation platforms have become popular in recent years—and why they've developed the many nuances that agents need to know. These platforms deliver nurtured leads to agents so they can work with them and eventually close a deal. This saves agents from spending time and energy on the cumbersome process of finding fresh leads naturally. But what about money? It makes sense to wonder about the costs to expect and when to expect them. Real estate agents don't always have the luxury of completely predictable commissions—you never know when a deal could close, get delayed, or fall through completely. Luckily, there are options. Today, these platforms can be split into two wider groups: Pay-at-close models Monthly payment models A pay-at-close model is exactly what exactly what it sounds like, with platforms requiring payments from agents only after they close a deal. This most often comes in the form of a percentage that comes out of an agent's commission. On the other hand, monthly payment models offer a regular payment method that leaves an agent's commission out of it. Pay-at-close models and monthly models have their pros and cons, which differ based on your business needs too. Below, we'll explore them both to see which one works best for your business. The case for pay-at-close models: pros and cons Pro: Low upfront costs Pay-at-close models are definitely highly sought in today's market, and for good reason: low costs required, if any, upfront. Especially for new agents, it makes sense from a financial standpoint to focus on services with as few upfront costs as possible. This way, an agent wouldn't have to pay until they close a deal—which, along with being a fair deal, makes it easy to save on costs during slower months too. Con: High fees on commissions Unfortunately, low upfront costs are a double-edged sword, with the other edge being sky-high fees that can take up to—or even over—a third of an agent's overall earned commissions. What does that look like for your commissions? The case for monthly models: pros and cons Pro: No fees on commissions Lead generation services that are billed by the month will ask for exactly that, and nothing more. BoldLeads is one such example of this—when agents close deals, they keep 100% of their earned commissions at close. In comparison to pay-at-close models, this can make a significant difference in take-home profits, as well as an agent's financial planning and budgeting. This also makes for more reliable and predictable costs. While an upfront cost sounds less pleasant than its alternative at first, monthly payment models do have their perks, with the simplest one being that knowing what your lead gen service costs each month will help immensely with budgeting and long-term strategies for your business. This is a great solution for agents with smaller profit margins and more of a need to build their capital. Cons: Independent payment schedules The fees for monthly lead gen models are independent from the number of leads that you close each month. Unfortunately, this means that there won't be payment breaks, even during the off season. While there's a risk of loss, it's also easier to break even and profit with this model. To add, this can be an opportunity to plan ahead and make sure your budget stays balanced. Paying attention to details like these on a regular basis will make it easier to stay on top of your business (and bolster it, too). So, which one wins? All in all, both models have their positives—but monthly payments come out on top. While pay-at-close models are a solid option for those who don't want to pay a penny until they've closed a real deal, the hefty commission rates are costly and will lose agents more of their earnings in the long run. Meanwhile, monthly payment plans cost less in the long run and are predictable throughout, making it easier to budget and grow your business. It may seem risky to pay upfront costs before closing a deal, but that risk can be mitigated with trusted lead gen platforms. And since there's no cost at close, agents can save more of their earnings. If you're looking to use a lead gen platform on a regular basis, paying a fixed monthly rate will undoubtedly help you find leads consistently, close deals just as consistently, and save more on commission fees in the long-term. To view the original article, visit the Lone Wolf blog.

How to Know When It's Time to Add Lead Gen Software to Your Tech Stack
As part of running a business, finding new leads comes up near the top of important things to do. After all, a new lead today is a closed deal down the road. With all the ways to gain leads, from referrals and drip email campaigns to online ads and more, figuring out your strategy can be overwhelming. And at some point, you'll probably start to wonder about what could make it simpler for you—like lead generation software. The trouble is knowing when it's time to start searching. To help, we've gathered a few of the top signs that mean your agent business is ready for this next step to transform into a more efficient, focused, and growth-focused version of itself. You feel like your marketing strategy is taking too much time. A full-fledged marketing strategy will rightly have a variety of items to keep track of: old and new client relationships to tend to through phone or email, online and physical advertising campaigns, and more. While variety itself is a great thing, managing everything at once can become overwhelming—and often time consuming. Communicating regularly with your clients is a difficult feat to maintain without any hiccups. If you feel like your marketing strategy is taking too much time away from connecting with your clients, lead generation software that automates a specific step in your process can help. It will help free up time for tasks that need a human touch, like starting a conversation with a lead. You're overwhelmed by all the marketing options out there. When it comes to marketing options, there are a lot of them. But all the options in the world mean nothing if you're not using the right ones. That's where finding focus and direction comes in. With a task like finding new leads, there are so many ways to go about it, from word of mouth to hard-earned referrals, advertising campaigns and more. Focusing your efforts will bring you the results you want—especially by aiming for leads based on the type of clients you want and the goals they have, and choosing marketing options based on that. To figure out where exactly to focus your business, don't be afraid to ask for an expert's opinion. Look for a lead generation service that can help you access experts with years of experience—and insights through market reports and more that could help you narrow down your direction even more. Growth feels tedious, and you want to move faster. Worthwhile and longstanding growth takes time and patience, but in the real estate world, it makes sense to want to see a clear and noticeable change in growth more immediately. If you're feeling the urge to grow your business more quickly, seeing where your efforts are going is a great place to start. For example, spending too much time on a lead only for them to change their mind at the last second, or not spending enough time on a lead who's been ready and waiting—possibly risking a missed chance or a stronger client relationship entirely—are both things that can decrease your efficiency as an agent. If you're looking to engage with active buyers and sellers when they're looking for you, and not a minute sooner or later, a lead generation service could help with that. Look for one that offers extra resources dedicated to building interest from prospective clients, like landing pages, email or text campaigns, and more. Finding more efficiency, focus, and growth for your business If any of these feelings seemed familiar to you, it's probably a good time to consider incorporating lead generation software into your business. In today's fast-paced market, it just makes sense to use a tech tool that's been designed to save you more time, gain you more direction, and find you more growth as an agent business. To view the original article, visit the Lone Wolf blog.

How to Keep Your Real Estate Leads Up When the Market is Heading Down
Real estate is heading into the bear market territory. After a couple of years of "go, go, go!" home sales are beginning to decline. A bear real estate market doesn't mean you have to look for another job; it means you must look for ways to improve on your marketing to keep your leads up. Using proptech tools is key to getting top dollar for your seller, and everyone knows a happy seller generates leads. It's time to focus on getting back to the new normal by capturing leads and nurturing them through the awareness stage and into the customer stage. Virtual 3D tours are now more critical than ever to stay connected. What's with the bear? Typically, a bear market is used to describe a drop of more than 20% from recent highs. NAR recently reported that home sales were down 36.9% year over year, part of a recent downward trend. This can trigger a whole new set of buyers and sellers who have been waiting for the bubble to deflate. It is time to use analytics to help your real estate lead generation when doing a listing presentation. You can showcase important data about the duration of every 3D virtual tour visit or the number of days on the market. Demonstrating your marketing ability helps potential sellers recognize the well-thought-out strategy you use to get properties sold. Real estate is cyclical Whether it's a bear real estate market or breaking record sales, ups and downs are inevitable. Reasons for selling a home can range from losing a job or getting promoted to a different city to wanting more space or downsizing. It's about satisfying the needs of the consumer. The changing needs of the consumer have given rise to the demand for 3D tour technology, immersive floor plans and virtual showings. The best way to keep your leads up is to make sure the consumer is satisfied. Sellers want their homes sold in the least amount of time with minimal interruption. This can be achieved by using easily accessible online marketing tools. Visual content generates interest. The most helpful technology for buyers, according to Realtor.com, are virtual tours and accurate property information. Not only do virtual tours engage the buyer, but more than half of sellers prefer this method of showcasing their homes. Credibility A sharp correction in the market is coming. According to a recent Forbes article, home prices are 27% overvalued and that translates to some big bucks! Focus your real estate lead generation on real value like a property's floor plans with advanced measurements and accurate details. Your property listings exude value when the consumer can correlate size with the price. By using a consistent measurement standard, you give credibility to all the information needed to list and sell a house. Communicating value through accurately measured rooms in 2D and 3D gives both the seller and the buyer confidence in your real estate agent's abilities. Trending now Interest rates are up and that means two things for qualified buyers. They either have to buy a less expensive home or put in a higher down payment. Listings are also trending upwards according to the National Association of Realtors. What that means is competition in the seller's market. Give your listings a boost by offering ways for potential buyers to engage. Make it easy for the buyer to understand the fit and flow of a property through interactive 3D virtual tours. Why do you want to increase engagement with a property? Interacting with a property sparks interest and it allows you to check for further signs that your buyer leads are ready to move forward. Don't forget to share your contact details to elevate your brand's visibility. When the buyer is prepared it is easy for them to reach out to you. The time is always right Adjust the mindset of the seller. Whether they think they have "missed the boat" or want to wait for the next wave, a bear real estate market doesn't mean no one is buying. Reports from major news feeds indicate home prices could continue the downward trend into 2023 but, conversely, some areas are forecasted to see increases. Either way, stay focused on why buyers need a new home. That stash of cash they have accumulated during the pandemic and the need for a larger floor plan are just a few reasons for them to buy. Show the seller the best ways to sell their home quickly by using the marketing advantage of a 3D virtual tour on your website, links to MLS and social media channels. Whether the market is trending towards a bear or a bull situation, keeping your real estate leads up means keeping up with technology. Stay in touch and connect to the needs of the consumer by setting the stage, sharing information and showcasing value. To view the original article, visit the iGuide blog.

The Benefits of Partnering with Local Businesses for Marketing and Lead Generation
Marketing and lead generation are essential aspects of any business, regardless of the industry or size. In today's fast-paced world, the competition is fierce, and businesses need to leverage every opportunity to stay ahead. Partnering with local businesses is a strategy that many companies overlook, but it can be incredibly effective. In this post, we will explore the benefits of partnering with local businesses for marketing and lead generation. Access to a Wider Audience - You can reach a larger audience by collaborating with a neighborhood business. You can tap into the established customer base of nearby businesses to broaden your market and raise brand recognition. Cost-Effective Marketing - Creating a partnership with a nearby company can be an affordable marketing plan. You can split the cost of marketing initiatives like print ads, social media campaigns, and event promotions by partnering with another company. Increased Credibility - Your reputation within the community can be improved by collaborating with a neighborhood company. Working with a reputable and well-established company can help you build a reputation as a trustworthy and dependable company. Joint Promotions and Events - By collaborating with a nearby company, you can organize joint promotions and events that will draw in more clients and keep the loyalty of current ones. Positive Impact on the Community - Collaboration with a neighborhood company can benefit the neighborhood. Collaboration with another company can foster a sense of neighborhood and provide support for nearby businesses. To sponsor a community clean-up event, for instance, you could partner with a nonprofit group. This partnership not only demonstrates your dedication to the neighborhood, but also offers a helpful service, increases awareness of the nonprofit organization, and benefits the community. In conclusion, partnering with local businesses for marketing and lead generation can provide numerous benefits for your business. By collaborating with other businesses, you can create unique and valuable experiences for your customers and attract new customers who may not have otherwise known about your business. So, the next time you are looking for a way to boost your marketing and lead generation efforts, consider reaching out to local businesses and exploring partnership opportunities. To view the original article, visit the Transactly blog.

How to Close 1 Home and Get 3 More Clients
Success begets success, as the saying goes. And the successful sale of a home is an opportunity to gain more business. How? Realtor Jaime Resendiz has a system for gaining new clients when a transaction closes, and he shares his method in this video. Watch the clip above to learn: The importance of closing gifts Three criteria for effective closing gifts Why you should tell the world about a successful sale And more!

Get Real Estate Leads WITHOUT Talking About Real Estate
What does being a Porsche enthusiast have to do with cultivating real estate leads? For Realtor Matt LaMarsh, everything! LaMarsh has built a local community by creating content around a topic he's passionate about. For LaMarsh, that topic is Porsche cars. By creating and leading a Facebook group for nearby Porsche enthusiasts, LaMarsh is building connections with people with similar interests. And when his fellow Porsche lovers are ready to buy or sell a home, they call Matt. Essentially, LaMarsh gets real estate leads by not explicitly talking about real estate. Ingenious? Perhaps—but it's something every agent can do. And it works because when you engage with the things you're most passionate about, people take notice—and want to engage with you in return! So how can real estate agents build their own local community around their interests? Watch the video above for LaMarsh's advice on getting started! Further Reading How to Generate Real Estate Referrals Using Local Online Groups Three Easy Tips to Create Value Using Facebook Groups How to Start a Facebook Group 7 Ways Real Estate Agents Can Use Facebook Groups

Tools to Target Seller Leads and Listings in a Tight Inventory Market
Despite housing inventory rising year-over-year from 2022, real estate agents and teams across the country are still scrounging for new listings. So how can you make sure you're attracting seller leads and landing those listings instead of the competition? 1. Make that Marketing Seller Lead Focused Most of your tried-and-true ad campaigns are probably focused on attracting homebuyers. It's time to rethink that marketing strategy. Create content and resources that are appealing to sellers. Home valuations and neighborhood market reports A home valuation landing page entices visitors with instant reports on their home's value and a summary of the market area. Create a gated landing page with this offer, so that seller leads register, and the lead information and property details are instantly added to your CRM. Helpful content to help with the "moving mentality" Create content (blogs, downloadable guides, etc.) that helps potential sellers by answering their questions and concerns. This could include navigating the process of getting ready to sell, deciding if it's the right time to downsize, or the right time to upgrade (for example, a pool for the kids, or a dedicated home office for remote work). Testimonials from past sold properties Highlight your past sold properties (especially if sold above asking!) and gather quotes and reviews that showcase your expert service, how taken care of your clients felt, and how simple you made the process for them. Social media advertising to target sellers Tools can make seller lead social media marketing easy. Look for tools that take the guesswork and automate both the ad creation and audience targeting process, so you can easily: Build advertising campaigns through channels such as Instagram and Facebook to showcase successfully sold properties. Once you land that listing, use ads to promote open houses and highlight the property. Create powerful retargeting campaigns that generate content a lead would be most interested in, and bring "abandoners" back to your website Leverage built-in reporting to get results in real-time and optimize your ad spend Show your potential seller clients how much exposure their property could receive, and how effectively you can promote it! 2. Monitor your database for seller lead activity Your existing database is chock-full of potential sellers. Are you taking advantage? You need the tools to sift and segment those contacts into workable lists that prioritize actions that might spur selling. Every lead should be on some sort of e-Alert for their neighborhood, or a drip to keep them engaged. Create target lists of homeowners based on attributes like "$100,000+ in equity," have stayed "in their home for 5+ years," a "past client from three years ago," etc. and provide them with relevant information. NAR's 2020 Profile of Buyers and Sellers reported 89% of sellers saying they would rehire their agent, but only 26% actually did. This is simply because those agents failed to stay in touch. With the right system, this is completely avoidable (and automatic). Keep in touch with past clients and your SOI with automated nurture campaigns. Send quick videos with market updates, explanations as to why it'd be a good time to test the market and a "Are you thinking about selling?" message. Text your Vcard. Including your Vcard in texting campaigns legitimizes your message increases the likelihood of a response. Segment your database into different categories to be able to provide specific and relevant information directly to each subset. 3. Take Care of All Your New Leads Did you ignore a lot of buyer leads last year? With so many inquiries coming in while you're trying to handle active clients, it's easy for new leads to slip through the cracks. But this is not a sustainable system. According to NAR, 50% of those buyer leads were purchasing contingent on selling their property. That's a lot of potential listings you're missing from your buyers. If you're not following up on every buyer lead you receive and asking if they need to sell their current property to purchase their next home, you're losing a listing for every two leads you ignored. You can land those listings if you have the tools to create amazing experience for your potential sellers (without taking more time and resources from your day). In many cases, homeowners are unaware of the possibilities to upsize, downsize, get a huge return, you-name-it, and it's your job as an agent and trustworthy expert, to help them navigate the market, understand their options, and deliver the ideal customer experience. To view the original article, visit the BoomTown blog.

Creative Real Estate Blogging Ideas to Engage Your Audience and Drive Leads
Blogging is a cost-effective way for a real estate agent to reach potential customers online and build relationships with them. Blogging can help you gain credibility, create authority, and establish yourself as an expert in the field. Plus, it's easy to set up and maintain. With blogging, you can share valuable insights about the real estate industry that will help your readers make informed decisions when searching for a home or property. You can also use blogging as an opportunity to showcase your properties and services to attract more customers. In short, blogging is one of the best ways to promote your real estate business and get more leads! However, if you're starting fresh with real estate content marketing, it might seem daunting to choose real estate blog ideas for yourself. After all, you want to provide helpful, valuable information while also boosting your website's SEO. While the details will be slightly different for every real estate blog, blogging for real estate professionals can be as simple as sticking to a handful of basic subjects. Share local trends and the latest market updates Keeping up with the local real estate industry happenings and market trends is an essential part of staying competitive in the business world. Knowing what's happening in your area of influence can give you a leg up on your competition, and help you identify potential opportunities for growth. With the right resources, you can get a better understanding of the local market and stay ahead of the curve. Sharing a distilled, simplified version of local market insights or real estate market trends can help your website visitors make more informed decisions — and establish yourself as an authority on the subject. If you need a blog post idea, think beyond the basic market report and write about the housing market from your own perspective. Highlight success stories and client reviews Real estate is a competitive business, and it's important to stand out from the crowd. One way to do so is with real estate blog topics showcasing success stories and client reviews. These stories can highlight how you've helped clients achieve their goals, as well as demonstrate your expertise in the field. By sharing these stories, you can help potential clients get a better sense of what you can do for them. Client reviews also provide an opportunity to show off your services, as well as provide insight into how satisfied customers are with your work. By sharing these success stories and client reviews, you can help establish yourself as a reliable real estate professional and build trust with potential customers. Offer home buying and selling tips Buyer and seller guides are a staple of real estate websites, but with a real estate blog, you can take them a step further. Some of the best topics are those offering advice for the homebuying or selling process, and can definitely help you create a connection with your audience as a trusted resource. You might write a blog post with home selling tips about virtual staging software or setting the best asking price. Provide valuable information to homebuyers about choosing the right mortgage lender, understanding property taxes or ways to save money by finding affordable properties. Cater to a specific niche by offering guides for luxury properties or rental properties. Other helpful content ideas in this category could include highlights of local parks, local businesses, local events, local attractions or benefits of a particular neighborhood. Showing off your local expertise in real estate blog content will not only help you reach your target audience, but also helps boost your search engine rankings and generate leads. Real estate blogs are a surefire way to set yourself apart from other real estate agents and make your real estate website the go-to source of relevant and helpful information in your community. But if you feel like you're lacking a great idea, just think about the most relevant and helpful real estate topics. When you start with these basic real estate blog ideas, you'll quickly find new and exciting things to write about, whether they be housing trends, real estate investing or real life examples of successful sales. Need help with blogging? Looking to automate your marketing strategies? Look no further! Elm Street Technology offers content creation and blogging solutions to help streamline your marketing efforts. [LEARN MORE]

The Facebook Ad that Home Buyers Can't Resist
A sale, a bargain, a good deal—if there's anything consumers love, it's getting more value for their money. Realtor Jaime Resendiz uses that to his advantage in his advertising. By creating "price drop" ads for listings on Facebook, he attracts a ton of quality buyers. After all, even house hunters are looking for a good deal—especially in this economy. Watch the video above to learn: Two variations of the price drop ad How to create a price drop ad How to optimize for your business

Friday Freebie: 5 Checklists to Optimize Your Lead Gen in 2023
We're well into the first month of the year—how's your lead gen plan going? If it needs a little nudge off the starting blocks, or if you just want to audit your processes and tools, nothing makes doing that easier than checklists! Whip your lead gen efforts into quick shape with these five free checklists for optimizing all aspects of your lead generation strategy. Read on to learn more! Download 5 Real Estate Lead Generation Optimization Checklists for 2023, courtesy of Zurple How's your lead gen set-up: are you using effective tools, marketing on the right channels, or tracking the right metrics in order to improve? One thing's for sure: A lead generation strategy has a lot of moving parts! But it doesn't have to be complicated, especially if you know just what to do to make your lead gen strategy the best it can be. That's where this week's Friday Freebie comes in. Use this packet of checklists to streamline multiple aspects of your lead generation strategy. You can use the checklists yourself or share them with an assistant or marketing support personnel. Your free download includes: Lead generation checklist New lead qualification checklist Website SEO checklist Email/CRM checklist Real estate content checklist Become a lean, mean, lead-generating machine in 2023. Download 5 Real Estate Lead Generation Optimization Checklists for 2023 now!

Friday Freebie: 57 Real Estate Lead Generation Ideas for 2023
Happy new year, and happy new opportunities! We hope your cup overflows with prosperity this year, and that your sales funnel is always full. The first step to achieving that? Lead generation ideas that buyers and sellers actually engage with—and that you'll actually use. Give your lead gen efforts a kickstart in 2023 with this week's Friday Freebie: an ebook full of 57 helpful lead generation ideas. Read on to learn how to download your free copy! Free copy of 57 Real Estate Lead Generation Ideas for 2023 ebook, courtesy of Zurple We've got a new year's resolution for your marketing efforts: try a new lead generation idea every week in 2023. Learn what works for you, what doesn't, and maybe discover a few new strategies. Fortunately, this eBook from Zurple offers more than enough lead gen ideas to last you an entire year—57, to be exact. Here's a breakdown of what's included: 11 lead magnet ideas (with examples) 9 website lead generation ideas 5 third-party site and mobile app lead gen ideas 22 social media lead gen ideas 4 lead gen ideas for your CRM Plus 6 more ideas! Whether you try one new strategy per week or one per month, finding new ways to connect to consumers is sure to propel your business towards success. Kickstart your lead generation efforts for the new year. Download 57 Real Estate Lead Generation Ideas for 2023 now!

[Best of 2022] Friday Freebie: 8 Homebuyer and Seller Checklists
We're continuing an annual tradition of counting down our top 10 articles of the year. The following article was originally published in March and is #5 in our countdown. See #6 here. Buying or selling a home can be a complicated and stressful process. That's doubly true in today's fast-paced market of low inventory and cash offers. And while you're a professional who knows how to stay cool, calm and collected no matter what, sometimes your client's stress impacts you, too. This week's Friday Freebie to the rescue! To help you and your clients stay on top of everything during the home sales process, we're highlighting a collection of eight buyer and seller checklists that will keep everyone organized all the way through moving day. Read on to learn how to claim these free checklists! 8 Homebuyer and Seller Checklists, courtesy of Zurple We have a confession: we love checklists. Not only do they make planning and execution so much easier, but they're also a great way to draw in new leads. These eight checklists from Zurple are highly detailed and let your client do everything from narrowing down their wants in a home, to helping them prepare their home for listing, to knowing what to do on moving day. You can share these checklists with your current clients, or offer them on your website for download in exchange for a lead's contact information. That's two handy purposes in one: lead generation and good customer service! Here's what's included in this free packet of eight checklists: Home Buying Checklist Home Selling Checklist House Hunting Checklist Mortgage Pre-approval Checklist Moving Out Checklist Open House Questions Checklist Prepare Listing for Market Checklist Showing and Open House Prep Checklist Ready to help your clients and leads stay on top of today's challenging market? Download 8 Homebuyer and Seller Checklists now!

How to Use Real Estate Market Statistics to Attract Sellers and Win Listings
We spend a lot of time talking about how to market to home buyers. But it's important to market to sellers too. And it's easy to do. Before making a decision, sellers should be familiar with the real estate market in their area. Here's how to use real estate market statistics to attract sellers and win listings. Valuation Before deciding to list, a seller needs to know how homes are being valued in the community. Specifically, are values going up? To provide this information, you should look for statistics showing the average percent change in valuation over time. The information should be categorized by ZIP or neighborhood. This will allow the seller to know how values are changing in his/her immediate community. And it will help the seller have the right expectations when pricing the home. Total Home Sales The seller also will want to know the competition for buyers. Specifically, how many others are listing in the area? A graph showing monthly sales volume by ZIP code is essential. This will help the seller understand what potential buyers are seeing and better predict their behavior. Median Price Per Square Foot Median price per square foot is the median sold price in the area divided by the square footage sold. This helps the seller understand the prevailing prices for homes in the area. If the seller's home is smaller than average, he/she should expect to price the home lower than others. Sales by Age Square footage is not the only factor affecting home prices. The age of a home also plays a role. To help a seller understand the bigger picture, you should provide statistics on total sales by home age. This will show the age of the homes selling most, and it can help the seller know what most buyers are looking for. Others These statistics are just a start. There are many others that can provide useful information to sellers. You should consider: Months of Supply – How many months it would take to clear the current supply of homes for sale Home Sales by Square footage – What size homes are the most popular Total Foreclosures – How many houses have been foreclosed in the last month Days on Market – The average listing time for a property Where to Promote Your Market Stats Okay, you have some key statistics selected for your marketing efforts. What do you do with them? Here are four places to promote market statistics to maximize impact. Market Statistics Page If your community is small enough, you could create a single market statistics page on your website. This is where you would show data about sales and prices for your entire town. But if your coverage area is larger, this might not work. Sellers want the narrowest data possible. So if you cover multiple ZIP codes, you should breakdown your data by ZIP and create a market statistics page for each. Consider creating neighborhood pages that show available homes and neighborhood statistics together. The Property Listing Page You also should consider placing statistics directly on the property listing page. This page would provide the property listing as well as data about the area surrounding the listing. You might ask, "Why we would put statistics on a property listing if we are looking to attract sellers?" Don't forget sellers are doing research too. They want to know the prices of other homes in their community and the amenities they have. So it's very likely a seller will check out a few active listings before deciding to list him/herself. Open House Statistics are great handout material at open houses. Why? Because neighbors often attend open houses. While they may not be immediately looking to sell, they could be in the future. Providing statistics is a good way to help these potential clients remember you, and it will help demonstrate your expertise. Blog Feature Market statistics also are great web content. Consider adding them to your blog as a regular feature. This will help you boost your SEO and increase your web traffic. Real estate market statistics empower sellers. They can help them understand home prices, competition for buyers, available inventory, and more. Don't leave your potential sellers out in the cold. Win their trust and their listings by adding real estate market statistics to your site today. To view the original article, visit the Realtyna blog.

Friday Freebie: 2023 Real Estate Lead Generation Plan
You've got your overall 2023 business plan down—now it's time to hone in on the nitty-gritty details of your lead generation strategy for the year ahead. To help you do just that, we're highlighting a lead generation planning guide in this week's Friday Freebie. It's completely editable and helps you focus in on your strengths, weaknesses, lead gen goals, budget, strategies and more! Read on to learn how to download your FREE copy. Free download of the 2023 Real Estate Lead Generation Plan, courtesy of Zurple There are 44 days until the new year. Are you ready to meet the challenges of the 2023 real estate market head on? Put your best foot forward with a solid strategy for generating and converting leads. The 2023 Real Estate Lead Generation Plan helps you define your goals and strategies in order to give you solid, actionable steps to take in 2023. The Plan is editable and acts as a worksheet to help you think about and map out your lead gen strategy. Here's what's included: SWOT and competition analyses Lead generation goal setting worksheet Lead generation initiatives worksheet Worksheet for identifying your ideal customers Lead generation plan with space to detail strategies, lead gen channels, performance, budget, etc. And more Get ready to drum up all the business you can handle. Download the 2023 Real Estate Lead Generation Plan now!

5 Reasons Agent Teams Get More Leads Than Solo Agents
Have you ever considered working as a real estate team, or are you already part of one? If so, there are a lot of benefits to working as a dynamic duo, and if not, you may want to think about it. Stats from around the industry show that team agents tend to get more leads than solo agents. But why? Here are the top five reasons real estate agent teams get more real estate leads: Reason #1: More Options = Broader Appeal Think about home shoppers and sellers. In most cases, there will be two decision makers, sometimes even more. So it should be no surprise that having two agents, each with a unique personality, skill set and disposition, can increase the likelihood of home shoppers wanting to work with you. Reason #2: Two Brains Are Better Than One Think about it—as a buyer or seller, would you rather have one person helping you find or promote your home... or two? Real estate teams have more manpower, therefore can theoretically accomplish more than a solo agent can. Even if the search or promotion strategy ends up being the same as that of an individual agent, the perception is there. Reason #3: More Marketing Dollars and Connections As a seller, when the amount of exposure your property is going to get is directly tied to the amount of money your agent is willing to put into promoting it, seeing two faces means having access to two wallets and two sets of networks. That in and of itself can be very powerful, especially when the agents have been in the industry for a number of years. Reason #4: More Testimonials With two agents working with more clients, you get more testimonials and people trust the opinions of their peers. Seeing 40 testimonials instead of 20 can make a dramatic difference in the number of potential clients who decide to pull the trigger and reach out to you. Reason #5: More Experience and Accountability With a combined 30 years of experience, team agents are able to learn from each other and get more exposure into a wider variety of different real estate scenarios. That experience helps them manage their business more effectively, and leads recognize that. You can see that there are many reasons why team agents typically get more leads, and this isn't an exhaustive list. If you've never considered it before, think about whether or not working as a team could be a good option for you. In an industry that's all about generating numbers, two can be much stronger than one. To view the original article, visit the Zurple blog. Further Reading Should I Join a Real Estate Team? Onward and Upward! 8 Tips for Growing a Thriving Real Estate Team The Agent Onboarding Action Plan Every Real Estate Team Needs Why You Should Consider Sales Talent for Your Real Estate Team

Leverage Your Inbox to Cultivate Leads and Repeat Business
We've all heard that staying engaged with past clients is a phenomenal way for real estate agents to nurture their real estate business. But what does that mean when it comes to your inbox? Email templates and a catchy subject line? Should you be sending your past customers constant emails about their dream home being listed, or just sending them a friendly celebratory email for their birthday? Maybe they have a friend or family member they've mentioned on Facebook or Instagram who's looking for a home — should you reach out just to see if you can help them in their search? Could you even send them a follow-up email about a school in their district that's holding a meet-and-greet event for new parents in the area? The answer is: Do it all. Reach out, even if nothing's going on As a real estate agent, you understand how imperative it is to build connections and keep them going. Staying in touch with your client base, even if they're settled in their homes and not searching for a change, is a great way to maintain a relationship and build credibility as a trusted source for all things real estate. By casually reaching out, you stimulate memory of the interactions they've had with you, reminding them that you helped them during an extremely stressful and pivotal time. Anyone within their immediate sphere of influence then becomes a prospective buyer or seller capable of perpetuating further lead growth for your business. Utilize real estate email templates Email templates are everywhere. Whether for real estate, general marketing ideas, proposals, newsletters for community events, etc., there's an email template ready and waiting. Use them. Not only do they save time, but they can have a fairly positive effect on your stress levels. In fact, using an email template set to a steady drip campaign can free anywhere from two to eight hours of your time per week, leaving you available for that last minute open house or to explore a new local market for a client. Specific email templates geared toward agents also give ideas on how to set up an open house invitation, present housing market data and generate buzz around your personal brand by using proven design and content strategies with your personal branding. It's okay to be human It doesn't matter if you use a template or craft an email from scratch, it's essential to connect with your clients on a human level. For example, if you had a past client who needed more nurturing reach out, try engaging with them on a gentler level by asking how they are, changing your punctuation usage and possibly adding a few emojis here and there. Showing empathy, even in an email, is a great way to build a positive connection with you and real estate, negating some of the more stressful facets of the transactions. If you decide to use a template, try adding general interest information about home design, the buying process, things to do at home or anything else that displays you as a thoughtful expert in your area. Your inbox is a simple yet powerful relationship online meeting tool. It's excellent for engaging established clients, prospecting new buyers/sellers and just staying generally connected with the homeowner community. There are also great learning opportunities that allow you to leverage your emails more effectively, displaying proven strategies and techniques to increase open rates, save money and thoughtfully engage with your contacts. Interested in more tips and tricks to master your email marketing? Dig in deeper with this FREE DOWNLOAD Your free AWESOME EMAIL MARKETING GUIDE will give you more ideas on how to use your inbox and email marketing strategies to stay in touch with past clients so you can create repeat business, as well as generating new and referral leads. Need help with leveraging email marketing to cultivate more business? Elm Street Technology does the work for you and offers solutions that help you stay in touch with past clients so you can generate referral leads and repeat business. Connect with an Elm Street Technology Success Coach today to learn more.

How to Pivot (Not Panic) in a Market Shift
Right now, everyone is talking about the shifting market and expressing concerns about a possible recession. Well, if we learned anything in the last few years, it's that uncertainty happens. The market is always in flux, and it's up to real estate teams to prepare themselves with best practices and strategies to help them thrive in any market conditions. Remember, pivoting is not about stressing out. It's about rising to the occasion and taking on the challenge at hand. Here are four critical tips that can help you pivot in a market shift without the panic. 1. Know your data Knowledge is a serious source of power during periods of uncertainty surrounding market shifts. You need to know your numbers, not just the headlines. The first step to honing your team's insight into current real estate data is investing time to study the market using trusted industry sources. This can help you understand exactly what's happening, allowing you to see beyond the woes and worries initiated by predictive headlines. If you're tracking the real numbers, you will have a better handle on the situation — informing your immediate strategy, and allowing your team to plan for potential futures as they arise. The second step of data mastery is being able to share what you've learned with your clients. Once you encounter the raw data, it's your responsibility to digest the information and help inform your sphere. Learning how to communicate and decode information for your clients will empower your deal-making strategies to ensure that they succeed in any market conditions. Pro Tip: Keeping Current Matters is a great resource for real estate data! We love their weekly series, "The Deep Dive," on the housing market. 2. Diversify your lead sources All investors know that a resilient portfolio is a diversified one. The same thinking is true for your lead sources that are feeding your sales pipeline. When you get wind of a market shift, it's time to analyze your lead sources and ensure that you have a diversified stream of leads. When you expand the channels that generate leads for your real estate business, you will be less likely to experience "lead droughts" — or periods when your lead gen strategy is not delivering the volume of leads required to power your business. Having multiple lead sources can help soften the blow of a market shift. Even when the momentum slows, you still have enough resources to keep your sales funnel active. On the other hand, if you're relying on a single source of leads and that slows down, you don't have another outlet to lean on. 3. Double down on lead gen When word of a market shift spreads, many businesses reactively cut back on their marketing efforts and reduce their marketing spend. However, this is not what the pros do. Rather than pulling back, many top-producing agents recommend doubling down on lead generation during a market shift. The strategic angle here is that you will be taking advantage of the action taken by all of the other agents who are fearful and hesitant. While they reduce their lead gen, you can capture those leads that they are missing out on. With less competition trying to lock in leads, your business can elevate its visibility in the local market by strengthening your lead gen strategy. 4. Schedule frequent syncs with your team While you have the power to thrive in any market if you are leveraging competitive strategies and keeping up with your data, that doesn't mean that a market shift isn't unnerving. When the markets are changing and you are mapping out your pivoting strategy, it's a great opportunity to make time to communicate with your team about the current situation. Scheduling regular meetings to get everyone together and talking about how the current market conditions are impacting your real estate workflow can connect your team and boost collaboration. This is a great time to share ideas and strategies, as well as openly discuss any of the challenges that individuals on your team may be experiencing. Besides giving team leaders more insight into what their team members are going through, this culture-strengthening strategy can help team members feel secure and supported. It's important to remember that, in some cases, shifts in the market and economy can introduce struggles within the personal lives of team members. It's important that everyone is united during tough times. To view the original article, visit the BoomTown blog.

Friday Freebie: Referral Lead Strategy Guide + Scripts
Online leads, open house leads, cold calling leads—they're all great, but none compare to the quality of referral leads. That's because, in part, 83% of consumers trust recommendations from family and friends, according to Nielsen. And that trust in their loved ones' opinions is likely to transfer into trust in you. So how can you set yourself up to inspire referrals from your sphere of influence? In this week's Friday Freebie, you'll find out exactly how. We're highlighting a free guide that's all about getting more referrals—from providing superior service, to referral strategies, to asking for referrals. Read on to learn how to download your free copy. Download The Referral Lead Strategy Guide + Scripts, courtesy of Zurple The path to more referrals starts with providing customer service that inspires those referrals. From there, you can get strategic about cultivating referrals from different sources. How? In Zurple's free guide, you'll learn everything you need to know about referrals. Download the guide today to discover: How to provide service worth referring The basics of starting a referral program Referral strategies for social media, professional networking and local neighborhoods Monthly referral event ideas How to manage rejection from referrals Closing gift ideas Scripts for requesting referrals Grow your business with quality referral leads. Download The Referral Lead Strategy Guide + Scripts to learn how!

Cost-Per-Lead: Is It as Important as You Think It Is?
Are you still stuck on the "cost-per-lead" metric when analyzing lead generation strategies? It's 2022, and agents should be thinking bigger, and considering about another metric that's actually more important for fueling your business: conversion rate. Why Cost-Per-Lead is an Outdated Perspective Cost-per-lead is important, but it should not be your be-all-end-all for shaping your lead conversion strategy. The lowest cost-per-lead doesn't mean you're getting high-quality opportunities that will actually convert into business. In today's highly competitive, fast-paced market characterized by consumers spending more time online and being exposed to — and ignoring more — advertisements, real estate agents need to evolve beyond the norms of the past. One of the biggest reasons why cost-per-lead is the wrong approach to viewing lead generation strategies is because this metric is not fixed. In reality, the cost of each of your leads is not guaranteed because of many external factors outside of your control. 5 Things Impacting Cost-Per-Lead Calculations Seasonal Trends Market Activity Location Competition Demand Levels Based on these factors, your cost-per-lead changes at different times of the year and depending on your market. For example, your cost-per-lead will not remain consistent throughout the market's high seasons and slow periods.  While these external factors — such as inventory levels, political events, and even natural disasters — remain outside of your control, it's still important to understand how they are expected to affect your business. This can help you create strategies to quickly pivot according to new situations, and prepare your clients for upcoming market shifts. Pro Tip: Stay on top of the latest market data and local trends impacting your market to develop custom strategies to improve your conversion rate and keep leads moving through your sales funnel. Why Conversion Rate is More Important than Cost-Per-Lead When shaping your lead conversion strategy, agents should consider a more holistic approach. Rather than simply focusing on which option provides the most leads at the lowest cost, it's more advantageous for your business if you think about both lead quality and quantity. Think about it — would you prefer more weak leads with a lower conversion rate, or fewer strong leads with a higher conversion rate? At the end of the day, strong leads with higher conversion rates will likely be more beneficial for your business.  3 Tips to Improve Your Conversion Rate Pro Tip: Don't assume that colder leads further out from conversion are weak. In reality, the "trash" leads in your database may actually be your hidden goldmine! Keep your colder leads on a diligent nurture and follow-up plan to help them inch closer toward conversion — and prevent them from choosing another agent when it's finally the right time to transact. Here are a few tips that can help you improve your lead conversion rate: #1. Focus on Quick Response Times You don't want to leave your online leads waiting around for a response. One of the most effective ways to boost your conversion is to quickly follow up with your online leads. #2. Sort and Qualify Your Leads Segmenting your leads can make it easier for you to provide value-driven content specifically curated for their needs. For example, you don't want to be sending out home buying tips to sellers — unless you know that they're also planning to buy a home after their upcoming sale. And, in that case, you might want to send out tips for buying a home after a sale. When you sort and qualify your leads, you can tag them in your CRM to organize your future outreach. #3. Leverage Bulk CRM Outreach To stay relevant with everyone in your sphere, you should be leveraging automatic bulk outreaches to the different lead categories in your CRM. Create custom messaging for each lead type — including hot, cold, and past clients — and schedule the email delivery. This is a time-saving way to stay relevant with your leads and provide them with the insights they need to transact. To view the original article, visit the BoomTown blog.

Using a Client Referral System for Real Estate Leads
In business, client referral programs involve a process of asking your current (or recent past) clients to refer you, your business, and your services to other people--people within a network and a sphere of influence. Typically, referral programs are free (no strings attached) or linked to an offer or incentive for the referee. Referrals remain one of the best ways for real estate agents to connect with qualified, warm leads. Increasing your referral business can significantly boost your sales–and with much less hassle than trying to convert online leads. Research indicates real estate referrals are crucial for growth and the easiest way for an agent to get referrals is through past clients who had a positive experience with them and their brokerage. Even with all of the digital information and options we have at our fingertips these days, we still look to those we trust for referrals and recommendations. In fact, 84% of consumers say that they almost always trust referrals or recommendations from their friends or family when it comes to products and businesses. A real estate CRM not only helps you get more referrals but it also helps you track referrals more effectively, increasing your odds of converting them to clients – whether it's right away or down the road. What you do with your referrals, specifically how you manage and keep in touch with them, can make a significant impact on your business. To view the original article, visit the IXACT Contact blog. Further Reading 65 Sources of Real Estate Referrals You May Have Overlooked 5 Professionals Outside of Your Network to Get Referrals Friday Freebie: Guide to Asking for (and Getting) Referrals How to Generate Real Estate Referrals Using Local Online Groups Brokerage Marketing Secrets: How to Help Your Agents Get More Referrals

Friday Freebie: The Simplified Homebuyer Guide
Leverage it as a lead gen magnet, or use it to educate clients -- this week's Friday Freebie offers double the utility. This free guide can be placed behind a lead capture form, or given to buyer clients to help guide them through the home purchasing process. Keep reading to learn how to download your free copy. Free download of The Simplified Homebuyer Guide, courtesy of Zurple The homebuying process is complex, and buyers have a lot of questions. The Simplified Homebuyer Guide aims to answer buyers' questions and give them resources like worksheets and timelines to move them through the buying process. That's great for agents. After all, an educated buyer is a buyer that is best able to compete in today's market. In addition, if you're looking to target leads, this guide lists homeownership benefits and reasons for working with an agent. Here's what else this comprehensive guide offers: Homeownership benefits for moving hesitant buyers off the fence Why buyers should work with an agent Common mistakes to avoid Flow chart of the homebuying process Overview of how mortgages work Worksheet of home features for helping buyers evaluate listings Homebuyer questionnaire Homebuying game plan with write-in deadlines for staying on track Glossary of common real estate terms And more! Download The Simplified Homebuyer Guide now to educate buyers and capture new leads!

The 3 Best Times to Ask for Real Estate Referrals
One of the best types of real estate leads to generate are referrals. That's because they're easy to convert compared to other lead sources such as Facebook or Google. Despite that, some agents are hesitant to ask for a referral in fear of inconveniencing their past clients, family, or friends. There's no need to fear! Here, we break down the top three best times to ask for a referral. 1. When You First Start Working with a Client You should ask early in the relationship when emotions are at their most positive. When a person decides they are ready to buy or sell a home, their friends and family know much earlier than a real estate agent does. They talk about it with their network, and even go on social media to ask for recommendations for agents. The early stages of your relationship with your clients are a great time to ask if they know anybody else who may be looking to buy or sell real estate. 2. When You Place a Property Under Contract Here is another highlight in your personal relationship with your clients. Once the property is under contract, you are almost there! Your real estate clients are (hopefully) happy with your level of service. Not asking for referrals is a missed opportunity. Don't miss out on business by always asking for a referral. 3. When You Close the Transaction Job well done! This should be the most obvious time to ask for a referral. Don't make this the only time, though. This is also a great time to ask for a testimonial, which can lead to a better online reputation. Getting into the habit of asking for referrals at EACH of these three opportunities can impact your business much more than asking just once. To view the original article, visit the Zurple blog.

3 Tips for Getting the Highest Quality Leads
1. Nurture your prospects and past clients Lead nurturing is the process of keeping in touch regularly with your leads and prospects over time, offering them relevant and timely information. It means building a relationship with them until they're ready to use your services. But the more leads you have in your database, the more difficult it is to remember specific details about each of them. By keeping good notes in your CRM, you'll be able to review the information you have about your lead, and your conversations will flow with ease. Similarly, when you communicate regularly with your past clients, you ensure that they remember your name and know exactly how to get in touch with you when the time comes to list or buy a home or pass a referral your way. 2. Build your website When it comes to buying and selling homes, being the best real estate agent in your market isn't enough. Having years of experience and being personable is a solid foundation, but another agent who is more visible on the internet might trump you in reaching more potential clients. Your website is an extension of your brand and it should be both engaging and easy to use, capturing leads within a CRM system for managing and passing leads to your team. 3. Grow your social media presence Social media has become an important part of the real estate business. If you don't have active, relevant, and engaging social media accounts, you are losing on opportunities that could put you in front of new business. Read this story for additional ways to set yourself up for success with integrating social media into your real estate brand marketing strategy. To view the original article, visit the IXACT Contact blog.

Friday Freebie: Guide to Hosting Open Houses That Get Better Offers
A bidding war: that's the ideal scenario for listing agents. But high interest rates, runaway inflation, and competition from institutional investors may be cooling the housing market in many areas. The good news? It's still a seller's market. The better news? You can still coax multiple, competitive offers from everyday buyers—and it all starts with the open house. In this week's Friday Freebie, we'll show you how with a guide to hosting open houses that get better offers. Free download of 2022 Open House Guide, courtesy of Zurple Aside from inspiring interest in a listing, an open house also is a strategy for the hosting agent to build in-person rapport with the community—and build their contact database. That's why open houses are often a starting point for new agents looking to build their book of business. Whatever your level of experience, this guide from Zurple breaks down the preparation, marketing, and hosting of open houses step-by-step: Step 1: Get a listing Step 2: Choose a date Step 3: Prepare the home for market Step 4: Marketing your event online Step 5: Marketing your event offline Step 6: Prepare your client Step 7: Prepare the home for the open house Step 8: Engage guests Ready to level up your open houses this summer? Download your FREE copy of the 2022 Open House Guide now!

Generating Leads and Boosting Business
Who doesn't love leads? Leads are a crucial part of your business and help you grow as an agent. You can get leads from all sorts of places and ways, but the important part is taking them from a lead to a lifelong client. According to a National Harris Survey, more than 80% of people ask for recommendations from friends when making big purchasing decisions. Once you have established a strong past client resume, you will have a great opportunity to build some lead generation around referrals. To make that goal a reality, all of your marketing pieces should contain some sort of lead generation from lead capture forms to texting a number for lead capture. Lead generation can be found on your digital and tangible marketing materials, like direct mailing with postcards. The more you shift your marketing to generate leads, the better. Some options to help you get started are: Add a lead capture form to your website Create a direct mailing campaign in a local neighborhood for potential buyers/sellers Reach out to old leads that you may have lost touch with Hold an open house for another agent Host local events in your area Remind your satisfied clients that you welcome and appreciate referrals. This may come at a later time as you build up your client database Reach out to your partners like your loan officer or title rep and find ways to pass leads to each other. In your first year, you will likely try these many other different ways to generate leads. Tracking your success will help you save time and money on your marketing efforts and allow you to focus on the leads that are producing the best return on your investment. To view the original article, visit the IXACT Contact blog.

[Podcast] iBuyers and 'Zillow-geddon' with Kala Laos of Zoodealio
In this episode of It's Closing Time, Kala Laos sits down with RentSpree CEO Michael Lucarelli to discuss the future of iBuying within real estate, as well as her real estate software company Zoodealio. Michael and Kala discuss "Zillow-geddon" and how real estate agents should view iBuying companies. Kala also discusses how her company, Zoodealio, is designed to empower agents within the iBuyer market and provides her top tips for effective lead generation.

How Real Estate Agents Can Generate More Leads with YouTube SEO
Let's be honest: This topic is a combination of three constantly evolving fields. The housing market changes by the day. Lead generation can feel inconsistent, even at the best of times. And chasing after SEO keywords is up and down, too. All three components are driven by trends. And they're trends that SEO-savvy real estate agents try their best to keep up with because good marketing leads to better business. However, one constant piece in this formula is how much time the average internet user spends on YouTube. (The average person aged 18+ spends more than 40 minutes a day watching YouTube videos.) So if you can develop a good YouTube SEO strategy, you'll be able to get your video content in front of more viewers than ever. YouTube as a Lead Gen Tool Before diving into the nitty-gritty details of YouTube SEO, it's important to understand why YouTube can be just as beneficial to your business as any other social media platform — say, Facebook for example. According to a 2021 study, YouTube is both the second most popular social media platform (after Facebook) and also the second most visited website on the internet (after Google). And more than 2 billion active users watch more than 1 billion hours of video every day. The takeaway here is that YouTube has become a primary hub for content. Whether the focus is entertainment, news, education, or a sense of community, more people are watching more YouTube content in 2021 than ever before. As a result, it's become a popular destination for advertisers. Marketers spent a little over $4 billion on YouTube ads last year, and YouTube's global ad revenue was around a little shy of $20 billion. It's like that idiom about drops of water in a bucket. Only in this case, the "bucket" is one of the largest bodies of water to ever be discovered by advertisers. YouTube has become a key player in how people connect and share things with each other, and that has developed it into a major lead generator for businesses. It's the kind of lead gen tool that could be used by anyone in any industry — even real estate. A Real Estate Agent's Guide to YouTube SEO There's a good chance that Facebook is already a big platform for your real estate business. From posting video walkthroughs of houses to connecting with people (both homebuyers and fellow agents), it's hard to imagine a world where social media doesn't play some role in your work. But the problem with relying on Facebook videos is that your reach is often limited to your network. And since Facebook doesn't quite have the most consistent search and filter algorithms, it's possible for people to miss out on things unless you are paying for targeted advertising. Targeted ads can be very effective on Facebook, but they come with a price tag. The main trait real estate agents love about SEO-driven advertising is that it's all organic — by targeted specific keywords, you can make sure your content finds the right audience. And the only "expense" on your part is putting in the effort to find the right keywords. YouTube has developed reliable SEO guidelines thanks to its relationship with Google. And that means you can use the video platform to consistently and effectively get your videos to rank well when people search for specific keywords. Of course, it's just like SEO rules on Google. If you want a top spot for a keyword, you'll need to put in some research (to find the keyword) and technical work (to make sure you meet YouTube SEO requirements). But it's the sort of thing that real estate agents can — and should — rely on to get video content in front of as many potential homebuyers as possible. In other words, it'll help you generate more leads. And if you make YouTube SEO a regular part of your lead generation strategies, then YouTube can function as a reliable way to advertise yourself to new groups of prospective homebuyers. Get the Most Out of Video Content Even people familiar with Google's SEO process have to relearn a few things to get results on YouTube. The platform's focus on video content has led to very different trends in what sort of topics people search for, and specifically how they use the search bar. For example, people are much more likely to search for "how-to" videos — tutorial content is consistently the most-watched on YouTube, and that was especially true last year. In 2020, YouTube saw a 50% increase in the number of views for videos with "beginner" in the title. Viewers also have a higher chance of watching something from the suggestions bar instead of going back to YouTube to search for something else. (In fact, 81% of American YouTube users regularly watch videos the algorithm recommends to them.) Contrast that with traditional web activity. How often do you search for something, click a result, and then start browsing that site to read posts about unrelated topics? That sort of thing works on YouTube, but hardly ever translates to Google. People use the two platforms differently, and that applies to the SEO rules to follow if you want viewers to find your videos and start engaging with the content you share. When it comes to real estate, it's unrealistic to think you can upload videos about every single listing you're going to see. Instead, think of YouTube as a platform where you can share other sorts of video content — by becoming a trusted voice on a specific topic, people will be willing to click links to your other social media pages or even your website. Maybe you create how-to videos, introducing first-time homebuyers to different topics that will help them. Or maybe you make monthly updates about the market in your area. And of course, you can still upload videos about listings as they become available, particularly if they are in a busy market that you know will get some traffic online. Regardless of which video format you rely on, YouTube can become a powerful lead generation tool for your business. And by targeting specific keywords, you can use your YouTube channel to guide people to other platforms where you can connect with them directly. To view the original article, visit the Wise Agent blog.

LinkedIn for Real Estate Agents
Social media is a valuable tool for real estate professionals. However, if you aren't on LinkedIn, you are missing out on a huge opportunity. Being on other social media platforms such as Facebook or Instagram can be beneficial, but does present challenges unique to those platforms, such as your business profile competing with cat videos and selfies. LinkedIn eliminates these distractions, so you no longer have to fight to make your post relevant or find your audience because, on LinkedIn, they are looking for you specifically. Half of US adults with college degrees use LinkedIn, and 45% of internet users that make more than $75,000 annually use the platform. You don't have to combat crowds of uninterested bystanders because LinkedIn is a platform created for professionals, so you should be taking full advantage of all it has to offer. According to Hubspot, LinkedIn produces 277% more leads than Facebook and Twitter. LinkedIn also has a visitor to lead conversion rate of 2.74%, which may not sound like much, but when you compare it to the .77% rate of Facebook and only .69% rate of Twitter, it is clear how valuable LinkedIn is. One of the biggest challenges in marketing is generating traffic and leads, but LinkedIn has made a name for itself in this category. LinkedIn accounts for 50% of website traffic coming from social media platforms, making it more valuable than any other platform. How do you ensure you are getting the most out of your LinkedIn profile? Finding Leads LinkedIn makes finding leads more simple than ever before. For starters, the platform's LinkedIn Messaging Ads platform is a convenient tool to advertise your services to potentially interested clients. Pair this with LinkedIn Gen Forms, and you can capture tons of leads. These gen forms are customizable ads sent as messages or sponsored content to the target audience to collect leads of higher quality. You can customize these ads to ask specific questions to certain audiences to receive more accurate information. Using LinkedIn Gen Forms double your lead conversion rate. Many clients seek out real estate agents on LinkedIn, typically because they find them somewhere else and head to LinkedIn to learn more about the agent. They want to check out their qualifications, experience, and skills before taking the next step in their buying or selling process. Give yourself the upper hand by having all of this information available to them through your profile. Your Profile To optimize your LinkedIn profile, you need to start with exactly that—your profile! It is vital that your page is complete and inviting. That way, when leads visit your page, they know exactly who you are, what you do, and how you can help them. Your profile photo and banner are the first things your visitors will see. You should have a professional headshot for your profile photo and an informational image for your banner, such as an image that shows you working in your career field. Headlines are the first thing visitors will read, so it needs to be catchy and informational. Although LinkedIn will automatically fill out this headline, you should personalize this section and take advantage of the 240 character count. Your About section is the next big piece of your LinkedIn puzzle. This summary should include anything you want leads to know about you and your business immediately. Highlight your significant accomplishments, feature client success stories, and take this opportunity to create a strong first impression for leads. Also, be sure to include a call-to-action or a "next step" for the lead to follow. At this point, if a lead is still on your page, they will most likely be ready to reach out to you. Have contact information readily available for these potential clients. Without a quick, effortless way to contact you, the rest of your profile will be a waste. When it comes to posting on LinkedIn, make sure you're doing it often! You can post your own content or repost others' content that you think would benefit your audience. What should you be posting? Great question! A lot of real estate professionals use their LinkedIn to showcase homes. Make sure to mix up your content too—you can post blogs, infographics, and personalized videos to keep things new and exciting for your audience. LinkedIn can be a prosperous tool for connecting with potential clients and learning more about the real estate industry. Don't let this platform go unnoticed—it can be one of the best opportunities for making yourself seen! Perfect your profile and start watching the leads roll in. To view the original article, visit the Wise Agent blog.

Lead Generation Means Nothing (If You Don't Have a Lead Engagement Strategy)
Agents are obsessed with lead generation, but that's only half of the battle. When you get leads into your CRM, the next -- and potentially most important -- phase of the conversion process begins: lead engagement and follow-up. Generating leads is a costly investment, so make sure that you actually have an effective lead engagement strategy in place in order to convert those leads. Lead Engagement and Follow Up Are THIS Important: 90% of real estate agents will give up on a lead after the first four touches, despite the fact that 70% of the time that lead will go on to buy a home within the year — just with a different agent. (NAR) 80% of prospects are deemed "bad leads" by sales teams, and yet, these buyers still go on to purchase homes within 24 months. (NAR) Responding instantly to inquiries can increase lead conversion rates by up to 391%. (Zillow & MIT) #ProTip: Consumer demands focus on instant gratification, service, and communication. The most successful real estate businesses are those that not only meet consumer expectations but exceed them by anticipating needs. Seamless engagement experiences are critical for lead conversion. Agents are challenged with assuring that: Your leads are contacted and qualified quickly, 24/7. Your brand is accurately represented Your leads get white-glove customer service You're not glued to your desk so you have time to work with your current clients and expand your brand 3 Ways to Extract Value From Your Lead Generation by Driving Conversion Let's be honest, sometimes all of the responsibilities of lead generation and follow-up can be incredibly time-consuming for agents. And, the more successful your lead generation strategies are, the more responsibility agents have to respond, engage, and qualify leads. Since we don't have all of the time in the world, agents need to establish "rinse and repeat" processes that warm up leads until they're ready to convert. Agents that want to maximize the value of their lead generation efforts can improve their follow up and engagement models with these three strategies: #1. Lead Qualification Plan To work your leads, you have to know where they are and what they need. Lead qualification is a process that determines where a lead currently is within the sales funnel. Are they buyers looking to purchase a home immediately, or is it a shopper that's just dipping their toes? Is a seller looking to start listing their home, or are they still thinking about whether or not they want to sell? Lead qualification plans gather information from the lead to build a client profile that analyzes their potential for, and ability to, convert into a tangible deal for your real estate business. Lead qualification plans are important because they: Let agents know what the lead's needs are so they can provide valuable information Informs agents on the best angle to use when reaching out Tells agents how much time they should be investing in the lead Prioritizes your lead funnel based on how cold or hot leads are #ProTip: Plug what you learn during lead qualification into the lead's CRM contact so you're remembering all of the vital information that can give you an edge down the line. #2. Nurture Plans Once you determine where a lead is on the sales funnel, or how far they are from converting, agents need a nurture plan to help nudge leads towards their transactions. Using the information gathered during lead qualification, agents need to continually maintain contact with the lead — keeping your services top of mind. The main goal of nurturing leads should be to: Show a lead your value as an agent Help leads overcome potential obstacles and challenges related to buying/selling Build trust Empower leads to take the next steps, moving them forward on the sales funnel A strong nurture plan will share content with the lead, send them updates on new opportunities in their target market, and help them begin planning for their transaction. #ProTip: The best lead outreach and engagement provides customized information that is relevant to the lead. Leveraging bulk email actions can be a time-saving way to provide leads with seamless service. #3. Lead Concierge Services Lead concierge services, like Success Assurance from BoomTown, is a solution to lead follow-up and engagement that fills your pipeline and drives conversion. It solves for speed-to-lead without the agent having to stay glued to the desk all day. You'll be able to spend time working for your active clients while Success Assurance secures opportunities for business down the road. Remember: It's important to "play the long game." To view the original article, visit the BoomTown blog.

How to Use Digital Flyers to Market Your Real Estate Business
Despite being a traditional marketing strategy, real estate flyers are still a very effective and practical way to help you locate localized leads, market your products and services, and bring awareness to your business or newly listed property. There are several ways to use flyers for marketing your real estate business effectively. And in this article, we will discuss how marketing through real estate flyers has evolved in the digital age and how you can effectively use this strategy to generate more leads and create new business opportunities for your real estate brand. So if you're looking to explore all available marketing tactics to grow your business, this is the article for you! How Can You Effectively Use Real Estate Digital Flyers for Your Business Flyers are now more accessible than ever before, thanks to low-cost printing and innovative CRM templates. However, there are several tips to consider when designing digital real estate flyers: Have a clear goal in mind Focus on your message and your target market Be creative with your flyer design Have a direct call-to-action Now that you have a clear goal of what you want to achieve with your flyers, let's look at ways to use them to effectively market your real estate listings. Agent Profile Flyer Doing some outreach is necessary to build relationships with residents. Having a hyperlocal presence is a powerful force in the real estate industry, mainly because information about properties, agents, and communities is widely available. Becoming a neighborhood expert is the most valuable method for agents to differentiate themselves. One effective method of accomplishing this is by sending real estate flyers that detail some of your most noteworthy professional accomplishments to capture the interest of buyers and sellers. Open Houses Ensure that you hand out listing flyers to everyone who attends your open house events. Your flyer can be an excellent conversation starter and make a lasting impression, which can help you seal the business. Flyer Boxes A flyer box is a great way to market yourself to people who might not come right up to your open house or listing event. Ensure that you include your flyer box with your for sale sign for people to pick up on a walk or drive. Your contact information will then be readily available to them if they're interested in your listing. Create Custom Real Estate Digital Flyers For Your Listings Besides physically printing your flyers, technology has made it much easier to generate digital flyers, which you can send to clients and prospects in email newsletters, text messages, and so on. Using digital flyers is more accessible and very effective. While you can make them printable, you can also send them to your leads right before an open house event while having print copies at your event. To view the original article, visit the Realtyna blog.

How to Convert an Internet Lead via Phone
The strategies you use to successfully convert leads are a big factor in your level of productivity. As we are able to find leads through an increasing number of channels, it can be challenging to identify the best ways to move toward conversion. Taking advantage of the opportunities that come via the internet can require some new ways of thinking and creative combinations of tools that you might not have tried before. One traditional, yet effective way to move an online inquiry into the pipeline is to make contact by phone. Following up is critical, and it's amazing how frequently initial contacts are ignored. For example, the WAV Group measured lead responsiveness from a sample of 384 different brokers across 11 states. Researchers inquired about online listings and recorded the data on responses by agents. In their experience: 48% of buyer inquiries were NEVER responded to Average number of call back attempts after the initial contact was 1.5 The average number of email contact attempts was 2.07 Average response time was 917 minutes (or 15.29 hours) So, strategy number one: RESPOND. Beyond that, many industry coaches recommend using the phone to convert these online leads. Here's a roundup of wisdom on the subject. #1. Tom Ferry Ferry's blog is loaded with information, videos, and interviews. He has an energetic style and provides specific tips for being more effective in using your phone for lead conversion. Tom Ferry's 6 Communications Tips Know your customers' pain and know their problems. Examples: market conditions, past purchasing experiences Know your dialogues. If you want to be good on the phone, you have to practice! When you know what to say and how to say it, you can be more in tune to your customers' needs. Get to the point! Example: "I'm calling today to schedule an appointment…" Give two options for setting a time. Stand up when you are making calls! Your body controls your tonality and your emotional state. On the phone = 20% effective sensory communication. Remember that when you talk, you are only engaging in one sense out of five. Speaking clearly is important. Get the fear out of the way with these three questions: What's the worst case scenario? What's the most likely scenario? What's the best case scenario? #2. Jared James A professional speaker, author, coach, marketer and entrepreneur, Jared James has a YouTube channel filled with tips and tricks for lead conversion. He makes no bones about the critical nature of timing. Five minutes can be the difference between a deal and no deal —and industry experts like Jared, Chris Smith and others agree. When you contact a lead within the first five minutes of their initial inquiry, the chances of converting that lead go up 100x. That's because there's context around that moment—they're still on your website, they're still thinking about you, and they haven't been taken over by the wave of all the other things on their plate. Jared talks about how to do this yourself—or with an inside sales assistant—and reminds you to perform an immediate call back rather than leaving a voice message. #3. Ken Goodfellow On Ken's blog, the topic of lead conversion is often discussed, and Ken recognizes the importance of the personal touch that a phone call creates. Initially follow up with the lead through email or text—but follow up with a personable phone call shortly after. Simply restate your position in a unique and refreshing manner. #4. Lee Davenport A quality CRM is part of any follow-up and lead conversion strategy, and Lee Davenport offers great insights into what features your CRM should have to help you respond quickly to incoming inquiries. She mentions a situation that most agents can relate to: You're sitting in a three-hour CRE course and receive an inquiry. Will your CRM automatically respond to the inquiry with a personalized message? Here are some more functions Lee recommends. To view the original article, visit the Wise Agent blog.

Friday Freebie: 8 Homebuyer and Seller Checklists
Buying or selling a home can be a complicated and stressful process. That's doubly true in today's fast-paced market of low inventory and cash offers. And while you're a professional who knows how to stay cool, calm and collected no matter what, sometimes your client's stress impacts you, too. This week's Friday Freebie to the rescue! To help you and your clients stay on top of everything during the home sales process, we're highlighting a collection of eight buyer and seller checklists that will keep everyone organized all the way through moving day. Read on to learn how to claim these free checklists! 8 Homebuyer and Seller Checklists, courtesy of Zurple We have a confession: we love checklists. Not only do they make planning and execution so much easier, but they're also a great way to draw in new leads. These eight checklists from Zurple are highly detailed and let your client do everything from narrowing down their wants in a home, to helping them prepare their home for listing, to knowing what to do on moving day. You can share these checklists with your current clients, or offer them on your website for download in exchange for a lead's contact information. That's two handy purposes in one: lead generation and good customer service! Here's what's included in this free packet of eight checklists: Home Buying Checklist Home Selling Checklist House Hunting Checklist Mortgage Pre-approval Checklist Moving Out Checklist Open House Questions Checklist Prepare Listing for Market Checklist Showing and Open House Prep Checklist Ready to help your clients and leads stay on top of today's challenging market? Download 8 Homebuyer and Seller Checklists now!

Tips for Growing the Listing Side of Your Real Estate Business
Building the listing side of your business will help you become a more balanced agent that can thrive in any market, whether it's favoring buyers or sellers. Here are essential tips that can help agents expand their listing services to grow in their markets. How to Get Started When you want to begin expanding your listing services, your online presence is a great way to start. Building new landing pages marketing your listing services on your website will help you create a resume for your seller leads. Giving sellers strong content to engage with will present you as a reputable listing agent with insight, experience, and market knowledge. Website Landing Page Ideas to Attract Sellers: Home Renovations to Increase ROI Seller Tips for (Year) Local Market Reports Seller Testimonials Essential Home Selling Guide Glossary of Home Sale Terms Things to Expect When Selling Your First Home How to Prepare a Home for Listing Another option for kickstarting your listing services is to organize your CRM based on client needs. Tagging your clients and leads as sellers and buyers allows you to leverage bulk actions when following up with your network. This gives agents the chance to begin sending out targeted engagement to seller leads in their CRM. #ProTip: Don't forget to reach out to buyers that you worked with in the past in case they're ready to re-enter the market as sellers! Tips for Building a Solid Listing Presentation When growing the listing side of your business, you'll need to master listing presentations. Listing presentations are where agents pitch their services to a potential seller. Successful listing presentations result in being hired by the seller, meaning you just converted a new client. The listing presentation is the agent's chance to prove to the seller why they are the best decision for the job. Use these five tips when building your listing presentations to improve your conversion rate and stand out from competing agents. #1. Include a Bio and Noteworthy Stats In most cases, the listing presentation serves as the first introduction between sellers and agents. You want to make a strong first impression, and that means including a bio and noteworthy career highlights in your listing presentation. Make your career bio a short "about me" introduction to set the stage for the listing presentation. It's a good idea to include your best real estate stats, like annual production volume and sales data, to prove your statement — that you're the best choice for the job. #2. Add a Detailed Marketing Plan Sellers want an agent that can leverage a robust marketing strategy when selling their home. Instead of just saying that you can sell the home, prove it to them by providing a detailed marketing plan. Explaining the steps you will take to attract buyers will build trust with the seller and give them a preview of the services they'll have access to once they sign you on as an agent. #ProTip: Remember to include your social media channels here so the seller can explore your pages and follow you. #3. Provide Content for Your Audience Whether you're giving your listing presentation in person or online via video call, your audience should have something in hand to keep their attention and provide more information. Give your audience something to follow along with. For a live presentation, consider bringing a printed worksheet with additional tips. For an online presentation, send a PDF with supplemental information in advance. Not only does this keep your audience engaged, but it also gives sellers something to walk away with that has your brand on it. #4. Include a Local Market Recap Show sellers your value as an agent by including a brief market recap in your listing presentation. This introduces you as a data-backed agent that can recommend informed seller strategies based on real-time market data. Include data like: Whether the market is favoring sellers or buyers Average days on the market Average listing price Inventory levels Buyer demand #ProTip: Don't forget to include a few comments on what trends are popular in your local market. For example, if buyers are paying more for recently renovated kitchens or if sellers are waiving a certain contingency to win buyers. #5. Bring in Client Testimonials The listing presentation is a great place to introduce client testimonials. This strategy shows sellers that you have a good reputation with your past clients while giving them a preview of what it's like working with you. #ProTip: Instead of having one portion of the presentation only about testimonials, include them throughout the presentation. Select client feedback that is relevant to what you're talking about and use the testimonials to back up what you're saying. When you're talking about ways to generate buyer leads to sell a home quickly, it's a good idea to include a testimonial saying how a seller was thrilled at how fast you were able to secure an offer. 5 Easy Ways to Generate Seller Leads Targeted Facebook Ads Email Marketing Campaigns Specifically for Sellers Invest in Advertising in Local Newspapers and Magazines Find Sellers at Open Houses Work with BoomTown! To view the original article, visit the BoomTown blog.

How to Get Seller Leads in a Sellers' Market
There's no need for more than a few words on just how much of sellers' market we're in. Home prices are at record highs. Inventory is at a record low. And, to make matters worse, due to the pandemic, there are more agents than ever competing for clients. But you know all that already. So, let's jump right into the meat of the matter: What can you do to win more seller leads? Leverage your past solds in your advertising While there is a multitude of smaller factors that influence a consumers' choice in an agent—such as digital adeptness—ultimately, the single most important one is the agent's ability to sell their home. Obvious, right? You'd be surprised, though, by how many agents fail to realize they can leverage their past successes in their current marketing. Past solds are advertisements that showcase how well you sold a property. Ideally, they champion a win that separates you from the competition—a home sold X% above asking price, a property that went under contract in record time, etc. The key isn't so much to show you can sell a home but to demonstrate that you can do it better than anyone else. Here's an example of a past sold: Remember, the relative lack of inventory on the market coupled with a greater number of agents has given prospective sellers more choice in representation than ever before. As many of them are lured to the market by record-setting home prices, to win their business, you'd do well to convey that you're a better alternative than your competition. Sprinkling in past solds in your digital marketing—on sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Google—is an easy way to get a leg up. Strengthen your online reviews Again, prospective sellers have the luxury of being more discerning than ever, and one negative review—or the lack of any reviews altogether—can be just enough to dissuade them. Spend the time now to rigorously audit your reviews. Though every review site counts, Google has won the battle for consumer trust. Many third-party reviews have come under fire for review manipulation, so users overwhelming view Google, a business built upon delivering searchers relevant and correct information, as the most likely to provide a fair representation of consumer sentiment. So start there. Reach out to past clients, colleagues, friend, and family, and encourage them to leave you a review on Google. You'll quickly strengthen your rating—and quickly reassure prospective sellers you're an agent to trust. Optimize your prospecting to the individual We live in a world of personalized advertising. Every email. Every digital ad. Every content recommendation is tailored made because it's more effective in converting consumers. So why shouldn't your real estate prospecting reflect that? Gone are the days of mass mailings and blanket canvassing. To truly stand out from the crowd, you should hone your marketing to the individual level. Use real estate heat maps, like Homesnap's Likelihood to List, to identify homes likely to hit the market and then leverage homeowner contact information to create tailored postcards or marketing materials. The extra step goes a long way in differentiating yourself among the many agents spamming out generic mailings. Offers something for nothing in your marketing Good marketing is an exchange of value. So, ask yourself, what could you offer to potential prospects? One idea: Don't use your website solely as a means to advertise. Offer prospective sellers something beyond static information about your business. That could be a newsletter, a market report, a free-home valuation tool, anything really. So long as you're offering value, sellers are that much more inclined to visit your website (and ultimately hire you) over those of your competition. Be vigilant about discovering new advertising channels The beauty—and the terror—of digital marketing is that it's constantly evolving, and agents who are early adopters stand to benefit the most. Just think about social media. Only a decade or so ago, many agents shied away from Facebook and Instagram advertising. Today, it's a necessity, and those who were first to build followings still reap the benefits. For a more recent example, consider Google Local Services Ads. These brand new ads seamlessly facilitate contact from homebuyers and sellers. They sit at the top of the Google search page, above traditional paid search advertisements, and enable users to live call an agent directly from their desktop or mobile device. Agents who take advantage of these ads while they are still new are at a tremendous advantage: They'll appear at the very top of the Google search results page every time a seller in their market searches for an agent. Remember, though, GLS Ads are the latest advertising product—not the last. So make sure you're always looking for ways to stay ahead of the curve. For more information about running GLS Ads for your real estate business, read this blog. To view the original article, visit the Homesnap blog.

Friday Freebie: 5 Lead Generation Optimization Checklists for 2022
What's the key to a successful lead generation strategy? If you said "consistency," you're on the right track. But it's hard to be consistent if you don't have a road map already in place. Cue this week's Friday Freebie. We're highlighting a free set of five checklists that will help you optimize your lead generation strategy and keep you on the path to consistency. Read on to learn how to become a lean, mean, lead-generating machine. Download 5 Real Estate Lead Generation Optimization Checklists for 2022, courtesy of Zurple Nothing makes life easier than having a plan in place. When it comes to lead generation, you need to know where to market yourself and how, how to qualify leads, how to nurture leads, and more. That may seem like a lot, but in this free packet of lead generation checklists, you'll learn how to streamline multiple aspects of your lead generation strategy. You can use the checklists yourself or share them with an assistant or marketing support personnel. Your free download includes: Lead generation checklist New lead qualification checklist Website SEO checklist Email/CRM checklist Real estate content checklist Make your 2022 lead gen strategy the best it can be. Download 5 Real Estate Lead Generation Optimization Checklists for 2022 now!

Is Cold Calling Still Effective in Real Estate?
Over the past several months, the debate between those who believe cold calling is dead and those who swear by it intensified. To be honest, we all know how intimidating cold calling can be. When it comes to calling strangers on the phone, some rookie real estate agents are hesitant. And others may be concerned about receiving negative reactions or not having a positive return of investment (ROI). Of course, each side has reasoning behind their choice. But before we delve into the nitty-gritty of cold calling, let's look at what it is all about. Meaning of Cold Calling in Real Estate Cold calling is one of the real estate industry's most traditional marketing strategies. It entails contacting a prospective consumer who has not previously interacted with you or expressed any interest in the product or service you provide in an attempt to gain their business. Cold calling aims not to analyze, make a pitch, complete a deal, or engage in a discussion. Instead, the goal of cold calling is to transition from an interruption to a scheduled appointment when you gain the prospect's full attention. However, we found that there are many opinions regarding this topic, backed by very little information. But here is what you need to know about cold calling. Cold Calling Statistics How Many Cold Calls Do Real Estate Agents Make? According to this Keller Research Center Report, which specifically targets the B2C market, real estate agents made about 6,264 cold calls and discovered that just 28 percent of the calls were answered. The agents scheduled 19 appointments with prospective customers and received 11 referrals from this 28 percent. This implies that an agent will secure only one appointment or referral for every 209 calls made. Therefore, the overall time commitment required per agent to finish all 209 calls was roughly 7.5 hours. (Some ended up in conversations while others did not.) Of course, the closing ratio in the real estate industry will, at this point, assess the effectiveness of a marketing strategy. It is not that cold calling won't produce any results, but rather that the cost of the lead and the sale may be achieved more efficiently through alternative techniques. The goal is to measure your performance and rely on analytics to get informed. How Well Does Cold Calling Work? Implisit, a firm that Salesforce recently acquired, studied the CRM data of organizations around the world. They discovered that the leads that created the best conversions originated from employee and customer recommendations. Leads generated through social media came in second place. According to a study by Leap Job, only 2 percent of cold calls resulted in an appointment. Similarly, Ovation Sales Group discovered that it takes an average agent 6.25 hours to schedule one meeting with a prospect. If we apply Implisit's analysis, suppose that these appointments are now regarded as opportunities. Only 6 percent of these appointments are likely to result in sales. When you examine the data, you can't say cold calling doesn't work. However, its effectiveness is fast becoming questionable. This finding is supported by a HubSpot study (The State of Inbound), which discovered that cold calling is 60 percent more expensive per lead than other strategies. This discussion, as you can see, is not a debate about whether or not cold calling works. At some level, it works. However, the essential question is: how well does it work? Is the ROI on this endeavor improving or deteriorating? Is the number of calls necessary to produce a qualifying lead increasing or decreasing? Real estate agents must develop new approaches to reach decision makers. If you don't rely on verifiable facts like this, you're probably losing out on trends that might predict a storm coming your way. How to Warm Up Cold Calls No one can dispute the digital revolution engulfing real estate. As technology improves, brokers are using new tools to locate the appropriate consumers and close more deals. This is the main reason why there is a debate regarding the effectiveness of cold calling. From the data discussed above, we agree that there is massive room for improvement in our outreach efforts, especially regarding cold calling. Here are two top tips on how to warm up cold calls for better lead generation. Sophisticated prospecting The days of painstakingly combing through property records and portfolio information for possible leads are long gone. What was once a time-consuming process of identifying potential listing, clients, and purchase and refinancing options is now as simple as clicking a button. In addition, real estate technology and off-market data platforms are now readily available to simplify the prospecting process, allowing real estate professionals to conduct custom searches and rapidly discover property owners and other potential leads. Get in touch with decision makers After identifying a promising lead to pursue, Realtors sometimes encounter roadblocks since they cannot access the necessary contact details of the property owner or the lead. Dealing with this situation is frustrating, and it results in a waste of the agents' time. Instead of finding the decision maker, the real estate professional is usually given inadequate information or a gatekeeper's phone number, which hinders them from speaking with the right people to make a deal. However, agents may avoid dealing with gatekeepers and directly contact the decision makers with the proper real estate technology and data. Top Alternatives to Cold Calling CRM Businesses have relied on numerous lead generation techniques for decades. Customer relationship management (CRM) includes tactics to maintain a healthy and lucrative relationship with potential and existing customers. CRM blends cutting-edge technology with sales and marketing methods to increase lead generation and customer satisfaction. LinkedIn Before you make a phone call, LinkedIn might be an excellent approach to form a personal relationship with a buyer. It is also a great way to expand your audience. LinkedIn Sales Navigator is an effective tool for locating qualified prospects who match your ideal customer profile. It is also effective at maximizing your existing relationships to increase access to high-level decision-makers. Email An effective technique to reach out to and engage prospective customers is via email campaigns that deliver useful information that doesn't revolve around your services. Providing email content that isn't just a meeting request or a sales pitch is also an effective strategy to engage dormant or difficult to reach leads. It can also assist you in determining when to contact an inbound lead with a targeted message. Referrals Most B2B businesses begin their work with a referral, and nearly three-quarters of executives prefer to work with agents referred by network connection. Asking for recommendations from existing clients who may benefit from your service is incredibly effective. Warm Calling Warm calling is a networking approach that builds trust and rapport with a prospect before making a phone call. An increasingly effective way to make this discovery is through a personal referral, as this historically has happened. Unfortunately, cold calling only has a 1% success rate compared to warm calling, with a 30% success rate. Direct Mail Can you recall the last time you received or even read a letter? Perhaps not, but many businesses have effectively used direct mail or "snail mail" campaigns to reach their target audiences. This strategy allows for personalization, which is a plus. Given the current lead and client acquisition cost, a modest, inexpensive gift included with the letter might be worth the extra expense. Physical Events Not only do we use social media to network, but there are a plethora of networking events organized for practically any industry and place with substantial job prospects. While they might be fairs, exhibitions, or conferences, they may also be events explicitly aimed at networking. Although ticket prices may be high, many people attending events like these will bring in new customers for a salesperson on the spot, making them well worth the investment. Social Media Engagement Engage in social media conversations with the appropriate people. Growing your social media audience and your prospective list of prospects will be facilitated by contacting and interacting with thought leaders in your industry and potential users who meet the criteria for your ideal buyer profile. Takeaway Today, sourcing techniques have evolved. Instead of file cabinets, online databases are now storehouses of information. In summary, the effectiveness and scalability of cold calling is greatly affected by changes in data. It takes away uncertainty while providing confidence every step of the way, allowing for the fast development of more powerful relationships, especially because Realtors these days have so much information at their disposal that they don't have to talk to a prospect until they are ready to buy or sell. Technology has streamlined any setbacks that real estate professionals could encounter while trying to generate and convert leads. To view the original article, visit the Realtyna blog.

Friday Freebie: 52 Lead Gen Ideas for 2022
It's been a little over a month since New Year's -- how are your resolutions looking? If you're like most people, maybe not so great. It's easy to set over-ambitious goals when facing down the fresh slate of a new year. When those goals reveal themselves to be unsustainable for your lifestyle, it's even easier to toss those resolutions aside. That's why we like this week's Friday Freebie. Instead of an unrealistic list of tasks to complete, we're highlighting an ebook with 52 lead generation ideas. That's one lead gen idea per week for a year—not too tough a pace, if we do say so ourselves! Read on to learn how to claim your free copy. Free copy of 52 Real Estate Lead Generation Ideas for 2022, courtesy of Zurple With 52 lead generation ideas in hand, you can think of 2022 as a year for trying new strategies—and keeping the tactics you like for future use while discarding those you don't. Or you can use this ebook as a reference to grab marketing inspiration from as needed. However you use this ebook, here's what awaits inside your free copy: 10 lead magnet ideas (with examples) 9 website lead generation ideas 5 third-party sites and mobile app lead gen ideas 21 social media lead gen ideas 4 email/CRM-based lead gen ideas And 3 more miscellaneous ideas! Get your 2022 lead generation ideas on track. Download your copy of 52 Real Estate Lead Generation Ideas for 2022 now!

From Lead to Loyalty: FREE Ebook Download
All too many business owners fall into the trap of sacrificing long-term relationships for short-term gain. Our FREE ebook, From Lead to Loyalty, breaks down why you should focus your efforts beyond immediate short-term sales goals and consider the impact long-term relationships have on your future. Easier said than done, we know. Your bottom line is a priority, and hitting revenue goals is crucial to a successful business. But as most business professionals know, referrals spend more and engaging repeat customers is much less expensive than acquiring new clients. Therefore, we've put together this free ebook that follows a lead through a positive lifecycle. Our Lead to Loyalty ebook will help you navigate how to take a cold lead and turn them into a long-lasting relationship. DOWNLOAD YOUR FREE EBOOK NOW FOR GREAT INFORMATION ON... When and how you should contact prospects Creative ways to thank clients and leave positive impressions How to turn a single transaction into many future businesses opportunities Industries that may encounter a long shopping or browsing period can mean lots of prospects may not need your services right away. As a result, it can be difficult to know how to stay top of mind without overwhelming your audience. We hope the From Lead to Loyalty ebook will help you as you grow and expand your business. If you need more assistance with your marketing strategy, contact our team at OutboundEngine. We are always here to help. About OutboundEngine, an Elm Street Technology Company: OutboundEngine does the hard work of keeping in touch with customers for you. Our expert designers, writers and marketers create compelling, clickable content that your audience will love…all branded exclusively to you. Automated. Easy follow-up. Quality content. Explore OutboundEngine today at OutboundEngine.com.

How to Become a Real Estate Agent: Getting Your First Clients
There's lots of great perks to being an agent -- you set your own hours, enjoy unlimited earning potential, and help people find a home that suits their needs for the right price. Before you start, ask yourself if you have the right disposition. You'll need top notch sales acumen, great negotiation skills, and the ability to act compassionately and prudently. Start your journey into real estate by learning up on the basics of how to become a real estate agent, and see how you can grow your business with rentals. The Basics Getting Your License It is required by law that all real estate agents must have an active real estate license, so all real estate hopefuls must begin with getting a license (and keeping it active!). Here's the basic process: you'll take a pre-licensing course, pass a state exam, and file a real estate license application. The specifics of this process will vary from state to state, so make sure to do your research on what education you need to become a real estate agent in the area in which you wish to work. States have different requirements for real estate licenses, so if you're planning to relocate, make sure that you're getting licensed in the state you wish to practice real estate in. Make sure to budget both your time and money. The amount of "credit hours" required varies from 63 hours in Florida to 180 hours in Texas, and real estate education can cost anywhere from $200 to $1,000. In addition to taking various real estate courses, you'll need to pass a background check and will have additional costs associated with signing a brokerage. If you know a real estate agent who is active in your area, reach out to them and ask them any questions you have. They'll be able to speak from recent experience (and may be able to send some referrals your way). There's a lot more to getting your real estate license! Do your due diligence before you start, and make sure this choice makes sense for you. Finding the Right Brokerage Most states require new agents to work with a brokerage for at least two years. While you may eventually decide to become a free agent, working at a brokerage will show you the ropes of real estate, and many brokerages will help you continue your education and connect with valuable resources like a mentor. Here are some factors to consider as you chose a brokerage: do you want to work for a larger brokerage with name recognition or a local boutique brokerage that will give you more attention and growth potential? What is the brokerage's commission split? What opportunities do they have for further advancement? Take to the internet and see if you can connect with agents and brokers who work for your chosen brokerage. Become a REALTOR Licensed, signed with a brokerage, and ready to go, right? Not quite. You'll need to sign up with NAR to access your local MLS. The majority of listings in the home sales market, and many in the rental market, can be found on a database called the multiple listing service (MLS), so access to the MLS is a much-needed tool for a real estate agent. Use Rentals to Get Your First Clients Considering beginning your real estate business by working with renter clients. Grow Your Sphere of Influence Working with rental clients is a great way to grow your sphere of influence (i.e., the amount of potential clients you can reach when you post!). You'll begin generating referrals quickly. And, remember, renters won't be renters forever! Most renters want to become homebuyers, and, if you can start relationships early, you can build a longstanding foundation for tomorrow's homebuyer clients. Practice Client Skills Even if you're a seasoned salesman, sharpening your skills requires practice. Because renters move more often—for single family rentals, renters move on average every three years—you may be working with the same client (and receiving commission!) multiple times. And, with rentals increasing dramatically in popularity, a new agent may have an easier time acquiring and working with renter clients. Develop Social Media Skills A social media heavy lead generation scheme is a must for today's ultra-digital world. Both renters and home buyers take to the internet to start their home search—90% of home buyers searched online during their home buying process. This is especially true of renters, who are often more plugged-in Millennials. Build your Facebook Business Page, develop your marketing know-how, and build social media skills that will last your whole real estate career. Earn Commission Quickly While home sales typically take place over a period of months, rentals can close in a matter of weeks, letting you access commissions almost immediately. This is especially important considering how competitive real estate can be for a new agent. Real estate coach Tom Ferry estimates that 87% of agents fail within the first five years. Don't wait for a luxury home sales commission straight out of the gate. Access More Education Ready to learn more about rentals? Once you've got your license, come access free online rental education from Rental Beast. To view the original article, visit the Rental Beast blog.

How to Qualify Leads the Easy Way
Many times, new business owners start with a clear idea of what they want to offer the world -- and it's something that excites and uplifts them. As they think about the details, however, doubt creeps in -- and it shows itself the same way across all industries. "I can't turn away business," they start to think. "I have to appeal to everybody!" No matter how many books you read or business coaches you hear from, it can feel counterintuitive to be told to "niche down." Deciding on a small segment of the total customer base to focus on may seem like a scary commitment, one in which you're not sure the other side will "love you back." Yet, focusing your strategy allows you to do the same with your marketing, advertising, and other types of communication. And it's precisely that laser-focus that appeals to people. Because you get specific, they recognize you understand their problems. That draws them to you! This is especially crucial in real estate. In your first year as a real estate professional, you might feel like you're doing a little bit of everything. After all, there's so much to learn! Soon, you start to develop a better sense of which customers fit you best. Ideal customers should be easy and fun to work with so you can add value to their lives! On the other end of the scale, some customers will drain your energy and may leave you miserable. It's crucial to get those encounters out of the way in the first year — because your business is not "for everyone." It's for the right people with the right budget at the right time. Those are qualified leads, the ones more likely than anyone else to become customers, and they grow your business. Sad, but true: Unqualified leads don't add to your bottom line, no matter how many you get! How to Qualify Your Leads the Easy Way Ideally, you would be able to qualify your leads by collecting just a little bit more information each time you encounter them. You might get some details when they sign up for your email list, a few more when they register for an open house, and a little bit more when they schedule a call. By spacing out your "asks" naturally in encounters like these, you can learn a lot! And an all-in-one real estate solution makes it much easier. That's because your CRM can capture and analyze details any human would easily overlook. Making connections between all the thousands or even millions of data points available, an AI-driven app helps you turn "information" into "insight." Still, it's a wise idea to have a qualification framework in mind. A qualification framework is a system of expected data points you collect about each prospective customer. Prospects that give answers within a desirable range are well-qualified leads. Those whose answers are outside the norm may be poorly qualified or not qualified at all. In real estate, people are often trained to maintain every relationship they can — "you never know who'll become a customer!" With a qualification framework, you might still get caught by surprise now and again, but you will be able to develop informed expectations about every prospect in your funnel. When you know, you can focus your attention on leads most likely to be your future customers. Plus, you can do something that might otherwise feel unthinkable: Let go of unqualified leads! Referring them to someone who can meet their needs better does a service to them, you, and a colleague of your choice – and with a steady stream of truly qualified opportunities, it'll always feel good. A Simple Real Estate Lead Qualification Framework The BANT framework originates in business-to-business sales and adapts very well to real estate. For each prospect, ask these questions: Budget Does the prospect have a budget that matches the type of properties in the local area you typically deal with? If not, can you help by providing facts about mortgage qualification or new homebuyer programs? Authority Is the prospect "in charge" of the buying decision? If working with a couple, both should be consulted on everything. If a large family is moving, everyone's preferences and needs should be taken into account. Necessity Does the prospect "need" to move now? If not, what would increase the sense of urgency? If so, what roadblocks are standing in the way — succinctly, why hasn't the person taken action? How can you help? Timing Is the prospect planning to move now, next week, next month, next year? Get a sense of projected timing and any contingencies. Entice long-term "waiters" who are well-qualified onto your email list. Discover how digital marketing automation can help you qualify leads faster and better. RE Technology readers can try DeltaNET 6 free for 30 days. To view the original article, visit the Delta Media Group blog.

How to Get Real Estate Leads with No Upfront Costs
It sounds too good to be true, we know: But you can actually generate real estate leads with no upfront costs. It will take some effort and focus, but the leads you receive will be warmer and more likely to convert than those you'd buy from any number of companies offering supposed "quick, easy leads." The main activity you'll need to focus on to fill the top of your funnel is building a strong online presence and improving your online reputation. That, in combination with outreach and lead nurturing, is the recipe for generating and ultimately converting real estate leads with no upfront costs. Let's dive into the details. What Is a "Strong Online Presence"? A strong online presence means that it's easy for buyers and sellers to find information about you and your business on as many corners of the internet as possible. Being visible and easily findable online is table stakes for most transactions nowadays. Consumers look up every business they're considering working with, from dentists to real estate agents to restaurants. Inevitably, the first place they'll go to start that search is Google. If you don't have a Google business profile and well-maintained website, it'll be hard to find you online — leaving buyers and sellers wondering if you're a reputable agent or whether you're still practicing real estate at all. And that's just for the people who actively search for your name. Imagine all the buyers and sellers who Google terms like "real estate agents near me" and miss out on learning about you simply because you aren't there. Make Your Business Easy to Find on Google Being present on the world's most popular search engine is step one. The best thing you can do to start building your presence is to create a Google business profile, which is the large info box that appears to the right of Google Search results or at the top of Google Maps results. Like we mentioned earlier, doing this requires no upfront cost. You can go to Google and start the process of claiming and verifying your business right now. The key, though, is maintaining your profile by updating it with new content and new reviews on a weekly basis. Yes, weekly. This helps with SEO and building trust with Google so that the search giant will be more inclined to show your profile over competitors when a local buyer or seller searches for "real estate agents near me" or the like. After all, Google doesn't want to show its users defunct profiles or poorly reviewed businesses over active, well-reviewed businesses. Here are our top tips for optimizing your Google Business Profile for better ranking: Fill in all information fields, including contact details, business hours, and your bio. Publish photos, including a professional headshot and images of your recent listings and sales. Add new content weekly to show Google that you are keeping your profile active and up-to-date. Publish content posts with helpful tips, market insights, and information about your services. Show off your real estate knowledge to position yourself as an expert. Add new content weekly so Google knows you're keeping your profile active and up to date. Request reviews, and then request more reviews—often! Consumers need to read at least 10 positive reviews to begin to trust your business, and nearly three quarters of people only pay attention to reviews written in the last month. As with photos and content posts, adding new reviews to your profile on a regular basis is a positive signal to Google, too. Respond to all reviews, including negative ones. If you don't publicly acknowledge negative reviews, consumers are left with more questions than answers, and it also sends a negative signal to Google. Respond Quickly to Leads as They Come In We're living in a world where you can track your food delivery order from the oven to your door. Consumers' expectations are very high, and it's no different when they submit their contact details to receive more information about your listing or services. If you wait too long to respond, you're more likely to lose that lead to another agent or even just cold feet. We recommend responding in less than an hour — ideally in minutes — to catch them while their interest is still high. Nurture Leads Who Aren't Ready to Transact Although a potential buyer might reach out to you through your Google business profile, they may not be quite ready to jump into the real estate market. It's important to nurture every lead you receive. Nurturing leads means engaging with them regularly so you're top of mind when they are ready to buy or sell. You can do this by supporting leads in whatever ways they need, such as being available to answer questions or referring them to trusted lenders or other professionals in your network. You should also reinforce your market expertise whenever possible. This is easily achieved by including leads in your email workflows for e-newsletters, neighborhood spotlights, trend reports, and market updates. The more that potential buyers and sellers interact with you and your content — even digitally — the easier it is to build trust and ultimately be the agent they turn to when they're ready to buy or sell. Reinforce Your Expertise Through Marketing You can generate real estate leads with no upfront costs, but marketing isn't free. The cost of ads, direct mail, etc., shouldn't stop you from having and executing a marketing strategy. This is critical for any business, including real estate agents, in order to extend your reach, increase brand awareness, build trust, reinforce your expertise, and move leads down your funnel faster. Digital marketing is the perfect tool to use in conjunction with your lead generation tactics. That's because advertising platforms, such as Facebook and Google, allow you to add specific people to your custom audience. As long as these ad platforms are able to identify your leads on their network, they'll serve your digital ads to them. The more often these leads see you pop up in their newsfeed or around the internet, the more likely you are to make an impression of being a successful real estate agent. Although you don't need to pay a dime to generate leads in the way we described, it does take continuous work to maintain an online presence that builds trust with consumers and ranks high on Google. Learn how Homesnap Pro+ can do the hard work for you. To view the original article, visit the Homesnap blog.